Summer Says About Silicones:
What a treat your blog is! I can’t get enough. I am an esthetician and an absolute ingredient crazy beauty product junkie. My question for you is whether or not silicone in any of its forms is drying and therefore damaging to the hair. My hair stylist told me that it dries hair out, resulting in the breakage I have always experienced. As a curly haired woman living in humidity, silicones have saved me from much unneccessary frizz. Please clarify what effect silicones have on hair, and also skin if you could, as I was taught that they formed a protective layer over the skin holding in the skin’s natural moisture (as well as imparting a silky feel to the surface). THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE!
The Right Brain’s Silky Smooth Reply:
Good for your Summer! You’re not blindly following the advice of your hair stylist!
The truth is, silicone (the molecule pictured above) is one of the MOST effective ingredients for conditioning hair or skin. In both cases it serves as a protective barrier. In fact, in skin lotions dimethicone (a form of silicone) is so good it’s approved as an over the counter drug ingredient.
In hair care products you’ll see a mixture of dimethicone and cyclomethicone typically used. Again, dimethicone is heavier and coats the hair; cyclomethicone is very thin and helps to spread the dimethicone, it also evaporates so it’s good for use in lightweight products like leave in conditioners or volumizing products.
The Brains‘ Bottom Line:
Silicones are good moisturizers for hair and skin and are commonly used in many, many products. We’ve never seen any data that shows they dry out or damage hair.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I have naturally curly hair myself. I no longer use shampoo with sulfates because, at 53, I have learned how much those products dry out my hair. The next important question for me would have to be to ask if silicone products build up and, if so, can they be removed without using damaging sulfate shampoos. I would love to be able to use silicone products.
I was told by my stylist that silicone is ok as long as you do a deep cleaning once every two weeks or so, to remove buildup. I too have curly hair and found this advice works. Apple cider vinegar rinse is a good way to remove buildup, and leaves hair shiny….
Wouldn’t a ‘protective barrier’ prevent your skin from absorbing ambient moisture AND/OR also prevent it from absorbing the actual moisturizers in said formulations?
My question is if it’s bad for the fingernails? Lol.
I spent months using silicone free products only to have my long locks become increasingly frizzy, straw-like, with kinky strands, itchy-scalp and split ends. There was no doubt that even thoroughly rinsing with cold water (to seal the cuticle) was not helping. I spent a good deal of the last few months trying to research what to do about my rat’s nest. Here is what I discovered – natural home remedies of egg, avocado, honey, beer and mayonnaise worked well to soften the hair for a few days but would only last a day or so and with limited success. After trying numerous products with Moroccan oil I found these too only lasted a few days and made my hair feel dirty and heavy after one application. Herbal Essences “Honey I’m Strong” helped a little bit but after several deep conditioning applications (hair wrapped in plastic and towel) there seemed to be a stale-mate. So, I researched on. I read up on protein build up and even though I dye my hair and was concerned about using Head and Shoulders my itchy scalp won out and I used it once. No more of the itchy scalp and my hair colour took on more of the brown-red it should have had from the dye color as opposed to the black it seemed to hold on to. Then I tried Nexxus Hydration and found the answer. With one application there was a noticeable difference. Two applications and my hair is glossy, silky and controlled wave (I have a pronounced 1940’s style wave/curl) with no split ends after using the flat iron. I have not been able to use the flat iron in months so I am overjoyed and feeling more like myself now. I will still use the natural conditioning recipe from time to time and will use argon oil as a sealer (especially in the warm humid weather) but I will NEVER go Silicone-free again. I am a Nexxus girl now.