Summer says about silicones… 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 unnecessary 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).
The Right Brain’s silky smooth reply:
Good for your Summer! You’re not blindly following the advice of your hair stylist!
Savvy about silicone
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 Beauty 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.
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What about silicones that don’t wash out so easily? I’ve read in multiple sources that for curly girls like myself, silicons can weigh down hair and prevent new moisture from getting in. And curly girls are more susceptible to dry hair as it is, since the oil doesn’t get down the strands as easily.
You can use every now and then a deep cleansing/clarifying shampoo. It removes all kind residue. I use myself Pantene’s Clarifying Shampoo. It really works, but I need conditioner after that..
Is it common (or scientifically sound) for people to have an allergic reaction from skin products with silicone and/or dimethicone? I used to use Smashbox Photo Finish Primer but have heard reports that it causes redness and inflammation in some people. I switched to Korres (silicone-free) and I think my skin has improved, but it’s hard to tell. What do you think? Thanks.
My daughter has extremely curly hair and I’m glad to have read this. There is definitely a difference in treating very curly hair, and straight or wavy hair.
In response to the question about skin reactions to silicones – I have not found much research on them, even though I have looked, but anecdotally, there are people who have narrowed them down to the ingredient causing their skin problems. This is from a couple skin/hair care boards, and something I went through myself. When I started using moisturizers on my face, basically post teenage-over-zealous-oil years, I started getting cystic acne. I stopped letting anything with silicones of any kind touch my face, and the cystic acne went away within a month. I’m not willing to be scientific and start using them again to see if the cysts come back, though.
Moisturizer? I thought it only moisturized if it penetrated the hair shaft wouldn’t this be a more of a barrier not a moisturizer?
Thanks for the response, Elena Lee – I’m pretty much in the same boat. I would love to know about the science behind it though! C’mon Beauty Brains…
Silicones clog pores which in turn causes acne of all types: blackheads, whiteheads, and cystic acne. Initially your skin feels silky smooth and your pores are hidden thanks to the silicone sitting in your pores, but with time the inflammation and acne set in. Silicones in hair products make your hair feel smooth and silky and you think you’ve gone to heaven. With time, since it is difficult to wash them out completely, your hair becomes brittle, with breakage and split ends and the frizz that you were trying to get rid of is back, but now your hair is damaged in addition. Long chain alcohols are the best to not dry out your hair and to make your hair feel slippery and smooth such as ceteryl alcohol.
Why does the myth about silicones persist? Fortunately, most people have found through their own trial and error that they are excellent.
Speaking from my personal experience only, silicones don’t have any harmful effects and are gentle on the skin and hair. I have extremely sensitive skin due to youthful abuse (harsh soaps, excessive tanning, other bad habits) and using moisturizers that are primarily silicone (such as Aveeno with no fragrance or other irritants) has helped protect my skin and kept it from constant breakouts and inflammation. This moisturizer is almost pure silicone and it’s the only one I can use.
For those of us with frizzy, coarse, unmanageable hair they’re a godsend. Whenever I’ve tried to go without them–because of the bad advice of hairdressers and others–I had rough, breaking, cracking Bride of Frankenstein hair. With a regular routine of silicones and weekly sulfate shampoos, my hair is in excellent, healthy condition. I never get “buildup” or drying.
I have curly hair but it wasn’t until recently that I discovered just how curly and beautiful it could be. I always noticed that right after I washed my hair (I would usually only wash once every two days, as recommended by stylists) that my hair would be straighter.
I have eliminated silicones from my hair care routine. I also eliminated sulfates. Although it took my hair a few weeks to adjust (my hair was not pretty during these weeks!), it is now the most un-frizzy, and the most curly it has ever been!
The thing is that you can also not use hair styling products that are not water-soluble, or you will get build up. I recently used a non-water-soluble hair spray and so ended up using a sulfate shampoo (Pantene) to get out the build up and my hair was sooo limp and straight…it was dry as straw for two days!
Check out Lorraine Massey’s Curly Method–there are plenty of youtube videos and even a helpful wikipedia article. Good luck! Also, TreSemme Naturals has a silicone-free conditioner. I just bought it but have not yet tried it.
PS-Just because you put a picture of a molecule up next to the post, doesn’t make your blog scientific. Do some research!
I started using light pure silicone a month ago and it works miracles in tis humidity! It doesn’t dry my hair and it prevents the frizz. I love it. It’s hard to find in the beauty supplies however.
My girlfriend’s beautician told her not to use silicone on her hair due to build up and dryness and breakage.. If you wash your hair properly, and I don’t use a chemical shampoo, you can wash out the silicone and it won’t build up. any build up is bad for hair, be it spray, conditioner, oils, etc. washing solves the problem. so try it and see. It will protect your hair from the humidity like no other product.
I have very long, straight, fairly thick hair. It’s naturally light brown, but I’ve been highlighting it heavily for years, and the ends have recently become extremely dry and difficult to manage. The underneath part that lies against the back of my neck is especially difficult and, after combing, retangles itself within minutes.
I was beginning to think I’d have to cut the bottom 6 or 7 inches off and start over, but my colorist (who, by the way, works in a salon that doesn’t carry Shielo, so I figure she’s being objective) recommended the Shielo Hydrate line (both Shampoo and Conditioner). I figured it was worth a shot, even though the combined cost of the retail sized shampoo and conditioner is about $47.
My hair definitely appears MUCH smoother, even when air-dried. (However, I’ve noticed that continued use is necessary, because when I use anything else my hair doesn’t look nearly as good.) I leave the Shielo Hydrate conditioner in for 5 minutes as the label directs; thoroughly combing it through in the meantime seems to give the best results. With both the Shielo Hydrate shampoo and the conditioner, a little product goes a long way (in contrast to cheaper drugstore products).