Carly’s Question:
There has been a lot of controversy lately about silicones in hair products. I am a member of a naturally curly hair website and many of the members are anti-silicone because of the claims that silicones bond to the hair and do not allow moisture into the hair shaft. Supposedly once the silicone is on the hair it acts as a barrier between your hair shaft and any moisture. Is all of this true, or is it just a myth? I will sometimes use a silicone product, but then later feel guilty that I am suffocating my hair, and wash it all off. I think it would be great if you can let everyone know the truth behind silicones.
The Right Brain’s Response:
Questions about silicones being bad for your hair come up a lot. But you can just call us the cosmetic mythbusters, Carly, because silicones do not really cause the problem you described. Shampoos and conditioners that contain a high level of high molecular weight, water insoluble silicones can build up on hair, that much is true. And if you over-use products like this everyday, it is possible to end up with hair that feels weighed down and limp. But even this does happen, you’re not really suffocating your hair.
3 Reasons Why Silicone Can’t Suffocate Hair:
1) Even if you didn’t wash all the silicone out, we’ve never seen any data that indicates that a small amount of silicone residue acts as a “barrier” between hair shaft and moisture. On average, your hair contains about 8 to 14% water by weight but it will equilibrate to the ambient humidity. In other words, it will pick up moisture when it’s very humid and it will lose moisture when it’s very dry. Slight silicone residue won’t substantially change that. Now, if you slather on a heavy layer of a silicone hair treatment product, that’s a different story!
2) Even though your hair absorbs moisture from the environment, its state of dryness isn’t completely controlled by this external water. Dryness is more a function of how damaged your hair is and how much natural lipids it contains.
3) Even if you did block your hair from absorbing moisture, the silicone would act like a moisturizing agent because it would plasticize and lubricate your hair. It would essentially fight the effects of dryness.
The Beauty Brains Bottom Line:
If you use a silicone containing product and you like the way it makes your hair look and feel, DONT WORRY ABOUT IT! Don’t feel guilty because some people tell you that it’s bad for your hair. Oil products like Ojon can work too if you don’t want to use silicone.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Beautybrains! Your site is a one of a kind site and absolutely amazing ‘coz you help us consumers to be more wise about cosmetic products. May I know what do you mean by plasticize as you describe above and also the meaning of plasticize you used to describe the effects of coconut oil in another post? KUTGW!!!
I’ve never had the problem of “silicone build up” and i use a silicone based leave-in conditioner every other day. I find that it has actually prevented my hair from getting more damaged!
Silicone molecules are practically indistructable hence the reason they are used for cooking and other high temperature applications. That being said the particles themselves are fairly harmless to your hair, BUT removing these molecules from your hair is very hard even with clarifying shapoo.
I used to use a silicone based leave in conditioner, it did my hair so much bad! it took me ages to get my hair back to normal. I am totally against using silicone based products.
As a hair stylist I can promise you silicones can cause great trouble for the hair. I have applied tint based high lights/lowlights onto a clients hair, developed them and washed off only to see the colour I applied flush down the sink and not stick to the hair.
This tends to happen with products such as L’Oreal Preference and Clairol ‘Nice & Easy’ who use silicones in both their colours and after treatment conditioners. Continual use of these conditioners does create a barrier (that’s why these brand’s colours do not fade), but they also stop other colours (with the exception of strong bleaches) getting into the cortex and working effectively. In particular red based colours have high levels of silicone to enable them to stay inside the hair.
I am still trying to find some kind of solvent which can dissolve these silicone molecules.
I should also add to my last post, the use of silicone isn’t just as a simple as applying a silicone based conditioner or styling aid (such as serum etc).
If you then use a very hot straightening iron you melt the silicone and compress it onto the hair shaft. This is what causes the problem of build up!
Please Help!
Anti-’cones’
I had heard that products which had coal tar in them were good. I didn’t have daneruff, but I thought I would try it. I used Denorex Daneruff Shampoo 2.5% Coal Tar. I used it for 2 1/2 months & noticed that it was not rinsing out. I had never heard of silicones in hair products!
I have a very heavy clear silicone build-up on the scalp, hair shaft, and body. I can feel it has melted and ran down on my skin and body.
