Maybe my hair loves sulfates and silicones!?

[bunnylake]

This feels almost wrong. But. Last night I took a shower at my sisters house because my hair just felt dirty and I couldn't take it. She only has SLS and coney conditioners so I used Herbal Essences Hello Hydration. The shampoo has two sulfates and a silicone (!) so I wasn't sure how it would make my hair feel...
well my hair feels AWESOME. And it feels clean and soft this morning, when normally my roots get slightly oily just over night. I've been sulfate-free and on and off silicones for years. I sort of forgot how my hair and scalp even react to conventional shampoos. The only reason I stopped using sulfates is because I read all over the Internet that they were "bad" and even though I no longer believe that's necessarily true for everyone because everyone's scalp and hair is different.
I think when i run out of my "natural" shampoos I might try something different and see how it goes!

[maborosi]

I hear ya. I like cones and sulfates. Sulfates seem to do a really really good job at getting the icky stuff off my scalp, and cones do an amazing job at keeping my hair soft and tangle-free.

I know they're not supposed to be the best thing, but if your hair likes them, that's what matters, honestly.

~maborosi~

[Long_hair_bear]

I use fates only for clarifying, but I use cones all the time! I tried going cone free and my hair hissed and howled! Bad idea for me!

[teela1978]

My scalp complains without sulfates and my ends tangle without cones. I use both regularly.

[vamq]

I have an SLS shampoo that I have to use once in a while too.
If I don't, my hair will go flat and dull. But if I use it every washing, my hair starts hating it.
Same thing for cones: I can have 10 washings with my hair liking them, and then all of a sudden my hair will hate 'em, and I have to go no-cone for a few washings.
Guess my hair can't handle routine or something.

At this point, I'm with maborosi: cones and SLS may be perceived as 'bad for your hair', but if your hair likes them, why would you stop using them? :shrug:

[Rosetta]

Yeah, I've come to the same conclusion as you many times ;) Especially about cones.

The only reason I ever try to avoid them is if I'm trying to go more natural (like I do every now and then), and to me that's not really about what's good for hair but about what's good or harmful for the whole body (as sulfates are often said to be the latter). If it wasn't for that, I'd use them all the time with gusto! ;)

[torrilin]

Like with most things, it depends. I'm mostly cone free by default. It's not that silicone ingredients are bad for my hair, it's that I have a ton of fragrance sensitivities, and the fragrance free products that work best for me are also silicone free. I've actually used Hello Hydration, and apart from the massive itching from the fragrance, it's pretty good stuff. Aussie's Moist conditioner is also a standout coney conditioner from the various curly hair forums reviews. So I don't really think it's as simple as silicone bad.

Sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate is usually what's meant by the idea that sulfates are bad. It's a very strong detergent, and that can be drying and problematic. OTOH, it's also a helluva lot easier to find a fragrance free shampoo that is SLS based, and if I dilute it appropriately it's not a giant huge problem. It takes a roughly dime size blob (so maybe 1mL?) to clean my scalp when I dilute it out and work lather into my scalp. So even a very small bottle of SLS based shampoo will last me a year or so. And SLS based shampoos don't increase my hair's tendency to tangle. A bunch of the similarly inexpensive "sulfate free" detergents do increase my hair's tendency to tangle pretty horribly, even when used in a very diluted way. There are sulfate free detergents that do work well on my hair, but they're pretty expensive, and you'll almost never find them used alone in shampoo. Finding them used alone AND in a fragrance free shampoo is just asking for the moon.

So mostly I come down for using ingredients that work well for me. For me, fragrance is a lot more important since having an itchy scalp from pretty smells is not real helpful. But it makes sense to me that for a lot of other people, other stuff will wind up mattering more.

[naturally yours]

Silcones and sulfates isnt the devil for everyone. Some people hair is better with cones and sulfates then w/o. Everyone hair is different. That why its important to go by what your hair likes and not what you read online. Do whatever works best for you.

