Are silicone free hair products really necessary?

[Aperolontherocks]

Hi,

So I'm desperately trying to sort my dry, bleach frazzled hair with various treatments, masks and conditioners, plus I've lost a lot of hair due to low ferritin levels, but some of that, I think, is starting to grow back since trying to really up my iron intake.

Temporary side effect of that, is the Christopher Lloyd, crazy, fluffy side bits and clarifying style shampoos can really highlight that!

I recently tried the Pantene lift and volume, with no silicone and my hair just feels a bit yucky. It does have a bit if volume, but I honestly think it needs the silicone to calm it down!

I hear mixed things about it. General consensus is it doesn't damage your hair as such, but is a bit of a 'papering over the cracks' type ingredient.

Thoughts? Also, product suggestions would be hugely appreciated!

TIA

Bump

I tried the no silicone route for about 3 months in an effort to improve my heavily highlighted hair ( from dark brown) but - it just looked crap & dry. It’s also very wavy - so was doing the curly girl.
What a waste of my bloody time: money! . Gone back to the whole Olaplex range and my hair has massively improved!
The silicone s help it to stay untangled : and wash out very nicely!
Some hair isn’t responsive to silicones, that’s true , but… l think in the main, most people can use then without issue.

I know what you mean and have felt similar but one of the Garnier hair food ones in the tub works for me. It’s the banana one, I’ll try to post a photo.

This one

I have wavy/curly hair and I’ve lost count of how many people have told me that I must try the curly girl method because it would be so much better for my hair. But I give no shits, I will use my lovely silicone-y shampoo and conditioner until the day I die. I don’t want to battle with my hair or go through horrible stages with it, I like being able to run a brush through it easily. It’s shiny, silky and easy to style and that’s good enough for me.

I'm using the same product as Mamette.
I was sceptical about the silicone free products, but my bleached ringlets like it very much.
My hair only gets shampooed when the hairdresser dyes it. The rest of the time it's Garnier ultimate coconut one usually or another that is silicone free, followed by the hair food, I use the hair food at night once in a while too.

I ditched silicone when I realised it was responsible for the weird patina on my hair I could never wash out. I’ve never looked back and it really annoyed me how difficult it was until very recently to find conditioners and styling products that didn’t use it. But if you like it that would seem to be a good enough reason for you to use it.

IYou think it’s the shampooed that are required to clean silicone off that are the problem. Also struggling with the fluffy temples here though!

I use silicone free conditioner and my hair feels much better, but I suspect it's each to their own.

I used XHC Ginger Conditioner for £1 from Savers or similar. It's great. They do a Banana one as well.

Christopher Lloyd

My hair is very fine, but has definitely improved since stopping silicone. The Garnier hair foods recommended above are very good. I like the Loreal Botanics range as well.

Thanks for all the replies.

I guess it just depends on hair type 🤷‍♀️

I'm wondering whether to stick with the shampoo to reduce build up, but go back to the silicone conditioners and masks.

I don't think the problem is silicone, I think it's that you have to use shampoo with sulphates to remove the silicone and prevent build up on the hair.

Sure I read somewhere too that it actually makes the hair more dry as it builds up. Some silicone isn't water soluble so needs a clarifying type shampoo to remove

Tbh though life is too short to have shit hair! Do what works for you.

As mentioned above, silicone is not the enemy- its sulfates, or SLS as it might be on your shampoo ingredients. It makes some hair (usually wavy/curly) majorly frizzy. It’s the same stuff that makes the foam in washing up liquid and other quite strong detergents. Silicone needs a strong detergent to wash it away so when you go sulfate free you have to go silicone free too..
If your hair can tolerate SLS then carry on using normal shampoo and conditioner. Why not.
Even a small whiff of sulfates makes my hair awfully frizzy but I use normal shampoo on my kids, I’m always amazed that their hair can be straight and smooth after washing with sulfates!

This is very true about SLS and the like.
I do avoid those still… using the whole range from something usually guarantees you’ll be able to get the silicone out etc… :)

The silicone coats the hair and prevents other products affecting the hair- you won't be able to add moisture, for example.

I’ve tried all sorts over the years. Finally due to years of a sore scalp I started using nizoral medicated shampoo and Alberto balsam coconut sls free conditioner. (Because it was cheap) and my hair has never been in better condition. It’s been several months now and it keeps feel better and I didn’t think it was possible but it feels thicker too. I can’t keep my hands out of my hair. I won’t be switching to anything else.