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raemarthe
October 8th, 2015, 08:56 AM
So recently I've reintroduced silicones back into my hair regimen, in the form of Carols Daughter Burnt Vanilla conditioner. I've always been pretty opposed to silicones but so far they haven't caused my hair anything disastrous. The ones in the conditioner are dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane. Anyway I was wondering what others had to say on the matter, because I think silicones affect everyone's hair differently and some people love them! Also, just a note my hair type is 2c/3a and typically curlies are told to stay away from silicones.

lapushka
October 8th, 2015, 09:04 AM
I clarify regularly, so for me, it is *no* problem. I had to have them in my routine, because after BSL my hair would tangle like crazy. That got resolved with good, and I mean the right silicone conditioners (like HE Hello Hydration).

red autumn
October 8th, 2015, 09:13 AM
that's a good question! :)
i stay away from silicones because i'm allergic to all "plasticic thingies", and i try to live life... well, kind of old-school, i guess.
i used to wash my hair with silicones shampoos, and i was very happy with it, it took me time to understand that my allergic reactions were from shampoos and liquid soaps. my hair never looked ugly or something like that, it was just my scalp and skin who were very dry and itchy.
once i only washed myself with natural stuff, my hair became... well, unknowned. they started to curl a little, to gain strength, too. they were really best looking and feeling.
ater some years of no-silicones, i tried to wash them with an old shampoo some month ago, and it was horrid, they just came i don't know what to say... when they are spongy and all in one ugly mesh, never feeling dry.
i know that silicones can be very cool for many people, but i just think they are not for me.
i'll try one last time with a shampoo for blond and white hair, because there is basically just this one in the country i live in, but i will be drop by drop in another shampoo without any silicones.

LegoCaltrops
October 8th, 2015, 09:14 AM
I'm totally torn on this. I've been cone free for several months. My hair loves it, but the natural products I've been using instead, don't seem to be good for my scalp...

I used to use Kerastase Moringa serum, when my hair was long. It stopped it tangling & felt lovely - & smells gorgeous. I may go back to it, if I do end staying with conventional shampoo after all. The first 2 ingredients are cyclopentosiloxane & dimethiconol... I don't know bad those are for overall hair health.

Winter Fox
October 8th, 2015, 09:34 AM
After being cone free for about 2 years I returned using coney serums and conditioners. I feel that silicones prevent a LOT of damage, especially when it comes to brushing. And just like lapushka I clarify with cone-free shampoo so build up is no problem. Also I can't understand why people reject silicones but have no problem with using polyquats (apart from health reasons). I don't use silicones as "hair care" but more as a "detangle help". I still use LOC and cone-free creams to nourish my hair. But I wouldn't want to miss cones in my routine. :)

hennalonghair
October 8th, 2015, 09:45 AM
Silicones work fabulous on me short term. My hair can look and feel amazing.
Styling hair becomes simple and easy , the feel and smell of most of them are awesome BUT they play havoc with my hair. In the long run they totally dry out my hair.
I have used Carol's Daughter products and did like them. That black vanilla smells better than dessert and the spray leave - in is amazing but it still dries 'my' hair out.
In saying all of this, doesn't mean I think they are bad for 'your' hair . We are all so different and for this reason have different requirements .

Silicones in shampoo make my hair fall out because it suffocates my hair follicles.

Anje
October 8th, 2015, 09:55 AM
I have trouble with products with cyclomethicone or cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone. My hair will feel great for a day or two, and then the ends kink up and tangle worse than normal. It somehow dries my hair out. I have not had similar issues using products containing amodimethicone or bisaminopropyldimethicone.

raemarthe
October 8th, 2015, 09:58 AM
Lapushka, Winter Fox I'm with you guys for the moment, silicones are making detangling and braiding such a breeze! I wanted to try them again because my hair is a bit damaged and dry so I thought maybe they could help me.

Hennalonghair I'll have to experiment and see how my hair reacts, I've only been using the conditioner for a couple of weeks. I have to agree, the burnt vanilla smells fantastic!

