This week’s number seven top seller in Amazon.com beauty products is Wen conditioning cleanser. (That reminds us of our post on weird ways to wash your hair.) Let’s look at the label!
WEN Sweet Almond Mint Conditioning Cleanser Ingredients
Water
This is a conditioner, not a dry shampoo, so of course the first ingredient is water.
Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera will give you a little extra slippery feel during application but it rinses out and won’t do much for hair.
Glycerin
Glycerin is good to help prevent the product from drying out but it rinses away. It’s more effective when used as a leave in ingredient.
Chamomile Extract, Cherry Bark Extract, Calendula Extract, Rosemary Extract
Even though these extracts are used at high levels (if we can believe this ingredient statement, that is) they won’t have any beneficial effect on hair.
Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
These are the ingredients responsible for conditioning and cleansing the hair. The dimethyl amine is commonly used in popular rinse off conditioners like Pantene and Tresemme.
Cetyl Alcohol, Emulsifying Wax
These give the conditioner it’s rich lotion-like consistency.
Panthenol
When used at levels above 3% panthenol can help thicken hair even from a rinse off product.
Trimethylsilylamodimethicone
This is a silicone that has been chemically modified to stick to hair after rinsing. When used at high levels it can leave hair feeling unclean.
Hydrolyzed Whole Wheat Protein
Chopped up wheat stuff.
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
A water-soluble version of almond oil.
Menthol
Minty smell and maybe a little tingling sensation.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are usually added to provide a scent when you don’t want to list fragrance as one of your ingredients. I’m not sure why this product has both.
Citric Acid
pH adjuster.
Methylchoroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Preservatives
Fragrance
Smelly stuff. See comment above regarding essential oils.
Image credit: Amazon.com
If you buy into all the “No Poo” propaganda and you’d like to cleanse your hair with conditioner, you can buy WEN® Cleansing Conditioner
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for doing this one, I have been curious about how these work, and it seems like an expensive product for something that has silicones that build up on hair. I know a lot of people who want to buy “natural” products (I guess the logic is natural=healthy? or some other prejudice).
What’s the point of the wheat protein in the product?
I will be skipping this product.
Seems interesting. Natural products are in for me and I want to give this a try.
Are these preservatives better than the parebens they probably replace?
“Methylchloroisothiazolinone, when combined with methylisothiazolinone, offers broad-spectrum activity against microorganisms. This blend is being used in many products instead of parabens, despite the fact that parabens have a better safety track record and lower incidence of causing a sensitized reaction. Along with methylisothiazolinone, this preservative has maintained its reputation as a frequent allergen in leave-on products, particularly hair care and feminine hygiene (Source: Contact Dermatitis, November 2011, pages 276-285). “
Re: paraben replacements — that’s what I thought. Dropping the parabens for something less suitable!
I understand that wheat is a common allergen as well — what purpose could it serve other than thickening up the liquid? It couild be as bad for some people as the ‘fragrances’ they add.
I’m beginning to think that it is better NOT to put anything in my hair or on my skin that I wouldn’t put in my mouth.