If you watch a lot of haircare YouTube videos or TikToks, you’ll hear people moan about silicones in haircare products, but is silicone bad for your hair?
Lots of haircare products contain silicones, and it’s often the silicones that leave our hair looking super sleek and shiny.
Does silicone build up on our hair, or suffocate the hair? I’m going to share the pros and cons of using silicones in your hair care routine, so keep on reading to find out if silicone-based hair products to be avoided or not…
What Exactly Are Silicones and Why Are They in Hair Products?
When you see silicone on your hair product label, the “silicone” is made from synthetic polymers derived from “silica”, and is designed to coat the hair, to help lock in moisture.
Silicones are common in hair products, as they help to create a smooth, shiny surface that reduces frizz and makes hair more manageable.
One of the most common silicones is dimethicone, which you’ll often find listed on ingredient labels because it provides immediate shine and tames flyaways – it’s also popular in makeup primers, for giving a smooth and flawless base for your makeup.
There are different forms of silicones, including water-soluble silicones, which rinse out easily. Then there are non-water-soluble silicones, which linger in the hair, and it’s these that can cause potential build-up.
Silicone build-up happens when the silicones aren’t washed out completely, and this then leaves your hair feeling heavy or limp over time.
There’s also another type of silicone, and its evaporating-silicones, which disappear after application, but these are less likely to cause issues with your hair.
The Good Side of Silicone Based Haircare Products
One of the main benefits of using silicone in your hair care routine, is their ability to form a protective barrier around your hair shaft, to help lock in moisture and prevent frizz, especially if you have coarse, dry, or frizz-prone hair.
You’ll notice a beautiful shine boost, as silicones reflect the light, so they give a mirror-like shine and healthy sheen.
Silicone-based products make detangling much easier too, by reducing the friction between your strands, which helps to minimize breakage.
If you use heat tools on your hair, silicones also offer heat protection, by shielding your hair from potential heat damage.
For a lighter feel and easier washout, look for water-soluble silicones. They break down with regular washing, allowing you to enjoy all these benefits without worrying about excessive buildup.
The Bad Side of Silicone Based Haircare Products
While silicone-based haircare products deliver instant smoothness and shine, they come with potential downsides too.
One of the main issues is silicone buildup within your hair, especially from the non-water-soluble types of silicones.
These types of silicones coat your strands, making them feel heavy and greasy over time.
This buildup forms a barrier that locks out moisture and nutrients, often resulting in dry hair that feels brittle and prone to breakage.
If you’re wanting to remove your silicone build-up, you should use a clarifying shampoo to reduce the build-up, but not too often, as you don’t want to strip away your scalp’s natural oil, as that could itself cause your hair to become dry and damaged.
If you have a more sensitive scalp (like myself), the build-up of silicones can lead to inflammation and irritation, and for me, a nightmare with an itchy scalp.
How to Identify Silicones in Your Hair Care Products
If you want to look out for silicones when choosing new haircare products, most haircare silicones have names ending in “cone”, “conol” or “siloxane”.
Scan the ingredients list for common types like dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, or amodimethicone, and if you see any of these names towards the top of the list, it means the formula contains a higher concentration of these problematic silicones.
Also, know the difference between the water-soluble and non-water-soluble silicones, as water-soluble silicones, such as dimethicone copolyol, will rinse out easily and are less likely to cause residue or scalp issues.
Using non-water-soluble silicones can lead to build-up, and it’s then that you’ll need to use a clarifying shampoo once a week to get rid of them.
