I love the idea of conditioner only washing, so I was really excited when I got the chance to review Wen’s Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner.
Washing your hair with Wen’s Cleansing Conditioners is a little different that what most people are used to.
After my husband read the back of the bottle, he about had a cow, because of how much conditioner you’re supposed to use.
With this cleansing conditioner you are supposed to use 16-24 pumps of conditioner, massage it into your hair, making sure to get all areas of your hair and scalp clean, splash with some water to foam, then massage for 1-3 minutes, comb through your hair, and then leave it on for 3-5 minutes.
After that comb through your hair again, then rinse while massaging the scalp.
It does take a little longer than my usual hair routine, especially since at first I followed the instructions to a T, and used a shower cap to make sure the conditioner didn’t wash out during the 3-5 minutes.
Although I had mid thigh length hair while I was using Wen, it is thin, so I only used 16 pumps.
I did try to use 12 pumps once, and I ended up with oily hair.
The previous times that I’ve tried conditioner only washing I’ve had to deal with a “breaking in” period of oily hair during the first week or two that I used the conditioner only method.
I was really glad that I didn’t experience this with Wen - my hair was clean from the beginning, which is especially amazing since I started using it on very oily hair, because I didn’t have time to wash my hair the day before.
Life with a newborn will do that do you.
I was able to wash my hair almost every day during the period that I was using the Wen Cleansing Conditioner.
I think I skipped 2 days, and my hair was a little bit oilier than it would have been when I was using my usual shampoo and conditioner.
Although the 12 oz size which I received is a 30 day supply, this only lasted about 3 1/2 weeks for me.
The last two days there wasn’t enough conditioner in the bottle to pump, so I had to shake it out of the bottle, and there’s probably enough for half a wash left in the bottle now.
I love the smell of mint so I was very pleased with the scent of the sweet almond mint cleansing conditioner.
I could smell it while it was on my hair, but it didn’t leave a noticeable fragrance after I got out of the shower.
I also noticed that even with the cold weather here, my hair was a lot less frizzy - I haven’t been able to get it to lok that good when out and about in the cold Minnesota air using any other products, so I was very pleased.
During the last few days that I was using the Wen, I noticed that the ends of my hair were a lot more tangled than usual, but I’m not sure if it was due to the conditioner, or due to something else.
I did have this problem the last time I tried the conditioner only method though.
Overall I was very impressed with the Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner, except for the tangled hair, which may or may not have been caused my the Wen.
If you’ve tried it, I’d love to hear about your experiences - did you have problems with tangles?
How long does a bottle last for you?
Oh - and I hope you’re having a great holiday season!
If you’d like to read about my previous experiences with conditioner only (aka CO) washing, check out these posts:
Conditioner Only Washing Experiement, Take 1
Conditioner only washing take 2 and 3 and 4
Conditioner Only Washing
Disclosure: Samples from the company or the representing PR agency were provided for this review. The opinions presented in this review are my own. I was not financially compensated for this review.


January 13th, 2010 - 7:53 pm
I have to admit I saw the Made from Earth Organic Hair Care products one evening on a TV commercial and it intrigued me, but I was skeptical. I decided to buy some online –
It took a little getting used to and I did see improved results after about a good month of use. Meaning it took that long to adjust to how much I should use, technique, etc. I have finer hair that never really could get enough moisture from conditioners. The ends would always feel dry, no matter how often I go for trims. This cleansing conditioner calmed my hair and really moisturized it. It doesn’t feel heavy, doesn’t look greasy, and I have no more fly away hairs.
Lastly, the Peppermint smell of the conditioner is soooo relaxing and fresh. I love it. Its called the Peppermint Herbal Conditioner, and it comes with the Tea Tree Shampoo in a package.
January 25th, 2011 - 4:29 am
I tried the conditioner only cleansing after reading all the reviews about WEN, and then checking out their price of $45.
I just couldn’t justify that price!
So, I followed the same directions as WEN gives, but using the conditioner that I already had in my shower. It’s one of those conditioners just for blonde hair, but I can’t recall the name of it.
I thoroughly wet my hair, apply a generous amount and let it sit for several minutes. I don’t scrub or anything, I just sort of run my fingers through it, and then rinse with warm water for one full minute while running my fingers through it. Then I bend over in the shower (just so I dont freeze the rest of my body), use the hand held shower, and turn the water on as cold as I can stand it to close the cuticle and give it a final rinse.
I have been quite shocked at the results. I didn’t really know how I felt the first few days, as it really didn’t seem to make a difference. It did not feel greasy though. After 2 weeks I feel like my hair is shinier and thicker, and I don’t have the dry frizzies that I used to have to calm down with a straightener or by blow drying.
I am 45 years old with dry, shoulder length, blonde chemically processed hair. I have been able to let my hair air dry for the first time in years without it looking fuzzy on the ends.
I have noticed that my boyfriend is running his fingers through my hair about twice as much as he used to. I honestly don’t think I will ever use shampoo again!