I bought into the hype and tried the Color WOW Dream Coat anti-frizz hair treatment to see if it really works. I have frizzy hair. Like, really frizzy. 90% humidity doesn’t help, and it’s still insanely humid in Nashville right now. Plus, rainy season is coming up for lots of us.
So when I saw some Instagram influencers saying they swear by this stuff, I was excited. I need help. I mean, if J. Lo uses Color WOWDream Coat for her own frizz then it must be worth it, right?
Well, maybe.
By now you must know we’re suckers for buying and trying viral beauty treatments that everyone is talking about, from Hairstory shampoo to at-home gel manicures to a pricey (but so worth it) neck cream, all let you know an honest assessment as to whether they live up to the hype.
Sometimes they’re awesome, and sometimes they’re not.
Here’s how Dream Coat worked for me.
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This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission from certain purchases to help support the work we do at no additional cost to you. We bought our own bottle of Hair WOW to do this review, and as with all reviews, we always present our 100% honest opinion.
Color WOW Dream Coat review: What it is and how to use it
Dream Coat promises on the front of the bottle: “Magically transforms texture; amazing humidity-proofing powers.” Their Amazon page is filled with glorious before/after photos. Well, I let a Nashville summer test that out for myself.
The product directions state that you need to:
1) apply liberally to towel-dried hair
2) comb through to distribute evenly and ensure smooth, consistent results
3) blow dry to activate, using a brush to create tension while drying.
I typically let my hair air dry (the alternative is 30-45 minutes under a blowdryer to fully dry my thick, wavy hair) and I suppose if I had a Dyson Supersonic hair dryer like my stylist uses on me, and some professional skills, this would take half the time…but I don’t.
So, right off the bat, I’m thinking that Color WOW Dream Coat is starting out as impractical for me to use regularly. Then, this happened:
After my first time using Color WOW Dream Coat for taming frizz
My first time using the Color WOW Dream Coat was a success! the frizz was seriously reduced and my hair was pretty smooth. I used a round brush to dry it and then a flat iron to straighten it.
I wouldn’t say this is the “iconic glass hair” look described on the Amazon page, but for a lovely, 79% humidity day, I think it came out nice and smooth.
Related: Does bakuchiol really work? An honest review of this Pinterest-favorite beauty product.
Color WOW Dream Coat review: How it holds up over time
One day later….
Now, let’s look at my hair the following day, with an equal amount of humidity in the air:
Some curl has returned 24 hours later, and a bit of frizz with it, but nothing terrible.
Still, it’s even farther from the smooth, sleek mirror-shine quality promised. I imagine I would still need to style it with a good straightening flat iron every day to keep the look.
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After the first shampoo…
Humidity proof? Mmmmkay.
The product promises to last through three washes, however, after one single shampoo, this is how my hair looked on a day with 87% humidity. That said, this was just one application, and I did find my overall frizz has reduced the more I’ve used the treatment.
And, several days later…
I was hoping the keratin treatment effect that some influencers mentioned would mean I could just air dry and it would yield the same smooth texture. Maybe that was wishful thinking on my point, but it doesn’t work like that.
One other thing I noticed after using the Color WOW Dream Coat anti-frizz treatment was that my hair seemed more oily than normal. I typically use Green Ablutions bar shampoo, and I have always been super happy with how clean my hair looks day to day, even when I go 2-3 days between shampoos. There is no such result in my experience from the Color Wow Dream Coat.
In fact, I felt like I needed to add a clarifying shampoo to my routine every few uses, or at least wash my hair more frequently than normal to achieve more results.
Color WOW Dream Coat review: The bottom line
As for “magically transforming texture,” let me be clear: No. I’ve seen no change in the texture of my hair.
As for “humidity proofing” benefits, I will say that the longer I’ve used it, the less frizz I have in general. However, it will not impart a gorgeously smooth “mirror shine” unless you’re styling it with heat and tension every day, the way their celebrity stylists do.
(There’s a reason that good stylists will tell you, “no of course you can’t achieve what I’m doing here when you get home. I do this for a living!”)
My recommendation is that if you are struggling with frizzy hair, and you’re someone who takes the time to style your hair each morning, buy it. It’s a helpful addition to your regular hair styling routine.
At just $28 bucks per bottle — with a 5% discount if you use Amazon subscribe and save — it’s a little speedy, but not a break-the-bank splurge either. Compare with $34 for Bumble & Bumble Bb Straight Blow Dry Cream, which our editor Liz loves for her own frizz; $46 for Kerastae’s popular Thermique Smoothing Taming Milk; or, if you have good luck with mass brands from your local drugstore, you can spend under $10 for the John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum, which also has a lot of fans. (These are all 2024 prices and I’ll note–the Color WOW hasn’t gone up a penny like the others.)
As for me, someone who definitely likes to wash-and-go, I’m disappointed that Color WOW Dream Coat isn’t a semi-permanent, keratin equivalent solution for frizz like some influencers claim.
Still, it’s a nice product I’ve been using to zhuzh up my styling when I want to look extra nice for a night out. So I am happy to have it on hand.
I hope this helps you make a decision for your own needs. If you have similar or different experiences, please share in comments! And see some of our other “Damn You, Social Media Ads!” reviews in which we buy and try beauty products and other popular items showing up in our social feeds:
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An honest review of Function of Beauty custom shampoo and conditioner
Trying out the Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyebrow Liner
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Thank you for your honesty and actually testing the product thoroughly. Many videos only talk about single day use and skip the fact that restyling is needed. Having to use a blow dryer every single day can be hard on hair especially curly hair, as it is already dryer than most.
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Our pleasure Amber! Honesty is what we do!-Eds
I bought the WOW for curly hair. My hair is really curly. To make a long story short, it took all the curl out of my hair!! I wash my hair everyday. So, I really piled on the shampoo, and my curls were back. Somethings seem to have something in them to make hair soft. That’s what my hair does not like. It was so soft and limp it looked dead. Wasn’t Shiney either. I guess live and learn!! Thanks!!
Hello!
Stylist here and I use this product. I’m glad you do honest reviews and step by step as well. As an air dry preference you may prefer the ColorWow Dream Coat for curly hair. Just a thought.
First time using per instructions may be the deal breaker. My hair looked better wet than when I blow dried it. It’s so dull looking and dry that I was afraid to take the flat iron to it so I put a bunch of oil in my hair just to tame it down and give it some shine.
Left my hands pretty sticky too.
saw a review of somebody with very curly coiled hair using the dreamcoat for curls and he was not that impressed and it was kind of flaking he could see flakes or residue.
Maybe it’s just me but don’t think it works and have to use a lot of product it’s just not very practical so I think it’s going back and I’m just going to stick with my straight oils and deal with humidity.
May give it a 2nd shot but sp far not a love connection.
Just to be clear I tried the regular dreamcoat not the one for curls HOWEVER, after reading another comment here I may try the one for curls because I want my hair to relax.
I’m in Florida and got the smaller sample size gifted to me to see if it really worked on frizzy, puffy natural hair (my stylist who lives next door jokes that my hair sees a flat iron and laughs) — I’ve used it three times and nada. Washed, conditioned, sprayed my hair down top and underneath, blowdried with a round brush to keep it under tension, flat iron with the comb follow method right after and 1/2 an hour later the silk press is gone and my hair is starting to fluff up again. Those “special polymers” didn’t make it a full hour before they started to fail, forget 2-3 shampoos. I should have known it was a scam though — it was endorsed by a Kardashian
My hair looks the same unfortunately