LegoCaltrops Did you just switch over to sulfate and silicone free products? Maybe your hair and scalp hasn't adjusted to it yet?



red autumn I guess silicones just aren't good for your hair, and that's fine :)

CoveredByLove
October 8th, 2015, 10:15 AM
I have trouble with products with cyclomethicone or cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone. My hair will feel great for a day or two, and then the ends kink up and tangle worse than normal. It somehow dries my hair out. I have not had similar issues using products containing amodimethicone or bisaminopropyldimethicone.

Same thing here! :)

spidermom
October 8th, 2015, 10:27 AM
I buy silicone-free shampoo and conditioner most of the time but use CHI Silk Infusion sparingly about once per week to make it easier to comb out my hair. Every once in awhile I'll buy a conditioner that contains silicones but never shampoo.

Frankenstein
October 8th, 2015, 11:06 AM
Silicones work just fine for me although too much of them can build up pretty quickly (but that's what clarifying is for). I like to switch between cone and cone-free conditioners. There's really not a huge amount of difference between them for me, but I do think cones give my hair more "weight"; as in it's not as fluffy and generally more well-behaved. They also help a lot with detangling.

tigress86
October 8th, 2015, 11:20 AM
I don't like products with dimethicone. It builds up fast on my hair and can leave it feeling coated. Other cones are okay and amodimethicone seems to be my hair's favorite.

lapushka
October 8th, 2015, 11:41 AM
After being cone free for about 2 years I returned using coney serums and conditioners. I feel that silicones prevent a LOT of damage, especially when it comes to brushing. And just like lapushka I clarify with cone-free shampoo so build up is no problem. Also I can't understand why people reject silicones but have no problem with using polyquats (apart from health reasons). I don't use silicones as "hair care" but more as a "detangle help". I still use LOC and cone-free creams to nourish my hair. But I wouldn't want to miss cones in my routine. :)

Yes, just like you I think silicones aren't there to patch up damage on virgin hair, but I think they do minimalize mechanical damage (wear & tear from combing & brushing).

Hairkay
October 8th, 2015, 11:44 AM
I water wash plus with my allergies it's best for me to avoid commercial hair products. I finger detangle wet hair with a little oil which works fine for me.

Robi-Bird
October 8th, 2015, 12:00 PM
Another conehead here. My hair is coarse and found of clinging to itself, not so much in tangles or mats but kind of stuck or held up on itself. Silicones give my hair enough slip that running a fingernail through my hair gets it all separated and happy. I recently had to clarify for the first time in ages and I don't think it was the silicones causing me grief but the oil I've added to my repertoire.

LegoCaltrops
October 8th, 2015, 12:07 PM
Raemarthe - no, I stopped using cones & SLS / SLES etc sometime in early spring. It seems to be the CO washing that's the issue for me. Apparently my scalp doesn't like it (although my hair does). Typical.

I've bought some cone free shampoo today. I'll probably try to stay away from cone conditioners but I don't really know now.

missblueeyes
October 8th, 2015, 12:09 PM
I stopped using 'cones because they'd build up after two washes and I honestly think that clarifying and stripping them off my hair every second wash would be more damaging than not using any at all. My hair is less tangly and shinier without them now and I honestly don't miss them. What I do thought about the other day was if I should get a conditioner with just dimeticone for when I go on concerts or big events when I want my hair to be down.

DeadlyUnicorn
October 8th, 2015, 01:25 PM
I had been using a coney conditioner but now I'm using one with a lot less cones (maybe different ones too? I don't know the exact names lol) and I've noticed a big difference.. My hair seems so tangly now.. It was definitely better for me to use cones.

lapushka
October 8th, 2015, 01:39 PM
It often differs product to product as well. Once you find that "hidden gem", stock up!

Anje
October 8th, 2015, 01:40 PM
Once you find that "hidden gem", stock up!

