Silicone Question?

[Eichan]

So... I haven't used (except in rare circumstances) silicone products in about 4 years.

A few days ago my hair was feeling rough after a co-wash (suave naturals) but still moisturized and soft... It was weird. Anyhow, I was thinking back to when I was trying to get my hair so shiny that I could see my reflection, thought of my favorite silicone laden spray from garnier. Anyhow, we don't have garnier products anymore.

So I borrowed a friend's shine spray from Tresseme... And I liked the results. So, I bought the Giovanni shine spray for myself, as I had liked their gel, and after this last wash I used it and REALLY, REALLY liked the results.

I feel somewhat guilty for using cones, even though I know they aren't evil incarnate (I have long considered silicones the Devil of the hair world). I liked the results, my hair looked great and it felt great.


I just feel like using silicones is bad for my hair, even though I can plainly see that my hair likes it, and I think this is one of the best hairdays I've had in a long time.

What do you think?

[maborosi]

My hair is past hip length and I use cones regularly.

The only drawbacks to them, for me are 1) They make my hair so slippery that it can be hard to manipulate it into a style and have it stay and 2) If they touch my scalp during the super hot humid days, I have to wash much more.

Solution- I just use cones on my length and a non-cone conditioner for my scalp. The cones have helped keep my hair from tangling, which reduces friction = less detangling = less damage

[woodswanderer]

Been using cones my whole life other than when I was experimenting with popular LHC methods like shampoo bars and cone free conditioners. I think I'm cones for life now.:cool:

[*ReiKa*]

I reintroduced silicones recently after more than a year of just natural cone-free products.
To be really honest, natural cone-free products have been doing great on my hair, I can't say things like "they stopped working" or "they didn't really work for me", because they absolutely did, my hair has been super healthy, shiny, soft and strong.
I reintroduced them because I fancied some extra slip, I am not super patient anymore when detangling (and also because I am a bit tired of looking for cone-free products only).

I say, don't feel guilty, try to reintroduce them little by little and see how it goes. You may end up finding out that a long-term relationship with them doesn't give you the results you were looking for, or you may just absolutely love them. You can always go back if you don't like them.
For me different products with different silicones and different amount of silicones aren't the same at all.
For example, I tend to prefer conditioners with cones than serums with cones, although I'm using both. You may think that they (and the cones in them) act and give the same result but they absolutely don't.
You may just look at silicones-based products and think that they're all the same, they aren't, one may contain one (or two or more) silicones and another product other silicones, or in different amounts, you look at them and think they're just gonna do the same thing to your hair, they won't.
I used in the last weeks a L'Oreal conditioner with certain silicones, and a Dove conditioner with certain silicones, both gave me two completely different results.

So, try experimenting a little bit, it won't do any harm, and as I said, you can always go back to your old products! ;)

[Jeni]

Use what makes your hair happy. I don't believe cones or sls or any of the other popular products are inherently evil, it's just some people's hair/scalp doesn't like them. I have recently begun to try shampoo bars but before that I used sls shampoos and coney conditioner daily and my hair was perfectly happy. I'm only trying shampoo bars because I'm love to experiment and I'm still using coney conditioner on occasion.

[lilin]

Nope. If you like it, use it.

The only thing is cones will not wash out very well with cowash, so this might mean you have to clarify once in a while.

But you might be needing to do that anyway? That could actually be the reason why your hair feels a bit rough. Cowash does clean fairly well, but depending on your water and your hair type, you may need a bit more oomph once in a while.

[Nadine <3]

I ditched cones when I joined, but after a year cone free I realized I hated my hair, it was always tangled, and I spent most of my time trying to detangle without ripping hairs. Got some silicone laden stuff and my hair is peachy.

[lapushka]

I have been a silicone user for a *very* long time. They aren't bad if you know how to use them, that means you need to sulfate-wash or clarify *regularly*. If you use them a lot, like I do, it means a lot of clarifying (weekly), and I weekly wash, so yes, I sulfate wash every time.

[Nique1202]

As long as you don't let them build up too much (either use a shampoo that can strip them out of your hair, or only use them as your hair starts to feel un-coned) there is absolutely nothing wrong with using silicone products if your hair likes them. They help to patch up mild damage, and they add a lot of slip so hair doesn't get so tangled, which means less detangling which means less new damage.

Silicones don't prevent moisture from getting into or out of your hair, and they don't damage the hair on their own in any way. The only "danger" is that you need a good strong sulfate-y or clarifying wash now and then to get the buildup out. Stuff like baking soda and cider vinegar won't get silicones out (they're not truly clarifying) so it really needs to be a shampoo type of product, preferably one intended to clarify or deep cleanse and remove buildup.

Some silicones are said to be less prone to building up than others but if the ones that build up more are what work for you, then just use them less often to compensate if you want to keep co-washing. It's not that complicated, really, and I'm sure you can find a balance that works for you.

