Silicone is one of those ingredients you want to love but when you know the truth its just not worth it. Usually listed with 'cone' at the end of some of those big words in the ingredient lists. Dimethacone , Cyclomethicone, Cetyl dimethicone,
and few really popular ones but not to the cone rule, Cyclopentasiloxane and Dimethacol.
They are normal listed anywhere on ingredients lists because manufacturers and products rely on them for different reasons.
So the Good
The reason its such a popular ingredient is its cheap and it provides slip to a product, creates a smooth shield over rough surfaces, making damaged hair tangle free, shiny. Has a weightless feel and creates a film for humidity and heat defence
Most people that look for a natural alternative look for sulphate free but you do have to dive a little deeper into what your using to get results.
Unfortunately with the demand for sulphate free products a lot of manufacturers have overlooked a vital problem in how clients use their products.
If their products contain water insoluble silicones, the sulphates in shampoo used to remove it from the hair.
Sulphates are harsh and remove natural oils from the skins protective layers so we want to stop using that but if you keep using a silicone laced conditioner or styling products the silicone will build up as nothing your washing with remove it completely.
So we need to remove silicone from our products first, before converting to a sulphate free shampoo. So why remove silicone, it makes styling hair easier...temporarily
The Bad
Silicone is water insoluble and builds up if not properly removed. so that barrier that we love the product for then creates a barrier from water, oils and hydrating products penetrating the hair and it becomes dry, rough and brittle. You keep buying products to hydrate your hair but with no results as this barrier is preventing the moisture getting into the hair.
The Ugly
As the hair dries out this signals the scalp to produce more oil to hydrate the overly dryed out hair. Which then you end up with the 'oily scalp dry ends' scenario.
But that is not the end of the ugly...
Silicone will build up on the scalp as well as the hair. This results in an impervious layer on the scalp that dries the underneath layers of the epidermis which dry and flake from the scalp. Most describe as dandruff but I like to call it 'wet dandruff' because the flakes clump together and they appear different to typical dandruff.
So what to do?
Check all products for silicones especially conditioners and stylers. If you have been using them stop.
Cleanse your hair with a sulphate shampoo, (sounds bad but you only do it once.)
Then move on to sulphate free shampoos and silicone free products and see the difference your hair can be. It takes time to rebuild the hair, I recommend Everescents Moisture treatment after the cleanse to get good oils and moisture back into the hair as quickly as possible.
Embrace Natural Hair.
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