I have tried everything that I can think of to remove it. Professional & over-the-counter Clarifying shampoos, aloe vera, green tea, tea tree oil, vinegar, baking soda and etc. But I can still feel it.
Before things like that are put in everyday common products, the manufacture needs to instruct buyers how to remove it. I have been to the doctor 8 times and the dermatology 5 times, they did not seem to know, what I was talking about. Most of them said, that they could not see anything and gave me some cream.
How can I remove this build-up from my scalp & skin? How can I make sure I do not use another product that does not rinse out.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Please help educate us!
Hey Shirley, have you considered seeing a psychiatrist? Silicones do was out after a few tries. Just think a bit: your skin is shedding all the time, notice that even superglue would wash off after a few days.
I’m serious about the psychiatrist, you sound like you have an OCD.
I use a butter in my hair that contains cones. My hair loves it! Without it my hair is dry,dry,dry.I have had no problems. Just out of habit,I clarify once in while.Not because of the cones but just because of different styling products and to begin with a clean slate.If they work for you,use them! My hair hates petroleum and this is from trying it,not because someone on a forum told me it’s bad. My hair is natural now and somethings that worked before doesnt work now.
People like Scott are annoying just because they are hair stylists they think their opinion is all that matters and is all the thruth you need to hear, as if their opinion is from scientific research facts, plus like is said before everyone’s hair is different, so is also irresponsable to state that, at least say in some people, leading to some people believe in all that they say starting to sort of panic about all this. and how many times i have heard totally different opinions from them, not even agreeing in the same topic seems like a joke.
to remove try Apple Cider Clarifying Shampoo by Frédéric Fekkai. you can get it online: http://www.fekkai.com/collection/apple-cider. or try Sephora!
Well, I’m gonna be honest with you all…I tried going without cones for about 3 months…I did notice an increase in shedding …I was concerned about that since I co wash daily…I went back to using Aussie moist and the shedding stopped…So I see a pattern, at least for my hair…My hair does quite well with cones…I honestly think the tighter the curl the more you need the cone…IMO…
I have to agree with Lisa Brown. I use conditioner with silicone in it, and have done so for over a year and I have no problem with dry hair, buildup, breakage, or anything like that. Some people’s hair can tolerate silicones and some can’t. Just like some people’s hair can tolerate olive oil or coconut oil while it doesn’t work well for other people. To say it’s bad isn’t true. It just doesn’t work for everyone.
I became interested in this whole cone no cone thing as soon as I delved more in the Tightlycurly Method. For the past 4 days it’s worked BUT I was and maybe still am a cones are bad person. I say that because last summer I used garnier leave in because I had it around it felt nice on my hair. I watched a good amount of videos on youtube one with a woman who had really long hair and she spoke of the dryness she experienced AFTER rinsing out the conditioner from using it a while. Now when I used it I didn’t have damage BUT I don’t want to become dependent on something to “make” my hair “feel” moisturized so even if cones DON’T form a barrier I’d still be dependent on that “feeling of moisture”. I want my hair to BE moisturized not just feel. Anyway I digress, so now I have some he hello hydration because it is way more affordable than “natural brands” it has cones and I’ll be using it right after I see if the cones it has are water soluble or not. Honestly for people who follow regular regimens or wash their hair daily or bi daily with sulfates I doubt cones are an issue water soluble or not but if you’re using so called natural shampoos and bars like I usually do they may lack the necessary surfactants to remove the cones. Hopefully I won’t experience crazy dryness and anyone interested in the Tightly Curly Method should also know she has some cone-free products on there too and you can also use your own products. For now I used Desert Essence Theraputic Shampoo, Giovanni triple treat conditioner “rinse out” “think it has cones but I rinse it out and curl junkie curl assurance daily for the leave in or myhoneychild type 3 creme. So if the cones don’t work for you no one is to blame but the makers of the product and you for trying it lol.
heres my take on this (now i’m not hairstylist or scientist or expert or whatever- i’m just a girl with extremely dry and curly hair)
silicones themselves aren’t that bad. they actually make my hair quite nice. its the removal of them that cause my problems. all that shampooing just doesn’t go well with my already dry hair so THATS why i dont use cones.
also, cones act differently on people hair, just because they work for one person doesnt mean they work for everyone