Oribe’s Supershine Smoothing Wax Stick Keeps My Flyaways Down All Day—And Supports Hair Health
As someone with a lot of new hair growth, this is key.
I went through a short-lived slick-back bun era in 2023. My hair was falling out; it looked extra thin and a little scraggly in a blowout despite my best efforts. But truth be told, using heavy waxes and constantly tugging at my fine, thin hairs was probably the worst thing I could have done. I’d pretty much retired the hairstyle altogether. Fast forward to 2026, and not only is my hair in a much stronger state, but there’s a new wax stick on the market that’s so much better for my hair health. Enter: Oribe’s Supershine Smoothing Wax Stick, which retails for $46.
It’s the first slick-back stick from the brand, which, while crazy to think about, was very thoughtfully developed. It has a long-lasting hold (seriously, it’s the only one that ever keeps my baby hairs in place), but prioritizes nourishing and conditioning ingredients so my hair doesn’t feel brittle and extra prone to breakage when I wash it out. For my full, honest review, and to see the product in action, keep reading.
The Formula
To level set with you: hair waxes are certainly not a new innovation and there a ton of great ones on the market. But what really sets this one apart from the rest I’ve tried is two-fold: first and foremost, the brand conducted a lot of research to prove that the formula protects from humidity for 48 hours, provides two days' worth of hold, and offers 66 percent protection from humidity. Second to that? It leverages a trio of truly powerful ingredients for hair health. The cranberry complex is effective at hydrating dry hair and creating a glassy finish (most waxes tend to dry hair out); a smoothing butter blend locks in moisture and reinforces cuticle strength; and castor seed oil strengthens hair to prevent breakage and split ends.
The Application
I’ve pretty much perfected the slick-back method. To start, I use the wax stick to smooth down my part and hairline, paying extra attention to the little hairs above my ear that simply hate to behave themselves. Then, I take a boar bristle brush (I actually really like Oribe’s, but any one will work) and gather my hair into a ponytail at the crown of my head. It doesn’t have to be perfect at this point. Go over any flyaway once more with the Supershine stick and smooth out bumps with your brush. I personally don’t care if my hairstyle looks a bit messy, but if you want to be a perfectionist about it, grab a rat tail comb and smooth out any lingering kinks. Finally, take a second hair tie, along with a few bobby pins, to secure the hair into a bun.
My Takeaway
The real test of a slick-back stick is how well it wears throughout the day. More often than not, my flyaways creep back around 3pm and the pieces around my ear refuse to stay put more than 30 minutes. I was genuinely impressed by the hold here. My hairstyle stayed locked in pretty much all day (I did have to touch it up around 6pm) and it remained hyper-shiny. But the biggest standout for me was removal. I often find myself tugging through the wax with a brush in the shower, but this washing right out and left my hair feeling shockingly silky. With a product this good, I might just have to incorporate slick-back back into my weekly hairstyling rotation.
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