Chaz Dean 613 Review: Is this the greatest cleansing conditioner of all time?

This post is long overdue. I've been selfish girl,  enjoying this amazing cleansing treatment all to myself.  You may remember this post where I denounced many of my long-term loves for something new.  Some of you who read this blog regularly know that I can be a fickle girl at times so I wanted to make sure this was the real deal before the big reveal.  Now that I'm pretty much convinced, I wanted to tell the whole world! 

Before 613 came into my life, I was perfectly content with using my WEN Honey Fig Cleansing conditioner for the wash, and deep condition with one of my staple conditioners.  Then the day finally came when my Honey Fig ran low.  I had a choice to make at that point, "would I be willing to invest nearly $80.00 in a cleansing conditioner instead of replacing my Honey Fig?"  For days I mulled over my options until finally I just said "screw it, let's do it!" 

Let's backtrack a little bit so I can help you understand why I made this decision.  First, I was very pleased with the Honey Fig Cleansing Conditioner but, from what I read about WEN 613, I knew this would take everything to the next level.  Just check out this product description so you can see what I'm talking about:

What is it: Using an innovative and modern approach to hair care that he began in 1993, Chaz Dean has infused his Six Thirteen Daily Cleansing Treatment with a blend of 11 amino acids to help restore strength and elasticity to hair. The unique combination of more than 25 natural oils and extracts helps to nourish your hair and scalp, making Six Thirteen perfect for those with sensitive skin. Full of luxurious ingredients, Six Thirteen is the indulgence your hair has been waiting for.

 Who is it for: Six Thirteen is designed for all hair types and can be used on people of all ages. Why is it different: Six Thirteen is ideal for cleansing and hydrating the scalp and hair. 

How do I use it: Rinse your hair thoroughly and completely with cool water. Apply enough Daily Cleansing Treatment to thoroughly coat your hair from scalp to ends. Make sure you are using enough to saturate the hair and scalp. For short hair, use a minimum of six to eight pumps. For medium-length hair, use a minimum of eight to 10 pumps. For long hair, use a minimum of 10 to 12 pumps. For really long hair, use a minimum of 12 to 14 pumps. Add a splash of water--this is very important to help evenly distribute the Daily Cleansing Treatment through your hair. Comb through with a wide-tooth comb and clip up hair for the remainder of the shower. To ensure maximum cleansing and conditioning, Chaz recommends that you cleanse, rinse, and repeat, using half the pumps for the first cleanse and the remaining pumps for the second cleanse. The longer you leave it on, the better. Rinse thoroughly with cool water and apply a dime-sized amount to soaking-wet hair from mid-shaft to ends as a leave-in conditioner. 

Average Customer Rating:

4.6

 out of 

5

(866 Reviews)

There are nearly 1000 reviews of this product online and the average rating is almost a perfect 5.  To me, that says a lot about what we're dealing with here.   But enough about what other people think. Let me share a little about 613 from using it over the past several weeks.  Both the good and bad.

First off, let me start off by saying that this product, to me, doesn't look or perform like any of the other cleansing conditioners I've tried.  In fact, if the words "Daily Cleansing Treatment" weren't on the bottle, I would have never put it in the same category as Hair One or Honey Fig.  Chaz Dean 613, to me, has deep conditioner written all over it.  In fact, it looks and performs so much like a deep conditioner that I have decided that this replaces some of my main DC products.

Why do I say that 613 is like a deep conditioner?  Well first off, it's thick.  It's really thick. So thick, in fact, that I dilute it to get optimal results. When 613 first arrived, I didn't use the handy, dandy, pump that came in the shipment. I just tried to squeeze the conditioner out of the bottle opening. It was honestly a struggle to get the product out and when it did, the conditioner maintained it shape in my plastic bowl.  That's when I decided that I needed to use a really watery conditioner to dilute it.  My first thought was Suave's coconut conditioner. By the way, when I actually started using the pump, the product came out much more smoothly and evenly

Diluting the 613 with the Suave (or water based) conditioner works really well for two reasons.
#1:  It brings the cost per ounce of 613 down quite a bit.
#2: The water based conditioner further elevates the moisturization properties.

If you read my #2 reason closely, you might be asking yourself, "why would this product need greater moisture, isn't 613 the holy grail  moisturizing product?  To answer your question honestly, I would say "not really."   My favorite things in the world are moisturizing conditioners. I love them more than anything.  But I'll be honest with you all and say that (on it's own), this cleansing treatment isn't what I consider a high moisturizing product. Chaz 613 is more of a high nourishing product.  So now you may be saying "Nadege, what's the difference, in your mind, between moisturizing and nourishing?"

