The Truth About Silicones and Their Effect on Natural Hair

Lately I’ve been on this quest to find the perfect hair product. I’ve learned that there is no such thing. And, if there is any one product or products that come close to perfect; it can only be close to perfect for one person. YOU. This is why beauty is big business. We as consumers will keep pushing until we find the one…or, maybe it’s that one…no, it’s definitely this one.

I’ve been relaxer-free for almost four years, but I recently silicone rainbow became a naturalista–as I like to call it. I’ve been on a quest to find products that are natural and if they’re not 100% natural, I try to find those that will have the least negative impact on my hair. I have found several products that I absolutely loved, but later learned that my love affair with them had to end because they contained ingredients that were potentially harmful to the long-term health of my naturally curly hair.

Products that contain silicones happen to be the ones that I loved the most; especially the conditioners. Imagine my disappointment, but mostly fear when I realized that I had to find alternatives that could still give me similar, if not, the same results. Rather than go on this blind hunt for silicone-free products, I decided to do a little research. Besides, what good is it to buy silicone-free products if the other ingredients were potentially just as harmful? I’ve learned that there were quite a few ingredients in these products that were potentially harmful, but we can discuss those another time.

I wanted to make sure if whether or not all silicones were created equal. No, they are not, but does that mean that some are better than others? Apparently there are. At the end, you decide if whether or not using silicones are worth the risk. And, really how much of a risk is it?. I’ve found that there are some who feel the risk is worth it. However, those who take the risk and use silicone-based products have made educated decisions to do so. Remember this discussion is geared towards those who are interested in using natural products. If you’re only interested in what works–and, that’s OK too, this is not the article for you.

 

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