Fake Wen is Rampant

[iVR]

I'll post pictures of the real Wen container vs. the fake Wen container later.
So Chaz Dean (owner and creator of Wen) has given his distributor Guthey Renker permission to sell KNOCK-OFF Wen products. The containers are so similar it is easy to buy a knock-off thinking you are getting a deal. QVC and Chaz Dean's official website are the only two places I know where you can buy the REAL Wen without worries. Be careful of Amazon (it's rampant on there) and other places. My mother and I have gotten caught by this heist Chaz Dean and Guthey Renker have going on. Chaz Dean IS making money off of these knock-offs. Oh and the ingredient list on the knock-off is completely different from the ingredient list of the authentic product. The containers and labels are also slightly different between the knock-off and authentic product. You can also google this.

 

[biznesswmn]

Good to know

I was just abt to jump on the wen 613 bandwagon

 

[prettyinpurple]

Wait, how do you know about this agreement?

Never used it, but I know that Sephora sells Wen now too.

Is the knock-off called Wen too? I'll wait for pics.

 

[iVR]

Wait, how do you know about this agreement? Never used it, but I know that Sephora sells Wen now too. Is the knock-off called Wen too? I'll wait for pics.

I found out by doing a few hours of googling and by using a magnifying glass (yes it was necessary the print is retarded small) to compare the ingredient list from Chaz Dean's product to the one I bought off of Amazon. The fake one clearly has a different distributor name on it, but you need to peel up the label (which was also hard) and use a magnifying glass to see that.

 

[ChocolateCupcake]

I can't believe I didn't figure this out before. I have purchased Wen from Sephora and QVC. The ingredient lists for the Sephora version and the QVC version of the SAM cleansing conditioner, SAM remoist, and SAM replenishing mist are different. Oddly enough, I originally tried the Sephora version because the kit was such a good deal and really liked it. I bought some from QVC so I could have larger bottles and it was horrible for my hair. I guess my hair prefers the knock off and when I look at the ingredients I can see why (less aloe in the cleanser, more castor oil in the treatment mist, etc). I may repurchase the Sephora version.

 

[Philippians413]

Edit: I found some discussions on the topic on the QVC forums.

http://community.qvc.com/forums/wen/topic/300766/wen-at-sephora-online.aspx

http://community.qvc.com/forums/wen...he-difference-between-gr-wen-and-qvc-wen.aspx

One of the posts:

"I contacted customer service at chazdean.com about this. Here is the reply.

Thank you for your email. Guthy Renker carries a slightly different version of WEN than our website www.chazdean.com.

They are both WEN products and are both created by Chaz Dean. Because of FDA regulations on international shipping, the ingredient's through Guthy Renker have had to be changed slightly. Chaz worked very hard to make sure that the quality and philosophy behind WEN is still upheld, and made the changes to the formulations himself. It is similar to purchasing a Coke here in the United states and purchasing one in Mexico. Both are still Coke products, but have a few different ingredients.

I also wanted to add that QVC carries the same cleanser sold thorough our www.chazdean.com website."

 

[AmiJay]

If Chaz Dean approves Guthy-Renker to sell WEN, why would it be fake? This doesn't make sense to me.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

If Chaz Deanapproves Guthy-Renker to sell WEN, why would it be fake? This doesn't make sense to me.

Cheaper ingredients, Similar price point, more profit.

Probably like there's salon professional versions of products then there's what's in the store.

I'm just speculating however.

 

[*Frisky*]

This is just greed. I would rather stay true to the product that I created than allow somebody to ruin what I have worked hard for and possibly my reputation for some extra coins.

 

[prettyinpurple]

I found out by doing a few hours of googling and by using a magnifying glass (yes it was necessary the print is retarded small) to compare the ingredient list from Chaz Dean's product to the one I bought off of Amazon. The fake one clearly has a different distributor name on it, but you need to peel up the label (which was also hard) and use a magnifying glass to see that.

If Chaz Dean approves Guthy-Renker to sell WEN, why would it be fake? This doesn't make sense to me.

Yea I wouldn't call the other versions fake.

Lots of companies have a different version of products once it's mass produced for big-box stores. The Curls line in Target confused me that way. But their website makes it clear (professional line vs budget friendly mass produced line).

Also something needs to be different so they can say 'exclusive to QVC' or Sephora etc. Just an example, don't know what they do.

ETA: Perhaps they need to be clear on which versions are where...

 

[virtuenow]

Cheaper ingredients, Similar price point, more profit.

Probably like there's salon professional versions of products then there's what's in the store.

I'm just speculating however.

