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Hair experts weigh in.
Meet the Experts
Are Silicones Really Bad for Your Hair?
Liz deSousa for BYRDIE
And this, friends, is why silicones are so very difficult to wrap our heads around.
What are Silicones?
Silicones are a group of ingredients that act like a raincoat for your hair and skin.
Products with silicones in them will lock out humidity and leave your hair and skin feeling slick and smooth.
Is Silicone-Free Haircare Better?
Silicones are not all bad; they help make your hair feel soft and shiny and can reduce frizz.
Works well with: Silicone can be used with a variety of other silicone products.
Benefits of Silicone for Hair
Silicones and hair have a complicated relationship.
Since most are not water-soluble, it can lead to someprettyannoying build-up over time.
So, if youve ever struggled with build-up at your roots anddry-looking ends, silicones could be to blame.
Though, not just any silicones, but bad silicones (more on those, below).
As with most beauty products and ingredients, not all silicones are created equal.
So how do you get them out of your hair?
With aclarifying shampooor aDIY hair rinse.
The Best Products Without Silicone
Our conclusion?
Use shampoos with silicones sparingly.
This non-lathering cleanser leaves hair squeaky clean while remaining completely safe and gentle.
It’s both weightless and nourishing, promising to leave your hair softer after just one use.
This silicone-free shampoo fromAct+Acreis a dream for removing buildup on all hair types, especially those with curly hair.
It manages to make your hair feel squeaky clean and fresh without feeling dry and stripped.
So-called “bad” silicones coat each strand of hair and prevent other moisturizing ingredients from penetrating the hair.
Silicones may make your hair greasy because they prevent other hydrating ingredients from nourishing the hair.
Harvard Health Publishing.Moisturizers: do they work?Updated May 29, 2019.
Gavazzoni Dias MF.Hair cosmetics: an overview.Int J Trichology.
2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450
Gavazzoni Dias MFR.Pro and contra of cleansing conditioners.Skin Appendage Disord.
2019;5(3):131-134. doi:10.1159/000493588
