Oribe vs Kerastase

When it comes to luxury hair care products, it’s hard to beat Oribe and Kerastase. Both brands offer top-of-the-line products that promise to nourish, protect, and repair your hair. But which one is the best?

In this Oribe vs Kerastase comparison, we’ll discuss the differences between Oribe and Kerastase hair care products.

We’ll look at their ingredients, pricing, and performance to help you determine which one is the best choice for your hair care needs.

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Oribe vs Kerastase

In this Oribe vs Kerastase comparison, we’ll look at Oribe’s wildly popular Gold Lust Repair + Restore line and compare the products to similar damaged hair repair products from Kerastase’s Resistance Therapiste line.

First, let’s take an overall look at each brand.

Oribe

Co-founded in 2008 by celebrity hairdresser Oribe Canales and Daniel Kaner, Oribe (pronounced OR-bay), Oribe is a luxury hair care brand designed to provide a boutique experience with its line of shampoos, conditioners, masques, oils, gels, and sprays.

Oribe product collections include:

• Gold Lust
• Signature
• Hair Alchemy
• Beautiful Color
• Brilliance & Shine
• Moisture & Control
• Magnificent Volume
• Bright Blonde
• Serene Scalp

Sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) that works as foaming agents in shampoos can irritate the scalp and strip the hair of its natural oils.

Due to the improvement in sulfate-free technology, Oribe updated its products so that now all Oribe products are sulfate-free.

Also, Oribe products are formulated without parabens and sodium chloride. All Oribe products are gluten-free, cruelty-free, color and keratin treatment safe, and have UV protection for hair. 

While most Oribe products contain fragrance, they offer two products, Serene Scalp Soothing Leave-On Treatment and Serene Scalp Thickening Treatment Spray, that are fragrance-free.

Kerastase

Founded in 1964, Kerastase takes a more scientific approach to hair care and searches for the most potent ingredients to address your hair concerns.

Self-described as a luxury professional haircare brand, Kerastase has adopted a care-first philosophy regarding its products, all hair types, and the future of our planet.

Since 2015 Kerastase has worked to integrate sustainability in its formulas, packaging, and merchandising materials. 

The brand works with hairdressers and expert scientists to create products that heal the hair.

Kerastase has a vast range of products. Collections below include descriptions since their names may not be self-explanatory:

• Aura Botanica (for revitalized and dull hair)
• Blond Absolu (for blonde hair)
• Chroma Absolu (for all color-treated hair)
• Chronologiste (for aging hair)
• Curl Manifesto (for all coily & curly hair)
• Densifique (for thinning hair)
• Discipline (for frizzy hair)
• Elixir Ultime (for hair lacking shine)
• Fusio Scrub (for scalp & hair health)
• Genesis (for hair prone to falling)
• Genesis Homme (for men’s weakened hair prone to thinning)
• Initialiste (for scalp & hair)
• Nutritive (for dry hair)
• Oleo-Relax (for frizzy hair)
• Résistance/Résistance Therapiste (for damaged hair)
• Soleil (for sun-exposed hair)
• Spécifique (for unbalanced scalp & hair concerns)
• Symbiose (for hair & scalp prone to dandruff)

Oribe Gold Lust vs Kerastase Resistance Therapiste

Kerastase doesn’t offer a conditioner in its Resistance Therapiste line for damaged hair, so we’ll compare their Resistance Therapiste hair mask (which performs like a deep conditioner) to Oribe’s Gold Lust conditioner.

The shampoo contains a very long ingredient list filled with plant extracts and nourishing actives:

Oribe Signature Complex contains watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss flower to protect against oxidative stress, photoaging, and keratin depletion in your hair.

Oribe’s Bio-Resorative Complex contains plant collagen, caffeine, biotin, and niacinamide (some excellent skincare actives) to strengthen the hair cuticle from the inside out. It also replenishes the scalp and hair follicles.

Mediterranean cypress extract moisturizes. An Amino Acid Complex moisturizes the hair and scalp while repairing damage to the hair cuticle.

The shampoo also contains nourishing plant oils:

Argan oil, known as the “liquid gold of Morocco,” is a hair conditioning oil that moisturizes, adds shine, and controls frizz. Antioxidant-rich baobab seed oil strengthens, hydrates, and smoothes hair.

Green tea extract, which is rich in antioxidants, helps strengthen hair.

Citric acid lowers the pH of the shampoo and helps tame frizz.

The scent is light, fresh, and muted. (The ingredient list contains lemon fruit extract, jasmine flower extract, black currant fruit extract, sandalwood extract, and added fragrance.)

This is a true luxury shampoo, from the packaging (and price!) to the texture, scent, and performance.

Yes, it’s pricey, but if you really love it (like I do!), refills are available that lower the price per ounce.

The shampoo contains a gluco peptide that travels deep inside the hair cuticle to strengthen and stimulate hair growth. A wheat protein derivative helps improve hair elasticity and smoothness.

Native plant cells hydrate and soften the hair.

The formula also contains salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA), which helps remove build-up, dandruff, and sebum by gently exfoliating the scalp.

This Kerastase shampoo also contains multiple amino acids, which are moisturizing and conditioning agents.

The balm-in-shampoo has a thick texture that creates a rich foam and soothes an itchy scalp.

The scent is somewhat perfume-like and quite strong.

