The Beauty Sleuth

Recently, there’s been a lot of hubbub about loss of color, shine and vitality due to wear and tear from the likes of excessive shampooing and heat styling. It would appear that the hair care industry has been listening— Quite intently in fact, because now more than ever, there is a plethora of product all designed to preserve and promote the luster and rich tone of our precious locks. But how does one make sense of all the hair care jargon and just make the best choices for our hair?
One hair care specialist, Chaz Dean, decided to challenge the status quo by creating a signature hair and body care brand WEN by Chaz Dean. To understand fully— This was way before the idea for Sulfate-free haircare came about and Dean turned the industry on its head by creating a revolutionary new concept in shampoo and conditioning with his no-lather, creamy cleanser. This flew in the face of traditional hair care ideals of the time and as he says “ Getting my clients to stop using shampoo is fairly easy since being their hairstylist constitutes a certain amount of trust. It’s getting them to embrace the idea of cleansing without that lather of shampoo that is often the initial hurdle. We’re all psychologically predisposed to connecting lather with cleansing.” While there are a few who have jumped on the sulfate-free wagon many still contain some degree of Sulfates (aka sodium laureth sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate) which eventually degrades hair over time, especially if color-treated. Sulfates have also been attributed to promoting dull, lackluster hair, brittle texture and even flaky scalp.

One aspect that set WEN products apart from its competitors, is the creamy formula — Its acts as both treatment and cleansing. A 5-in-1 formula replaces the need for individual shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner. It cleanses hair thoroughly without lather and the natural, yet effective ingredients baby not only the hair, but the scalp, too. Its designed to maintain the healthy PH balance and oils on the hair and scalp. Your hair will be left with sheen, manageability and better color retention.
The first time using WEN cleansing conditioner may take some getting used to but the results speak for themselves. If you have wavy, curly, or texture of any kind, after the first use the overall condition of your hair will be smoother and silkier. Chaz recommends “You simply need to follow the easy instructions we provide and it’s mostly how much to use with regards to the length and thickness of your hair. The rule of thumb is that the drier or the more damaged your hair is you should work in more product – from scalp to the very ends – and leave it in longer.” You may be thinking this translates to hair that’s flat and heavy looking, I know that I certainly had some reservations when I first saw the density of this cream formula. But this is not the case. While it takes some adjusting to— you know we all balk at change to a greater or lesser degree….but once you get the feel of how the product works, its easy sailing. For those who have more questions or are just not sure about how to apply the product, there is a short tutorial on the website that illustrates the application process. I found that the most important point to remember was to apply to the scalp first, making sure to massage very well. Distributing the product throughout to the ends of the hair felt much the same as applying a hair mask and it’s key to leave it on for at least 5 minutes, if not longer. This will make for even better results. Essentially as Chaz says, the longer it’s on the hair, the better the results.
With the success of the Cleansing Conditioners, you may have seen WEN showcased on QVC, Dean branched out with the introduction of treatment and body care. Re-Moist hair mask and hair and body oils, Body cleansing creme (which follow the same premise as the Cleansing creme for hair) and body lotion are all made available in the same fragrances as the Cleansing conditioners, delectable scents like sweet Almond Mint, Fig, Cucumber Aloe, Lavender, Pomegranate and Tea Tree. Each product feels rich and like the original cleanser for hair, treat your skin leaving it feeling hydrated and just plain luxurious. Is it just me or can we all use a bit of that from time to time?
WEN by Chaz Dean is available at: www.chazdean.com