Hair One vs WEN! The battle of all battles!

moisture
This is likely the most long awaited post I've ever done. Yes my friends, it's time for the battle of all battles, WEN vs Hair One. Let the games begin!

First, I need to start off by saying that this battle was supposed to take place months ago when I first experienced WEN's Sweet Almond Mint conditioning cleanser. This opponent, however, was quickly disqualified for not meeting minimum qualifications needed to become a serious contender. I think I used it twice, then quickly proceeded to calling customer service for immediate cancellation of the monthly automatic shipping. I really wanted to like this product but it offered nothing for me in the way of moisture. In fact, I haven't used it since I got off the phone with the customer service rep. I may go back and try to soup it up with some oils or something. Either way this was a first round knock-out against Hair One - no competition.


So let's move on to the real battle shall we? It's what you all came here to see. We all know that you guys have a taste for blood and want to watch as these to contenders fight to the death finish.

"Ding!" "Ding!" "Ding!"

Price
In this corner we have Hair One coming in at only $11.00! Plus because it is sold at Sally's, you can easily take advantage of random sales and discount offers which can further lower the price. Another strength of Hair One is how readily available it is compared to it's contender. At first I could only find it at Sally's, now I have a choice of heading to my local Beauty Supply to pick up a bottle (or two).

WEN, on the other hand, goes for around $36.00 for 16 ounces. Add to that the fact that you can only get the product online. It's almost like they're saying "don't buy me, I'm expensive and hard to get." That's why it took me so long to write this post. I had to push through all the sense I had within me to pay nearly $40.00 for a glorified shampoo product.

So if you were to break it down to cost per ounces, Hair One is going for around $0.92 per ounce ($11.00/12 ounces). Wen is $2.25 per ounce (which still blows my mind by the way). I gonna have to give this round to Hair One. For $36.00 you could purchase 3 of the 4 varieties available and still have money left over for a piece of candy.


Ingredients
Many of the ingredients in both products are comparable. WEN, though, has around 7 fewer ingredients than it's contender. I also noticed that the order of the ingredients they have in common are somewhat different. Hair One has amodimethicone as #4 on the list. This same ingredient falls way lower in WENs composition. High up on WENs ingredient list are the numberous plant extracts which probably account for it's yummy smell. Hair One appears to have a few ingredients that were harder to pronounce than WEN. I felt I could make more sense of it's ingredient list than with Hair One. Some of the desirable ingredients I found in both products include: wheat protein, sweet almond oil, and Panthenol. Hair One also included Aloe Leaf Juice and Avocado oil into the mix. Even with the effort Hair One put in by including these oils, I still get the feeling that WEN is a more "natural" product compared to it's rival. So WEN wins this round.

Product
Like I mentioned before, a lot of the ingredients are shared by both products so I figured that there shouldn't be much difference between the two. But boy was I wrong. The moment I got a whiff of the Honey Fig scent, I was hooked. It smells so much like a real fig. It doesn't smell like fragrance, it smells of natural extracts. That's probably why fragrance isn't listed as an ingredient (unlike it's rival). Once I got beyond the smell, I moved on to actually using the product. Just like WEN Sweet Almond Mint, Honey Fig is uber thick. I...like....that... Feels more like a "conditioner", conditioner instead of just a "cleansing" conditioner. The biggest difference between the Fig and Mint version of WEN, is the moisturizing quality. Fig feels good. Hair One feels good to but, honestly, Fig feels better. When I compare the consistency and feel of both products side by side, WEN feels smoother and creamier to touch when I rubbed it between my fingers. The experience is a bit more decadent.



*I do want to mention that the "creaminess test" was conducted with a newer bottle of WEN vs. an older bottle of Hair One.*

So over all, I feel like WEN Fig has an edge over Hair One when I compare the products side by side.

Results
I think both products have the ability to get the job done. Both cleanse the hair without stripping it of it's natural oils etc. I feel like using a cleansing conditioner helps to continue the work of your pre-poo. Those of you familiar with this blog know that I've been signing the praises of Hair One for the longest. In fact, I made my youtube debut by doing a Hair One review. But honestly I feel like I've found a better product. Hair One is good, WEN Fig is better. It's thicker, creamier smells awesome and feels great. This doesn't mean I'll never use Hair One again. It's still a great product. I'm just glad to have access to the original product line that inspired Hair One's existence. WEN is definitely going on the staple list. I need to thank those of you who recommended WEN Fig to me. Good lookin' out.


