Should you go for silicone free shampoo and conditioner?

Should you try silicone-free hair products?

Silicones can be beneficial or harmful, depending on your hair type. Here’s what you need to know so you purchase products that will make the most of your mane.

To use silicones or not to use silicones? That’s the question that’s been on every beauty junkie’s mind in recent years because the family of ingredients often found in hair products also makes an appearance in fabric softener, house paint and the hard coating on computers. But not all silicones are the same—some are rubbery and some are fluid, some are water-soluble and others aren’t, and some can work just fine on your hair.

So what do silicones actually do?

When it comes to haircare, silicones help shampoos, conditioners and styling products spread through the hair while sealing in moisturizing ingredients that condition and smooth, resulting in super shiny hair.

Then when should you skip silicones?

If you can’t wash your hair products out easily in the shower and they seem to accumulate, leaving your locks feeling heavy and dull, that may mean the silicones aren’t water-soluble and should be avoided unless you plan to use a clarifying shampoo every few washes. Since non-water-soluble silicones tend to build up, which makes hair look dirty, you may end up washing it more often than necessary. This vicious cycle will damage your strands, creating brittle, dry hair with split ends, flyaways and frizz.

Fine and curly hair

Other people that should try silicone-free hair products are those with fine or curly hair. When it comes to fine hair, silicones can weigh down the strands, causing locks that already lack volume to become flat or limp. Curly hair, on the other hand, tends to be on the dry side and the shape of the strands prevents the ingredient from sliding off, so buildup and damage are more likely.

When do silicones work the best?

If your hair-care product contains silicone alongside a natural moisturizing ingredient such as coconut oil, avocado oil or honey, it will deliver and lock in deep moisture instead of creating only superficial results that quickly fade.

How do you know if a hair product contains silicone?

If your product is free of silicone, it will probably say so on the label. Unsure? Check the ingredient list for words ending in “cone” such as Cyclomethicone or Dimethicone Copolyol, which are both water-soluble silicones, and Amodimethicone or Dimethicone, which are not.

Going silicone-free

Looking for a moisturizing silicone-free hair-care line that won’t build up or weigh you down? Try Garnier Whole Blends Legendary Olive line, which includes shampoo, conditioner and a treatment.