Synthetic oils vs Plant oils - can you do both?

[blackgothicdoll]

I've read in a few places now that silicones (synthetic oils) and plant oils do not mix well. For example, doing a hot oil treatment on hair that has had cones used in it would make it harder to clean the cones out (http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/silicone-ingredient-solubility-list.html). I've also experienced this myself, when using LCO and using a serum as an oil over my cream, which was shea butter - my hair had this really weird, dull cast on it, the products did not agree with each other and seemed to argue.

Has anyone heard of this or is it just poppycock/coincident? Does anyone use a combination of synthetic and organic ingredients? Is there a method to how to make this work?

Thanks :o

[milosmomma]

I don't use silicones right now, but I have a lot in the past and can agree that certain combinations were terrible failures for me as well. If I were to add silicones now, it would be as the very last step of a wash to seal. I would then have to wash as soon as the ends start to look dry to to remove the silicones in order to actually get moisture into my hair though. I think for the most part it's true, silicones provide a coating for your hair and are going to prevent things from escaping and entering the hair strands.

[Rowdy]

Interesting! I haven't heard about this before, but I also have never had an issue so I guess I never looked into it. Right now I'm consistently using silicone conditioners, CHI silk infusion and pure sweet almond oil. I have also never noticed a difference in moisture with silicone vs no silicone.

[enting]

I have never heard of this. I've never paid much attention in the past to whether my products had silicones in them or not. I use Head and Shoulders a lot which does have silicones, I believe. I also use plant oils on my hair on occasion. I had begun to feel like my hair was coated within the past couple of years so I tried switching it up and using more natural products. I had assumed it was coney buildup, possibly an interaction with a change in our water hardness, but maybe there's something to this cone+oil thing? Though I think this happens to my hair even when I don't use plant oils so :shrug:.

[LadyCelestina]

From my experience, pre-wash oiling and coney conditioners don't always mix well and it leads to buildup that has to be shampooed out.

But I have conditioners with "lighter" cones (Kallos, the cones are further down the list and one of them evaporatess) and they work fine with oil, even ROO.

[lapushka]

I've read in a few places now that silicones (synthetic oils) and plant oils do not mix well. For example, doing a hot oil treatment on hair that has had cones used in it would make it harder to clean the cones out (http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/silicone-ingredient-solubility-list.html). I've also experienced this myself, when using LCO and using a serum as an oil over my cream, which was shea butter - my hair had this really weird, dull cast on it, the products did not agree with each other and seemed to argue.

Has anyone heard of this or is it just poppycock/coincident? Does anyone use a combination of synthetic and organic ingredients? Is there a method to how to make this work?

Thanks :o

I use a natural oil, or a mineral oil (blend) in my oil rinse (ROO) and then for LOC/LCO I use a silicone laden serum to seal it all in. I have never had issues, but then I clarify wash every week.