Advice you personally take to heart, right? ;)

lapushka
October 8th, 2015, 01:51 PM
Advice you personally take to heart, right? ;)

You know it! ;) :lol: :whistle:

hennalonghair
October 8th, 2015, 02:49 PM
You know it! ;) :lol: :whistle:

It's that hoarder thing ! :lol:

lapushka
October 8th, 2015, 02:59 PM
It's that hoarder thing ! :lol:

What can I say, it's stronger than myself, especially with a shampoo/conditioner I like, and when it's dirt cheap - I can't resist. :o :lol:

McQuarry
October 8th, 2015, 05:29 PM
My hair looooooooves cones, but I can't stand how much they weigh it down. It gets very flat, very fast, because it's so light. That being said, at the moment I'm using L'Oreal's Fibrology shampoo every time I wash, so it strips out all the cones my conditioner puts in, no chance of build up. It works for me!

rapunzel123
October 8th, 2015, 07:06 PM
Using no cones make my somewhat wavy hair wavier and less frizzy but I think my hair likes cones as well. I know I prefer the slip. I never could figure out what slip was until I started using silicone free products. I am currently using Shea Moisture but think I will go back to Aussie Moist (my favorite shampoo and conditioner) for a while. Since I've grew out all bleached hair it seems my hair isn't as picky!

EdG
October 8th, 2015, 07:44 PM
I don't use silicones because they weigh down my hair. Even my shampoo is silicone-free.
Ed

Amapola
October 8th, 2015, 08:38 PM
I don't care at all for silicones in the shampoo but they really do a lot of good for me personally in the conditioner. I don't put conditioner on my whole head, only from the back of my head down the length. My hair is extremely fragile and the cones really help it to not only detangle easily but not break, split etc.

I've tried shampoos that have silicone in them and those really seem to weigh my hair down. They are nice and so on but not for me.

Groovy Granny
October 8th, 2015, 08:48 PM
I need and love cones (S & C); without them my fine hair builds up, tangles, frizzes, and is very grabby (love the slippery, sleek, feel) :)

CurlyCap
October 8th, 2015, 08:50 PM
I was cone-free until hip, and then I "gave up" and went back to cones.

Thing is, I love a coney conditioner now. It makes hand-detangling so much easier and ultimately there is less damage on my hair.

But I still believe that coney leave-ins are no go. In the past (long before LHC) I used Paul Mitchell's skinny serum as part of my styling routine and when I quit using it, it took months to wash out. I didn't realize how badly it stuck to hair.

So now it's coney co-wash, then cone-free leave in or all-natural leave in.

woodswanderer
October 8th, 2015, 10:33 PM
Cones = True Love:crush::heartbeat:crush:

julee
October 8th, 2015, 11:16 PM
I think you just gotta do what works for your hair/scalp, which may or may not change over time. I'm not using cones at the moment (CO) but my hair doesn't mind them in small doses. I suspect they make me lose more hair, but that could be a coincidence since times when I've used them have seemingly coincided with stressful situations and illness.

If I do use them I always try to use a cone free shampoo.

rhosyn_du
October 9th, 2015, 03:29 PM
My hair is fine with cones (although they pull out some of my curl), but they give me build up if I don't use sulfate shampoo regularly, and sulfates give me Roseanne Roseannadanna hair, so I generally avoid cones. If your hair likes them, though, that's all that matters!

lapushka
October 9th, 2015, 03:34 PM
My hair is fine with cones (although they pull out some of my curl), but they give me build up if I don't use sulfate shampoo regularly, and sulfates give me Roseanne Roseannadanna hair, so I generally avoid cones. If your hair likes them, though, that's all that matters!

Same here, but I have to use harsh sulfates anyway due to SD, so I *have* to; which is why I condition twice after, use rinse-out oil & LOC - it helps!

Nellon
October 10th, 2015, 02:58 AM
Since I bleached the very ends of my hair to lighten henna my ends do need those cones I think. Went and bought a coney conditioner for leave in. I think that might be the way to avoid unnessecary breakage.

lilin
October 10th, 2015, 07:04 AM
So recently I've reintroduced silicones back into my hair regimen, in the form of Carols Daughter Burnt Vanilla conditioner. I've always been pretty opposed to silicones but so far they haven't caused my hair anything disastrous. The ones in the conditioner are dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane. Anyway I was wondering what others had to say on the matter, because I think silicones affect everyone's hair differently and some people love them! Also, just a note my hair type is 2c/3a and typically curlies are told to stay away from silicones.

Silicones are great... depending on what you want.

