I'm going to tell you all about my hair revelation!

[gaggiagirl]

I had never found my holy grail shampoo and conditioner.
So three years ago started using SLS free products, silicone free products, organic, non foaming products.
I stuck with it. Always trying new brands. Never sticking to each brand because my hair wasn't feeling it.
So for three years I've had fly away, dull, limp, brittle, rough feeling hair.
Anyway 2 weeks ago I bought some shampoo and conditioner that is full of lovely chemicals and SLS and silicone and my hair is transformed! Shiny, bouncy, smooth and soft.
The only difference is that I'm now back to washing it twice a week instead of once every 10 days.
Thanks for listening, I was desperate to share that.

I had the same here OP. SLS free just did not work for my hair at all.

Me too.

It totally works for some people. It was hugely beneficial to not have to wash it as often though. But washing more is a small price to pay for mirror shine

Great thread.

I'm about 4 months into a sls free, silicone free experiment, and my hair is awful. Definitely not in better condition than when I started. I think that it's actually the worst it's looked in years too. 🙁

I decided a couple of days ago to just go back to the sls shampoo and dimethicone filled styling products. Any recommendations?

I absolutely can't stop touching my hair now. Never thought I would have good hair again.

@sedona123 I'm using mane and tail. It's fantastic stuff.

I thought I was the only person this happened to! I have very curly hair so followed the advice to look after it cutting out sulfates and silicones... my hair has never been drier or more brittle and it just looks awful. Definitely going back to silicone.

Yup, found the same with health store hair stuff. Lacklustre locks. Used to use Elvive years ago... Must give Mane &Tail a try!

What conditioner are you using with mane and tail please?

Just seen they do there own!

I'm using the mane and tail gentle clarifyong shampoo and matching conditioner. They have loads superdrug a full mane and tail range I believe Sainsbury's sell it too.

I have never understood why SLS is so demonised! Silicones are brilliant at what they do. I think it is just one of those internet nonsense theories that get repeated like all the coconut oil bumf - it is a bit like a religion. People 'believe' rather than find out for themselves.

I tried a £10 SLS free shampoo that was designed for daily use but it left my hair flat. I have very fine hair that gets greasy easily so I think I need the drying effect of SLS to give it some volume!

Yes! I have tried these organic everything-free shampoos in various incarnations and at great expense.
I've since realised bog standard tresemme works the best on my hair.

Thanks for this OP. I too have fallen for the silicone free/ SLS free stuff and tortured myself for few years now trying to get that glossy hair they show you on Pinterest. I think I'll just go back to what I was doing before. I miss my glossy swishy hair.

One thing I will say has given me a great shine when I remember to use it is to rinse with Apple cider vinegar. Must do that more often.

SLS is not a silicone, it's sodium laureth sulfate. It's what makes the shampoo foamy. In large amounts it can be quite harsh and drying.

Silicones coat the hair, making it appear to be in a better condition than it truly is. Overuse of silicones can cause them to build up on the hair and cause it to become brittle. They do have their place in the hair world, though I'd use them as a styling product (ie use a slicone based de-frizzer) rather than a regular conditioner.

If your hair was dry and brittle during the silicone free time, it's because it is dry and brittle all the time, but the silicones are coating your hair, making it appear healthy. It might just be your hair type (in which case crack on with the silicones but use a clarifying shampoo every few washes) or your hair might need protein or moisture.

To test which take a single strand of your hair when damp, pull gently, healthy hair with stretch a little and then return to it's normal length. Hair in need of protein will stretch a lot and then snap. Hair in need of moisture will snap pretty much as soon as you pull.

So if it needs protein do you mean dietary protein or protein stuff to apply to hair?

I’m sorry but silicones do not build up on hair. This is all part of the myths and legends of the marketing department of the shampoo manufacturers.

Silicones are washed off completely when you shampoo your hair, particularly if you use a decent surfactant such as SLS, but even a secondary surfactant will do so as well. There is absolutely no need for a ‘clarifying shampoo’ which is just plain shampoo. Which you can see if you read the ingredients list.

You can put protein on your hair - cheapest and best way is an egg yolk - but that will also be washed off next shampoo and will make no difference to the essential hair composition. Like silicones it will make a difference to the way hair feels until it is washed though.

Totally agree with you, OP.

Oh I agree. I love my hair coated in silicone. It's easy to avoid build up by using a clarifying shampoo once a week or so.

I don't think going SLS free works for all hair types. SLS is brilliant at trapping oil based dirt so it can be washed away. I don't get the hysteria about it being dangerous or bad for you either. It's safe, effective, and all cosmetics are under tight regulation in this country.

I think if you have very coarse, curly hair it can work to avoid washing out the oils and letting them build up, resulting in more defined curls but for anyone with fine hair, not using a decent sls detergent can leave your hair lank and dull.

Which clarifying shampoo do you use Ilostitin please?

I too tried the Sulfate free route. It worked for a good while, but then suddenly stopped working. I can't use it now my hair feels horrible!

Used a natural conditioner for a while too, but switched back to sweet silicone infused products. It's easy enough to remove the build up with a good clarifying shampoo. I bought one on Amazon. Can't remember the full name of it but it's Toni & Guy detox something. Smells beaut and I really recommend!

For my regular shampoo and conditioner, I use Bed Head Urban Antidotes Level 3. If you have really dry and/or damaged hair, it works wonders! Also use another Bed Head conditioner that I assume is packed with silicones. Makes your hair really smoothe and shiny. Also Aussie 3 minute miracle is great especially if you're on a budget xx

Can I just share my new find for my really really dry, damaged over dyed and breaking hair. It's so soft and shiny after that I'm amazed.

Pantene do a good clarifying shampoo. You can't go wrong with good old classic Vosene original anti dandruff shampoo for a really deep clean. I use that every couple of weeks.