Drybar Founder Alli Webb’s Next Venture Is the Solution to Perfectly Rough-Dried Hair
The "Messy Method" is the antithesis of a blowout.
"No cuts. No color. Just blowouts!" It’s a phrase anyone who’s ever sat in a Drybar chair knows by heart—and one that helped revolutionize the hair industry for good. By turning a simple blowout into a full-on experience, Drybar made professional styling accessible, fun, and surprisingly affordable. At the heart of this beauty empire is Alli Webb, a hairstylist-turned-founder who saw a gap in the market for busy women who wanted polished hair and turned it into what would eventually become a $255 million idea. Now, she's embracing the opposite with her latest venture, Messy by Alli Webb, a haircare line devoted to removing the pressure of looking “done."
"After selling Drybar in 2010, I was a bit lost both personally and professionally, and I found myself on a spiritual journey where I was rediscovering myself and my purpose," Webb tells Marie Claire. "This really interesting thing happened: I started letting my hair just be—less doing, less heat, less damage—and I noticed an incredible transformation where for the first time in my life, my hair grew and looked and felt so much healthier."
Where Drybar hones in on sleek blowouts, glossy finishes, and picture-perfect hair, Messy flips the script, celebrating texture, movement, and imperfection. Webb's "ah-ha" moment for the brand was when she realized that by leaning into her natural texture, she was breaking the vicious cycle of heat-damage-repair. The Messy Revolution, as Webb calls it, is about finding a new way to love your hair without the damage. “At Messy, we want to tell women that they don’t have to force or manipulate our hair for it to look incredible—they are enough just as they are, and so is their hair,” says Webb. “And, in the process of being more gentle and embracing your natural hair, you’ll see the health of your hair improve.”
Messy aligns with a growing shift in the industry: Consumers are moving away from over-styling their hair (and the heat damage that comes along with it) in favor of a healthier, more natural look. "I saw the need for a brand like Messy to educate people on how to stop fighting their hair and causing so much damage,” says Webb. What was born was something in between the blow out and the air dry: what Webb coined the Rough Dry Method.
“Air drying involves doing nothing at all, blow outs involve doing a lot—rough drying is the 'Messy Middle',” says Webb. Specifically, air drying and rough drying differ in method and result. “Air drying means letting your hair dry naturally without any heat or tools, which can help preserve your natural texture and minimize damage, but can sometimes lead to frizz and a less than desirable end result,” Webb explains. “Rough drying, on the other hand, involves using just your fingers and a blowdryer to remove some of the moisture in your hair.”
We want to tell women that they don’t have to force or manipulate our hair for it to look incredible—they are enough just as they are, and so is their hair.
Alli Webb
Messy's formulas are designed to help facilitate the Rough Dry Method for soft, touchable texture and sexy, tousled waves. Here’s how to achieve it: Rough dry your hair 30 to 50 percent, using your fingers to create tension in areas where you want to control frizz and smooth your hair. “Then, apply the Rough Dry Cream into your hair and twist your hair in one-inch sections, leaving them to completely dry in this position.” This method not only provides control over how your hair dries and helps eliminate frizz, but it creates volume at the root without the damage that comes from excessive heat styling. In addition to the Rough Dry Cream, the line consists of a shampoo, conditioner, serum, and spray for a complete hair routine.
All five products in the Messy by Alli Webb Collection.
In many ways, Messy represents a full-circle moment for Webb, not just as a hairstylist and entrepreneur, but as a woman finally at peace with herself. "Accepting my hair led to total self-acceptance and a ton of confidence," she says. “I knew I wasn’t the only one who had fought against their hair their whole life, and I felt compelled to share this journey through Messy.” And while the concept behind both of Webb’s ventures are different, they share a deep emotional connection to hair. Both Drybar and Messy are rooted in the belief that great hair has the power to transform how you feel about yourself—whether it's getting a perfectly polished blowout at Drybar or using Messy products to achieve an effortlessly undone look.
Obviously, I needed to test the line for myself, so keep reading for my thoughts on all five products in the Messy collection.
Meet the Messy Products
- I Can Begin Again Shampoo
- I Am Soft I Am Strong Conditioner
- I Am Enough Rough Dry Style Cream
- I Will Not Be Broken Overnight Repair Hair Serum
- I Am Transformed Instant Silk Revival Spray
Made for all hair types and textures, this shampoo features oat peptides and olive stem cell extract to strengthen and hydrate each hair strand. The vegan formula cleanses without stripping thanks to the upcycled argan and watermelon oils that hydrate and banish frizz.
Key Ingredients: Oat peptides (strengthens); Olive stem cell extract (hydrates); Argan and watermelon oils (fights frizz)
Size: 10 fl. oz.