[NoRush]

My scalp loves SLS despite having dermatitis but the legth hates cones, it's very personal, if it works good, it's fine ;)

[stephanie6211]

I have to use a coney leave in on my bottom layer due to an impulsive ombre-esque bleach job. If I don't, it's a matted rats nest. The rest of my hair hates cones with a firey passion. Any amount makes my curl pattern explode into a poofy mess. So I say embrace what works for you :shrug:

[akilina]

I love my cones!!
I get that some people dont like cones and sulfates but I don't like the whole "Oh em gee this is sooo bad and not okay for my hair!!" thing.
If someone likes it and it works for them, what gives?

I would still use sulfates if they didn't make my hair fall out. I used diluted SLS free for a while but it quit working for me. SLS free makes my hair dye fade faster (which I don't want) and my hair started to get incredibly dry on this routine.
I am using CO washing and also Shea Moisture moisture retention shampoo. This works best.....and IMO, its all about using what works best for the individual weather its cones, no cones, SLS, or no sls.

I never ever get build up from using cones either and never have to clarify. I use a coney serum every day and my conditioners all have cones in them. I say...use what you like! :o Don't let someone elses opinion of something being *so bad* stop you.

I won't give up super smooth shiny soft hair because someone thinks its bad.

[Zabethbartsch]

Eh, the hair wants what the hair wants. IT has no idea about all the things people write online about the evils of sulfates or whatever else.

[rtree721]

My hair loves silicones and sulfates. But I don't like them so that is why I don't use them. Do whatever makes you happy. If you really enjoyed how your felt after using them, then go for it.

[ZenaZoo]

I co wash, first water down treseme naturals conditioner, let it soak for a few minutes. have a good scrub to loosen any dirt on my scalp, whilst massaging. Rinse really well. Then I use a 3-5 minute deep conditioner Justin my length.

Every few weeks ill use a sulphate loaded shampoo on my roots, then deep treatment the lengths after too.

I have quite an oily scalp but I e found I can do this and wash every 3 days generally

[lydiajo]

I'm back to cones. My hair seems to need them or it gets dry and straw like. My scalp doesn't seem to care what kind of shampoo I use on it.

[TitaniaOfFairys]

This feels almost wrong. But. Last night I took a shower at my sisters house because my hair just felt dirty and I couldn't take it. She only has SLS and coney conditioners so I used Herbal Essences Hello Hydration. The shampoo has two sulfates and a silicone (!) so I wasn't sure how it would make my hair feel...
well my hair feels AWESOME. And it feels clean and soft this morning, when normally my roots get slightly oily just over night. I've been sulfate-free and on and off silicones for years. I sort of forgot how my hair and scalp even react to conventional shampoos. The only reason I stopped using sulfates is because I read all over the Internet that they were "bad" and even though I no longer believe that's necessarily true for everyone because everyone's scalp and hair is different.
I think when i run out of my "natural" shampoos I might try something different and see how it goes!

I don't think it is wrong at all. You don't have to do something because most people say it is very good, or natural, or the only way you should go - if YOU (and your hair) don't happy with it, then don't do it!

Also, natural isn't always the best choice. I just can't use natural shampoos. I have one, and use it sometimes in winter, when the air is very dry. But if I don't wash my hair with SLS shampoo regularly, it starts to shred, and soon I have that icky stuff on my scalp that someone already mentioned here too. I had a VERY bad shredding thanks to SLS-free shampoos a few years ago, and I don't want that experience anymore.

Maybe try to use your SLS shampoo diluted, you will see it is as effective. You can also add some oil to your shampoo, if you afraid it will be too drying.

I try to avoid parabens in stuffs, because I do believe that they are really unhealty. And there are a few more really bad chemicals. But I don't think SLS and slilicones are equal to these.

[ravenreed]

My hair LOVES sulphates but they do bad things to my scalp and skin. I try to only use them from about the ears down, unless I have wicked build up. FWIW, the 'natural' products always dry out my hair, and usually contain protein so I get protein overload. I don't think they are any gentler, TBH. When I see my RL friends who use them, their hair always looks dry to me.

[Ambystoma]

Yep, I've gone back to SLS and 'cones. I tried BS and ACV, then c/o with lots of different conditioners, including c/o'er favourites, tried adding in the odd protein treatment, SMT's, and oiling but my hair just kept getting dryer and grumpier and tanglier, and the weird thing was that I'd have to wash it not because my scalp was dirty but because it would get dryer and duller over a few days, as if it wasn't able to properly soak up and hold on to moisture, even though it would seem pretty nice on wash day.

