How Do I Get Silicone Off My Hair?

Celeste says…I have found out from this site that all I hear about silicone is not true. So what else is not true? Do I have to cleanse the silicone from my hair, or will it wear off? Can I use an Aubrey Organics or some such shampoo or cowash?

The Left Brain responds:

Celeste, I’ve blogged about using silicones on hair before but I hope I haven’t give you the impression that everything you’ve heard about them elsewhere is not true. Silicones have advantages and disadvantages and you have to decide if they are right for your hair. Now, on to your questions:

“Do I have to cleanse the silicone from my hair, or will it wear off?”

That depends on what type of silicone you’re talking about. Dimethicone needs to be washed off. Cyclomethicone will evaporate off your hair just like water evaporates. Generally, any shampoo will wash away the silicone left on your hair from styling treatments and conditioners.

“Can I use an Aubrey or some such shampoo or cowash?”

Any shampoo will wash away the silicone. (Although in general a non-conditoning shampoo will do a better job.) Cowashing (cleaning your hair with conditioner) will not be enough and the silicone may start to build up and weigh down your hair.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Silicones, like many other ingredients, perform differently depending on the formula they’re in and the type of hair they’re used on. The Beauty Brains provide you with some guidelines to help predict how they will work for you but when it comes to personal preference there’s no substitute for experimenting on your own hair.

What do YOU think? Are you Anti-’cones? Leave a comment and share your thoughts on the silicone subject with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.