They used to be all-the-rage (in my middle-school mind).
That was, until, I realized that they all smelled like a cheap, shitty version of the real designer fragrance.
"Imposter" was putting it mildly.
See, sometimes knock-off brands don't work.
Some times it's really true "you get what you pay for"
My mom has always said (with a sigh) that I was born with expensive taste.
Which is true.
And has been a constant set-up for huge frustration for my entire life, I want the brand name at the discount price. Most of the time, it just doesn't work out.
So I have to find a balance.
Some things I buy are "brand" while others are "knock-off".
I've categorized products pretty well (I think) in terms of what is okay to buy the knock-off for and what you really need to just splurge on.
Well imagine my inner turmoil when I turn on the t.v late at night and see an informercial for WEN.
So what is Wen, you may ask?
Well, from what I gathered from the infomercial, it's pretty much magic for your hair.
PURE MAGIC.
See..Cara uses it.
Her hair is magical.
But...unfortunately, magic comes at a price.
And WEN is no exception.
Damn you expensive magic hair potion.
So what did I do (because I never give up that easily)....
I bought....................
REN!
I honestly can't even type it without laughing!
It's like they didn't even TRY to get away from the original "WEN" name
I found REN at my local Walgreens.
I bought it half because I couldn't stop laughing at the label.
I'm pretty sure they will eventually get sued for copy writing, so I need to stock-up before they run out.
I'm sure you're wondering...
Is REN as magic as WEN seems to be?
Yeah, I'm not sure.
Not magic, that's for sure.
But I will say that I like it a lot more than my old shampoo & conditioner routine.
The major magic power in this stuff (and WEN) is that it's a cleansing conditioner mixture.
It's not shampoo...it's conditioner, that cleans. So it's not going to strip your hair dry when you shampoo...and then you don't have to condition afterward because it's already a conditioner.
All you do is rub this all over your noggin and then let it sit while you do the rest of your shower activities. Then you rinse out at the end.
One word of warning...IT DOESN'T LATHER.
I know, it's kinda freaky.
So if you're the type that needs lather to feel like you're actually accomplishing something, then this is not the product for you.
Other than that (slight) downfall it smells awesome (I bought the mint flavor...flavor? scent.) and have liked it so far! My snarly, rat nest hair handles it well and even seems less likely to tangle in the hours after I wash & dry it (which is always a plus!)
Try it if you'd like.
I'd love for someone who actually can afford WEN to try REN and let me know if there's a difference!
Oh, and if Chaz Dean (the creator of WEN), or any of his people come across this little blog: Sorry I bought the knock-off to your brand. I'd love to try your version...if you send it to me for free :)
XOXO
Laurel