I was getting really frustrated and thought I'd try going back to what I was doing last time it was long (well, MBL, so not LHC long :laugh:) and very healthy feeling (despite being dyed and flatironed, although I was trimming off around a foot a year which probably helped get rid of the damage that I was doing), which was Cynthia Sylvia Stout shampoo from Lush (a moisturising shampoo with beer and oils) followed by a heavy 'coney masque type conditioner (L'oreal Elvive nourishing masque at the moment which I really love - a little goes a loooong way!) and 'coney serum. I added in Joico K-pak chelating/clarifying shampoo every 3 or 4 weeks since I've moved to a place with hard water as well, and it's back to it's old self!

The only problems with this routine are that my scalp dislikes SLS and gets flaky, but Monistat seems to takes care of that perfectly for now, and I've had to go back to 'cone serum instead of MO, which I really liked, since it goes crunchy over the rich conditioner, but being able to wash less, having less tangles and hair that feels healthy and moisturised (with much less frizz) is worth it. It was good to experiment, since you never know what's going to work, but I've ended up letting my hair tell me what it likes (for now, If it starts misbehaving again I'm still open to trying something new!)

[Rufflebutt]

My hair is the same way. It reacts so well to coney conditioners and sulfate shampoos. I tried going silicone free one and my hair hated it. -shrug- I don't think products are quite as evil as they are claimed to be, just prone to reacting differently with different people.

[biogirl87]

Last August I went cone-free mostly for the sake of conditioning my hair and to see if my hair liked cones or not. After about three months, the tangles made me go back to cones and I loved how tangle-free my hair was (relatively speaking). So I think that my hair loves cones. Problem is though, I love them only when they're in shampoos as although my hair loves conditioners and being conditioned, a couple of weeks back I realized that I liked my hair more when it would be poofy from not conditioning my hair at all. So, while we all need to do what our hair likes, for me poofiness wins over the fact that my hair likes being conditioned (as I have more volume in my hair when I don't use conditioner and I can go longer between washing).

[battles]

I think cone-free and sulfate-free products are the devil.

So there. :p

Give it a try! Your hair may love it.

[CurlyCurves]

My hair, and I by default, LOVES cones. Sulfates, not so much. Once in a while, it gives me gorgeously soft hair, but if I start using it at every wash, it goes crazy and takes weeks to settle down.

[bunnylake]

I worry because I'm pretty much a daily washer. I have tried stretching washes and it doesn't work for me. My scalp gets oily fast, my hair goes flat, it's just icky. Sometimes I wish I didn't know anything about ingredients. It would be so much less stressful! Washing your hair with sulfates every day can't be THAT bad, can it?

[RileyJane]

i noticed my hair seems to have no preference to cones/ no cones, sulfates/ no sulfates, etc... its always somewhat hydrated, soft, and slightly detangled no matter what i use, so maybe our hair is just different! it could also be the fact of hard water/ soft water as well, where i live there is only hard water

[akilina]

I worry because I'm pretty much a daily washer. I have tried stretching washes and it doesn't work for me. My scalp gets oily fast, my hair goes flat, it's just icky. Sometimes I wish I didn't know anything about ingredients. It would be so much less stressful! Washing your hair with sulfates every day can't be THAT bad, can it?

Honestly washing with sulfates every day was totally fine for me..other than the fact that it made my hair shed way more. I am the same exact way though..I am a daily washer thru and thru and Im not going to keep trying to fight it. I simply can't stretch washes and its okay with me :]

Aside from the shedding I noticed no difference in the condition of my hair. In fact, SLS free made my hair dry as a bone after a month or two. I'm not using sulfates now, only Shea Moisture shampoo but I already said that before here oopsies :D
I might try using sulfate shampoo again next week to see if it even really does make me shed more or if that was a seasonal thing at the time.