For me, silicones tend to pull out my wurlies. I'd rather they didn't, so I prefer cone-free.

I am also cowashing right now, so obviously silicones would cause it to build up on my hair considerably more, necessitating more shampoo use, which I want to avoid. This, I think, is the biggest reasons curlies are told to avoid silicones -- it's usually in the context of cowashing. Not using cones = not using as much shampoo.

However, if you ARE shampooing regularly, then cones can be great. They're kind of like an automatic pre-wash. They're designed to stay on the hair until the next shampoo, which will help make the wash a bit gentler.

Some people's hair simply might not like them, as some people have demonstrated. But I don't think there's anything evil about cones. Their goodness will depend on your routine, and your personal head of hair, just like everything else really.

ladonna
October 10th, 2015, 03:19 PM
I was against silicones until I got tired of my ends fraying at hip length, I was getting very frustrated. So I gave gave in and bought some coney products and now yay no more tangles and angry ends.

luvlonghair75
October 10th, 2015, 04:46 PM
I've been going cones and SLS free this year and my hair has been all the better for it! I tried a leave-in conditioner with cones and although my hair felt good for the first day, by the second it was an awful frizzy mess and splits everywhere and my hair felt very junky. Not so when I use my new-found natural products which I have now committed myself to keeping with. :)

rowie
October 10th, 2015, 04:57 PM
At tailbone length almost reaching my goal of classic length, I'm back to using cones! I've been cone free for a while but at the current length I am I need all the cones you can get!!!! Do what makes your growing experience enjoyable and if it happens to include cones relish and enjoy it! I also felt the need to as I personally feel like I don't have the kind of hair that can grow down to knee unless it has some help with cones.

Labs*R*Us
October 10th, 2015, 08:37 PM
Rowie, I am in the same boat. I can use a coney shampoo, as long as I use some kind of clarifying condish, and vise versa, which it usually is. Being between TBL and CL now, if I don't use some kind of coney leave in (unless I deep condition with Loreal Nature's Therapy or some kind of Snowy's recipe), my hair will refuse to cooperate, even with a TT.

Platzhalter
October 10th, 2015, 08:47 PM
I don't really care about them in conditioner... can't stand coney shampoo though, because my scalp seems to hate cones.

WannabeViking
October 10th, 2015, 10:32 PM
I tried doing without silicones, but honestly my hair likes them a lot; it seriously reduces tangles and breakage. I finally took lapushka's advice and got some Herbal Essences `Hello Hydration' and I LOVE it!

mindwiped
October 10th, 2015, 10:37 PM
When I worked at lush, I went cone free. My curls are a bit bouncier, but I cannot afford a full price pot of Retread a week ($22USD) plus r&b in large quantities during the winter. I try to keep it to the lighter, easier washed out varieties, but the slight loss of bounce is well offset by getting a huge bottle of conditioner, that requires half as much quantity per wash.

I do use VO5 conditioner, the cone free kind in summer and every other CO wash in winter. Cone light seems to have me with manageable curl, minimal loss of bounce, and a budget that I can afford. I have been pre oiling, either almond or olive oil, which helps me with breakage.

lapushka
October 11th, 2015, 04:01 AM
I tried doing without silicones, but honestly my hair likes them a lot; it seriously reduces tangles and breakage. I finally took lapushka's advice and got some Herbal Essences `Hello Hydration' and I LOVE it!

I'm glad you like it! I hope they *never* discontinue this one! I'd be so gutted!

LillithTheFirst
October 11th, 2015, 04:47 AM
My hair is completely unmanageable without cones. :|

rowie
October 11th, 2015, 07:48 AM
Rowie, I am in the same boat. I can use a coney shampoo, as long as I use some kind of clarifying condish, and vise versa, which it usually is. Being between TBL and CL now, if I don't use some kind of coney leave in (unless I deep condition with Loreal Nature's Therapy or some kind of Snowy's recipe), my hair will refuse to cooperate, even with a TT.