Then that makes it exactly that, a salon/professional version and store version. Just like other brands, like Curls, they have 2 versions of the product. One is the affordable, cheaper version (w/different ingredients) that you can get at local stores (like Target). And the other is the salon professional version that you can only get at the salon or professional stores at a high price and high priced ingredients.

 

[AmiJay]

The GR version isn't fake, it's different. The WEN forum on QVC talked about this.

 

[iVR]

Yea I wouldn't call the other versions fake. Lots of companies have a different version of products once it's mass produced for big-box stores. The Curls line in Target confused me that way. But their website makes it clear (professional line vs budget friendly mass produced line). Also something needs to be different so they can say 'exclusive to QVC' or Sephora etc. Just an example, don't know what they do. ETA: Perhaps they need to be clear on which versions are where...

They must have recently changed that because a week ago when I found this out their website did not show or explain a difference between salon and store. They may have had to come out and say something because so many complained. He advertised only one kind and that's the kind that Chaz Dean himself sells. So it could have recently changed because people were complaining.

 

[AmiJay]

Cheaper ingredients, Similar price point, more profit.

Probably like there's salon professional versions of products then there's what's in the store.

I'm just speculating however.

If Chaz approves it, it can't be fake. The quality might be different, but that's not fake.

 

[*Frisky*]

They must have recently changed that because a week ago when I found this out their website did not show or explain a difference between salon and store. They may have had to come out and say something because so many complained. He advertised only one kind and that's the kind that Chaz Dean himself sells. So it could have recently changed because people were complaining.

iVR

Is the knock off brand actually called WEN?

 

[iVR]

iVR Is the knock off brand actually called WEN?

Yep. The labels are almost identical but the containers are slightly different. As soon as I get home from work I'll post a comparison picture.

 

[iVR]

Oh and www.wen.com is a new website. He used to only have chazdean.com so I'm not sure when this new one popped up but chazdean.com is what I used to compare ingredient list.

 

[JaneBond007]

Are they talking about REN? If I'm remembering correctly, I think this product is actually ancient...saw it way back, long before Wen. If so, then Ren went through an overhaul and became Wen and maybe tweaked by Chaz Dean. But I swear Guthy-Renker produced such a product like 20 years ago. I know cuz I've been looking for junk for my hair since birth.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

If Chaz approves it, it can't be fake. The quality might be different, but that's not fake.

I think it's fake if they aren't labeling them differently. Maybe it's less fake. More like shady.

 

[Philippians413]

I've been reading the QVC forums and apparently there are 3 different versions. These are the ingredients of the sweet almond mint:

CHAZ DEAN.COM VERSION (Same as what’s sold via QVC)

Water, Aloe Vera Gel, Glycerin, Chamomile Extract, Cherry Bark Extract, Calendula Extract, Rosemary Extract, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Cetyl Alcohol, Emulsifying Wax, Panthenol, Trimethylsilylamodimethicone, Hydrolyzed Whole Wheat Protein, PEG-60, Almond Glycerides, Menthol, Essential Oils, Citric Acid, Methylchoroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance

GUTHY RENKER VERSION

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Wheat, Protein, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Polysorbate 60, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Amodimethicone, Citric Acid, Menthol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum, Limonene.

SEPHORA VERSION

Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Vegetable Oil (Olus Oil), Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polysorbate 60, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Amodimethicone, Citric Acid, Menthol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Hydroxycitronellal.C960

 

[grownwomanaz]

Wow, I had been using the so-called fake one, Guthy Renker, the whole time I was using Wen. I still have one bottle of Fig I just looked at the dang ingredients smh. I'm glad I stopped using it. Even though I no longer use Wen I'm highly annoyed by this.

 

[iVR]

So here are the pictures. The first pic with two in them is Chaz Dean on the left Gunthy Reneker on the right. Notice how similar the labels are? The one on the right is a blown up version of the authentic label. The only true difference is the G.R. one has 112g after 4oz. The last pics are of the bottom labels. If a vendor on Amazon hadn't been so adamant that her product was authentic, I never would have found out. Chaz Dean recently changed his site to "acknowledge" Gunthy Reneker's stuff. It was NOT there approximately a week ago.

 

[Embyra]

Boooooooo I received mine now from guthy :-(

First time trying it prob wouldn't have if I saw this thread

 

[Embyra]

Just double checked my ingredients are the same as the sephora fig ingredients

Even though I bought it off guthy renker uk :-/

Confused.com lool

 

[*Frisky*]

There is a class action lawsuit going on for WEN. I do think it is against Guthy-Renker and not Chaz Dean.

http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-...t-wen-cleansing-conditioner-causes-hair-loss/