It gives me shiny, frizz-free locks in seconds.
As a beauty writer, it’s embarrassing to admit that I’m really not good at taking care of myself regarding health versus vanity. My manicurist shooed me away from another gel treatment after taking one look at my brittle nails, and I left with my head hung low after a piercer suggested I learn to properly clean my current earring stack before adding more metal. But, a hair stylist stopping mid-blowout to caution me against using more hot tools on my weakened strands, was the ultimate gut punch.
Admittedly, I’ve saved a lot of time and money (around $300 exactly) since the Oribe Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm became a fixture in my heatless styling routine. Sure, at this point I can fashion my hair into avant-garde claw clip looks, and I’ve mastered the heatless curler technique, but nothing gives me shiny, frizz-free hair faster than this ingenious cream that I can’t live without anymore.
Oribe Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm
$48 at Amazon
Not to be a narcissist, but I think the brand made the balm just for me. It’s even specifically formulated for fine hair (like mine!) with a weightless, gel-like texture that instantly melts between my strands. Typically, I use a dime-sized amount on my damp roots and ends, and it never leaves my medium-length hair crunchy or my scalp oily. Sometimes, I braid my hair to achieve gorgeous S-shaped waves, instead of that “effortless” kind that usually requires a curling iron and 450 degrees of heat. Still, that’s the most complicated the process gets. Usually, I simply brush the balm through, set my bangs with a clip, and start my makeup while my hair dries.
But no matter how I style my strands, they dry with zero static and stay that way even after stepping out onto the soupy and humid New York City streets. In fact, my strands are so much healthier-looking and softer since using this Oribe balm, you’d think a professional did lend a hand in the process. In a way, one did. The salon-worthy brand is the brainchild of celebrity stylist Daniel Kaner, using a patented formula that includes ingredients like plant-based proteins and fruit oils to help prevent breakage, nourish dehydrated locks, and define my natural texture.
And while it’s not quite the same as a scalp massage, I still get the sweet moment of peace my blowouts once brought me. The signature Oribe scent, for instance, is an intoxicating mixture of white florals and citrus that smells exactly like an expensive perfume, or Gigi Hadid’s hair salon. The beautiful bottle is another bonus—my roommates thought I’d purchased a fancy little art sculpture for our bathroom—and adds a luxurious perk to the everyday humdrum routine.
To use a Carrie Bradshaw term, the Heatless Styling Balm gives me the zsa zsa zoo (heart-fluttering excitement!) when I use it. That’s just a perk about Oribe products, and I’ve experienced more hair-evolving effects from its best-sellers and my personal favorites below.
Oribe Hair Alchemy Discovery Set
$52 at Amazon
Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil
$57 at Amazon