[Scarlet3636]

I may jump back on board the silicone train. I'll be honest, I don't really want to because I still have it in my head that they are just bad for the hair. But, I can't find a non silicone conditioner that I like. I was using Bumble's Super Rich, and it has dimethicone, and I had no scalp issues with it. My current problems with flakiness started when I began experimenting with other products. I mentioned in another thread, that a couple of them made my scalp itch (one, Rusk's Thickr gave me a slight burning sensation) and I got terrible flakiness from them. I think it was either the fragrance or the preservatives. I'd rather risk some buildup than have a flaky scalp!

Regarding clarifying, how often should that really be done? I don't use styling products, so would having the salon give me a good clarifying shampoo every 6-8 weeks possibly be enough? They follow with a conditioning treatment.

[lapushka]

I may jump back on board the silicone train. I'll be honest, I don't really want to because I still have it in my head that they are just bad for the hair. But, I can't find a non silicone conditioner that I like. I was using Bumble's Super Rich, and it has dimethicone, and I had no scalp issues with it. My current problems with flakiness started when I began experimenting with other products. I mentioned in another thread, that a couple of them made my scalp itch (one, Rusk's Thickr gave me a slight burning sensation) and I got terrible flakiness from them. I think it was either the fragrance or the preservatives. I'd rather risk some buildup than have a flaky scalp!

I'd only do conditioner ears down. That way you don't risk burning your scalp or the flakes. Maybe it's due to you putting conditioner on your scalp. :)


Regarding clarifying, how often should that really be done? I don't use styling products, so would having the salon give me a good clarifying shampoo every 6-8 weeks possibly be enough? They follow with a conditioning treatment.

I'd do it at least once a month and more often if you wash more than once a week (and put silicone stuff on your head more due to more frequent washing).

I use *plenty* of silicones (it's in my conditioners, both of them, my gel sometimes (depending on which one I use), my serum, my leave-in, so yeah) and I weekly wash and weekly use sulfates. Using sulfates is enough, it doesn't have to be a clarifying shampoo per sé.

[Nique1202]

Regarding clarifying, how often should that really be done? I don't use styling products, so would having the salon give me a good clarifying shampoo every 6-8 weeks possibly be enough? They follow with a conditioning treatment.

It all depends on how prone your hair is to building up silicones, and how cleansing your routine is. With a lot of sulfate shampoos, you may never need to clarify for silicones at all. If you don't use sulfates, or if you co-wash, then you can either use silicones at every wash for a while and see how long it takes for your hair to feel weird/different and then go get the salon clarifying treatment, or you can just use the silicone product every now and then (every 2 or 3 washes, for example) or when your hair starts to feel like it has no silicones in it again (drier, more tangles, rougher, or whatever else that means for your hair). It's totally up to you.

[vpatt]

I'm trying to get this right. Dimethicone is a silicone? It is in the Trader Joe's Spa conditioner. So if I use it once in a while I still need to clarify, is that right? I thought I might try CO washing again...for some reason it appeals to me. Even tho I love my shampoo bars and Dr. Bronner's soap. Why can't I be satisfied with that, lol? I don't see a cone in TJ's Tea Tree conditioner......but it does have
Soybean protein
Cetyl alcohol
Sodium hydroxylmethylgycinate???

Lol, sigh. The Spa conditioner has more unpronouncables.
Behentrimonium chloride
Acetamide MEA
phenoxyethenol
Potassium sorbate

Maybe I should just stick with my soap.

Eta
I did buy the matching shampoos also and I'm sure that is a whole nuther set of ingredients, but I have not checked them out yet.

[Isilme]

I'm cone free, not because of my hair because it can take silicones, but because of our planet, the place where we all live. Silicones are so small that the particles slip trough the water cleaning and goes into our nature as tiny, tiny plastic particles. I have one cone product that I intend to use and then it's bye bye cones for me.

[lapushka]

I'm cone free, not because of my hair because it can take silicones, but because of our planet, the place where we all live. Silicones are so small that the particles slip trough the water cleaning and goes into our nature as tiny, tiny plastic particles. I have one cone product that I intend to use and then it's bye bye cones for me.

If everyone did that, then great, but unfortunately...

And I'm sure they'll find a way to clean it in the future, technology evolves all the time!

[vpatt]

I'm cone free, not because of my hair because it can take silicones, but because of our planet, the place where we all live. Silicones are so small that the particles slip trough the water cleaning and goes into our nature as tiny, tiny plastic particles. I have one cone product that I intend to use and then it's bye bye cones for me.

That is an excellent reason! Since writing the above post I have been reading about phthalates and how they are being banned in some countries and what they can do to us.

[henné]

I'm cone free, not because of my hair because it can take silicones, but because of our planet, the place where we all live. Silicones are so small that the particles slip trough the water cleaning and goes into our nature as tiny, tiny plastic particles. I have one cone product that I intend to use and then it's bye bye cones for me.

That's exactly the reason why I am cone-free - because of the environment, the planet. The best reason there is.

[henné]

That is an excellent reason! Since writing the above post I have been reading about phthalates and how they are being banned in some countries and what they can do to us.


I'm now actively trying to get rid of any plastic wherever and whenever I can ... I have glass tuppeware, try to buy products that don't come in plastic containers, have my own grocery bags, etc. It is totally impossible, right now, to 100% eliminate it, but it's possible to tone it down and vote with our wallets.