I love Wen. I get it from QVC. I got a sampler kit first and my favorite is the cucumber aloe. I have fine straight hair but a lot of it and it is dyed red.

Wen has no sodium laurel sulfate to strip out the color from my hair. Any suds are bad for your hair and especially bad for hair color.

There is a Tea Tree for people with scalp problems.

It does take more work in the shower, working it in very well, leaving it in and then really rinsing it out well. My hair is squeaky clean. I also use one pump as a leave in along with his almond styling lotion. he says to put it in to dripping wet hair and squeeze it into the hair and I do that now. It took me a while to get it. I was doing it the old way but this is better.

I do still use shampoo about once a week, either I'm in a rush or my scalp just seems to need a good cleaning. But my hair is better with the WEN. I still use it as a conditioner.

It does take a lot of it and it seems expensive but my hair looks great. I flat iron my hair a few times a week a blow dry it too.

I copied this from QVC's beauty forum which is pretty great by the way. It has some alternative ideas to WEN for less money. I was thinking of trying some of them.


"Any good cheap substitute for Wen?

Don't get me wrong, I love Wen. I use the Fig for dry hair and it works great. Going broke buying the $44.00 bottles. Has anyone done a good job copying this product??? I will stick with it until a good sub comes out.
suzette

Great question. I also would be interested.
I love my Wen but when I first started using Wen my hair was very short.
I have since let my hair grow and now the product is disappearing way too fast!!
I'll also stick with Wen just would like to be able to cut the cost.


Don't know about any copy-cats, but this may help you with the product lasting longer.

I need to cleanse my hair daily, bed head, cowlicks - don't like the feel. (Some ladies can go days between WEN, I can't). I've been doing this lately, and like the results. This is from Chaz's site. (do be used as a refresher spray, but I cleanse with it).

Create a Refresher Spray

In a 6oz spray bottle mix 4 pumps of WEN Cleansing Conditioner, 2-4 drops of WEN Oil and 2 pumps of Sweet Almond Mint Styling Crème. Use warm water initially to help mix ingredients and shake well before each use.

Now, I've noticed that I like my hair better when I omit the oil. I use about 1/3 to 1/2 the 6 oz bottle on my hair in my morning shower, on the days that I don't fully cleanse. (I have hair below shoulder, long layers, slight wave). Wet hair, spray all around hairline, tip head, spray around back, spray completely through hair and work in. (I find that this cleanses my scalp, and my hair looks as if I've cleansed with my usual 16-20 pumps). I've been doing this every other day, may even try it a couple of days. I mix my WENs, so I use 2 pumps SA and 2 pumps CA.

lovinglife

I have been tempted to try this...

www.care2.com/greenliving...formula.html
Maine-Girl

(5 of 23)

I also use the refresher spray, every other day. I do not use nearly as much as 1/3 of the bottle, I spray just enough to lightly wet my hair and I'm good to go....
suzette

(7 of 23)

Well, now that you ask.....

CO, short for Conditioner Only shampooing has been around for quite some time. But it takes the right conditioner, one with little or not silicones. Are you familiar with makeupalley.com? It is the Mother Ship of all beauty boards and has several specialty boards....makeup, skincare, fragrance, nails and one is hair. CO shampooing has a cult following on the Hair Board and the love (the Wen loyalists are going to feint...) VO5 conditioners - they collect all the scents. Yep, .99 a bottle on sale. They also like Suave Ocean Breeze. At a bit of a higher end conditioner, they like Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat conditioner.

This is from the notepad MUA member Arvlyn, a hair guru..... CO - Conditioner only method -
This method of shampooing is great for any type of hair, not just curly hair. It's just a very gentle way of cleansing your hair, equal to using mild, sulfate free shampoos.
Use a very basic, thin, no-silicone conditioner for this. Usually the cheaper ones are the best. You are not looking for conditioning at this point, no need for protein, moisturizing, etc.

