Silicones

Basically, that's it in a nutshell.  Silicones coat the hair and make it look sleek and shiny when really it might be damaged underneath.  We've had a few people come on here insisting their hair felt fine despite bleaching it several times in a row, and low and behold it was because they were loading up on silicones ... when they did a clarifying wash (which removes the buildup, like you said) and didn't condition, they realised just how bad their hair really was.

The danger of it is people may think their hair is "really resiliant" and bleach it when it's already badly damaged (which is why we suggest the clarifying treatment to check the true condition of hair if it's already been bleached a couple of times).  Also, it's not good for people who CO wash, because too much silicone can leave hair looking limp and greasy if it's not regularly removed.

That's helpful, Intempestivity, thank you!  It's good to how to test it out as well.  I would assume that using a clarifying shampoo, then a silicone-free conditioner, would be rid the hair of silicones and re-condition?  (I hate letting my hair dry without any conditioner, and maybe 'hidden damage' is the reason!)

Do keratin treatments have the same effect, covering up any damage underneath?  I'd suspect not, just because it is supposed to add keratin back into the hair and help repair.

I bought a ShineOn Glaze but didn't realise it had peroxide until I brought it home, so I haven't used it yet.  I wonder if glazing is also a way to cover-up damaged hair?  By the sounds of the glazing product, I suspect it must open up the hair cuticle and deposit clear, shiny molecules (EDIT TO ADD: collagen?) into the hair shaft, hence creating a glossy look.

You could do that, too--as long as you haven't got silicones coating the hair, you should be able to feel the condition of it fairly well.

Keratin can have the opposite effect--too much protein can really dry out the hair and make it quite brittle to the touch.  It's all about having a balance between protein and moisture.

I don't know much about glazing, but if it has peroxide I should imagine it's doing exactly that.

Thank you again.  I want to lay off the keratin a bit and moisturise with other conditioners - I'm trying to get addicted to coconut oil at the moment!

It doesn't feel brittle just yet with all the keratin I've been using, but it is good to be aware that it is indeed possible to "over-keratin".

I accidentally did a little experiment. My moms hair has been looking better than ever in my whole life + the only thing shes been doing different is using pantene volumizing "sulphate free" shampoo. Ya, sulphate free hut its ooaded with silicones i realized later. I squirted some in a mixingbowl to prepare a fading treatment but never got around to it (i have logan going through the terrible twos and violet is 3 months old so im pretty occupied lol). So this shampoo sat in the bowl for 3-4 days. When i looked at it, there was nothing left but this weird super thick jelly type substance, which im guessing is the silicones. I tried adding water to it + i really tried to break this stuff up + dissolve it with my fingers, a whisk, it would not dissolve. It just stuck to everything + coated it. It was cool yet disturbing to see this junk so many people put in their hair. It really does coat + its gross. If you have a siliconey shampoo, try putting it in a bowl so you can see it too!

Redken makes a color gloss like the one you bought. Its mixed with a low vol developer (less than 10 i think). It adds a lot of shine + makes the hair look + feel healthier. But, ive had clients that get this done every 4-6 weeks for months. Then they stop and their hair looks + feels like crap. I think they really do just mask the hair with collagen/silicones + then its harder for the hair to absorb benefitting treatments/shampoos/conditioners.

That's a very interesting finding, thanks to your two children who took you away from your fading treatment!  So your mother's hair has "looked" better due to the silicones.  That says a lot.

It sounds like the glosses/glazes do the same as silicones, just mask the real condition of the hair.  Perhaps the ShineOn Glaze wasn't the best choice of purchases, so I'll hang onto it for a while and see if I eventually give it away to charity, as I have already with my collection of unused darker hair colours!

I don't know if this has been posted yet on this forum, but I found some information that might be helpful, at least for me!

Silicone-Free Products

Yes it has never looked better, seriously. Sad thing is, is that its most likely just a mask from the silicones 🙁  and judging from the silicones left in that bowl, shel need some setious clarifying to remove them.

And my friend with the egg disaster, shes actually my instructor i had in cosmetology school. She said it happened when she was about 16, way before she even went to beauty school. I dont know exactly why it happened, if putting the egg whites in the mix had anything to do with iy or what. But when i use eggs in my hair, i do what she told us to do + thats to shampoo + put just egg yolks not the whites, in our wet hair for 4 minutes.

Just a quick little rant about looking for silicone-free conditioners. Been to some salons local to work and asked to look at their products. When they kindly ask if there is anything in particular I'm looking for, I tell them. It's incredible how unknowledgeable they are! My question seems to floor them.

I mean I have just been reminded by this website what silicones do, but I'm not a stylist, and you'd expect a professional to know. Just been into one salon who did try to recommend a "really good product", and the first ingredient was a "-xane".  It's very irritating that so many really posh salon products contain silicones.

I suppose I'm trying to keep my hair in its truest condition before having bleach poured all over it. Hope that's the right thing to do! If anything, I'd hope that it will help determine the right timing for the lightening procedure so that I experience minimal surprises afterwards.

I have got some silicone-free products now, but I do love looking for new ones!

To be honest, the cheaper a conditioner is, the less ingredients it usually has which means the less like it's stuffed full of cones.  Even Joico's Intense Hydrator has a cone, but it's water-soluble.

Is there any problem with using silicones as long as you know that they're only masking condition, so you won't end up damaging your hair because you think it's more resilient than it really is? And as long as you occasionally use a clarifying shampoo?

I naturally have very coarse hair which is why I like the way cones make it feel, not because they're masking dryness or damage. Should I stop using them or is this okay?

I feel, as long as you're aware and avoid over doing them you'll be fine. I use silicones and I'm quite happy doing so. I have very thick hair that's prone to being full of static and going very flyaway and a nightmare if the weather is damp or humid. For that reason I use silicones to calm it down!

I think they're okay as long as they're not giving a false sense of the health of the hair. I'm abstaining only until my bleaching, but I own so many products with silicone now that I will want to use them up.

But to be honest, my hair did appear in such a better condition when I wasn't aware what I was using. So I admit I've seen and experienced the difference.

Id say its fine as long as youre aware of your hairs actual condition so you dont think its healthier than it truly is + you bleach it or something + boom, its super damaged.

Ive been using silicone free conditioner for a little while now, tresemme naturals moisture conditioner + suave naturals tropical coconut. I actually really like the suave! Ive always thought salon products just HAD to be better + i would never in my life use something cheap like suave, that is must be awful for the hair since its so cheap. Ha, that was ignorant thinking! Thats what they even teach in beauty school + grind into your head. I like the suave better than any bed head, redken, nexxus, aquage or really almost any other conditioner ive ever used. The only ones i like more are aveda damage remedy and matrix biolage ultra hydratherapie conditioning balm.

I use silicones, knowingly, to control frizzies and statics as well.