Please note that this shampoo contains sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), a foaming agent that cleanses the hair and is somewhat less irritating than sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

Shampoo Similarities and Differences

The Kerastase shampoo contains sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), while Oribe is sulfate-free, containing ingredients like sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate as cleansing agents.

Oribe contains several plant and flower extracts, salicylic acid, niacinamide, green tea extract, biotin, argan oil, and baobab seed oil to nourish hair.

Kerastase contains a wheat protein derivative, amino acids, salicylic acid, and other plant extracts to repair hair.

Oribe’s ingredient lists consistently are around twice as long as Kerastase’s.

Oribe has a pleasant light scent, while Kerastase has a much stronger perfume-like scent.

While both have luxury price tags, there is no doubt about it. Oribe is much more expensive than Kerastase, although Oribe offers refills that reduce its price somewhat.

Brand Name	Active Ingredients	Contains Sulfates?
Oribe	✅ Plant and Flower Extracts, Niacinamide, Caffeine, Argan Oil, Green Tea Leaf Extract	✅ No
Kerastase	✅  Gluco Peptide, Wheat Protein Derivative, Native Plant Cells	✅  Yes (SLES)

Shea butter nourishes and moisturizes. Mediterranean cypress extract repairs and moisturizes.

Oribe’s Bio-Restorative Complex containing antioxidants like caffeine and nourishing reparative actives like plant collagen, biotin, and niacinamide, strengthens the hair.

Argan oil contains fatty acids that moisturize the hair, improve shine, and help with frizz. Baobab seed oil is rich in antioxidant and nourishing fatty acids and deeply hydrates hair, making it excellent for you if you have a dry hair type.

A protein blend targets hair damage and helps reduce split ends. Vegetable amino acids also strengthen and moisturize.

Green tea extract, which is rich in antioxidants, helps to protect hair from environmental aggressors. Citric acid helps control frizz.

This Oribe conditioner’s lightweight texture rinses cleanly, leaving hair feeling silky soft, and smooth.

It has the same luxe fragrance as the shampoo. And like the shampoo, it’s very pricey, but the conditioner refills reduce the price per ounce.

Like the shampoo, this reparative hair mask uses a gluco peptide to strengthen hair and boost hair growth. A wheat protein derivative helps improve hair elasticity, smoothness, and flexibility.

Native plant cells and amino acids hydrate and soften.

The thick masque leaves my hair feeling nourished, hydrated, and shiny.

It has a strong perfume-like scent that lingers in the hair after rinsing.

Conditioner Similarities & Differences

Oribe Gold Lust Conditioner contains over 70 ingredients, while Kerastase contains under 30.

Oribe contains shea butter, several plant and flower extracts, niacinamide, biotin, green tea extract, baobab seed oil, and argan oil to repair and strengthen hair.

Kerastase contains a wheat protein derivative, amino acids, and other plant extracts to repair hair.

Oribe has a pleasant light scent, while Kerastase has a much stronger perfume-like scent.

While both have luxury price tags, Oribe is much more expensive than Kerastase.

Oribe vs Kerastase Hair Oil

Since Oribe offers a hair oil in their Gold Lust line but Kerastase doesn’t (they offer this hair serum instead), I’ll compare Kerastase’s best-selling Elixir Ultime Hair Oil with Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair oil.

It’s also filled with plant extracts, including jasmine, edelweiss flower, lychee, sandalwood, cassis, bergamot, and argan extracts.

Excellent for dry, damaged, and color-treated hair, the oil provides heat protection, reduces drying time, and strengthens damaged hair.

This Oribe product is rich in oils like Crambe abyssinica seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, and argan oil that have emollient, protective, and softening benefits.

Jasmine oil improves shine and fights against scalp itchiness and dryness.

Cassis seed oil contains moisturizing amino acids like omega-6 and omega-3.

Like Oribe Gold Lust shampoo and conditioner, the oil contains Oribe’s Signature Complex of watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss flower that protects from dryness, damage, photoaging, and loss of keratin.

Shea butter softens and moisturizes damaged and dry hair. Sandalwood extract repairs split ends.

This luxe oil tackles frizz, seals split ends, and increases shine without a greasy finish.

It contains camellia oil, plus argan and marula oils to moisturize dry, damaged hair.

The oil has multiple uses, as Kerastase hairdressers use it for a dry shine finish, as a mask booster, and as a smoothing blow dry serum.

The scent is gorgeous: violet and freesia, cedarwood, santal, and creamy tonka bean. You can even use it as a hair perfume!

Hair Oil Similarities and Differences

While Oribe’s smaller 1.7 oz oil is much more expensive than Kerastase, the larger 3.4 size oils from both brands are very similarly priced.

Both oils contain argan oil, but Oribe Gold Lust oil contains more actives and plant extracts.

Both oils feel very lightweight on your hair (almost like a serum), and each has a lovely luxe fragrance. Kerastase smells much stronger to me.

Neither oil makes hair feel greasy, oily, or heavy.

Related Post: Gisou Hair Oil Dupes

Oribe vs Kerastase Haircare Products

Oribe and Kerastase are two of the top high-end haircare brands on the market, and both offer excellent hair products that will nourish your hair and help keep it healthy.

While Kerastase offers a broader range of offerings, Oribe products usually have a larger ingredient list and a much higher price tag.

If you choose products from your preferred brand formulated for your hair type and hair concerns, you are bound to get that luxury haircare experience!

I prefer Oribe’s products for their muted fragrances and reparative actives that help repair my hair that has lost its elasticity.

Thanks for reading!