[Sparkles122]

I’m reviving this thread because I think im going to silicone hell. My hair LOVES silicones right now! Its really helping me grow out this bleach damage. I just keep reading how silicones are bad and all my hair is going to break off and my scalp is going to crawl off my head...ok lol not really but I search silicones on the internet and everything is bad bad bad! My hair loves them right now and i’m not going to stop. Can someone who has been using them long term tell me some good things?

[Ylva]

I’m reviving this thread because I think im going to silicone hell. My hair LOVES silicones right now! Its really helping me grow out this bleach damage. I just keep reading how silicones are bad and all my hair is going to break off and my scalp is going to crawl off my head...ok lol not really but I search silicones on the internet and everything is bad bad bad! My hair loves them right now and i’m not going to stop. Can someone who has been using them long term tell me some good things?

Back when I didn’t know anything about haircare, I used whatever and my hair grew long and was quite healthy. I used silicones on my scalp as well. Now I know a bit better and I still use silicones after being cone free for a while, but it stopped working for me eventually due to my hair being a bit damaged. Now, I don’t think I’d be willing to give away the slip even if my hair was fine without them. So you’re fine, just keep using them.

[spitfire511]

What Yvla said! I use cones. Stopped for a short time and hated it. I don't put them on my scalp and I do clarify regularly- no judgement here!

[Joules]

People can write anything they wish on the internet, and that includes hair and skin care articles. Most of them are absolute bs. I wish I realised it sooner and read actual scientific studies instead.

Cone-free routine worked fine on me until a certain point. As soon as my hair creeped down past waist, my ends turned into velcro. I tried oiling them to get some slip and help with detangling, but it was making things even worse, because I was getting dryness from oily buildup on top of the dryness that already existed. I needed clarifying and silicone asap and I wasn't even realising it (besides i thought clarifying with a sulfate shampoo would destroy my poor ends and make them fall off).

The thing that turned me to sulfates was my scalp. After 8 years of sulfate-free routine it started catching up with me. Basically, I got symptoms of fungal overgrowth. Itching, extremely painful scalp, and excessive shedding. I didn't pay attention to it, my scalp wouldn't itch that much (and only when dirty, and it was dirty most of the time with the co-washing and low shampoo), the shedding I had seemed normal to me, and I considered my scalp to be oh so sensitive. Then one of the hair bloggers I follow wrote about those symptoms and what they meant, and I fell down the rabbit hole researching it on my own. Good God, I couldn't believe how many people got fungal overgrowth on sulfate-free routines! Trichologists say the majority of their clients are women who had keratin straightening done in a salon and advised by their hairdressers to use a gentle shampoo, or those who just read about dangers of sulfates online and decided to be more "natural". Some get full blown SD, some just mild symptoms and hairfall.

Of course there are exceptions (there are people here who are allergic to sulfates and have to use specific detergents), but those exceptions are rare. Much more rare than you (general you) might think. The majority of adults have scalps that are on the oilier side, it's absolutely healthy and it requires sulfates. I hate the phrase "natural oils" with burning passion, sebum isn't a natural oil that's so good for you, it's dirt that breeds fungus. I wish this trend jut stopped already.

[Sparkles122]

Thank you for your replies. It makes me feel better. Prior to the damage I was silicone free and it was totally not intentional. It just so happens the products i was using were silicone free. I actually had no clue (as stupid as it sounds) about silicones until I started posting on here asking for help with the damage. Now when I try to wash my hair with the same shampoo it feels like im trying to get my fingers through a wet bale of hay and then forget trying to condition it with the silicone free conditioner, thats just a nightmare. The silicones make me have alot less anxiety when washing my hair. I do put the silicones on my scalp I use either the pantene repair and protect, pantene beautiful lengths, or a whole blends shampoo (not the silicone free one). I do still use a silicone free, sulfate shampoo to get all the silicones off. I was using the silicone free shampoo every other wash, but I might change that to every 2-3 washes maybe more. I wash my hair every other day, my roots are really greasy.

[lapushka]

I’m reviving this thread because I think im going to silicone hell. My hair LOVES silicones right now! Its really helping me grow out this bleach damage. I just keep reading how silicones are bad and all my hair is going to break off and my scalp is going to crawl off my head...ok lol not really but I search silicones on the internet and everything is bad bad bad! My hair loves them right now and i’m not going to stop. Can someone who has been using them long term tell me some good things?