VO5 Kiwi & Lime Squeeze, Extra Body or Tea Therapy Vanilla Mint, White Rain Extra Body and Suave Milk and Honey, are all popular choices.

Apply conditioner to wet hair. Use enough, you'll need a lot more than if you were using shampoo.

Concentrate on massaging the conditioner into the scalp area. Take your time, this is one of the most important steps and one that's frequently done incorrectly.

Let it stay on while you do other things in the shower - this is an important step also. Some cover their hair with a shower cap at this point. You must let the conditioner stay on the hair for a while for it to work to cleanse your hair.

Add a little water and continue to work the conditioner through the length of the hair.

Rinse completely, longer than you think you need to - yet another important step that's often done incorrectly.

Apply your usual conditioner to length of the hair only.

Rinse again.

It may take time for your hair and scalp to adjust to this method, but don't give up. It takes time for your scalp to adjust from producing a lot of oil to compensate for the stripping that so many shampoos do. If you've used any sort of silicone laden product, you should clarify before starting COing.

How often you do this is definitely up to you and what works best for your hair. Some only CO wash, some alternate with "normal" shampooing.
JD13

(8 of 23)

I have actually never used Wen, but liked the concept so poked around and found that people use the cheaper conditioners....without silicones (I guess they coat the hair too much).

I bought the Suave conditioner ...I use it all the time now! Saves my color, my hair is shiny, and has more body too.

I also like all the scents the Suave conditioners come in...I think I have coconut and apple right now. The scents even reactivate when I "wash" my hair again.

It can't hurt to try it. I think you can get the "family size" bottle for right around $2 at Target or WalMart
.
charliecat31

(9 of 23)

I've been considering trying Nature's Gate Herbal Daily Cleansing Conditioner. It's only $5.49 for 18 oz. Here's a link to it on Vitamin Shoppe's website if you're interested. I really like WEN - but it's sooooo expensive.

www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/e...tail.jsp

toogie

(10 of 23)

I've been using Aussie Moist conditioner as a replacement for WEN for the past couple months. Works great for me, and so much cheaper! I do still use the the WEN styling cream and oil, though.

1BritChick

(11 of 23)

I used the VO5 Kiwi Clarifying conditioner and was happy with how well it worked. I went and got the Vanilla Mint Tea Clarifying conditioner today..it was 66 cents at CVS! I love Wen but its just not in my budget right now either so this is a great thread to get other ideas.

LynFriend

(12 of 23)

I too have learned that lather is not so good for hair....an affordable alternative that I found, IMO works as well as Wen, is DevaCurl... there are a couple of choices in their line in case you want "some" lather or "no" lather... I have used all of them, and I am in love with the line.... my hairdresser tells me my hair is in great condition... I'm 49, fair skin, color-treated, some natural curl in my hair, (only enough to be bothersome...not enough to wear some of the hairstyles that are suited for "wavy/curly" hair)... my hair usually gets fly-away and of course frizzy. Then factor in "too much" product on the hair and voila..it's weighted down... these products are all exceptional!

Look into this site: salonsavings.com/devacurl/
You will like the prices and the products!

beautymogul

(14 of 23)

I've been using Tresemme volumnizing conditioner as a cleansing conditioner and it works great...I've been doing it now for about 4 months, putting a regular shampoo in every 3-4 conditioning cleansings. And my big ole bottle cost me all of 4 bucks!!

Bebe1

(18 of 24)

I have tried so many shampoos and conditioners and I've found not one of them compares to WEN. I agree about it being sooooooo expensive, but my hair has not looked this good for years so I guess I'm gonna stick with WEN. I only wash my hair once a week, unless in the summer I swim in a pool with chlorine, then I'll wash my hair that same night. But, like Clairol says "I'm worth it"! LOL..........
MyTwoCents

(20 of 24)

I'm going to agree with auntgoo on this one. I tried the conditioner wash only for several weeks. My scalp didn't feel clean. Manufacturers make conditioners with the idea of using them after using their shampoo. Just my thoughts on it, but I'm sticking with Wen=)