What I Love: It gets rid of buildup and residue with just one application
What I Don’t: It's pricey
Review for MC: "I do slick back hairstyles often, which means my hair is often coated with a ton of product from various waxes, pomades, and gels. This shampoo effectively gets rid of all traces of residue with just one application—and yet, it doesn’t make my hair or scalp feel dehydrated. Instead, my hair feels clean and my waves feel hydrated, even before I go in with conditioner." — Michelle Rostamian, Contributing Beauty Writer
Michelle Rostamian tests the Messy I Can Begin Again Shampoo
Perfect for heat-styled, colored, and chemically-treated hair, this conditioner deeply moisturizes without leaving behind a greasy residue. Not only does it strengthen hair, it also prevents future damage and restores elasticity thanks to olive stem cell extract and ucuuba butter.
Key Ingredients: Oat peptides (strengthens); Olive stem cell extract (hydrates); Ucuuba butter (shine-inducing)
Size: 10 fl. oz.
What I Love: It detangles knots and softens the hair
What I Don’t: Nothing!
Review for MC: "This conditioner does a great job of introducing that first layer of moisture to my hair. It’s rich and I find I don’t need a ton of product for my hair (and I have a lot!), which makes me think the bottle will last me a good while. Even though it’s hydrating, it doesn’t weigh my hair down. Plus, it works as a great detangler in the shower." — Michelle Rostamian, Contributing Beauty Writer
Michelle Rostamian tests the Messy I Am Soft I Am Strong Conditioner
As Messy’s hero product, the “I Am Enough” Rough Dry Styling Cream was the first formula Webb conceptualized as she developed the Rough Dry Method. It enhances your natural texture while controlling frizz and providing soft hold. “Getting the balance right was really tricky—so many styling creams leave hair crunchy or weighed down, but I needed this to be incredibly lightweight with the perfect level of hold and frizz control,” says Webb. Within the formula you’ll find chickpea extract for deep hydration as well as ucuuba butter to increase shine.
Key Ingredients: Chickpea extract (hold and hydration); Olive stem cell extract (hydrates); Ucuuba butter (shine-inducing)
Size: 5 fl. oz.
What I Love: This gives tousled, healthy-looking texture with minimal effort
What I Don’t: Would like to see a locking mechanism on the pump
Review for MC: "My waves absolutely love this product! The bottle says to apply generously and at first I was hesitant because most leave-in creams leave a residue on my hair, but I use a decent amount of this (three tablespoons worth) and never run into any issues of it making my hair crunchy or greasy in certain areas. After evenly distributing it through my hair and combing it through, I rough dry my hair about 30 percent, twist one-inch sections, then leave everything to dry fully. Once dried, it’s actually shocking how good my hair looks—it’s almost like the cream combined with the twisting technique brings out the natural definition of my waves but without the frizz or weigh-down. The best way I can describe the result is that my hair looks just plain healthy." — Michelle Rostamian, Contributing Beauty Writer
Michelle Rostamian tests the Messy I Am Enough Rough Dry Style Cream
Laced with hair-nourishing castor oil and a superfood blend to strengthen damaged strands, this serum is like "a silk pillowcase in a bottle, preventing breakage and sealing in hydration while you sleep," says Webb. You can use it post-styling to revive scraggly or dehydrated roots, or as part of your nighttime routine. “Before going to sleep, apply one to two pumps onto your hands and massage it into your hair from mid-length to ends. Leave it on overnight (no need to rinse) and wake up to luxuriously nourished hair,” she explains.
Key Ingredients: Castor oil (repairing); Superfood blend (strengthens); Sunflower blend (nourishes)
Size: 1.7 fl. oz.
What I Love: It gives gorgeous shine and effective frizz control
What I Don’t: The glass bottle isn't suitable for travel
Review for MC: "I like to use this serum on second- or third-day hair to nix any unwanted frizz and refresh my ends. It’s super lightweight and doesn’t feel greasy, which I appreciate because as I’m one to stretch my hairstyles for days. Every time I use this my hair feels soft, touchable, and nourished." — Michelle Rostamian, Contributing Beauty Writer
Michelle Rostamian tests the Messy I Will Not Be Broken Overnight Repair Hair Serum
This unique formula acts as a heat protectant and frizz controller, effectively providing up to 450-degree protection while smoothing out unruly strays. Vegan silk protects against the damaging effects of pollution while a bio-inspired technology derived from upcycled pine cones softens.
Key Ingredients: Vegan silk (protective)
Size: 4.4 fl. oz.
What I Love: It gets rid of frizz without making hair feel crunchy
What I Don’t: This doesn't add much hydration
Review for MC: "This is another product I love using in between hair wash days. Like the serum, it helps control frizz and flyaways—like taking a dryer sheet to static-y hair. This is a formula I reserve if I plan on touching up my style with heat since it has heat protectant built into it. I’ve gone to town with application and it never makes my hair feel crunchy. It’s a miracle my hair always remains touchable and my waves remain intact when I use this!" — Michelle Rostamian, Contributing Beauty Writer
Michelle Rostamian tests the Messy I Am Transformed Instant Silk Revival Spray
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