Silicone-free shampoo – why you should avoid silicones

Ever wondered what those long, complicated ingredients on the back of your shampoo bottle mean? Chances are, one of them is some form of silicone. Silicones are a common ingredient in shampoo and a real quick fix for frizzy, dull, and dry hair. However, these days, more and more people are trying to use silicone-free shampoos. What exactly are silicones, and why do people choose to avoid them? Find out in this blog. 

What are silicones in shampoo? 

Silicones are added to hair products to make your hair smooth and shiny. How does this work? Silicones form a layer around your hair, so to speak. As a result, your hair looks shinier immediately after using a shampoo with silicones. Your hair also becomes less frizzy and is easier to comb. This is because the air (which contains moisture) can no longer penetrate your hair, which prevents frizzy hair. But you guessed it: this can also make your hair very dry and lifeless in the long term! Because air can no longer penetrate the hair and the hair can no longer 'breathe', other nutrients can no longer reach the hair. 

Do you have frizzy hair? Then check out this silicone-free shampoo bar . 

How do you recognize silicones in the ingredients list? 

You can recognize silicones in the ingredients list of shampoo because they usually end in -cone, -conol, -siloxane, or -silane . There are two types of silicones: some are water-soluble, which makes them easy to rinse out and better for your hair. Products with these silicones do not build up in your hair, which prevents your hair from feeling heavy or greasy over time. These types of silicones also make your hair feel lighter and help it retain more volume than silicones that are not water-soluble. Other silicones (such as the common dimethicone) are only soluble in fat and are harder to remove. This makes them worse for your hair. These silicones can only be washed out with aggressive shampoos, which you obviously want to avoid. 

Solid shampoos in the form of shampoo bars are usually also free of silicones. Read in this blog about shampoo bars why this should be the new addition to your bathroom! 

Pros and cons of silicones in shampoo 

Advantages: 

• They make your hair smooth and shiny (in the short term) by forming a layer around your hair, which 'protects' the hair against external influences. 
• They provide a quick fix for frizzy hair by smoothing the hair surface. 
• Because your hair becomes smoother, you also have fewer tangles in your hair. 

Disadvantages: 

• They have no restorative effect; it is purely a layer on your damaged hair. In other words: do you use a shampoo with silicones and does this make your hair less frizzy? Then this is often due to the layer that lies on your hair because of the silicones in the shampoo. 
• They can build up, leaving your hair feeling greasy and heavy. 
• They prevent vital moisture and nutrients from reaching your hair, which can lead to dryness, especially for those with curly or dry hair. 

Conclusion: although silicones in shampoo can provide a short-term solution to frizzy and dry hair, they have the opposite effect in the long term. A real no-go, as far as we are concerned! 

Are you convinced yet? Take a look at our shampoos . They are all free of silicones!