I use them all of the time. Girl, nothing bad is going to happen to you. Actually when there is bleach damage silicones are often beneficial to "mask" the damage and make sure you can for instance comb or brush your hair without bits breaking off.

I am a heavy silicone / sulfate user, though I tend to want to avoid silicones as much as possible in my shampoo (SD, seborrheic dermatitis issue). Take a look at my signature. It doesn't look that awful, does it? ;)

Don't be afraid. No silicones, no sulfates, more natural gets hyped up quite a bit right now. That doesn't mean it's all *bad*. Some people (me for instance) need sulfates, and even silicones.

[Sparkles122]

I use them all of the time. Girl, nothing bad is going to happen to you. Actually when there is bleach damage silicones are often beneficial to "mask" the damage and make sure you can for instance comb or brush your hair without bits breaking off.

I am a heavy silicone / sulfate user, though I tend to want to avoid silicones as much as possible in my shampoo (SD, seborrheic dermatitis issue). Take a look at my signature. It doesn't look that awful, does it? ;)

Don't be afraid. No silicones, no sulfates, more natural gets hyped up quite a bit right now. That doesn't mean it's all *bad*. Some people (me for instance) need sulfates, and even silicones.


Thank you. I trust the people on here more than the internet. Are silicones ok in my shampoo if I dont have SD?

[lapushka]

Thank you. I trust the people on here more than the internet. Are silicones ok in my shampoo if I dont have SD?

Sure! I have to pay attention because my shampoos can't be too moisturizing, but if the damage is mostly at the crown, go for it!

[Beckstar]

There's nothing wrong with using silicones and sulfates if that what makes your hair happy.

[Sparkles122]

Sure! I have to pay attention because my shampoos can't be too moisturizing, but if the damage is mostly at the crown, go for it!

It helps tremendously. If I use a silicone free one, it feels like I am literally trying to tear through it

[ArabellaRose]

I've always used cones and sulfates for the most part, the only sulfate free shampoo my hair has tolerated is the OGX Moroccan argan oil one and when I've tried a cone free conditioner my hair went to pot in about 3 washes.

Use what makes your hair happy, not what makes other people's hair happy. I've received lots of compliments on the shine of my hair lately and a few enquiries about how I've achieved it, the cones can't be that bad :)

[Dark40]

I also use sulfates for clarifying too, and my hair definitely needs the cones and silicones so that it will be soft and tangle-free.

[chiapommama]

I use sulfates and silicones. Tried cone free for a while , and was dry and tangled. My motto is if it works for you use it. Nothing wrong with that, and sulfates and cones are not evil.

[lapushka]

It helps tremendously. If I use a silicone free one, it feels like I am literally trying to tear through it

There you go then, solved, silicones it is. There's a saying I live by, and it's my own saying, it goes a little something like this, and it's suited towards all of this:

It's about what your hair wants, it's not about what you want for your hair!

[Danglish]

I've been interested in more natural alternatives, since I've realised that maaaybe my shampoo is contributing to my chronic SD(it came after trying to stretch washes, and then never went away).
I've realised that cones and sulphates are often mentioned in conjunction with truly toxic chemicals, even though they have nothing to do with each other. All things like sulphates, alcohol, etc. does, is potentially dry out hair and the light irritation that comes from this; it's the truly dangerous chemicals(like the ones that cause allergies, or weird things like lead) that you need to watch out for

[Katsura]

I just bought a very average and very cheap coney shampoo, and after washing with it my hair feels like doubled in volume. I'm hoping to find a good way to use it. I also use a cone-free sles-shampoo to decrease any buildup.

[Olux]

I quit using commercial products at all, but it has taken me years of going back and forward between natural products and commercial shampoo., I've noticed first times after using them again my hair turns out amazing, but after i keep using them, my hair starts looking dull and dry, it falls waaay more and have more breakage, so i remember why i quit, but then forget again. And that has been the story of my pasr few years.

