What are serums/polishers for?

[nisha2004]

Hey ladies...stupid question...but what are serum/polishers for? How many of you guys actually use them, and how? Thanx.

 

[gymfreak336]

They give shine!! Just take a dime sized amount, rub it in your hands and run it through your hair. I like ors olive oil serum and smooth and shine polisher. Many serums also are heat protectants.

 

[Glib Gurl]

I am giving this five stars because I wonder the same thing myself. I mean, are they *just* for cosmetic purposes or are there serums out there that protect or moisturize or . . . sumthin! *lol* I already put a lot of gunk on my hair as it is (with leave-ins and moisturizers and sealants and heat protectants and . . . .) If folks can give brand names and what they use them for, that would be helpful!

Thanks for adding your wisdom Gymfreak!

 

[gymfreak336]

I am giving this five stars because I wonder the same thing myself. I mean, are they *just* for cosmetic purposes or are there serums out there that protect or moisturize or . . . sumthin! *lol* I already put a lot of gunk on my hair as it is (with leave-ins and moisturizers and sealants and heat protectants and . . . .) If folks can give brand names and what they use them for, that would be helpful!

Thanks for adding your wisdom Gymfreak!

Many serums have some sort of strengthing agents like joico kpak serum.

Serums help add managability to the hair and seal in moisture. After using a moisturizing cream I like to add a dime sized amount of paul mitchell super skinny serum to my edges to help seal in the moisture to keep my newgrowth from drying out since my edges dry out first.


Serums you might want to look into are

Paul Mitchell super skinny serum
Chi silk infusion
Neutrogena triple moisture serum
Smooth and shine serum
Fantasia olive oil serum
ORS Olive oil serum

the last four are really easy to find and cost less than 8 bucks. The chi silk infusion is also a heat protectant. The paul mitchel super skinny serum is good for blowdrying. It helps smooth out my newgrowth.

 

[Kari107]

Many serums have some sort of strengthing agents like joico kpak serum.

Serums help add managability to the hair and seal in moisture. After using a moisturizing cream I like to add a dime sized amount of paul mitchell super skinny serum to my edges to help seal in the moisture to keep my newgrowth from drying out since my edges dry out first.


Serums you might want to look into are

Paul Mitchell super skinny serum
Chi silk infusion
Neutrogena triple moisture serum
Smooth and shine serum
Fantasia olive oil serum
ORS Olive oil serum

the last four are really easy to find and cost less than 8 bucks. The chi silk infusion is also a heat protectant. The paul mitchel super skinny serum is good for blowdrying. It helps smooth out my newgrowth.

I agree with this. It's the main reason I use serum. While it does give a nice shine it's also a great sealant. I tend to alternate serums and coconut oil as my leave in sealants. My favorite serum is aveda brilliant gloss.

 

[ShaniKeys]

They give shine!! Just take a dime sized amount, rub it in your hands and run it through your hair. I like ors olive oil serum and smooth and shine polisher. Many serums also are heat protectants.

Yeah, I use them as heat protectants, and they give a nice shine to your hair. A small amount when you're flat ironing does wonders, because too much of it can feel like sticky liquid glue on your hair

 

[Leslie_C]

They give shine!! Just take a dime sized amount, rub it in your hands and run it through your hair. I like ors olive oil serum and smooth and shine polisher. Many serums also are heat protectants.

Cant any serum be used as a heat protectant? They are all basically a combination of silicones. If not, what makes certain ones qualify?

Keracare silk n seal is another good one.

Another thing to consider is if you use serums a lot (or any products with cones in them), you will probably need to clarify more often because they tend to cause build up.

 

[gymfreak336]

Cant any serum be used as a heat protectant? They are all basically a combination of silicones. If not, what makes certain ones qualify?

Keracare silk n seal is another good one.

Another thing to consider is if you use serums a lot (or any products with cones in them), you will probably need to clarify more often because they tend to cause build up.

Not all serums are heat protectants. Just because it has silicone doesn't mean it is a heat protectant. Silicone does give more protection than just oil but all silicone products are not created equally when it comes to heat protectants.

 

[Gee M.]

Ok, help me out. So CHI Silk Infusion is a serum and heat protectant ? I asked the stylist at JC Penny and she said that it was serum and that I would need to use a heat protectant as well. I would love cut down on a product that I'm using on my hair.

Many serums have some sort of strengthing agents like joico kpak serum.

