Juliann, one of my local readers, asked me to discuss Wen haircare for What's In It Wednesday.
I am so happy she wanted me to look into Wen, a line I myself have used and once recommended on C & G.
I wrote a glowing review of Wen about 18 months back. When I originally tried the product, all I cared about was that it was free of parabens. My on-going journey to choose the safest products possible has had me researching nearly everything I buy prior to doing so, especially if I will be sharing a product with my family.
Making sure there are no parabens is no longer enough for me, but it was at that time. I haven't used Wen in several months, as I found other alternatives for 1/3 of the cost. I also had grown my hair to a couple inches above my shoulders and the logner it got, the more it weighed my hair down.
So let's take an in depth look at Wen haircare. I recommend reading my first post about Wen from January 2008 to see why I tried it to begin with.
What's In This "Cleansing Conditioner":
Water (Aqua)--Water
Glycerin--Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol--Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol--Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria Flower Extract--Chamomile
Prunus Serotina Bark Extract--Cherry Bark Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract--Rosemary
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Sweet Almond Oil--Sweet Almond Oil
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice--Aloe Juice
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein--
Panthenol--Vitamin B5
Butylene Glycol--If you know my feelings about propylene glycol, you might think I am anti-glycols in general. This is actually a non-irritating ingredient used as a skin conditioner/humectant and is considered to be very safe.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate--Sounds terrible, but considered very safe. This is derived from rapeseed oil and makes an excellent detangling and anti-static agent.
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine--Another ingredient which sounds questionable but is OK. Anti-static agent and surfactant. Considered gentle and safe.
Polysorbate 60--This is one that typically is considered safe, but I avoid when possible. Why? There have been numerous published studies (albeit decades old, yet never refuted) about tumor formation is higher doses. Given that this is in so many products used daily, I personally avoid this ingredient, which is an emulsifier, and solubilizer
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides--Avoid PEG ingredients at all costs. They are known to be contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, one of the most toxic ingredients ever, according to published statements by the FDA. Known carcinogen.
Amodimethicone--A silicone to give "slip" to the hair.
Citric Acid--pH Adjuster
Menthol--Gives a cooling and soothing sensation. Should be OK for most, but can be terribly irritating to others
Methylchloroisothiazolinone--I'd rather use a paraben than this, a neurotoxin. It's a paraben-free, unsafe preservative
Methylisothiazolinone--See above, very similar
Fragrance (Parfum, Limonene)--Fragrance, may or may not be an irritant to some
The Bottom Line, Almost 18 Months Later:
#1, I'd like to thank Juliann for asking me to discuss Wen! Secondly, I am going to have to say to skip this one. If you are interested in the growing trend of "co-washing", which is using conditioner rather than shampoo to wash your hair, your best bet is to find a natural conditioner free of the nasty chemicals.
Can you wash your hair with conditioner? Yes. Have I tried it? Yes, and I didn't get great results. The first few times it was OK, but if you use ANY styling products, this--in my view--is not the way to go. Most conditioners actually do contain surfactants so you can wash with them, but over a long period of time, it may not work for you.
