How do I know when to silicone?

[lectraplayer]

I'm trying to be careful about my silicones as I hear they can block moisture from being added to my hair, but inevidably I wind up snagging products with them. Typically dimethicone. I am noticing improvenents when I do get fewer silicones among many other changes I have made since joining here. I just CO wash, oil, and comb. My hair always seems dry and frizzy regardless of what I do. :thud: ...that or I wind up getting it unbelieveably oily and wind up with more of a mess the next day. My question here is when DO I want silicones? When? ...and what form?

[florenonite]

Silicones are very much a YMMV product. There's nothing saying you have to use them, or that you have to avoid them. Basically, they coat the hair shaft, making it smooth and sleek and forming a barrier, which can build up and, as you said, block moisture. They also usually require sulfates to remove (there are exceptions that rinse out, but I don't know them off the top of my head). For that reason, and because you said your hair seems better off without them, I'd recommend avoiding them for now, given that you CO, and often conditioner alone is not sufficient to remove cones.

[spidermom]

I love silicones, but only in small, controllable amounts. My shampoo and conditioner are silicone-free, but I have coney serum that I use in very small amounts by finger-combing about a dime size amount of the product through my hair. That way I know that no hair is being completely coated, but I've got enough of the product distributed through my hair to help with untangling and add shine. Without silicones, my hair can be a nightmare to untangle.

Go ahead and use the products that you have, but get into the habit of reading labels before you buy a product.

[lapushka]

If we don't use silicones on my wavy hip+ hair, tangles are inevitable, even during the rest of the week, and combing those out time after time, combs out the waves too much and ruins and possibly breaks hair. No way!