Wen Did Shampoo Get So Expensive?

I have to admit. I am having a love affair with Wen Cleansing Conditioner by Chaz Dean. My hair is generally oily at the roots and fine and frizzy at the ends and nothing really makes it happy. I can use lifting products at the roots in the hope of getting some life out of it and drying out the oiliness. I can try and use conditioner just on the ends to try and get them to behave.



None of that really works well for me. I am a hairstylist by trade- before I had the boys to stay home with- and it was a bit of an embarassment that I just couldn't find products to make my hair work for me.

Then I saw the Wen Cleansing Conditioner on TV- QVC to be precise. I was SUPER skeptical because I felt like washing oil with conditioner probably wasn't going to work. But, nothing I had already tried worked so I figured, what the heck?

I tried it. And, boy, you have to use a truckload of that stuff as directed in the instructions for my length of hair. But, it rinsed clean- much cleaner than I expected. And, when it dried, it dried like I had used a flat iron on the ends. They were shiny and smooth but my roots weren't oily! It was like someone finally made a "combination" shampoo like they make cleansers for combination skin.

Trouble is? It costs a mint. I mean, seriously, it is costing me about $35 a month just to shampoo my hair. That is completely unacceptable. Yes, I can skip serums and shaving cream and other "finishing" hair products. I don't need to buy a separate conditioner. But, still- $35 a month?

So, I Googled how to make your own homemade Cleansing Conditioner. I found this! The Saved Quarter has a series of posts about this very topic.

I am following the recipe and directions except that I am subbing White Rain Coconut conditioner for her base. I am using all of the suggested additions and I am totally excited to try it.

I have recieved all of my ingredients except the Wild Cherry Bark Extract. It will be here in the next couple of days. I spent just over $50 on all of it (including shipping!) and it looks to be enough ingredients to last a long time. I'll just have to figure out if a local store carries the White Rain since I couldn't find it and had to order it online.

As soon as I get my last ingredient, I'll be whipping up a batch and giving it a test run.

When you consider that I was about to plunk down $185 for a gallon of the Wen (because it is the most economical way to buy it) it will be a welcome miracle for this concoction to become its replacement.

I'm firing up the bunsen burners and Beaker is standing at the ready!