As a hairstylist with 12 years of experience working in top salons, I‘ve tried just about every hair product imaginable. So when Jonathan Van Ness launched his new line JVN Hair, I‘ll admit I was skeptical it could deliver. But after taking the products for a test drive on my clients and incorporating them into my own routine, all doubts vanished quicker than wrinkles during a facial.
My Personal Background with JVN Hair
I first discovered JVN about 8 months ago while deep-diving YouTube for the latest hair trends. I stumbled onto an interview with Jonathan where he passionately described the brand‘s origins and commitment to celebrating natural textures. As someone who‘s struggled to embrace my coils and curls since childhood, his words deeply resonated. The formulas seemed like exactly what my textured clients and I needed in our routines.
After sampling the [Nourishing Shine Drops] and [Air Dry Cream], I was astonished by how soft and defined my curls looked using just those two products. The shine was next level radiance that had people asking if I got a fresh relaxer (hard no!). I noticed dramatically less breakage and was able to stretch washes from 7 days to 10 days without overproducing oil.
From then on, I incorporated various JVN bestsellers into my personal regimen and professional recommendations. Now with 9 months of first-hand experience using the full range, here‘s my honest take on these glorious formulas.
Assessing the Ingredients: How JVN Compares
I‘m extremely selective about what I allow to touch my hair and what I endorse to clients. We all know too well how harsh chemicals and dangerous styling practices can damage follicles. I was thrilled to see JVN‘s formulas use tried-and-true natural ingredients proven to deliver real transformative results.
Here‘s a quick breakdown of some key ingredients and how they benefit hair:
| Key Ingredient | Benefits | Also Found In |
|---|---|---|
| Aloe Vera Leaf Juice | Hydration, soothes scalp | Olaplex, Briogeo |
| Jojoba Oil | Nutrient absorption, hydration | Ouai, IGK, Verb |
| Neem Seed Oil | Reduces oil production, hydration | The Innate Life, Mielle |
| Rice Amino Acids | Smooths cuticles, minimizes breakage | Schwarzkopf, Redken |
| Niacinamide | Cell regeneration and circulation | Viviscal, Nutrafol |
I was especially impressed to see JVN incorporate neem oil into their formulas considering what an ayurvedic powerhouse it is. These are clean, beneficial ingredients comparable to luxury natural hair brands costing twice as much. By using hemisqualane instead of silicones, JVN keeps the formulas non-toxic while making hair stupid glossy.
Putting JVN‘s Bestsellers to the Test: My Reviews
Enough background – let‘s get into the nitty gritty results! Having tried JVN‘s entire hair care range over 9+ months, here are my in-depth thoughts on their top 5 bestselling formulas:
★★★★★
JVN Air Dry Cream – $24
- What It Is: Weightless curl defining cream for frizz-free air drying
- Standout Ingredients: Hemisqualane, Aloe Vera, Jojoba Oil
- Texture & Scent: Whipped cream texture, fresh tropical fragrance
- How to Use: Emulsify in hands and scrunch into clean, damp hair. Air dry as usual.
- My Review: This lightweight cream cuts my air drying time in half while giving me the most defined, polished curls ever. Zero crunch or sticky residue – just incredibly smooth, soft texture and no frizz in sight. My coils lasted 5 days without having to respray or rewet. Absolute holy grail styler!
★★★★★
JVN Nourishing Shine Drops – $22
- What It Is: Color-protecting hair finisher provides extreme shine
- Standout Ingredients: Hibiscus Extract, Hemisqualane
- Texture & Scent: Silky serum, sweet berry/floral fragrance
- How to Use: Dispense 1-3 drops into palm, smooth through ends of dry styled hair.
- My Review: True to their name, these give my curls a literal spotlight glow while keeping my balayaged color vibrant. The smooth serum texture doesn‘t weigh down my fine strands at all. Even my clients with perpetually dry, dull hair are converts – it‘s shine in a bottle!
★★★★1⁄2
JVN Pre-Wash Scalp Oil – $28
- What It Is: Pre-shampoo scalp treatment soothes itchiness and flakes
- Standout Ingredients: Neem Oil, Charcoal Powder, Monoi Oil
- Texture & Scent: Lightweight dry oil, energizing citrus aroma
- How to Use: Massage 4-6 drops into scalp 10+ minutes before shampooing.
- My Review: As someone prone to a flaky scalp between washes, this has been a savior. The charcoal and neem combo cleanses buildup without overstripping sebum. My scalp stays fresh longer even with weekly shampooing. Love the cooling massage experience too!
