Beauty

[Icegoddess]

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@SahmIam wrote:

Silicone and sulfates are the 'Double S Words" that everyone appears to hate in hair products. Some, however, have hair that doesn't have an issue with them:I'm one of them.

Sulfate free formulas have come a long way over the years. In the past, my hair was a gummy, horrible mess. I stopped reading the labels and used whatever made my hair healthy and shiny; some products had sulfates, some didn't.

I like silicone in my products but in small doses. There are some products that have a ton of the stuff and hours later, my hair is a greasy mess. Others contain 1 or 2 and my hair is happy. Some I can only use during the winter. I rotate hair products like I do skincare; the season and the weather dictate what products I use.

As someone else mentioned, clarifying works wonders to rid your hair of build-up. I wash twice a week; I deep condition on Sundays (one of the days I wash) and I clarify every 6 weeks (the day before I color). I have gorgeous hair so I must be doing something right, lol.

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The reason I avoid sulfates is to keep my color from fading.  Therefore, I don't want to do a clarifying wash every week or two.  Actually, I only shampoo with the sulfate-free shampoo maybe once a week.  So, best for me to avoid things that build up on the hair. 

On the other hand I have no issue with parabens that so many other people fear.  

[Icegoddess]

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@Shanus wrote:

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@Icegoddess wrote:

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.

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@Icegoddess  I love the Shea Moisture line, too. Sometimes I go back over my dry, styled hair w/ a drop of conditioner. I guess that’s like using a cream. What does the product you’re trying to replace do for your hair and where does it fit into your hair routine? May help me think of a substitute.

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@Shanus, it's a finishing cream.  "Perfect to control and smooth hair....adds definition & texture".  I also add some oils that I mix up to it.  I'm not sure a drop of conditioner would do the same thing as it seems it would lose it's effectiveness as it dries.  The Raw Curls line has a pomade, but it contains beeswax which can also build up on hair and I think would be too heavy for my fine hair.  In general, pomades are too heavy and stiff.  Jonathan first came out with just Dirt which was a pomade and then came out with the Silky Dirt that comes in a squeeze tube rather than the pots pomades come in.  I want my hair to feel like hair, not like producty hair.

[suzyQ3]

I have curly hair and do follow the no-silicone advice. If you avoid all non-water-soluble -cones (google to find a list because they don't all end in "-cone"), you do need a sulfate shampoo if you don't want build-up.

I have no problem with -cones in skincare or make-up; if fact, I like them.

[SahmIam]

@Icegoddess  I'm still not 100% sure that sulfates strip hair color. I know some who use products I stopped using due to sulfates and their color (1 is a red head) looks great (and red heads are KNOWN to have the toughest color to keep looking good). Others, yes, their color fades.

I bop between a few lines; One of them uses sulfates. My color doesn't fade when I use that line. However, another line I use (am using up) doesn't contain sulfates but DOES fade my color and badly. That's why I just go buy what works for my hair and ignore the ingredient list.

[suzyQ3]

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@SahmIam wrote:

@Icegoddess  I'm still not 100% sure that sulfates strip hair color. I know some who use products I stopped using due to sulfates and their color (1 is a red head) looks great (and red heads are KNOWN to have the toughest color to keep looking good). Others, yes, their color fades.

I bop between a few lines; One of them uses sulfates. My color doesn't fade when I use that line. However, another line I use (am using up) doesn't contain sulfates but DOES fade my color and badly. That's why I just go buy what works for my hair and ignore the ingredient list.

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@SahmIam, when I was using sulfate shampoos, I don't recall my color fading more or less than it does now with my sulfate-free shampoo. I love it because it not nearly as harsh on my hair.

[SilleeMee]

I think sulfate shampoos are good for people who have very oily hair and/or for people who use a lot of styling products on their hair. 

[Katcat1]

@mintedrose    No silicones in Acure Organics products.  Target online now sells their products.  I was in the store but they did not carry everything.  

[jazzbabe]

I have curly hair and I generally avoid both sulphates and silicon.  Sine I color my hair with a mixture of henna/indigo/cassia I don’t have to worry about the color fading but I think sulphates are very harsh and drying for my hair.  I cleanse my hair 1-2 times per week and try to deep condition it once a week.  However I do use a clarifying shampoo every 6 weeks or so right before I color my hair.  

[Mrsq2022]

I do know that over ten years ago, hairdressers were warning against Pantene due to its silicone build up that made the hair seem bouncy and shiny, but over time, dried it out.  Same argument, different brand.  

I completely avoid silicone products on my skin and hair.  It just doesn't work for me personally.

[Mrsq2022]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

I think sulfate shampoos are good for people who have very oily hair and/or for people who use a lot of styling products on their hair. 

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This is me.  I don't mind the sulfates, but the cones leave my hair limp and flat.