Serums help add managability to the hair and seal in moisture. After using a moisturizing cream I like to add a dime sized amount of paul mitchell super skinny serum to my edges to help seal in the moisture to keep my newgrowth from drying out since my edges dry out first.


Serums you might want to look into are

Paul Mitchell super skinny serum
Chi silk infusion
Neutrogena triple moisture serum
Smooth and shine serum
Fantasia olive oil serum
ORS Olive oil serum

the last four are really easy to find and cost less than 8 bucks. The chi silk infusion is also a heat protectant. The paul mitchel super skinny serum is good for blowdrying. It helps smooth out my newgrowth.

 

[missty1029]

I actually use it for my wash n gos to keep some type of tameness to the frizz. But it can make my hair kind of stiff when it dries. I was trying to get away from it wasnt sure if i was too healthy.

 

[gymfreak336]

Ok, help me out. So CHI Silk Infusion is a serum and heat protectant ? I asked the stylist at JC Penny and she said that it was serum and that I would need to use a heat protectant as well. I would love cut down on a product that I'm using on my hair.

It is also a heat protectant. Check the link http://www.chiretail.com/infra/silkinfusion.html

 

[apollo]

Many serums have some sort of strengthing agents like joico kpak serum.

Serums help add managability to the hair and seal in moisture. After using a moisturizing cream I like to add a dime sized amount of paul mitchell super skinny serum to my edges to help seal in the moisture to keep my newgrowth from drying out since my edges dry out first.


Serums you might want to look into are

Paul Mitchell super skinny serum
Chi silk infusion
Neutrogena triple moisture serum
Smooth and shine serum
Fantasia olive oil serum
ORS Olive oil serum

the last four are really easy to find and cost less than 8 bucks. The chi silk infusion is also a heat protectant. The paul mitchel super skinny serum is good for blowdrying. It helps smooth out my newgrowth.

Paul Mitchell super skinny serum can this be used as a heat protectant? Since it's good for blow drying what about flat ironing?

 

[gymfreak336]

Paul Mitchell super skinny serum can this be used as a heat protectant? Since it's good for blow drying what about flat ironing?

I said it was good at blowdrying because I find that when my old stylist used it for blowdrying, my hair seemed flatter compared to when they would use something else. My hair also dried alot faster. It smells great too.

 

[Leslie_C]

Not all serums are heat protectants. Just because it has silicone doesn't mean it is a heat protectant. Silicone does give more protection than just oil but all silicone products are not created equally when it comes to heat protectants.

you learn something new every day! So what ingredients qualify some serums to be heat protectants? I honestly thought that was one of the main purposes besides shine.

 

[gymfreak336]

you learn something new every day! So what ingredients qualify some serums to be heat protectants? I honestly thought that was one of the main purposes besides shine.

It is but there are other active heat protecting agents that many serums add to increase the protection. Silicone is better than none at all. Hopefully Sistaslick will peek in here to give more specific ingredients. In general heat protecting agents protect the hair from heat damage by providing lubrication during styling and silicones do do that. Many heat protecting products have additional amino acids like wheat protein or silk amino acids to help provide extra care.

 

[Artemis]

From reading those old Navsegda threads, I think what makes a great heat protectant vs. a good (or even okay) heat protectant is the type of silicones in the serum. Dimethicone (or dimethiconal), cyclomethicone, and trimethicone are some of the names you can look for. Having different types of silicones all in one product (like in Chi Silk Infusion, PM Super Skinny, etc) is what makes a serum a good heat protectant. If and when the heat on an appliance breaks some bonds in one silicone, the others are there as a backup for added protection.

But of course, we are all using our heat appliances at a moderate temp., so as to not break all the bonds of the product, so that is never an issue

 

[gymfreak336]

From reading those old Navsegda threads, I think what makes a great heat protectant vs. a good (or even okay) heat protectant is the type of silicones in the serum. Dimethicone (or dimethiconal), cyclomethicone, and trimethicone are some of the names you can look for. Having different types of silicones all in one product (like in Chi Silk Infusion, PM Super Skinny, etc) is what makes a serum a good heat protectant. If and when the heat on an appliance breaks some bonds in one silicone, the others are there as a backup for added protection.

But of course, we are all using our heat appliances at a moderate temp., so as to not break all the bonds of the product, so that is never an issue

Thanks for bringing that up Artemis...you always contribute more good info.

 

[Energist]

I use them for shine and protection