Many naturals are on the fence when it comes to silicones, parabens, mineral oil and anything that is not fully natural, or has a reputation for clogging pores. We constantly get questions from our customers regarding silicones and if they are truly bad for natural hair. We decided to do a little research and get the skinny on silicones and exactly what effect they have on natural hair.
Here’s what we found:
1. Silicones Provide Great Slip
Being able to easily detangle curls is super important. Having slip in your hair products helps you save tons of time while detangling, as well as makes the process much easier, and saves your strands from being knotted and tangled.
2. Combats Frizz
If you aren’t a fan of frizz, silicones definitely help with that. Frizz really doesn’t stand a chance against them. Whether you are rocking your natural curls, or go for a straight finish, silicones can keep your hair frizz free.
3. Provides Heat Protection
As we mentioned earlier, silicones can help with frizz and detangling but they also provide great protection from heat! If you want heat damage free hair after straightening, heat protectants with silicones may be the solution!
4. How to Spot Silicones
With so many ingredients in products it can be a bit confusing. Here’s what to look for: In product ingredients list, ingredients are listed in order from highest to lowest by content. You can spot silicones by their ending. Silicones end in “cone”, “conol”, “col”, or “xane”, so if you notice these ingredients at the top, you know the product has a high content of silicones.
5. To Silicone or Not to Silicone
With the good and the bad which route should you go? We say if it works for you, your hair is in a good state, your scalp is free of buildup, and they work for you, then why stop? On the other hand if you are having issues with your scalp, or get a lot of buildup using products with silicones then stop using them! At the end of the day you have to do what works for you and your hair, so use what works and get rid of what doesn’t.
Do you use silicones?