Winter and Silicones oh my

[lettieg27]

Hi everyone Im a new member but a long time lurker and I want to pose a question to you hair experts. So we all no silicones are not great for hair in aiding moisture because the sit on top of the hair strands, however because of this same purpose they can be used as a heat protectant. So my question is do you think after you have properly moistured and sealed your hair you can but a silicone type serum on top to help combat against the harsh winter weather?

I also tried to search for this topic and didn't see anything so I hope this hasn't already been answered.
Thanks ladies any and all replies are appreciated

 

[Artemis]

Hi everyone Im a new member but a long time lurker and I want to pose a question to you hair experts. So we all no silicones are not great for hair in aiding moisture because the sit on top of the hair strands, however because of this same purpose they can be used as a heat protectant. So my question is do you think after you have properly moistured and sealed your hair you can but a silicone type serum on top to help combat against the harsh winter weather?

I also tried to search for this topic and didn't see anything so I hope this hasn't already been answered.
Thanks ladies any and all replies are appreciated

Sorry, but I disagree with the bold. While they don't add moisture, silicones actually seal in moisture that you already have and protect the hair. And they also dissipate over a few days time so they don't sit on the hair like you described. So this is why they are effective when applied to damp hair.

MoroccanOil is a great product for this reason. It is lightweight silicone based but has the Argan oil in it that penetrates the hair long after the silicones have dissipated. So yes to your question. Just use a light amount and focus your application on your ends, and it should be fine.

 

[lettieg27]

Cmon ladies any other opinions

 

[lettieg27]

I see your point about Morroccan Oil penetrating the hair strand but the general natural of silicones is to sit on top of the hair just like vaseline or shea butter will do. The silicones help the strands from losing moisture because it provides a barrier; however the silicone itself is not moisturizing one of the reasons many women don't use products that contain them. Heres an article where a scienist answer a question on silicones Are Silicones Bad For Your Hair?. But my point in using silicones would not be to moisture my hair but to protect it from the harsh weather of winter.

 

[lwilliams1922]

I was/am avoiding silicones like the plague. Recently i'm discovering different cobnes react differently on my hair. There are a FEW cones that my hair likes (WEN & panteen).

Actually i 'm also using shea butter now where at first it caused problems. It needs to be a small amount and I need to cowash or rinse every other day.

it's been trial and error (and retrial)

 

[Artemis]

I see your point about Morroccan Oil penetrating the hair strand but the general natural of silicones is to sit on top of the hair just like vaseline or shea butter will do. The silicones help the strands from losing moisture because it provides a barrier; however the silicone itself is not moisturizing one of the reasons many women don't use products that contain them. Heres an article where a scienist answer a question on silicones Are Silicones Bad For Your Hair?. But my point in using silicones would not be to moisture my hair but to protect it from the harsh weather of winter.

Hydration is one thing, Moisturization is another.

Re-read my post and you will see that I said that silicones don't hydrate, but sealing the moisture that is already present, ie moisturize. They sit on the hair, but not like as thickly as vaseline or shea butter. They dissipate much faster once applied (on a molecular level). And there are different types of silicones in various concentrations depending on the product formulation. Blanket statements create useless propaganda.

And that if they protect your hair, they will protect your hair whenever you apply it, even in winter. So basically your question has been answered.

Edit: If your source is Beauty Brains, you should also recognize that they also say that most hair products in general are completely ineffective to hair. So what is the point of all the efforts that people make with hair products if none of it works? (when we know this isn't always the case). It's all subjective. Further, if they didn't make the statements they make, their site wouldn't exist. So take it or leave it, but you asked a question and got a response.

 

[Creative Genius]

Hydration is one thing, Moisturization is another.

Re-read my post and you will see that I said that silicones don't hydrate, but sealing the moisture that is already present, ie moisturize. They sit on the hair, but not like as thickly as vaseline or shea butter. They dissipate much faster once applied (on a molecular level). And there are different types of silicones in various concentrations depending on the product formulation. Blanket statements create useless propaganda.

And that if they protect your hair, they will protect your hair whenever you apply it, even in winter. So basically your question has been answered.

Edit: If your source is Beauty Brains, you should also recognize that they also say that most hair products in general are completely ineffective to hair. So what is the point of all the efforts that people make with hair products if none of it works? (when we know this isn't always the case). It's all subjective. Further, if they didn't make the statements they make, their site wouldn't exist. So take it or leave it, but you asked a question and got a response.

Silicones are very misunderstood. While it is absolutely possible to abuse any product and to not have great experiences with certain ingredients, there is a lot of mis information about silicones. For example, the idea that silicones are thick and sticky and are like vaseline is not true. While certain products have the consistency of vaseline that have silicone in them, that depends on the formula and goals of products. Silicones as Dr. Syed also pointed out can also be positively or negatively charged to adhere more strongly to certain parts of your hair like sections with cuticle damage that you might need more physical protection on to help prevent the further damage through regular styling.

Think about what you want a product to do for you when thinking about what to look for in it. If you want to provide your body with an extra layer of protection from harsh winter weather conditions, you would put on thicker clothing and put a coat on before going outside. Think about silicone serums as an option for your winter coat for your hair. This basic concept is also why serums are advocated to be used on wet hair before detangling and other styling to help protect hair from manipulation damage.

Ones like many of the argan oil formulas are lighter in weight so you can apply them more frequently or you can go for thicker ones like the Keracare silken seal that are more viscous but with proper application won't weigh your hair down. As of late, I have been applying a little of the Sallys argan oil serum to my hair every other day between washes. I put paul mitchell the conditioner on my hair as my leave in after washing. If my scalp seems dry, I put some wildgrowth lite on it.

If you want some more very detailed info about the properties of silicones, the different roles they have in products, how to select the ones right for you, etc... check out the curl chemist chick on NaturallyCurly. She has many articles about silicones that can give you some more information. I have personally found that I like the serum formulas with other oils in it. The Keracare silken seal is one that I also like that doesn't have oils in it. It is a very simple formula but it works.

Hope you find what you are looking for. - Gymfreak (logged into my sisters account lol )