Yup, I was fine at the shorter lengths not using cones, but beyond waist for me was when my hair became challenging. Plus I probably notice it more the longer it gets. I probably could make it work without cones but I no longer have time spending an hour or two detangling hair. That's what leave ins are for and that's why they are made to also do. Since going back to cones, I think I'm much more happy. What's your favorite leave in? Mine is Chi silk infusion or sometimes Biosilk. I'll have to try that Loreal nature's therapy you mentioned. Thanks for that!

RavennaNight
October 11th, 2015, 11:33 AM
Silicones in general work for my hair. I use Pantene conditioner and Biosilk drops, and clarify regularly.

Groovy Granny
October 11th, 2015, 11:43 AM
Silicones in general work for my hair. I use Pantene conditioner and Biosilk drops, and clarify regularly.

I was just looking at those BIOSILK drops in the store the other day as an alternative to the argan oil products that were staining my silver.
I switched to mineral oil...but hey...if those silk drops can give me hair like yours...why not? :shrug: LOL

Arctic
October 11th, 2015, 11:45 AM
I'm not against silicones, but I prefere my hair without. In general, 90% of the time - if not more- I use shampoos and conditioners without silicones. Like others have said, I don't see much sense to have them in shampoos to begin with, but there has been some special (I mean, shampoos that had some particular property I wanted) shampoos I've had that had silicones.

I prefere my conditioners without too. The most common way for me to use silicones is in smoothing lotion form (like silicone serum but thicker) - and bysaying common I need to specify though, that I've had the same bottle for veeeery many years and it's probably half full. (As a side note, in general I wouldn't use a product that long, but it's a pump bottle which is very hygienic, and I never use it on scalp and it still smells and feels the same, so I have felt ok to use it, even though the age sort of bothers me.)

Silicones don't seem to do much for my hair other than they buildup very fast and thus cause problems and a need to constantly clarify. If I use my smoothing lotion it is often to help with trichotillomania triggers, or on rare occasion I am really dolling up and have blow dried my hair straight.

WannabeViking
October 11th, 2015, 05:05 PM
I'm glad you like it! I hope they *never* discontinue this one! I'd be so gutted!

Me too! And it smells good. :D

veryhairyfairy
October 12th, 2015, 06:30 AM
In theory, silicones are great. But the dry, coated, Barbie-hair I get from them is not my cup of tea. There's so much occlusion going on with cones that I just feel like it's locking moisture out of my hair, instead of into it.

Right around the time I went cone free, I found out that I'm allergic to sulfates (and sulfonates, etc) so I don't really have the ability to remove cone buildup anyway. :shrug:

I always wonder if my non-damaged hair would do better with cones, but my experiments with mineral/baby oil lead me to believe that super occlusives are just not my hair's 'thing'.

Horrorpops
October 12th, 2015, 06:33 AM
I didn't ever notice a difference either way. I've bumbl ed between no sulphates or silicones for a few months and then very coney and sulphatey for a few months and it doesn't seem to impact my hair.

It is just as shiny/tangley/wavey etc, but maybe because it is BSL it doesn't make a larger difference until it is a bit longer? I think its just one of those "milage may vary" kind of things :)

lapushka
October 12th, 2015, 07:09 AM
Me too! And it smells good. :D

Yes it does, such a light scent, IMO, but a nice one!

reilly0167
October 27th, 2015, 02:42 PM
For me..I have no problems with it..I use a serum on my curls to style because I dont like crunchy curls from using gel and I dont use hairspray...

missrandie
October 27th, 2015, 03:37 PM
I like occasional cones right now, but not in excess. As my hair gets longer, though, I know it likes a coney leave in.

However, I've also used cones in a rather interesting way to good effect: I have used nearly pure dimethicone to help detangle many a horse's tail, and discovered the other day that it makes jute twine untangle beautifully! Lol

I know my hair likes the light cones. The heavy ones are too much for me.

Arete
October 27th, 2015, 03:40 PM
I've found my hair is much happier without silicones. Also my scalp reacts if the littlest bit gets on it, so that's another factor against them for me. I found my hair gets weighted down with the silicones. I use safflower oil and cone-free conditioner instead.

