Johnathan Van Ness is one of the most famous hairstylists in the US, so when he announced his haircare line JVN in 2021, I definitely had high expectations. It took me a while to get around to trying the products, but I recently purchased their Complete Hair Hydration Set, which is available at Sephora for $18. The set contains four products – the hydrating shampoo, hydrating conditioner, deep moisture mask, and the air dry cream. After trying the products for a few weeks, I’ve been able to make my own judgment of how well these products actually work.
Nurture Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner: The shampoo lathers well and does a great job of cleansing the hair without stripping it of moisture. It has a light scent to it, but it’s not overpowering. I’ve found that I don’t need to use a lot of the product to get the most out of my wash day. The conditioner is a good consistency – not too thick, but not runny either. It works great on its own or paired with the mask.
Nurture Deep Moisture Mask: While I like to mix lighter masks with conditioners to get the most out of the product for my hair type, I used this on its own to give it a fair assessment. The consistency of the mask is quite buttery, but it’s not too thick. If you have extra thick or dry hair, this mask may not be the one for you as it’s not the most moisturizing. For me, it does the job of a very thick conditioner. If that’s the kind of product you prefer, then I would recommend this mask.
Complete Hydrating Air Dry Cream: This product is one of the most highly rated of the entire line for a reason. The air dry cream is designed to enhance your natural texture – whether that be pin straight, soft waves, or curly-coily hair. And it does exactly that! I like to use as few stylers as I can, and this cream is a great single-product styler that works to reduce frizz and smooth your hair. I have naturally wavy-curly hair so I like to scrunch the cream into my hair for the best texture.
I would say I was surprised by the quality of these products, but the “Queer Eye” hairstylist knows what he’s doing with the formulation of his products. The shampoo has aloe, which is perfect for sensitive scalps. The conditioner and mask both contain camellia seed oil, which is great for moisture retention and shine. All of JVN products are made silicone free and environmentally clean. The only downside I have noticed is the packaging of the products. Aluminum packaging, while better for the environment, is very difficult to get product out of. The shampoo and conditioner are available in bottles with pumps for $21 each, but the mask and air dry cream only come in the aluminum-packaged form.