Struggling with silicon free etc hair products- should I persevere??

[FlamingGallah]

Have been using Naked paraben/SPS whatsit free products for the past 10 days in an attempt to magically tame my hair.

It's frizzier and coarser than ever, and I'm missing my nice soft chemicals! Is it worth persevering?

Thank you everyone for the suggestions, they all seem a bit love 'em or hate 'em!

Naked stuff is going at the back of the cupboard.

Me- nice soft hair again this morning thanks to chemicals and will definitely look out for the cheap but good suggestions on here. I'm a sucker for MN suggestions which is why I tried the natural stuff in the first place...

Did you do a clarifying wash first before you started using natural stuff? Apparently you have to do that to get rid of the silicone build up otherwise it won't work.

No, I've never even heard of a clarifying wash, I probably should have read up a bit more before going all natural!

I've decided I like my chemicals I'm afraid (sorry MN)

I am silicone free but I don't shampoo. I use a ton of conditioner every time and I love the Alberto balsams. Cheap a cheerful and work brilliantly.

I use the Naked range and my hair is still shit but my scalp psoriasis is gone so I'm sticking with it.

Have you stripped all the old silicone and nasties out for your hair though? I used neutrogena shampoo at really gets rid of all the rubbish clinging to the hair, then Avenda shampoo and conditioner without silicone, my hair is much better now than before.

This is a v good article explaining it

rachgoesrawr.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/benefits-of-ditching-silicone-hair-products-my-experience-with-hints-and-tips/

I've been silicon and sulphate free for years now. I just have really unruly hair that needs far more time spent on it than I can be bothered to give. When I blow dry it it looks ok as long as it's got something in it to give it moisture, but I'm more of a wash and go girl and hardly every have time to dry it or style it properly.

It seems to me that the the no-silicone/SLS thing works very, very well on virgin hair, but can be far less successful if you've had any kind of colour or chemical treatment, or if your hair is already damaged in any way.

I gave it up, but would love to go back to it one day if I ever succeed in growing out my colour

Thanks again everyone. I've never coloured or treated my hair, don't even blow dry it. I just wash and air dry. I have curly frizzy hair and love my curls, no desire to get rid of them. Would just like them to be more defined, but I hate anything you leave in with a passion, so all those serums are rubbish for me.

Intrigued by not using shampoo though, does conditioner clean your hair enough?

Flaming, have you read the 'Curly Girl Handbook'? It's got some really useful info in there.

I use bodyshop rainforest shampoo and conditioner and then Naked curl cream - it's fab, my curls have never been nicer :)

When you switch to silicone and SLS free, you need to have one last good shampoo with SLS but silicone free shampoo to get the silicone out. Then make the switch.

the dr organics stuff from h&b is good.
the dc use it and I occassionally.

Alberto balsam isn't silicon free?

My hair is definitely better since I stopped using the curly girl method. I persevered for more than 6 months and did a clarifying wash before I started and everything. It is highlighted though so maybe that is why.

I use a Pantene silicon free shampoo, I think that it still contains SLS or similar, which my fine hair seems to need but doesn't get so much build up due to the lack of silicone. I'd always avoided Pantene like the plague in the past due to the silicones. I also rinse with apple cider vinegar (1 measure to 4 measures of water) once a week, which really seems to make a difference.

Rinse with apple cider vinegar before washing, not after...

Not all of them are, I think the blueberry one and the coconut ones are Attra

Try Palmers (makers of Cocoa Butter) new shampoo and conditioner range. its sulfate and paraben free- and its absolutely the best I've ever used! my hair had never looked better!

Glad I'm not the only not who struggled with Naked - made my hair hideous. Aveda is fab but £££. Am back on the l'oreal.

I thought the Body Shop Rain Forest stuff had silicone in it?

BTW: unwanted conditioner makes a great shaving cream for shaving legs, if you don't feel like chucking it away.

Definitely no silicones, sulphates or parabans in body shop rainforest

Is naked a brand?

I'm a big fan of sulphate free products because they leave my hair in amazing condition! Not stripped from the sulphates, not misleadingly coated from the silicones. Maybe ditch naked if it's a brand and try Jason or look in TK maxx? I got massive (1L iirc) natural shampoo and conditioners there for £5.99 and £7 each. Bargain.