Silicones in hair products

mintedrose · ‎03-04-2017

Was just reading some articles about types of silicones used in hair care and how bad some of them can be for our hair over time. Dimethecone which is harder to get out of hair and so it builds up and causes hair to become dry, damaged and break by making them weaker. Its kind of a plastic or rubber base and when a product states it gives shine, it just means its fake shine from plastic not from healthy hair. Lots of products with shine and conditioning labels usually have this in them among others. I was just about to purchase a wen product and noticed all wen products have this in them. This means your hair is just being coated with plastic making it look healthy or shiny but its just damaging your hair by suffocating it.

Thoughts?

~No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted~ Aesop

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@mintedrose wrote:
Was just reading some articles about types of silicones used in hair care and how bad some of them can be for our hair over time. Dimethecone which is harder to get out of hair and so it builds up and causes hair to become dry, damaged and break by making them weaker. Its kind of a plastic or rubber base and when a product states it gives shine, it just means its fake shine from plastic not from healthy hair. Lots of products with shine and conditioning labels usually have this in them among others. I was just about to purchase a wen product and noticed all wen products have this in them. This means your hair is just being coated with plastic making it look healthy or shiny but its just damaging your hair by suffocating it.

Thoughts?

@mintedrose. Having curly hair which is naturally more dry, I’ve avoided products w/ any “cones” for many years. In the short term, it will coat the hair and prevent frizz and make the hair appear shiny. Long term use causes breakage, split ends, etc. The silicone actually suffocates the hair shaft and moisture cannot get to it.

The real damage is that this accumulation of silicone is also on the scalp. It affects the hair follicles so hair growth is inhibited.

IMHO, there is every reason to avoid it. By the way, primers and some makeup use silicones as well. We all have to become careful label readers.

Icegoddess · ‎03-19-2010

@Shanus, I have been eliminating silicones in my haircare, although I have yet to find a finishing cream like Jonathan's Silky Dirt that doesn't have it, so that is the one item I have not been able to give up. Gave up sulfates years ago to protect my color.

As far as primers go, I don't worry about that since I generally only wear primer and makeup once or twice a week.

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@Icegoddess wrote:
@Shanus, I have been eliminating silicones in my haircare, although I have yet to find a finishing cream like Jonathan's Silky Dirt that doesn't have it, so that is the one item I have not been able to give up. Gave up sulfates years ago to protect my color.

As far as primers go, I don't worry about that since I generally only wear primer and makeup once or twice a week.

@Icegoddess Please check the Curly Girl Method approved products. None of them have silicones. ULTA carries DevaCurl products and Ouidad, but drugstore brands are also available. If you don’t have curls, doesn’t matter...silicone free is your hairs best way to go.

Icegoddess · ‎03-19-2010

I do try to follow Curly Girl Method, at least as far as products go. I don't do the plopping thing or bending over in the shower to wash my hair. If I could find a good dupe for the Silky Dirt that was CG friendly I would jump on it in a heartbeat. I do have curly hair, but mine is enhanced by a perm.

A lot of the Ouidad products are not CG-approved. I tried to like a Deva-curl spritz years ago, but it just made my hair feel like straw. So now I'm sorta afraid of the line. I'm on a Curly Hair group on FB, so I'm keeping my eye out. I am a fan of Shea Moisture, Curls, and Not Your Mother's Naturals products, as well as Raw Curls.

sonechko · ‎12-29-2014

Not trying to advocate for you to use WEN in any way.

Only a comment on ingredients from WEN Cleansing Conditioners currently being sold on QVC.

There is a long list of wonderful ingredients in these products, by the way!

I don't see Dimethecone in any of them. There is Amodimethicone listed towards the end of the list.

Could be these two are same product, obviously being widely used by Cosmetic Industry. Maybe it's not so terrible or it would not been allowed.

Here's info under "Amodimethicone" on cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/amodimethicone

Dimethicone, also known as polydimethylsiloxane, is a silicon-based polymer that is a man-made synthetic molecule made up of repeating units called monomers.

Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust after oxygen, and silicon dioxide is also known as sand, commonly found on beaches and shores.

Dimethicone can also be found in many cooking oils, processed foods and in fast food items such as chicken nuggets and French fries.

Dimethicone is used in the formulation of a wide range of cosmetics and personal care products including creams and lotions, bath soaps, shampoo and hair care products, where it functions primarily as an:

*Antifoaming agent

*Hair Conditioning agent

*Skin Conditioning agent

*Skin Protectant

Spring Honey Lilac Cleansing Conditioner

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Aloe
Vera Leaf Juice, Cetyl Alcohol, Lilac Extract, Green Tea Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, White
Tea Leaf Extract, Rooibos Red Tea Extract, Black Tea Leaf Extract, Aloe Vera Leaf Extract,
Rosemary Leaf Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Wild Cherry Fruit Extract, Goji Fruit Extract, Acai
Fruit Extract, Chamomile Flower/Leaf Extract, Marigold Flower Extract, Seaweed Extract,
Menthol, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, L-Valine,
L-Threonine, L-Proline, L-Isoleucine, L-Phenylaline, L-Histidine, L-Alanine, L-Serine, L-Arginine,
L-Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycerin, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA,
Citric Acid, Amodimethicone, Carbomer, Polysorbate-60, Polysorbate-20, Tetrasodium EDTA,
Butylene Glycol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Methylchloroisothiazolinone,
Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

@mintedrose. All I can say is you are a brave woman to post this info about WEN. Once the fans see this, although undoubtedly true, they are going to go ballistic. They will, of course, deny the dangers of the product and swear it's safe because Chaz says so. If the lawsuits didn't convince them, nothing will.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

untitled · ‎04-15-2012

@mintedrose

o right - just one look st your posting history and one knows there was absolutely no sincerity to your post. You had no intention of buying a Wen product - you were just - you know stirring the pot.

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

Silicone by itself is really harmless. It's when the hair cuticle gets coated with it that it creates the problem of dryness and breakage by blocking moisture and conditioners from reaching the shaft. There are other things, besides silicone, that have this ability and one of them is hard water. So I wouldn't be so quick to blame silicone for your dry hair. However, it may be a contributing factor.

sonechko · ‎12-29-2014

@untitled wrote:
@mintedrose

o right - just one look st your posting history and one knows there was absolutely no sincerity to your post. You had no intention of buying a Wen product - you were just - you know stirring the pot.

Lol! @untitled. Amazing is not it? The entire cosmetic industry is using the ingredient she is "warning" us about, but she steps forward to pick specifically on WEN........ Wonder, what exactly she has against this specific brand to post this nonsense? What's poster real intention? Well, I can think of a reason or two, but won't speculate on them here.