31 comments

  1. Thank you for this post! I am going to try Hair One first because of the price but I may eventually put the money out for WEN.

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  2. I use Hair One and will continue to because I can NEVER justify $36 for hair conditioner.

    I have long, very curly, color treated hair. Hair One works great. I will continue using it. If Wen ever makes their product affordable and easier to buy, I might try it.

    Thank you for the review.

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    Replies
    1. Amen I don't feel comfortable
      Getting a box of wen products for supposably 30 and inside is
      3 months worth and a bill for
      Almost 100.00 when I
      Can run to
      Sally's get 4 bottles a lifting spray or renewing if you will for 40$ I used to
      Be strictly a wen
      Girl Til I found hair one don't think l be going back to wen where I have no control when or what they send me and get a bill for 100$ each time and just try to cancel its the most long drawn out process in the world if you can end it! Gl

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  3. Hi Anon,
    Believe it or not, I'm still using the same container of WEN. It's like I have to use much less of it then Hair One. I usually go through Hair One pretty quickly but WEN has been a pleasant surprise.

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  4. just the perfect post i was looking for, very thorough and a great comparison between the two competitors. this is probably the most search about comparison between these products, thanks for giving us the low-down. another thing maybe you can add is how it feels in your hair, and maybe before and after pictures. thanks for being a great blogger!

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  5. Thanks for the feedback Anon. I'm still loving WEN and haven't gone back to Hair One. I'm even thinking about picking up the newest product from Chaz Dean and doing a review. Stay tuned for that one.

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  6. great post/site. Just ran across it while researching WEN before buying it. I think i'll give it a try but since I've never heard of Hair One, i'll see if i can find that too. I think if i keep both, if I can't find the $$ for wen, i'll have a back up. thanks again!

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  7. Thank you so much! I just discovered WEN and found out there was a cheaper knock-off called Hair One. So i had to see if Hair One worked better and i found your website, i really liked the ways you compared the two products and it was really helpful and i'll be definitely be reading your posts again, thank you!-

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  8. I am amazed at all the praise Wen has received. I used the Fig for the first time, and I have spent hours trying to comb out the tangles and pull apart the knots (yes, knots) in my hair. It felt nice while I was massaging into my hair, but that's where it ended. My hair was much more manageable with a bottle of Suave from Dollar Tree. Am I missing a step, or have I made a terrible mistake in purchasing this product???

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  9. I've been using WEN since last year. I've tried Mint, Pomegranate and Mango/coconut.

    I love Mango/Coconut. It's not a new scent...it's summer seasonal scent. I wish they would make it a year-round option! I've been rationing it out...I wash my hair in one of the other scents and use the Mango/coconut has my final leave in pump.

    I also use the deep conditioning mask, replenishing mist, styling pomades and gel - basically, I have the whole sha-bang! When I first got my kit, I got the volumizing spray as well...FYI-relaxed, thick, ethnic hair doesn't need extra volume.

    I do get upset with them b/c they do not take their auto drafts on the same day each month...I'm kinda fed up with the auto drafts, but everytime I think about cancelling...I remember how much my daughters and my hair loves WEN.

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  10. I have used both and I prefer Hair One mainly for its price. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Wen is not that natural. They do have Parfum listed as an ingredient, a fancy way of saying Fragrance. Scents like Mango, Pomegranate, Fig, etc, are usually synthetically produced. I hate it when a company is not up front and completely honest about their ingredients. It's good to be honest and let the consumer decide what they feel comfortable using.

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  11. I was a long time user if WEN and recently switched to hair one only because I could no longer purchase WEN by the gallon. When purchased by the gallon it would average out to 13.00 a month. QVC used to sell it fir 160.00, but they no longer sell the gallon. I really like hair one but I am not crazy about the smell, to me it smells like men's cologne. If you have long hair like me when you move your head you can smell it all day long. I think you need to use more of hair one than WEN. I will continue to use hair one because of price I wish it was sold in bulk though.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for ur info. I just purchased hair one today and have long hair. I LOVE wen so I hope it is just ss good.

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    2. Qvc sells the gallon size of wen only in June.

