WEN, oh WEN. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
But before I do, here’s some background. I first heard about WEN cleansing conditioner on the infomercial and, like all infomercials, it sounded like the greatest product ever made. But I have to say that in this case it pretty much lives up to the claims.
Although I watched the TV ad a number of times, I didn’t buy it that way. I have always ordered it online (it’s now available conveniently from Amazon).
The claims
From the QVC website:
“What is it: A revolutionary step toward beautiful, healthy, shiny hair. WEN cleansing conditioners replace shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler, leave-in conditioner, and even shaving cream.
Who is it for: Sweet almond mint is a universal cleansing agent that’s great for all hair types, especially fine-to-medium hair.
Why is it different: WEN cleansing conditioners are detergent free, yet gently cleansing and moisturizing. The formula cleanses and moisturizes without weighing hair down.”
My experience
I’ve been using WEN cleansing conditioner for over three years. What initially drew me to this product was that I was having hair loss and breakage, and just about at my wit’s end trying to figure out why. According to WEN, using regular shampoo can contribute to this problem, so I decided to give theirs a try.
I have thick, wavy hair that is frizzy and hard to tame. Most shampoos make my hair even more of a rat’s nest, and I always just assumed this was normal and the way it had to be. That was until I tried WEN. After using WEN my hair isn’t perfectly silky and frizz-free but it is soft and a drastic improvement over what it is otherwise. Because of WEN, I’ve been able to grow my hair to its longest yet and it looks very healthy.
Now that my hair is long and takes a while to dry, and I’ve rid myself of my decades-long dependence on extreme amounts of hair spray, I find that I prefer to go two days between washings and with WEN I can do this. I generally can’t get away with three days though, because by the end of the second day the hair at my crown turns greasy. If I use WEN as a leave-in, even if I try to concentrate the product only on the ends, it looks great after styling but greasiness happens by the end of the first day. So until I come up with a solution (I’m experimenting with various conditioning sprays and such) I’ve had to compromise some on my level of acceptable post-conditioning frizziness vs. greasiness.
I’ve tried most of the WEN varieties and my favorite is Sweet Almond Mint. My second favorite is fig because of the richer consistency, but I don’t like the scent as much. WEN also offers special seasonal scents and I’ve enjoyed those. The only WEN I’ve tried that I really didn’t care for was lavender, because that one seemed to strip my hair color. I did not have that issue with any of the others. In fact, one of the reasons I love WEN is because it doesn’t strip color like regular shampoos can.
Because I have so much hair, the 32 oz. size lasts me about a month. While it’s available in smaller sizes, the larger size is the one I usually order.
I try to stay on a budget and believe me, I don’t splurge on much, but since WEN is the only cleanser and conditioner so far that tames my hair and reduces the amount of loss and breakage, I do splurge on this.
You can buy it on Amazon, where I’m a big fan of shopping because it’s so quick and easy.
The bottom line
PROS:
- Lives up to its claims
- Natural ingredients; no harsh detergents
- Product is 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner
CONS:
- Pricier than other shampoos/conditioners
- Not available in stores
Rating:
Note: This review is my honest opinion and I was not compensated for it. This post contains affiliate links.
©2012 Michelle Rogers, Inc.