★★★★★
JVN Instant Recovery Serum – $28
- What It Is: Bond-building hair repair treatment for damaged strands
- Standout Ingredients: Vegetable Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid
- Texture & Scent: Gel serum, clean aromatic scent
- How to Use: Apply quarter-sized amount to clean towel-dried hair, focusing mid-lengths to ends. Let sit 5+ minutes before styling.
- My Review: This quickly reinforced areas prone to breakage after years of heat damage and overprocessing. I saw way fewer split ends and was able to stretch washes longer without tangling. Even my platinum balayage clients noticed less snap when brushing. Major difference for distressed hair!
★★★★★
JVN Complete Pre-Wash Routine
- What‘s Included: Pre-Wash Scalp Oil, Shampoo, Conditioner
- My Review: Using the entire pre-wash system leaves my curls bouncier, smoother and shinier than ever. The shampoo has a great creamy lather that dismantles buildup without stripping, while the conditioner has amazing slip for detangling. My stylist friends love these too – amazing quality for the price point!
See the full ingredients list + 30+ customer reviews for each product here
Brand Overview: Beloved by Experts and Consumers Alike
Across social platforms, professional product review sites and consumer goods sites like Influenster, JVN Hair boasts exceptional feedback:
- 4.8 out of 5 stars from 390+ verified Sephora reviews
- 4.7 out of 5 stars from 250+ verified JVN website reviews
- 96% recommend rating from 120+ Influenster reviews
The formulas have also caught the eye of plenty of prominent beauty industry names. Allure‘s beauty director Jenny Bailly calls the Air Dry Cream a total gamechanger for cutting down blowdry time, while minimizing damage and enhancing texture. Elle‘s beauty editor Chloe Metzger is also a fan, featuring the Scalp Oil and Nourishing Drops as ideal winter hair saviors to combat seasonal dryness and dullness.
The rave reviews and mom-like testimonials across social check out with my experience as well. These products deliver such unreal softness, bounce and bling to textured hair without silicones or toxic ingredients. Compared to the dozens of high-end brands I‘ve tried, JVN gives the same amazing results for a fraction of the price. It‘s a total steal!
How JVN Compares to Other Popular Hair Brands
Having worked with various professional hair product lines over my career, I‘ve developed strong opinions on which brands consistently deliver results versus those that are hype. Here‘s my honest take on how JVN stacks up:
JVN vs. Olaplex: for damage repair and protection, they take a similar reparative approach focused on bonding and collagen production. However, I find JVN‘s Air Dry Cream gives me longer lasting, more defined curls than Olaplex‘s No. 6 or 7 styler.
JVN vs. Briogeo: both clean brands use lots of nourishing oils, antioxidants and essential vitamins for hair fullness. Yet Briogeo‘s formulas can feel heavy or create buildup for some. JVN gives amazing shine and softness without weighing hair down no matter your texture.
JVN vs. IGK: known for their styling products, IGK‘s formulas can contain harsh alcohols that create dryness over time. JVN stays way gentler while still delivering vibrant color protection and frizz control.
JVN vs. Drugstore Brands: Pantene, L‘oreal, etc may be affordably priced but tend to rely on cheap silicones, waxes and sulfates that coat hair without truly nourishing. JVN uses high quality ingredients comparable to salon brands costing far more.
For anyone struggling with dryness, damage and lackluster locks, I can‘t recommend JVN enough as an accessible option that flat out works. After almost a year incorporating these products into my everyday routines and services, I‘m still wowed by how it continues transforming my hair and my clients‘ hair.
My Final Verdict: Invest in Your Hair‘s Health with JVN
If it‘s not already crystal clear, I‘m absolutely obsessed with JVN Hair and firmly believe the entire line is an excellent investment for all hair types and budgets. After trying dozens of brands over my career, none deliver this level of serious shine, hydration and repair without silicones, parabens, phthalates or sulfates.
Some key advantages that set JVN apart in my book:
✅ Serious formulas tailored for textured hair
✅ Clean, nourishing ingredients like neem oil and niacinamide
✅ Effective bond repair for damage without heaviness
✅ Incredible bling and flawless frizz control
✅ Gender neutral, inclusive range for all
✅ Vegan, cruelty-free and responsibly packaged
Think of JVN as the total package: effective formulas packed with hair-healthy actives, inclusive embrace of all hair types, and sustainable + ethical brand practices. Jonathan and his team have managed to distill salon innovation into quality products with drugstore accessibility.
After almost a year using JVN‘s full range of shampoos, conditioners, oils, masks, stylers – you name it – I can hands-down say this is hair care that restores vibrancy, health and confidence no matter your identity or background. His passion for helping people celebrate their unique beauty radiates through the entire brand and products.
If you‘re looking for real transformative formulas to take your hair goals to the next level, look no further. JVN is absolutely worth investing in for hair that gleams from within!