I'll try my best to give share with you the differences from my perspective:

Strengthen|| verb: to make or become stronger
These are the conditioners that come into play when we are experiencing excessive breakage. Protein is the name of the game when it comes to strengthening conditioners.  Normally, after use, we require a moisturizing conditioner to bring back balance and elasticity.

Moisturizing|| adj: to impart moisture or make less dry
These conditioners offer lots of slip and leave the hair feeling soft and less dry to the touch immediately after use.  Moisturizing conditioners are generally more watery in texture than strengthening conditioners. 

Nourishing|| adj: containing substances necessary for growth, health and good condition. To me, this type of conditioner offers the best of both worlds.  After use, the hair feels strong, moisturized, and balanced.

So that's what I mean when I say that Chaz Dean is nourishing.  It leaves my hair totally fulfilled and lacking nothing.  For this reason, I was able to move away from both my ultra moisturizing conditioner (Kerastase Nutri-Thermique) and my strengthening conditioner (Aveda Damage Repair).  613 does it all. The only thing I wish 613 had is more slip when I rinse out.   For the past few weeks, I've been using this product mainly as a deep conditioner. Meaning I sit under the dryer for at least 20 minutes to intensify it's impact.  And, as a deep conditioner, it performs nicely.    Since I ran out of the Honey Fig, I've been substituting with other moisturizing shampoos.  So even though I have been "shampooing" my hair again for the first time in years, my hair still pretty amazing after deep conditioning with a cleansing product.

Let's talk for a moment about the cost of 613.  At first I classified it as the most expensive hair product I've ever owned, but when I looked a little more closely, I realized that I was mistaken.

Kerastase Nutri-Therminque|| According to the Kerastase website, a 6.8 ounce jar of Nutri-Thermique is $61.00 or $8.07 per ounce.

Aveda Damage Remedy||  I bought a 1 liter bottle for $72.00 (pre-tax) which totals around $2.13 per ounce.

Chaz Dean 613|| A 32oz bottle on the QVC website goes for $61.00 plus $7.22 S&H.  Without the shipping costs, 613 costs around $1.90 per ounce.  The total price rises to $2.13 per ounce once I factor in the shipping.

After breaking down the cost factor, I got over the initial sticker shock and became comfortable with my decision. Plus I also realized that even with the insane amount of conditioner I use each week, a 32 ounce bottle of product usually lasts me a very long time.  Plus, ever since I've been using my pink Sprush to apply my conditioner, I noticed that I've been using less product week after week.

Finally, I'll leave you with the greatest determining factor of why I finally took the plunge.  The ingredients, where the proteins are light and the oils are plentiful. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol (Plant Derived), Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Vanillin, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Organic Evening Primrose) Oil, Marsh Mallow/Althea Extract, Lotus Corniculatus Flower Extract, Loquat (Eriobotrya Japonica) Leaf Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Honey Extract, Ginseng Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Sweet Neroli Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Borage (Star Flower) Seed Oil, Polysorbate-60 (Plant Derived), Glycerin (Plant Derived), Bambusa Vulgaris (Bamboo) Extract, Amodimethicone, Sodium PCA, Citric Acid (Naturally Derived), Hydrolyzed Quinoa (Chenopodium) Protein, Sodium Lactate, Menthol (Analgesic), Arginine (L-Arginine), Aspartic Acid (L- Aspartic Acid), PCA, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glycine (Naturally Derived), Alanine (L-Alanine), Serine (L-Serine), Valine (L-Valine), Soluble Collagen (Marine Kelp), Simmondsia Chinensis (Organic Jojoba) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Organic Olive) Fruit Oil, Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernal (Argan) Oil, Abyssinian Oil (Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil), Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Myristica Fragrans (Nutmeg) Extract, Proline (L-Proline), Threonine (L-Threonine), Isoleucine (L-Isoleucine), Propylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide-70, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Phenylalanine (L-Phenylaline), Histidine (L-Histidine), Glycogen, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum).

If I were to compare this product to Hair One and Honey Fig, I would say that there's no comparison. In fact, I will be re-ordering some more Honey Fig to complete the package.  I don't even think there's a need for me to do a battle post between Honey Fig and 613 because they are different (in my opinion).  I wouldn't deep condition with the Honey Fig and I wouldn't co-wash with only the 613.  Hopefully this was helpful.  If any of you out there were thinking about this product, I would say go for it. I can't imagine anyone not liking it.  If you do purchase, try it in various ways to see how your hair enjoys it most.

613 will be a staple of mine for a long time to come.  

Amen.