​The Truth about Silicone, Sulfates, and Parabens (Part 1)

Rooted in science, a strong marketing trend pushing natural and organic products has quite literally taken over the shelves at cosmetics stores across the globe. As we see new packaging touting “Paraben Free”, “Sulfate Free”, and “Silicone Free”, we wonder why companies are advertising the absence of these ingredients as a good thing. With conflicting evidence in studies and anecdotes across the web we wanted to do our own research and provide you with working knowledge of the effects of these ingredients that have recently become taboo. In this three part blog series we will be covering three of the most talked about ingredients in hair care: Silicone, Sulfates, and Parabens.

Part 1: Silicone

Fast Facts:
• Comes in two forms, water soluble and non-water soluble
• Found in countless hair care products
• A tell-tale sign is any ingredient with a “cone” or “con” suffix
• Coats hair for a smoother appearance
• Silicone poses no health risks

Silicone products themselves are not inherently bad for your hair, in fact, they don’t truly affect your hair at all. Both water soluble and non-water soluble silicone acts as a smoothing agent by coating your hair and creating a smoother, sleeker appearance. The difference between the 2 forms is that non-water soluble silicone requires sulfates to remove it from the hair strands, while the water soluble form rinses clean with water. The requirement of sulfates to remove the non-water soluble form makes this a poor choice for consistent use. With prolonged use hair health can suffer as sulfates are harsh and remove natural oils from the hair and scalp. This creates a cycle of stripping natural oils and adding artificial moisture, which can be damaging and stressful for your hair.

Silicone seals in moisture by coating the hair, which gives us the smooth sleek feel we love; but this means it also seals out any additional product from permeating our hair shaft and boosting the health of our actual hair. Conditioning and leave in treatments aren’t as effective when we use shampoos and conditioners containing silicone because of the barrier created by the silicone coating. However, this barrier can be a good thing for high heat styling and to make combing your hair easier.

Within the 2 forms of silicone, there are various types that differ by weight and adhesion to the hair. The lighter types, like cyclomethicone and dimethicone copolyol, feel very slippery in your hair and leave little to no trace once they break down with water. Lightweight silicones are fine for more frequent use as they’re less likely to cause build up on the scalp and strands. The heavier types, like amodimethicones and dimethicones, are thicker and usually found in leave in conditioners and serums. Heavier silicones tend to attract dirt and pollutants from the air and are very difficult to remove without harsh surfactants. Any version with the prefix amo-, amino-, or suffix -amine has been chemically modified to adhere better to the hair strand, which feels smooth but requires a harsher shampoo to clear residue and can cause silicone build up leading to flat, dull looking hair.

We all want shiny, lush, head turning hair and this look can be achieved with products containing silicone, but does this stop at just the "look" of healthy hair? Silicone doesn’t pose any health risks, but our research shows it doesn’t necessarily help our hair either. 

A best practice is to reduce the use of products containing silicone and make sure that we’re using gentle clarifying shampoos to reduce any build up that can dull our locks. Ensure any conditioning or heat protectant products you often use on your hair contain the lighter versions of silicone and steer clear of heavier versions for more frequent use.