[lapushka]

I quit using commercial products at all, but it has taken me years of going back and forward between natural products and commercial shampoo., I've noticed first times after using them again my hair turns out amazing, but after i keep using them, my hair starts looking dull and dry, it falls waaay more and have more breakage, so i remember why i quit, but then forget again. And that has been the story of my pasr few years.

Maybe you can "build" a hair regimen where you switch things up in time, say x-amount of times with this shampoo/conditioner and then one time to clarify-wash with the sulfates. There are those of us who do it that way.

I like sulfates all the way, and silicones, so I'm generally OK with it.

[Sparkles122]

Maybe you can "build" a hair regimen where you switch things up in time, say x-amount of times with this shampoo/conditioner and then one time to clarify-wash with the sulfates. There are those of us who do it that way.

I like sulfates all the way, and silicones, so I'm generally OK with it.


Which shampoos do you use?

[lapushka]

Which shampoos do you use?

I am now using stuff up, I use Pantene Aqua Light the most and also their volumizing shampoo, Herbal Essences Dazzling shine (discontinued but I have a couple bottles left), a lot of shampoos by Schwarzkopf (not Gliss Kur but their original line here in Belgium), some Garnier Ultra Doux (Whole Blends / Ultimate Blends).

[AmaryllisRed]

I have always used sulfates and silicones! I tried to go SLS-free once and it was a disaster. A tangled mess.
If it's not broke don't fix it. :)

[Sparkles122]

Do you all use silicones in your shampoos?

[AmaryllisRed]

Do you all use silicones in your shampoos?

I don't think my shampoo has silicone in it. Unless I missed it in the ingredients.
I always thought silicone was mainly in conditioner and sulfate was in shampoo.

[Sparkles122]

I don't think my shampoo has silicone in it. Unless I missed it in the ingredients.
I always thought silicone was mainly in conditioner and sulfate was in shampoo.

My biolage shampoo doesnt but my pantene (the repair one) and the whole blends ones that I have do

[renia22]

Do you all use silicones in your shampoos?


I don’t like the creaminess of them, too heavy for my hair. But I’ve noticed the ones I like tend to have polyquats, they also help with conditioning and detangling, but don’t feel as heavy to me. The ones I have in my shower now are sles/ sls combos, with guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (still has a high build up potential like some silicones, but I don’t feel like the shampoos I have are as heavy with this ingredient).

[Joules]

Do you all use silicones in your shampoos?

Nooooooooo! I don't get why they are needed in shampoos. There are other conditioning agents to prevent hair from getting matted, and I don't know if cones are healthy for the scalp.

[lapushka]

Do you all use silicones in your shampoos?

I have shampoos that contain dimethicone, for instance the one I am using currently (for the past 2 washes), is the "zijde-doorkammer" (aka silk detangler) from Schwarzkopf. I generally don't have issues with dimethicone, if I wash 3/4 washes and then clarify with a silicone-free one, for instance my Pantene Aqua Light (does not have silicones and is my absolute favorite).

[Ylva]

Do you all use silicones in your shampoos?

I prefer my shampoos film former free, but one of my favourites does contain guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride.

[Sparkles122]

Nooooooooo! I don't get why they are needed in shampoos. There are other conditioning agents to prevent hair from getting matted, and I don't know if cones are healthy for the scalp.

I alternate a silicone shampoo with a non silicone shampoo. I do notice that my scalp is way itchier with the silicone shampoo and almost has a slight soreness the next day after washing. Im not sure if there is a correlation, but it doesnt happen with the silicone free biolage. The reason I started using a silicone shampoo was because I had an unfortunate bleach accident which damaged the crown of my hair very close to the roots which made it very hard for me to get my fingers through to shampoo my scalp. As it grows and I have more and more new growth it is getting easier for me to shampoo my scalp with the non silicone shampoo. So im not sure how long I will have to continue to use the silicone shampoo, maybe for at least another 2 months

[MusicalSpoons]

My brother insists on using Head & Shoulders because it's worked for his dandruff, but his hair only looks clean for about 12hrs afterwards. By day 2 he's a total greaseball (it did the same to me when I tried it, many moons ago now). The one different dandruff shampoo we persuaded him to try without silicones, his hair only just needed a wash by the end of day 2.