TatsuOni
October 28th, 2015, 02:44 AM
My hair doesn't like silicones, but more important it hates schampoo. I haven't used shampoo even once in two and a half year and my hair feels great! So I will never again put something in my hair that has to be washed out with schampoo. CO-washing is the best I've ever done for my hair:)

juniperjetcat
November 3rd, 2015, 09:50 AM
I used to use silicones but have now gone totally natural with WO and my hair is better than ever, so I guess my answer to this is no to silicone... but everyone is different and what works for one doesn't for a another

dancingrain91
November 3rd, 2015, 11:43 AM
I need silicones or else my hair is just too tangly. I tried sulphate free and cone free and got waxy build up on my scalp and tangly hair for my trouble.

RSunny
November 3rd, 2015, 12:23 PM
I testing the waters with CO, so no cones. It's been about a week and I'm not sold. My hair has definitely been more prone to snagging, my curls feel kine of dry, and my hair isn't as shiny or curly. I just did a sulfate free residue removing treatment and then did diluted condition with honey rinse....hair is still wet, so the jury is out. I may be back to the silicone party soon...I was using Aveno Natural Sulfate Free Shampoo with matching conditioner, my hair was so light/bouncy/shiny/soft, but it did seem to get greasy at about day 2-3, especially my bangs. So I decided to try CO. But maybe I need a different silicone conditioner.

Has anyone every mixed silicone conditioner with cone free? does that make it any lighter but still give the slip?

lapushka
November 3rd, 2015, 12:33 PM
Has anyone every mixed silicone conditioner with cone free? does that make it any lighter but still give the slip?

I think it might depend on individual products as well. You'll just have to experiment. Always fun. :D

Freija
November 3rd, 2015, 07:15 PM
Yes, depending on the type and product! Currently, I have the hair I always dreamed of with SLES shampoo, an amodimethicone conditioner, Nightblooming Freya's salve ('cone-free nourishment galore) and a basic silicone serum. Soft, moisturised, sleek and happy, and far less traumatic to detangle. I barely seem to get breakage at all at the moment. : )

RSunny
November 3rd, 2015, 07:59 PM
Yes, depending on the type and product! Currently, I have the hair I always dreamed of with SLES shampoo, an amodimethicone conditioner, Nightblooming Freya's salve ('cone-free nourishment galore) and a basic silicone serum. Soft, moisturised, sleek and happy, and far less traumatic to detangle. I barely seem to get breakage at all at the moment. : )

Could you please list the products you use?

I tried looking up the freyas salve, but could t find it :/ sounds nice

molljo
November 3rd, 2015, 08:41 PM
I wish my hair liked cones because I could have a lot more options in terms of products. Unfortunately, it turns my hair into old doll hair: plastic-y, dry and weird. I just hate the way it feels.

yahirwaO.o
November 3rd, 2015, 08:55 PM
My hair loves silicones as long they are not super heavy! I have fine hair and they make it look sleek, tangle free and nice. I used to be annoyed how they weight it down, attemped for a while to leave them and my hair was looking dry, poofy and flyway all the time(humidity without cones are nightmare). Got back and gave super shiny and frizz free hair, so now instead of complaining about flat hair my mind has sleek word and we are all happy!

And other have said, they kinda pull down their waves, so its my case. My hair can be solid 1A when washed with coney shampoo and coney conditioner, to be honest it doesnt bother me at all!!! :p

RSunny
November 4th, 2015, 04:36 AM
I decided to go back to cones after a week of cone free. The way some people describe cones, dry/dolls hair/weird, that's how it was for me without cones. My hair also lost almost all its curl and became stiff and wavy. I ran a cone conditioner through my hair last night and my hair is back! Shiny, soft, silky, and curly!:happydance: (and although I sometimes wish it wasn't curly, at the end of the day it's weird to see myself without curls - even my boyfriend said so). Gotta go where the hair tells you I guess :hifive:

Verdandi
November 4th, 2015, 05:21 AM
I did the no cones routine for about 1,5 years, but then I randomly bought a bottle of Pantene conditoner half a year ago and remembered that my hair doesn't mind the occasional coney conditioner. It's actually pretty happy with that (although straighter and more slippery), so I alternate between washing with cones and no cones mostly based on what conditioner I want my hair to smell like that day..... :p

I'm still rather picky about which products I use though :)