Dae vs Ouai Wave Spray
If there’s any beauty trend that will never go out of style, I’m convinced it’s beach waves. Effortless, flattering, and instantly cool, they’re easy to do and elevate every look. As someone with naturally straight hair, I’ve always been in pursuit of a product that will make my hair look less styled and more beachy. Enter: wave sprays.
Meant to add texture without weighing down your hair, wave sprays also add hydration and tame frizz while giving you that ideal beach wave look. I’ve tried countless over the years, and it’s taken a lot of trial and error to figure out how to get them to work for me. Two of my favorites, the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray and Ouai Wave Spray, are frequently compared to each other. With identical prices, similar packaging, and promises of beach waves without the frizz, it’s easy to think they’re basically the same, but they’re quite different.
Below, I compare both, sharing before and after results, pros, cons, tips for making the wave sprays work for you, and which wave spray ultimately works better for different hair types and hair goals.
dae hibiscus wave spray vs ouai wave spray
dae hibiscus wave spray results
The Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray requires a bit of a learning curve, but I really love the results you get from it. I’d consider it more of a hot tool wave enhancer rather than texturizing wave spray.
If you have just a little natural texture, this is not the spray for you because it’s so gentle and lightweight; you won’t really notice much of a difference unless you heat style to add a little more bend and structure. I find you get the best results when you heat style after you use the wave spray, rather than before, so keep that in mind.
If you have straight hair and always to get curls when you style rather than beach waves, this is for you. It gives you perfectly undone waves, and doesn’t make your hair crunchy or sticky, but it will not work on straight hair unless you heat style.
What makes the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray unique from other wave sprays is that it makes your hair soft, rather than gritty; if you’ve always hated the feel of traditional wave sprays, this is worth a try.
pros
Easy to work with
Makes your hair soft (ideal if you have the crunchiness of traditional wave sprays)
Does not make your hair gritty or sticky
Adds a beachy look to heat styled curls
Lightweight formula
cons
Strong citrus scent is not for everyone
Formula is gentler, so you need to heat style for best results
Will not work on straight hair unless you heat style
how to use the dae hibiscus wave spray
Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray can be applied to wet or dry hair. Always shake the bottle first!
For damp hair:
Spray evenly from roots to ends.
Scrunch or twist your hair with your fingers (or add loose braids).
Let your hair air dry for soft waves, or use a blow dryer for more defined waves.
For dry hair:
Apply a heat protectant.
Spray evenly from roots to ends.
Create shape or texture using your fingers if you have naturally wavy hair or hot tools (like a curling iron) if your hair is naturally straight.
If you have naturally straight hair, I highly recommend applying to dry hair and going with that method; the spray is too gentle for scrunching.
ouai wave spray results
The Ouai Wave Spray was recently reformulated and given new packaging, so if you were previously underwhelmed, I recommend trying their new formula.
The new Ouai Wave Spray is a traditional wave spray, so it’s slightly salty/ gritty. Your hair feels like it has product in it, but it doesn’t feel grimy like it can with other wave sprays. It works better if you have natural texture to your hair; I can never get much bend if I apply it to my straight hair without heat styling.
But once you heat style, I love the look you get with the Ouai Wave Spray. My waves have a little more bend to your waves, giving you a piecey beachy look. And where some wave sprays focus on grit, making your hair dull, this spray adds lots of shine.
pros
Gives you piecey beach waves
Enhances natural texture
Stronger formula gives you a little bend even if you have straight hair
Not sticky
Adds shine
cons
Using too much will make your hair crunchy
Floral scent isn’t my favorite, but isn’t overpowering
how to use the ouai wave spray
The Ouai Wave Spray can be applied to wet or dry hair. Always shake the bottle first!
If you have straight or wavy hair:
For wet hair, spray from 6-8 inches from roots to ends. Then scrunch, braid, or squeeze to add texture.
I have straight hair, and find I get the best results when I loosely braid my hair instead of scrunching.
Air dry, or blow dry in sections. (Tip: use the blow dryer while your hair is still in braids for more defined waves).
For dry hair:
Apply a heat protectant.