I'm no longer against silicones in principle, but I just despair how many shampoos contain dimethicone, and high up the list of ingredients too. If the shampoos didn't say 'lather from root to tip, rinse and repeat' I'm sure people would be quite happy without them! (The shampoo companies would also probably lose a lot of money though, so we know they're not going to change the instructions :shrug:)

[Sparkles122]

My brother insists on using Head & Shoulders because it's worked for his dandruff, but his hair only looks clean for about 12hrs afterwards. By day 2 he's a total greaseball (it did the same to me when I tried it, many moons ago now). The one different dandruff shampoo we persuaded him to try without silicones, his hair only just needed a wash by the end of day 2.

I'm no longer against silicones in principle, but I just despair how many shampoos contain dimethicone, and high up the list of ingredients too. If the shampoos didn't say 'lather from root to tip, rinse and repeat' I'm sure people would be quite happy without them! (The shampoo companies would also probably lose a lot of money though, so we know they're not going to change the instructions :shrug:)


Yes ive noticed that also. My roots are definitely greasier with the silicone shampoo

[Joules]

I prefer my shampoos film former free, but one of my favourites does contain guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride.

I don't think I've ever seen a shampoo without film formers. Any conditioning agent is technically a film former, isn't it?

Oh, I remember, New shampoo bar from Lush doesn't contain any film formers/cationic conditioners. I can't put my fingers through my hair after using it, I need to condition literally roots to tips afterwards. So yeah, film formers in shampoos are my best friends. Just not silicones.

[lapushka]

I alternate a silicone shampoo with a non silicone shampoo. I do notice that my scalp is way itchier with the silicone shampoo and almost has a slight soreness the next day after washing. Im not sure if there is a correlation, but it doesnt happen with the silicone free biolage. The reason I started using a silicone shampoo was because I had an unfortunate bleach accident which damaged the crown of my hair very close to the roots which made it very hard for me to get my fingers through to shampoo my scalp. As it grows and I have more and more new growth it is getting easier for me to shampoo my scalp with the non silicone shampoo. So im not sure how long I will have to continue to use the silicone shampoo, maybe for at least another 2 months

Maybe try a different silicone shampoo next, it may not be the silicones doing that to your scalp at all, but different ingredients - you just never know, but it's easy enough to "blame" silicones.

Which is the silicone shampoo you are using; we might be able to help with other ingredients.

[Sparkles122]

Maybe try a different silicone shampoo next, it may not be the silicones doing that to your scalp at all, but different ingredients - you just never know, but it's easy enough to "blame" silicones.

Which is the silicone shampoo you are using; we might be able to help with other ingredients.

Ive only used the pantene repair and protect and one of the whole blends ones, I cant remember exactly which but ill look at the bottle when I get home

[renia22]

I don't think I've ever seen a shampoo without film formers. Any conditioning agent is technically a film former, isn't it?

Oh, I remember, New shampoo bar from Lush doesn't contain any film formers/cationic conditioners. I can't put my fingers through my hair after using it, I need to condition literally roots to tips afterwards. So yeah, film formers in shampoos are my best friends. Just not silicones.

I think those Lush bars are so drying because they don’t use any water. There was a LHC member a while back with a chemistry background who explained about concentrations, and how those Lush bars are basically SLS wormy little pieces shaped into a hockey puck, with a few other ingredients mixed in. I think a good clarifying shampoo shouldn’t contain any non water soluble ingredients/ film formers. Prell and Neutrogena Anti- Residue are pretty good, very basic, not as harsh and drying as those Lush bars, at least not on my hair anyways. Those Lush bars did very scary things to my hair. shudder:

[Joules]

I think those Lush bars are so drying because they don’t use any water. There was a LHC member a while back with a chemistry background who explained about concentrations, and how those Lush bars are basically SLS wormy little pieces shaped into a hockey puck, with a few other ingredients mixed in. I think a good clarifying shampoo shouldn’t contain any non water soluble ingredients/ film formers. Prell and Neutrogena Anti- Residue are pretty good, very basic, not as harsh and drying as those Lush bars, at least not on my hair anyways. Those Lush bars did very scary things to my hair. shudder:

Yeah, the sheer concentration of SLS is horrifying. I lather it in my hands and put only the suds on my hair, the shampoo bar itself never touched my hair. Still, my hair is always very noticeably "stripped" after washing with this product. I have about half of the bar left, and I'm so reluctant to use it any more (I haven't used it since September). May as well just repurpose it and, idk, hand-wash my socks with it.