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  12. I m growing out my perm and need a natural product to help with my new growth. What would you recommend.

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  13. Love, love, love Wen. Naturally curly hair is easier to blow out into voluminous bounce. When I compared my former products (Aveda and Purology) the cost was actually less, and color (which includes a red) lasts approx 3 months! Humidity is no longer an enemy and my fave scent hands down is the winter vanilla mint... no perfume and people constantly ask what perfume I'm wearing. Awaiting the summer mango. The spring gardenia green tea is very light.

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  14. I have not achieved the results as the company states that I should notice a difference after the first cleansing. I have been using WEN for 3 months now and still no difference. My hair feels like straw, dry ends, is frizzy, and feels dirty within one day. WEN is way too expensive not to receive results. Haven't tried Hair One yet.

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  15. Just as an FYI, when you do the autoship with Wen, it is no where near 36$ for 16oz. The first bottle is, but you can add additional bottles for 15$. I do this all the time. Saves me money. You only have to have two items in your kit for wen, so I purchase one bottle of the cleansing conditioner and a spray mist, every ninety days -- but I add on three more bottles of the WEN at 15$ each. Just to clarify. I've tried them all, and when I say all, I seriously mean it. Took me four years to finally stick with Wen 100% of the time.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Very good to know. The price is what was holding me back from purchasing. 3natural heads in my home. So i can't afford to buy frequently. I'm always looking for a great sale or way to save.

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  16. I've wanted to try WEN forever but can't justify the cost. I discovered Hair One last week & have used it twice & have received several compliments on how full & shiny my hair looks. I am happy with that, so I am sticking with Hair One!

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  17. I recently found Hair One for curly hair. At the price, I thought it was worth a try. My hair is quite fine and curly so frizz is my major problem. I used Wen for a while and liked the result, but I just can't afford it. The Hair one result is very disappointing; very frizzy. Will go back to just conditioner until I find something good that works.
    Bonnie

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  18. after using Wen for two years I tried Hair One's new Argan Oil for curly hair but could not easily comb out my hair with it on as I can with Wen and my hair felt dry on the ends after using it - I think Hair One may have more silicone in it than Wen. Silicone dries out my long curly hair and leaves me with less definition and more frizz!

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  19. How does Wen measure up against (kiddy perm) relaxed hair?

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  20. I have never tried Wen (because of the price), but was a fan of Hair One. My hair always felt moisturized after using it and made me a fan of sulfate free cleansers.

    http://www.audacitytobeyou.com

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  21. I've used Wen before and was not impressed. The cost is ridiculous and I have very thick, curly, long hair so a bottle went fast. Hair One on the other hand I saw immediate progress. I love it!

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  22. i have been using Wen for nearly two years now when my daughter told me about it and it is available from Sephora just so you know. I love, love this product considering I have hard water in my home and nothing else helped but this, and I am willing to pay anything for it. One of the problems is people don't want to use the 10 - 14 pumps it tells you to use so it last longer and you need the 10 or more pumps for it to really work. Trust me it is well worth the money - I am 55 and have soft shiny hair, and more people compliment me everyday on my hair.

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  23. I was a fan of Wen until last week. Their customer service is terrible. They changed the frequency of when I was supposed to get my boxes (it was supposed to be every 6 weeks, but when I logged onto my account it was set for 13 weeks), they charged me in April and never sent my box, claiming the April charge was an installation payment for my March shipment, then said my card was declined on May 7, which my credit union has utterly no record of any such attempted charge from them during that entire week (not to mention I had plenty of money in that account at that time) and then they tried to tell me I still owed them a payment of $45. I refuse to support this company at all and will never ever purchase Wen again. Hair One, here I come!

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  24. I keep reading about the autodraft and wanting to try it but not spending the money. People you can go to sephora! But it there and return it or just get a sample. I got a sample.

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  25. What do you think is suitable for hair breakage and split ends? It's something I get asked quite often from my own blog's readers (naturalhealth-naturalbeauty.com), and I would love to know what is your suggestion. Thanks

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  26. How you can buy a bottle for $15??? I tried and I can't! I want to know please

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  27. I have not used WEN but have heard nice things from others; however, I use Hair One faithfully and oh my goodness, I just love it and have no desire to try anything else at this time. I love that you can walk into the store and buy it!

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