SILICONE: It's a key ingredient found in countless shampoos and hair care products. While some swear by its 'miracle' effects, it turns out this popular ingredient might not be doing your hair all that much good. If you're ready to permanently ditch silicone from your routine and give your strands a fresh start, keep reading!
But first, what is silicone? It's a synthetic product derived from silicon. It is very often used in cosmetic and hair products in oil form: facial care, makeup, shampoos, conditioners, masks, serums: nothing escapes the "evil" silicone.
SILICONE REIGNS SUPREME IN OUR SHAMPOOS....
Contrary to popular belief, silicone does not repair your hair; quite the opposite: it merely coats it with a smooth film, thus facilitating detangling and styling. Disciplined by this invisible layer, the cuticles immediately reflect light, hair becomes ultra-shiny, and gives the impression that the shampoo is miraculous!
But isn't it said that one shouldn't trust appearances? The biggest problem with silicone is that it suffocates your hair. The film it forms on the hair fibers prevents them from breathing, dries them out, and makes them completely unmanageable with continued use.
Furthermore, this silicone shield will prevent the effectiveness of your subsequent treatments if you don't get rid of it. Indeed, no active ingredient can penetrate anymore. With continued use, your hair becomes static, very dry, difficult to manage, and your scalp becomes irritated and itchy.
Another piece of bad news: silicone is very difficult to remove. It accumulates and forms residues that clog the hair.
SO, HOW DO YOU GET RID OF IT?
The only solution to rid your hair of silicone is a detox. Yes, your mane also needs a gentle, clarifying shampoo from time to time. If silicone has damaged your hair, stop using any shampoos that claim a "glossy" or "diamond" effect, as this promise is generally only possible thanks to silicones.
Also know that masks contain a lot of it. Learn to read labels, as it's the only way to unmask silicone. It is, in fact, never mentioned as such on labels.
You must therefore look for all the following mentions: Dimethicone, Cethyl-Dimethicone, Phenyl-Trimethicone, Stearyl-Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, and Cyclotetrasiloxane. If these products are listed first, it means they are present in significant quantities in your shampoo. However, if they are in the middle or at the end of the list, it means your shampoo contains less than 1%. You can then keep it without worry until you purchase a new organic shampoo.
This article is intended for people who wish to completely eliminate silicone and serves to inform about its role in hair. Personally, I use it from time to time, especially when my usual shampoo is empty and I have nothing else. However, I don't use silicone products with every shampoo, maybe once every 3 or 4 months, to avoid accumulation, without any qualms!
Everyone does what they like! As long as you can manage your hair. It's clear that it's better to use natural products, but no one is going to throw stones at you because you didn't use the "right" product; we need to de-dramatize! Don't go to extremes.
Before judging someone who uses a particular product on their hair, look at what you eat every day on your plate.
See you soon!
