I’m not big on expensive curly hair products that claim to do this and that.  This is only because I’ve tried almost every one of them! Although some are really great, I get just as good results with Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship conditioner, and so I cannot justify the cost.  It serves as my leave-in on a daily basis and my hair LOVES it (disclaimer: everyone’s hair has its own preferences

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.  My mom gave me a couple of samples of curly hair products and the one that stood out to me most was the Ouidad Climate Control Gel ($22).   It sat on my bathroom counter looking at me for weeks until this past weekend.  We had some very peculiar summer weather.  The whole weekend was humid with hot nights – not typical weather for us Angelenos.

With a number of engagements this weekend which included a morning hike, I figured Ouidad was the only thing that would remotely allow my hair to look good and be frizz-free the entire weekend.

I first applied it to my freshly washed damp hair.  My curls were already saturated with my Herbal Essences the night before.  So, I took about a quarter size amount on my hand, which almost got everywhere due to it’s liquid consistency, and distributed evenly throughout my curls.  Pulled it back and was off to my hike.  Later that night, my curls were still popping and we partied until the wee hours of the morning.  The next day, I had a couple of BBQs to attend.  Before heading out, I dampened my hair and refreshed with Ouidad.  It worked.  I had no frizz and curls stayed in tact with a a little bit of shine.   And just when I thought its effectiveness had run its course, a cute guy in the elevator at work told me my hair was perfect and had no frizz at all.  SCORE!

I have read a lot of reviews on this product, and honestly I don’t think this is a product you’d want to use as your only styling product.  Let it be your sealant/protection.  It also claims to be “excellent at protecting hair from blow-dryer heat.”

Ingredients: Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Panthenol (Provitamin B5), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Leaf Extract, Wheat Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Polyquaternium-28, Glycerin, PPG-26-Buteth-25, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PVP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance.

Pros: Keeps the frizz at bay; adds a little shine; great protectant;  lengthens the lifeline of your hairstyle
Cons:  The price is no bueno