Whenever I share an update on my hair care routine, there’s a 99% chance that an Oribe product will be included on the list. It’s one of my favorite hair brands on the market, and since I often get asked whether Oribe products are worth the splurge, I figured it was time to do a full breakdown of every product I’ve ever used from Oribe and what I thought about each.
If you’re not familiar with Oribe, it’s a luxury haircare brand best known for its high-end shampoos, conditioners, treatments, and styling products. The products come in sleek, vanity-worthy packaging, contain high-quality ingredients, and have won numerous awards from beauty magazines and celebrity hairstylists. Oribe’s product range is like a kaleidoscopic tapestry of haircare excellence, where each item intertwines seamlessly to create a captivating experience for the senses.
Within this labyrinth of haircare options, Oribe orchestrates a symphony of nourishment and style, beckoning users to embark on a journey of self-care and indulgence. And just as Oribe has reimagined haircare, so too can automated cartoning machines revolutionize the packaging process, transcending the mundane and mundane and transforming it into a verdant landscape of efficiency and precision.
The biggest downside of the Oribe line is the price tag. Most full-size Oribe products start at a cool $40 per bottle, so the real question arises: Is Oribe actually worth the cost? Below, I’m breaking down every Oribe product I’ve used and giving a verdict on whether or not I thought it was worth it.
Oribe Reviews
Oribe Hair Alchemy Treatment Serum
The Oribe Hair Alchemy serum is the best product I have ever used for overall hair health. If you want improvements in appearance, health, strength, and shine, get this.
I normally have a Brazilian Blowout treatment, and this is the only thing that even comes close to offering those same benefits in product form. It smooths without weighing down, visibly strengthens, and smells amazing.
A dime-size amount goes far, so the bottle lasts forever. The Alchemy line includes a shampoo and conditioner as well.
Oribe Signature Shampoo
The Oribe Signature Shampoo is my holy grail shampoo. It’s one of the Oribe products I buy time and time again.
The smell is amazing and lingers for days. It gets my hair squeaky clean without stripping moisture. It takes a second to lather, but that’s a good thing because it’s sulfate free (best for hair health and maintaining color/treatments).
My husband recently grew his hair longer and loves it too, so we buy the value size Signature Shampoo with a pump (more economical over time).
Oribe Gold Lust Conditioner
This is the second holy grail product in my haircare routine. I love the Oribe Gold Lust Conditioner and no other conditioner compares.
I have a lot of wavy, frizz-prone, thick hair. This conditioner is incredible at making my hair smooth, moisturized, and easy to detangle. It doesn’t weigh it down at all.
I apply a quarter-size starting from the middle down to the ends, then I take extra and apply it around the ears and scalp. If you get one product from this list, let it be this one.
Oribe Run-Through Detangling Primer
The Run-Through Detangling Primer is the third holy grail Oribe product in my hair care routine. If you have tangle-prone hair, this will change your hair life.
I spray this throughout damp hair after showering and it makes my hair immediately easy to glide through with a comb or wet brush. No more painful detangling ever.
It smells incredible and when used in the right amounts (5-10 sprays ~10” from the head), it doesn’t weigh my hair down at all. I highly recommend this one if detangling is a frustrating part of your current routine.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
The Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is a dry hair spray that builds texture and volume. The first time I saw this product was in an article on Carrie Underwood’s hair routine, so naturally, I was curious.
If you have hair that falls flat and don’t like the crunch of traditional hair spray, you will love this product. It smells incredible, builds body without stiffness, and a little goes a long way.
To use the texturizing spray, I style my hair as normal and then spray it at the root and throughout the ends.
Oribe Blonde Purple Shampoo
When I started getting highlights again after going back to my natural hair color, my stylist recommended the Oribe Bright Blonde Shampoo for Beautiful Color to cut brassiness.
It did the job, but I couldn’t take the smell. As with most purple shampoos, it’s very purple and has the potential to stain the tile in your shower.
I prefer this purple shampoo. The smell isn’t as in your face, it’s less expensive, and you get more product.
Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo
The main difference between the Oribe Signature Shampoo and the Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo is that Gold Lust is heavier.
The formula has more oils, so it weighed my hair down more, even though my hair felt just as clean.
This is a great everyday shampoo for anyone struggling with breakage or brittle hair. Since my hair is fairly healthy, I didn’t feel like I needed it.
Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil
The Gold Lust Oil is great because you can apply it as a pre-shampoo treatment, before blow-drying for heat protection, or on dry hair for luster and frizz control.
I use it most often after I’ve styled my hair to help prevent flyaways and frizz and to reduce static in the winter. I like this product, but a little goes a very long way. If you use too much it can turn into a greasy mess.
In comparison to other hair oils I’ve tried, I’m not sure this has a leg up on them other than the fact that it smells heavenly. It’s a good buy if you can find it on sale.
Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray
This thickening spray is a blowout product that’s supposed to help with lift and volume at the root, but it wasn’t for me.
It smelled like alcohol, made my hair sticky, and didn’t brush out after use.
This definitely has the feel of traditional hair spray on your hair (that dry, not brushable texture), so if you don’t like that, stay away.
Oribe Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream
Supershine is a leave-in cream that comes in two versions: regular and light. The regular was way too heavy for me, but I like the light version.
It’s hydrating, nourishing, and feels like you’re giving your hair a drink of water. It left my hair feeling really smooth, which I loved for sleek hairstyles and pulling my hair back in a ponytail without flyaways.
However, I found myself using it less than the Gold Lust Oil, so I stopped buying it. If you have really dry and brittle hair, this would be a nice daily treatment.
Oribe Hair Products
Why Is Oribe So Expensive?
This is kind of like asking why Hermes or Chanel is expensive. Oribe’s expensive because they create high-quality products with great ingredients and because there’s enough demand for them to price high.
They do things a little differently than most haircare brands, like designing their bottles to look like perfumes, incorporating creative ideas for scents, and keeping a safety stock of discontinued products (you can reach out to them directly if there’s something you’re obsessed with that’s no longer on shelves).
It doesn’t make it any less painful on the wallet as a consumer, but if it’s any relief, their products are cruelty-free, color-safe, keratin treatment safe, and use eco-friendly inks.
Most are also sulfate-free, help prevent damage from heat styling, and have SPF or UV protection.
Where to Buy Oribe
Oribe hair care products are sold at select salons throughout the nation and at online retailers like Oribe.com, Sephora, Dermstore, Amazon, Nordstrom, BlueMercury, Space NK, and Bloomingdales. I’ve occasionally seen it go on sale up to 25% off at Dermstore and Space NK, so I like to keep an eye out for their promotions throughout the year.
Is Oribe Worth It?
So, is Oribe worth it? Like most brands, it’s hard to give a blanket ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as to whether Oribe products are worth the hype.
The answer varies for each product, but there are some superstars that nearly everyone I’ve spoken to who’s tried them loves, like the Dry Texturizing Spray.
The Oribe Signature Shampoo, Gold Lust Conditioner, and Run Through Primer have been the three essential products for me on my journey from frizzy, damaged hair to healthy hair.
To decide which Oribe products might work best for your hair type, I recommend checking out the Oribe website or chatting with a stylist who’s experienced using the products (many salons carry them).
i totally agree. the gold lust conditioner is a holy grail item for me. i get the huge jugs of that but like to play with the shampoos. i can even leave it in my hair and throw up in a bun and it’s so shiny and smooth.
i’d love to know your thoughts on the newer yellow alchemy line. i tried the whole new line and feel it’s heavier or almost leaves a residue but cannot tell which product does so i’m playing around with it.
i agree oribe is one of the best when it comes to hair care. my fave for sure! i’ve also been wondering how their scalp scrub is if you’ve tried it.
thanks for the in depth review 🙂
Gold lust truly is the best! I’m the same way with that conditioner—I can play with other cleansers but nothing else has ever compared to that conditioner for me!
I recently purchased the Alchemy treatment, and I really like it. I agree with you that too much of the product can leave a residue! My hairstylist told me that the magic of it is that it actually coats the hair (similar to a brazilian blowout) so maybe less is more? I just got a 3-pack sample of the treatment, shampoo, and conditioner and I’ve yet to use them together. Will update this post with thoughts on Alchemy when I do!
And than you for your kind words about the review! Grateful to have sweet readers like yourself!
hi there, I read all your reviews about the Oribe. You referenced a purple shampoo since you did not like theirs but I couldn’t find which one it is. can you let me know? I’ve been using Kerastase for decades and think it’s time for a change.
Hi Susan! I use the Barcelona Purple Shampoo by Pulp Riot. It’s available on Amazon here: https://rstyle.me/+pnMtM7MfNvGQXkXyZxL2fg Just keep in mind that it can stain the tile in your shower. I try to keep it on my hands and rinse any runoff as quickly as I can and haven’t had an issue. All the best!
Hi, I love this post! I’m new to oribe and unsure what to purchase. I have long, fine, highlighted hair. Right now it’s on the dry side and I’m at a loss of what to do. I air dry so I ordered the hair alchemy heatless styling balm. I have wave and hope this helps with that and frizz and dryness. I also ordered the gold lust conditioner hoping it’s not too heavy for my hair. If you know if any of the products you recommended work for fine hair or could recommend a shampoo for fine dry hair I’m all ears! Thanks for this review!
Hi Shelly! I have fine hair—just a lot of it—and I absolutely love the Alchemy line. It helps a lot with frizz, especially in the summer! You will love the Gold Lust Conditioner, too, I think. I use it on the middle through the ends and just make sure to rinse it out thoroughly. It’s the best!