Why Silicones Are A Cheap Alternative To High Quality Ingredients...
I tell my salon clients all the time... that stuff is coating your hair in plastic! I hear you say, plastic?! Yes, those silicones in cheap haircare products are suffocating your hair of nutrients. So now you're thinking what exactly are silicones?
Silicones are rubber like polymers often found in things like adhesives, electronics, toys, insulation, and cookware. Yep, that’s the stuff you’re putting on your hair! Ok, so which products have silicones? From shampoo to styling products if it’s cheap the products probably have silicones.
What Are Silicones And What Are The Different Types?
- Water-soluble silicones: Self explanatory this one! This type of silicone dissolves in water. In theory, a clarifying shampoo or mild shampoo can be used to remove the silicone and it's less likely to cause build-up.
- Non-soluble silicones: These can’t be removed or penetrated with water.
- Evaporating silicones: This type can evaporate after applied to the hair.
How To Spot Silicones...
Grab your hair products and have a quick look at the ingredient label. Most ingredients that end with “-cone” or have the prefix PEG are signs of silicones. Dimethicone copolyol, for example, is a common water-soluble silicone found in cosmetics that gives hair that frizz free, silky feel.
Still thinking silicones are ok?
Ok sure, silicones will most definitely defrizz and give you that shiny, silky hair feeling but essentially they're choking the hair of nutrients. Silicone isn't toxic but it will create a shield like coating on your hair that will block moisture and nutrients from penetrating the hair shaft. Continued use will eventually lead to hair that is duller, dryer, weaker with a lot of build-up. I hear all the time.. "I have to change shampoo after a while because it stops working". Let me say it for the people in the back row... SILICONE BUILD-UP! Every time you switch to cheap products you are hitting the repeat button.
So what's the alternative?
To achieve the same shine-boosting, UV protecting, frizz-defying effects of silicone, we can use ingredients used from mother nature herself, like cold-pressed oils processed without synthetics. Let me introduce.. I Create Shine! This beauty uses cranberry seed oil like sunscreen to protect against UV rays, sunflower seed oil to deeply moisture, macadamia oil to create a reflective shine, and sesame oil to prevent breakage. I love using this luxe, lightweight oil on my own and my clients of all different hair types and textures. Never greasy, never heavy. Don't forget if an oil feels heavy in your hands it will probably feel heavy in your hair.