Silicone Free Hair Products

When we think of silicone, we think of that soft plastic that we use to outline our bathtubs and keep pesky bugs out- but did you know that silicone is also commonly used in hair products? Silicone is usually disguised in ingredient labels as "Dimethicone" and "Amodimethicone" (but as a rule of thumb, are almost always disguised as ingredients ending with the suffix "cone"). When silicone is used in hair products, it seals and coats the hair to make it frizz fee and shiny- but at a cost that most of us pay for without knowing.Any type of hair care products can contain silicone- heat sprays, hairsprays, shampoos and conditioners...the list is endless. 

Silicone based hair products seal off the hair. This means that other products you use on your hair, aren't actually penetrating your hair. In addition to this, hot oil and deep cleaning conditioners won't work very well when there is silicone in your hair. So how do you get the silicone out? Well, some silicone is water soluble but most aren't, meaning that you can't simply rinse it out. In order to get it out, using a clarifying shampoo at least once a week can do the trick. To fully reap the benefits of the clarifying shampoo, it is recommended to do a deep conditioning after using the shampoo and before using any other products that may contain silicone. 

Any type of hair care products can-and usually do- contain silicone. Heat sprays, hairsprays, shampoos and conditioners...the list is endless. Don't be tricked into thinking that buying an expensive brand will guarantee a silicone free product, though, because even the most expensive brands often use it in their products. For example, the popular brand that creates Moroccan Oil styling products uses almost nothing but silicone! Silicone can cause dry scalp, itchiness, and even cancer- ouch! It's a god idea to limit the use of silicone hair products, and instead opt for silicone free ones when you can. That isn't to say that silicone products should never be used, but as said before, they should be limited. For a girl with curly hair, silicone is a special kind of dangerous. The build up of silicone in a curly girl's hair means that her voluminous curls are weighed down leaving them looking flat, dull, and greasy. 

No silicone oils and serums will truly do wonders for your hair. You may have noticed that products with silicone cause your hair to almost 'Wilt" after a few uses (this is due to the silicone that builds up) and begin to start looking limp and heavy. Making a conscious switch to hair products with no silicone will rejuvenate your hair. The change will be noticeable within a few weeks, after your hair adjusts to the change of silicone free products. Silicone free products are often hard on the hair at first- after all, this is a drastic change, and is often very sudden (there is no middle ground when it comes to silicone or non-silicone). Quickly, though your hair will begin to feel and look better. Hang in there!  ‎