Next, create texture using a curling iron, waver, or flat iron. I prefer a cheap $20 curling iron for all my heat styling.
Spray from roots to ends, then scrunch to enhance texture.
For a more lived-in, undone look, brush gently with your fingers.
For curly hair:
Follow your curl routine.
Apply the wave spray 6-8” from your hair.
Scrunch your curls into shape.
Use a diffuser, flipping your hair upside down for extra volume.
dae vs ouai wave spray results comparison
key differences between dae hibiscus wave spray and ouai wave spray
texture and hold
Both wave sprays give you texture, but don’t make your hair feel crunchy.
I find that the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray is a gentler spray; think of it as “your hair but better.” You definitely feel like you have a little product in your hair with Ouai Wave Spray, but it isn’t overwhelming or heavy.
Stick with Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray if you want subtle texture. If you have straight hair that needs extra help or want waves that are slightly piecey or more structured, the Ouai Wave Spray offers stronger hold.
hydration
Compared to traditional wave sprays, both the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray and Ouai Wave Sprayare fairly hydrating and don’t leave your hair sticky, crunchy, or dry. You can’t go wrong with either one, but if I had to choose, Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray is a teensy bit more hydrating.
hair type compatibility
Both wave sprays are marketed as good for all hair types. I agree, but I will say that if you have naturally straight hair, the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray won’t do much unless you add a little texture with a waver or curling iron. It’s just too gentle of a formula for the spray-and-scrunch method, and will fall out within a few hours.
Both wave sprays tame frizz and add a little volume. If you have dull hair, you’ll appreciate the shine that the Ouai Wave Spray. If you want more your waves to feel soft and hate the crunchiness of a traditional wave or sea salt spray, opt for Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray.
price
If you’ve visited my site before, you know I love breaking down the price per ounce to ensure you’re getting the best deal overall - not just with the sticker price.
Both wave sprays retail for $30, but you get 6oz with the Ouai Wave Spray and only 5oz with the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray, making Ouai Wave Spray the cheaper product. Even so, I think $30 is fair and never products seem overpriced to me.
ingredients comparison
Wave sprays are notoriously drying, but I love that both the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray and Ouai Spray are formulated with hair health and hydration in mind. Both are formulated without parabens or sulfates SLS & SLES. That said, there are a couple key ingredients that make each wave spray unique.
The Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray includes softening ingredients so your hair doesn’t feel crunchy:
Hibiscus Flower Extract - encourages healthy hair growth, restoring elasticity and silky smoothness
Prickly Pear Seed Oil - conditions strands to be silky, soft, and healthy
Moringa Leaf Extract - repairs and restores moisture to dry strands
The inclusion of cactus and lime extract also give the Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray a fruity scent, which the brand is known for. It’s on the stronger side, but not so overpowering that it gives me a headache.
The Ouai Wave Spray also prioritizes the feel of your hair, incorporating ingredients like:
Naturally Derived Polymers - provide a nonsticky, non-crunchy feeling on the hair.
Upcycled Jackfruit - hydrates and prevents frizz.
Vitamin B5 - leaves hair feeling soft and touchable with no sticky after-feel.
The Ouai Wave Spray has a floral scent. It’s not my favorite, but is much more subtle than the Dae spray.
which is better - the dae or ouai wave spray?
Truthfully, they’re so similar that you do not need both. If you want Olsen twin, get Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray; on the other hand, the Ouai Wave Spray will give you a little more structure a la Gisele Bündchen waves.
Choose Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray if you want:
softer waves
lighter texture; not gritty, salty, or crunchy
a fruity scent
The Dae Hibiscus Wave Spray is gentle and makes your hair soft, rather than sticky. I use it to make hot tool curls a little more undone, but it’s not strong enough to use with my naturally straight hair.
Choose Ouai Wave Spray if you want:
stronger, piecey waves
more definition (and don’t mind a gritty/ salty texture)
more shine
a more subtle scent
The Ouai Wave Spray is also better if you have natural texture to your hair. I can use this spray and throw my hair in a bun or loose braids and get good results, but I need to use a curling iron to give the Dae Wave Spray something to work with.