Should I go back to using silicones?

[Memememeandyou]

I went silicone and sulphate free about 2 months. I have my hair in a short bob and it’s thick and wavy. I envisaged lovely soft waves and healthy hair. Actually my hair is awful. It’s dry and frizzy. I’ve been using cantu products or the yes to carrots range.
I’m just tempted to go back to silicones but stay away from sulphates. I don’t style my hair with heat as I tend to just leave it. Annoyingly I had loads of lovely expensive silicone based products that I have given away.
I did try curly girl method of co washing and that didn’t make any difference either.

[Paintbox]

I tried this too albeit not for long, but my hair looked awful so I went back to silicones

[picklemepopcorn]

Have you done a moisture or protein test? Also, I've read that broccoli seed oil gives a silicone like smoothness.

[Memememeandyou]

I did read something about the moisture or protein test though I’ve not done it. Maybe I will read about that. I know some people grind up flax seed to make a gel but really life’s too short for that kind of thing!

[KanielOutis]

Have you tried leaving in conditioner? My hair was dry and frizzy but it soaks up conditioner and that reduces the frizz. Add a little cantu curl activator and some gel to form the waves, then scrunch out the gel when it is dry. It takes some getting used to, but it’s work persevering. I’m 6 months in now and wouldn’t go back.

[Memememeandyou]

I have got some cantu custard or something. I did try leaving conditioner in initially. Perhaps I will try again .

[Dragonglass]

If you go back to silicones you will need sulphates to remove the silicone or you will get build up.

Did you do a final sulphate wash?

I didn't get on with the Yes To range maybe try some other conditioners.

[Dragonglass]

Also you say that co- washing didn't make a difference. What are you doing if not co- washing then?

[Handsupbabyhandsup]

The flaxseed gel is really easy. Changed my curls. You don’t need to grind them up.

6 tablespoons of whole flaxseed in 2 1/2 cups of water. Boil for exactly 5 mins and then I strain while hot through a strainer. I don’t bother with squeezing out every last drop through a stocking. It becomes gel like when it cools.

The other thing that helped my hair a lot was doing a gelatine treatment. But you should do the hair tests first because if it’s not what you need it may make your hair worse.

[christmasunicorn]

I went silicone and sulphate free and it started of so well, so soft and silky, but then got drier and drier until I was sure I was damaging it more with brushing then I ever did with a few chemicals so I’ve gone back and haven’t regretted that decision for a moment. My hair is lovely again

It really doesn’t work for everyone

[Memememeandyou]

Thanks all.
So I need to do a hair test.
Currently I’m using a sulphate free shampoo ( cantu or yes to) and conditioner from same range rather than just co washing which I tried.
May give the flax seed a go if no grinding involved. I don’t want to spend a fortune trying out different products only to give up.
But to whoever said I’d need a sulphate shampoo if I went back to silicones I hadn’t considered that. And yes I did a final wash.
My hair is coloured so that doesn’t help.