Have you ever used hair care products that give you the fresh out of the salon feels and a few weeks later the same products leave your hair looking limp and lifeless? Well, you have one thing to blame for this: silicones. So just like sulphates, parabens, and phthalates have earned a name on the beauty blacklist, silicones are also making it there. But what really are they? Don’t worry, we’re telling you all about them.
What Are Silicones?
Silicones are a type of large molecules that behave like plastic and have flexible materials that can be moulded for various uses. When it comes to hair care products they help in forming a protective coating around the strands to make them feel soft and shiny. They retain moisture, reduce frizz and especially help curly and dry hair to look more manageable.
Benefits Of Silicones
When silicones first got introduced in hair care products, there was a reason behind it. Here are the benefits of them:
- Tame unruly strands and make them more manageable.
- Enhance the shininess and softness of the hair.
- They leave a lightweight coating on the hair and are particularly good for anti-frizz and smoothing products.
- They retain moisture so work well for dry hair.
- Silicones do not break down under UV light and help in protecting the strands that are often exposed to styling tools and the sun.
So, Why Are People Hating On Silicones?
Well, after reading the benefits don’t silicones sound like miraculous ingredients? The truth is, the beauty community has a love-hate relationship with them.
There are some silicones that are bad because they aren’t water-soluble. This means that no matter how much you try to rinse your hair, they’ll coat your locks stubbornly and leave your roots feeling greasy. So, to remove all this buildup you’ll have to follow it up with a clarifying shampoo which in turn do remove the silicones from the scalp but also strip off the natural oils from it.
Many silicones may in the short term help make the strand feel fuller and stronger, in the long term are responsible for blocking out the hydration which can eventually lead to breakage. So, you see the catch-twenty situation here?
Yes, you can follow it up with a hair mask or a deep conditioner but that too may have silicones. Hence, creating a vicious cycle.
Some Silicone-Free Shampoos That You Should Add To Your Cart
So, whether you choose to go silicone-free or not in terms of hair care, we hope that every day for you is a good hair day!
Featured Image: Pexels