[Sparkles122]

Maybe try a different silicone shampoo next, it may not be the silicones doing that to your scalp at all, but different ingredients - you just never know, but it's easy enough to "blame" silicones.

Which is the silicone shampoo you are using; we might be able to help with other ingredients.

There is most definitely something in the pantene repair and protect that makes me itch (sometimes violently as awful as that sounds) but it makes my hair so soft when I shampoo, and not brittle at all

[renia22]

Yeah, the sheer concentration of SLS is horrifying. I lather it in my hands and put only the suds on my hair, the shampoo bar itself never touched my hair. Still, my hair is always very noticeably "stripped" after washing with this product. I have about half of the bar left, and I'm so reluctant to use it any more (I haven't used it since September). May as well just repurpose it and, idk, hand-wash my socks with it.


LOL, yes, washing your socks is a good idea! I had the Karma one years ago, it did very weird things to my hair too- the texture felt almost like it was chemically treated or something :/

[lapushka]

There is most definitely something in the pantene repair and protect that makes me itch (sometimes violently as awful as that sounds) but it makes my hair so soft when I shampoo, and not brittle at all

I would not use it again then. Is there another silicone shampoo you can use. If you have it with both, then it is definitely something about the silicones, I think.

[Sparkles122]

I would not use it again then. Is there another silicone shampoo you can use. If you have it with both, then it is definitely something about the silicones, I think.

I wont use it again. Ive only used the other one a couple of times a few weeks ago. Ill try it again and see if it does the same

[lapushka]

I wont use it again. Ive only used the other one a couple of times a few weeks ago. Ill try it again and see if it does the same

No no, that's not what I meant. If the Pantene makes you itch, don't use it; I just thought if you had another silicone shampoo you might try that and if you have that with that one too, then it's probably something about silicones. But if the other silicone shampoo does fine, it's not the silicones!

[Sparkles122]

No no, that's not what I meant. If the Pantene makes you itch, don't use it; I just thought if you had another silicone shampoo you might try that and if you have that with that one too, then it's probably something about silicones. But if the other silicone shampoo does fine, it's not the silicones!

Yes, I will try the other silicone shampoo I have again (the whole blends). Its been a couple weeks since ive used it so I forgot. Ive been using the pantene because I liked the way it made my hair feel. I also use the volumizing one for years but I know it has no silicone and had no issues with that one.

[Ylva]

I don't think I've ever seen a shampoo without film formers. Any conditioning agent is technically a film former, isn't it?

Oh, I remember, New shampoo bar from Lush doesn't contain any film formers/cationic conditioners. I can't put my fingers through my hair after using it, I need to condition literally roots to tips afterwards. So yeah, film formers in shampoos are my best friends. Just not silicones.

I guess, I was thinking of the more “obvious” ones I suppose.

[Joules]

There is most definitely something in the pantene repair and protect that makes me itch (sometimes violently as awful as that sounds) but it makes my hair so soft when I shampoo, and not brittle at all

I'd suggest also looking at detergents. The Repair line from Pantene here in Russia is silicone-free (most Pantene shampoos here are without cones), but it containes a milder combination of detergents than some of the other drugstore shampoos (SLES+CB, and SLS is way lower in the list; as opposed to SLS+SLES+CB in the very beginning in regular shampoos). Maybe you just need stronger stuff to wash?

But yeah, try eliminating one thing at a time, maybe it is silicone that causes itching.

[arr]

Just a thought, but maybe it’s the perfume in the shampoo causing itching? I’ve noticed my scalp gets very itchy when using highly scented shampoo like Suave Strawberry or Green Apple, but I can use Suave Daily Clarifying with no problem. So I know it’s not the sulfate in the shampoo. Of course, none of these have silicone in them but it’s just an idea to look into.