Wen Hair Products: Good at First But do They Last?
Not everybody is happy with the Wen hair products, as you’ll notice in the review below. It’s a bit long, but there’s some solid advice in there. Especially concerning the monthly billing by Guthy-Renker. It’s definitely to buy Wen shampoo on Amazon to avoid a lot of frustration.
Here’s the Wen hair products review:
“BUYER BEWARE!!!
Alright, so this is a long one. For those of you just skimming the reviews I will just say THINK TWICE BEFORE COMMITTING YOURSELF TO THE WEN HAIR CARE SYSTEM.
I have naturally curly hair that I typically blow dry and then straighten with a ceramic flat iron 1-2 times weekly. My typical problems are dryness, split ends and general unruliness. I didn’t expect Wen to be a cure-all, but I thought it could at least lessen some of my hair issues and provide a more reliable way of conditioning my hair while keeping it from drying out. Wen did help, at first, but like so many other products it seemed to lose its effectiveness after the 5th or 6th time I used it. That being said, the biggest problem with Wen is by far Guthy-Renker, the company that Mr. Chaz Dean has chosen as a vehicle for its distribution. Ive had serious issues with GR before. A little more than a year ago, I tried Sheer Cover, a mineral makeup collection (ala Bare Minerals) distributed by GR which promised flawless results with its rejuvenating formula. The product was great and I received many complements, but continued use wasn’t worth dealing with GR flawed sales methods and shady practice of billing its customers/cardholders. Again and again, I canceled (having opted out of the monthly package in the first place) and again and again I received more of the product in the mail with my card being charged upon its shipment. Phone calls to GuthyRenker to cancel never helped. They kept shipping and charging with one charge over $90 which cause an overdraft in my debit account. Twice I found myself in line at the post office, product in hand, refusing delivery and sending it back to GR to await a refund. What finally ended it was me writing a note in the receipt’s comment box telling them that it was my forth time trying to cancel and I was contacting the BBB for interference in my checking account.
So after all that why would I trust Guthy Renker again and order Wen? Half stupidity, half desperation.
Before ordering, I did my research and browsed online reviews, most of which were positive. I even talked to a GR rep through the 1800 # and got her to answer billing and product questions. All that being done, I went for it and ordered the starter kit through the Wen website. I knew I had one month to try it out and cancel if I didn’t want to be billed for the 3 month kit which follows. A few weeks past and I’m wondering where it is. Did my order go through? Seemed so because I was sure billed immediately for it. 3 weeks after I placed the order it showed up. I used it right away, taking the directions into the shower with me to make sure I was using it correctly. Chaz recommends using an ample amount (24-32 pumps for medium-long hair) because if you use too little you are not going to see the fabulous results. I’m thinking of the money Ive just spent; one bottle is supposed to be a month’s supply, but if you use the directions faithfully one bottle may only last two weeks.
I blow dried my hair and went through my normal routine. The results were great- my hair felt incredibly clean and lightweight, it looked shiny and the sweet almond smell was uplifting. It also eased my dryness dramatically and made my routine much faster and easier. After the second time I used it, the results were even better and my color seemed to be brighter and more vibrant. My husband also loved the smell and complimented me heavily on how it looked and felt. I thought ‘finally, something that actually works’. Yet after one week the problems started. My 3 month kit showed up a week and a half after the starter kit. So much for the 30 day trial. To give GR a small bit of credit, they broke up the $86+ into 3 separate payments so the first debit didn’t do any major damage, but still the principle of it seemed pretty unfair. I wasn’t sure what to do because at that time I was still liking the results and knew I was going to run out soon but I was still afraid of GR’s practices and getting roped into another bad experience.
Three weeks into the system, the results faded and my color became very drab. My hair started drying out and the ends were becoming frayed and straw-like while my scalp became oily making the top portion of my hair substantially weighed down. Any body my hair had in the first few weeks was long gone, replaced by this horrible combo head of bone-dry hair and oily dark roots (not hair color)- it literally looked like i had dyed my hair two shades from the top to bottom. I had followed the directions to a T and hadn’t made any changes besides using it a bit more liberally than the guide calls for, because after all Chaz says you cant use too much! I tried the deep conditioning serum from the starter kit which provided some extra conditioning and eased the dryness, but only temporarily. Two weeks later I needed the serum again just to get my hair back to where it was before I first started Wen, and you are only supposed to use the deep conditioner every six weeks!! I finally gave up and went to Rite-aid and bought some dove shampoo/cond.
All in all, pretty disappointing. The three month system is still under my bathroom sink with one full bottle unused. The other companion products (texturizing stick and the balm) seemed to hurt the results more than help them. They make your hair feel greasy and untouchable (silicone base) even if you use them in the first week when the results are actually good. Also the sweet almond scent gets nauseating after a while, though that could be just me. I smell it now and it just reminds me of the money I wasted and how stupid I was to trust GR again.
For those not swayed, I would still say give it a try but under no circumstances should you order it from the website or infomercial because you will be dealing with GR. Buy it on Amazon to avoid surprise charges showing up on your account- its still expensive but at least you know what you’re getting.
Just don’t be surprised if the results don’t last- its by no means a miracle product.”
http://www.totalbeauty.com/community/message/5541/wen-haircare
I’m thinking that using the Wen shampoo conditioner too much might contribute to the lack of results. Even though Chaz Dean claims you can’t use too much of the products, everybody’s hair is different and will react differently.
As with a lot of health and beauty related products, it’s always best to try it out yourself. Do however take into account the warning about the automatic and buy Wen shampoo on Amazon. That way you won’t get stuck with surplus Wen hair products should you not like them.