'Cones and co-washing - help me!

[massivecnqstdr]

1. Can silicones and oils play nicely together? If I use a silicone based conditioner and coconut oil on my ends, will my hair receive any benefit?

2. Can silicones be removed with any other ingredients besides sulfates? I have previously avoided them solely because my scalp hates sulfates so much.

[Firefox7275]

1. Yes, they are not 100% barriers unless perhaps you have a ton of build up
2. Yes, cocoamidopropyl betaine which is gentle in an acidic product
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/whats-the-scoop-on-silicones
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/ingredients/zwitterionic-surfactants-a-milder-alternative

Some silicones resist building up anyway - the water soluble (prefix PEG-) and amine ones (eg. amodimethicone)
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/curlchemist-amodimethicone-and-other-amine-functionalized-silicones
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/products-ingredients/water-soluble-silicones

[massivecnqstdr]

Ok, thank you. Do I need to worry about clarifying before henna-ing? I've seen people claim that silicone may prevent uptake, but I don't recall anyone saying that they were sure it did or experienced it doing so.

[massivecnqstdr]

bump - hoping someone knows!

[melusine963]

Ok, thank you. Do I need to worry about clarifying before henna-ing? I've seen people claim that silicone may prevent uptake, but I don't recall anyone saying that they were sure it did or experienced it doing so.

Try asking in the Recipes, Henna, and Herbal Haircare (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=21) sub forum. I've never hennaed my hair, but someone there is sure to know.