Stacy says…I believe silicones just coat your hair to give the appearance of smooth, moisturized hair. Hair is dead so you can’t really do too much to actually moisturize it within each strand.
The Beauty Brains respond:
Actually, Stacy, just because hair is dead doesn’t mean you can’t moisturize it. No, we’re not talking about some kind of risen-from-the -dead-zombie hair, we’re just talking about the true meaning of moisturization.
Three reasons dead hair can be moisturized
1. Even dead hair contains water
Hair contains about 8 to 12%water on a weight basis. Dry hair has less, damp hair (obviously) has more. And in our previous jobs at cosmetic companies we actually tested hair care products and proved that you can increase the amount of water that hair contains. Without revealing any industry secrets we can tell you that the test involves weighing the hair, treating it with a moisturizing product, drying it to remove moisture and then weighing it again. A test like this shows that you can lock more water into the hair.
2. “Moisturize” doesn’t necessarily mean more water
While the term “moisture” does specifically refer to water, the term “moisturize” has a broader meaning. In essence it means “fighting the effects of dryness.” The effects of dryness that hair experiences include roughness, dullness and loss of manageability. If you counteract these effects you are moisturizing hair. And that brings us to our third point…
3. SIlicones and oils that coat your hair ARE moisturizing.
In fact, these materials moisturize by points one and two: they can lock in moisturie (water) and they can make dry hair more smooth, soft, and shiny (i.e. they fight the effects of dryness). So even though they contain no water and even though they’re only coating the hair, these ingredients can moisturize.
The bottom line
We frequently hear that conditioners just “coat” hair and don’t really moisturize. But by understanding the true nature of moisturization as it relates to hair you can see that these products REALLY do provide a moisturization benefit.
Image credit: http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Freaky Pic! Reminds me of myself on a Sunday morning after the night before
I think the only time it’s asking too much for hair to be effectively moisturized is when it’s been over processed with chemicals like hair colorants. For me anyway, the only cure when that happens are the scissors.
Needless to say, I’m very careful these days and using a good conditioner is a ‘must have’ essential.
Jodie xx
@Jodie LOL cosmetics sure help with the power of illusion then!
“Moisturizing” is one of those buzz words that has been around for so long I just assumed I knew what it meant- it seems silly but I never really thought to stop and think “what the heck does moisturizing mean and why does it matter” great explanation!
I’m not sure if you’ve talked about sunscreens a lot in the past but after all the changes made last year UVA/UVB labels and with summer (hopefully) coming along soon it would be great to get a refresher on reading sunscreen labels- what to look for on the label as far as the best protection and what to avoid. I also read the past article titled “Sunscreen Danger or Irresponsible Beauty Science Reporting?” here- http://thebeautybrains.com/2012/05/16/sunscreen-danger-or-irresponsible-beauty-science-reporting/ do you know of any follow up research since then? I know there was a fair bit of talk about these sunscreen ingredients last sun season, I even had people tell me they stopped using sunscreen because of their chemical related fears- yikes! Would love a relatable Beauty Brain article to point them to for some information if you’re feelin’ it!
Laura
isn’t it also true that coconut oil can actually penetrate the hair shaft? if so, i would think that it would be an excellent moisturizer for damaged hair. it’s certainly what i put on my hair after swimming etc. … i’d like to believe it’s helping and it sure is cost effective.
How exactly does the test you mentioned work? How can you tell that the extra weight is water that has been locked in by the product rather than the product itself?
Maybe what I meant was that once the damage is there, you can’t magically make it go away with any products. That they can help conceal it so your hair appears healthy, but you can’t reverse damage. By damage, I’m thinking bleached, dry, hair that breaks easily, and split ends. Does that make sense?
Cheryl, you’re right about coconut oil penetrating hair. It’s a moisturizer that works from within!
I knew someone would ask that question! Unfortunately, we can’t go into the details because that test method is the intellectual property of the company we worked for. But trust us – the weight of the product was accounted for in the analysis.
That does make sense Stacy. Thanks for the clarification.
Although I just recently found your page through Ladyr2e86 and BlackWomenWith Real Hair, I was filled with great usefule information in a really short time. Have you ever addressed the prososity levels of hair? Please forgive me if you have.
Hi 4HzGlore: We did touch on hair porosity in a previous post. You can find it here: http://thebeautybrains.com/2012/02/13/how-can-i-test-my-hair-porosity/