Olaplex
Nº.4 Bond Maintenance Strengthening Shampoo
7.6Good
A gentle, bond-building daily shampoo that suits damaged and color-treated hair, priced well above most rivals.
Shampoo5$34.00
Detox Clarifying Hair Shampoo
A heavily fragranced weekly clarifier with apple cider vinegar that strips buildup well but costs more than most rivals.
7.5
Good
Beauty score
#5 of 5 wash day
Community
—/10
- Format
- Shampoo
- Size
- 10 fl oz
- Price per oz
- $3.40 / oz
- Price tier
- Mid-range
Made for: All hair types · Fine hair · Straight hair · Wavy hair · Curly hair · Coily hair
Key ingredients:Keratin & proteins
Last reviewed November 2, 2026 by our editors · How we score
The verdict
A heavily fragranced weekly clarifier with apple cider vinegar that strips buildup well but costs more than most rivals.
OUAI Detox is a clarifying shampoo meant for use once or twice a week to remove dry shampoo, styling residue, oil and hard-water deposits, with apple cider vinegar, hydrolyzed keratin and chelating agents. It cleanses with sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, a strong surfactant, so it is not a gentle daily wash. Wavy-haired Reddit users often name it their favorite clarifier and repurchase it, with price the most common complaint, and creator comparisons pit it against cheaper clarifying shampoos.
Best for
- Heavy dry shampoo or styling product users
- Hair dulled by hard water
- Oily scalps that need a weekly reset
What we love
- Removes dry shampoo, styling residue, oil and hard-water buildup, per brand and reviewers
- Includes chelating agents for mineral deposits
- Only needed once or twice a week, so a bottle lasts
- Brand states it is free of parabens, phthalates and SLS/SLES
Worth knowing
- Strong olefin sulfonate cleanser is meant for occasional clarifying rather than gentle daily washing
- Heavily fragranced with dyes, not ideal for sensitive scalps
- Costs far more than drugstore clarifying shampoos
How it scored
The breakdown.
Five factors, weighted for formulas. Here’s our working.
7.5Good
Beauty score out of 10. Brands can’t pay for placement — ever.
- Results30%7.9
Creators consistently report a thorough reset of oil, dry shampoo and styling buildup, with lighter, bouncier hair afterward.
- Formula & ingredients20%7.0
Apple cider vinegar, keratin and several chelators suit a clarifier, but the olefin sulfonate base and dense fragrance make it harsher than gentler alternatives.
- Texture & experience15%8.0
A rich lather and OUAI's signature scent are frequent highlights; the formula is heavily fragranced, with dyes and fragrance allergens listed.
- Value20%6.8
$34 for 10 fl oz is steep for a once-a-week clarifier when drugstore clarifying shampoos cost a fraction of the price.
- Community love15%7.8
A best-selling, much-reviewed clarifier with broad creator coverage; the common caveat is price rather than performance.
Beauty profile
Inside the bottle.
Texture
Concentrated clarifying shampoo with a rich lather (brand description)
Format
Shampoo
Fragrance
Contains fragrance — OUAI Melrose Place fragrance (per product tags)
Size
10 fl oz / 296 ml
Key ingredients
Ingredient encyclopedia →What’s in it: Apple cider vinegar (listed as vinegar) and hydrolyzed keratin; tetrasodium EDTA, disodium EDTA and trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate act as chelators for mineral buildup. Cleanses with sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate.
How to use
Use once or twice a week, or whenever a deeper cleanse is needed: lather a quarter-size amount into thoroughly wet hair, rinse, and follow with conditioner.
Free from (brand-stated)
- parabens
- phthalates
- SLS
- SLES
- gluten
Claims & certifications
- Cruelty-free (brand-stated)
- Paraben-free
Full ingredient list (INCI)33 ingredients · key actives highlighted · as listed by the brand
- Aqua (Water, Eau),
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate,
- Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate,
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine,
- Decyl Glucoside,
- Acrylates Copolymer,
- Cocamide Mipa,
- Parfum (Fragrance),
- Polysorbate 20,
- Hydrolyzed Keratin,
- Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride,
- Vinegar,
- Peg-150 Distearate,
- Polyquaternium-7,
- Glycerin,
- Benzophenone-4,
- Sodium Chloride,
- Sodium Hydroxide,
- Tetrasodium Edta,
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate,
- Isopropyl Alcohol,
- Propylene Glycol,
- Citric Acid,
- Disodium Edta,
- Chlorphenesin,
- Sodium Benzoate,
- Phenoxyethanol,
- Potassium Sorbate,
- Linalool,
- Citronellol,
- Ci 14700 (Red 4),
- Ci 19140 (Yellow 5),
- Ci 61570 (Green 5).
Formulas change. Always check the packaging, and patch-test if your skin is reactive.
Creator video reviews
Watch it in action.
Real reviews, try-ons and wear tests from independent creators — verified with TikTok and YouTube and labelled when sponsored.
We don’t pay creators for reviews, and they don’t pay us. Nothing from TikTok or YouTube loads until you press play.
What people say
Straight from the source.
Verbatim from Reddit, forums, blogs and the beauty press — linked, so you can read the whole thread.
4 verbatim quotes · 3 positive · 1 mixed
r/WavyhairPositive
Ouai Detox shampoo is my current clarifying favorite
r/WavyhairPositive
A few times a month or whenever I feel buildup, I clarify with Ouai Detox. Have also repurchased this one multiple times.
r/WavyhairMixed
Ouai detox is so good! I use the fine hair shampoo/conditioner most of the time then the detox with the fine hair mask for clarifying. I love it all (but my wallet does not).
r/WavyhairPositive
Ouai Detox shampoo works a little better for me than the Pantene does for regular use.
Price & value
Is it worth it?
Typical price
$34.00
for 10 fl oz / 296 ml
Per ounce
$3.40
DrugstoreMid-rangePrestigeLuxury
Right around the going rate per ounce for wash day. Our value score: 6.8/10 for a mid-range pick.
Price checked November 2026 at a non-Amazon retailer. Prices change — retailers show the current one.
Where to buy
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects our scores or what we recommend. How we make money
Community
What members noticed.
Ratings, skin types and the benefits people actually saw — logged on the Benefit Wheel.
No member ratings yet.
Tried it? Your score — and your skin or hair type — helps the next person decide.
Highlighted: what it’s built to do.
Discussion
No discussions yet.
Tried OUAI Detox Clarifying Hair Shampoo? Ask a question or share how it’s working for your skin or hair — you’ll be the first.
FAQ
Good questions.
How often should I use OUAI Detox Shampoo?
OUAI recommends it once or twice a week as a deep-cleansing treatment, or in place of a regular shampoo for oily hair as needed. The brand's FAQ also says it is safe to use daily.
Is OUAI Detox Shampoo sulfate-free?
It is free of SLS and SLES, but it cleanses with sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, a strong sulfonate surfactant. That is why it works as a clarifier rather than a gentle daily shampoo.
Does it help with hard water buildup?
OUAI says the chelating ingredients help remove hard-water deposits that can cause color fading and damage. The formula lists EDTA salts and trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate.
Can I use it on keratin-treated hair?
OUAI's product FAQ says all of its shampoos and conditioners are safe for keratin-treated hair. The brand still recommends checking with your stylist before starting new products after a keratin treatment.
Sources we checked (6)
- theouai.com/products/detox-shampoo
- theouai.com/products/detox-shampoo.json
- reddit.com/r/Wavyhair/comments/1r1uc38/whats_your_favorite_clarifying_shampoo/
- amazon.com/dp/B084C2PC69
- beautypackaging.com/contents/view_breaking-news/2021-12-06/pg-to-acquire-hair-care-and-lifestyle-brand-ouai
- youtube.com/watch?v=XdPfy2STIjo
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