Science-y Hair Blog © 2011 by Wendy M.S. is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 
Silicone Solubility List
Updated April, 2022
I compiled these lists based on information from ingredient manufacturers. If you want to know more about what it means to be a water-soluble silicone vs. water-insoluble silicone, more information follows the lists. "Water soluble" does NOT mean an ingredient will rinse off with water, so I'm trying to indicate when an ingredient is not water-rinsable.
©Science-y Hair Blog 2014
Water-soluble silicones (The raw ingredients dissolve in water and rinse off with plain water. Shampoo may or may not be necessary to remove products containing these ingredients).
Bis-peg/ppg-16/16 peg/ppg-16/16 (This is an emulsifier - not for shine or lubrication)
Dimethicone copolyol
DEA PG-Propyl PEG/PPG-18/21 Dimethicone
Dimethicone PEG-8 Phosphate
Dimethicone-PG Diethylmonium Chloride
Hydrolyzed Silk PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol Crosspolymer
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Hydroxypropyl Polysiloxane
Hydrolyzed Wheat protein/hydroxypropyl polysiloxane and cystine/silicone co-polymers
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Silanetriol
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Silanetriol
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol
PEG-40/PPG-8 Methylaminopropyl/Hydropropyl Dimethicone Copolymer
PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone
PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone
PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone
PEG-12 Dimethicone
PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone
PPG-8 Methylaminopropyl, Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer
PPG-8 Methylaminopropyl, Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer
PEG-7 Amodimethicone
PEG-8 Disteramonium Chloride PG-Dimethicone
PEG-33 (and) PEG-8 Dimethicone (and) PEG-14
Silanetriol
Silicone Quaternium-8
Note: If the silicone ingredient has a "PEG" or "PPG" or both in front of the silicone, it is probably water-soluble. Watch out for commas. PEG-8 Dimethicone is a water-soluble silicone. PEG-8, Dimethicone indicates either 1) a typo or 2) 2 individual ingredients, separated by a comma.
Water soluble, not necessarily water-rinsable
Note: If the silicone ingredient has a "PEG" or "PPG" or both in front of the silicone, it is probably water-soluble. Watch out for commas. PEG-8 Dimethicone is a water-soluble silicone. PEG-8, Dimethicone indicates either 1) a typo or 2) 2 individual ingredients, separated by a comma.
Water soluble, not necessarily water-rinsable
Silicone Quaternium-17 - This ingredient is a conditioner - a silicone that has been modified to bind to hair like conditioners do. The ingredient itself is water-soluble, but it may not rinse off with water. This ingredient is meant to bind to hair (specifically to damaged areas), it may build up or accumulate to weigh down especially build-up prone hair or lightweight hair types or it may contribute to over-softening. But in shampoos, it can offer much-needed lubrication.
Lauryl Methicone Copolyol
Silsesquioxane - Yes, it is water-soluble, but that's for the chemists. It likely bonds to hair temporarily and may not rinse off your hair with water. Should be removed with most shampoos.
Lauryl Methicone Copolyol
Silsesquioxane - Yes, it is water-soluble, but that's for the chemists. It likely bonds to hair temporarily and may not rinse off your hair with water. Should be removed with most shampoos.
©Science-y Hair Blog 2014
Water-insoluble silicones – if they are “water dispersible” I’m calling them “insoluble” because our interest is in rinsing them out, not formulating with them. Any combination of these is still insoluble. If they are in a shampoo, they can still deposit on your hair.
"Sulfate" shampoos and most "sulfate-free" shampoos will remove water-insoluble silicone ingredients.
"Sulfate" shampoos and most "sulfate-free" shampoos will remove water-insoluble silicone ingredients.
*Amodimethicone - special case, an amino-modified, polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
Aminopropyl triethoxysilane
Aminopropyl triethoxysilane
Behenoxy Dimethicone Cetearyl methicone
Bis-Amino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself. Only experience will tell how it works in your hair.
*Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone - special case, an amino-modified, polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone
Bis-isobutyl Peg/Ppg-20/35/Amodimethicone Copolymer
Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone
Bis-isobutyl Peg/Ppg-20/35/Amodimethicone Copolymer
Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone
Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy Amodimethicone
Cetyl Dimethicone
Cetyl PEG/PPG-15/15 Butyl Ether Dimethicone
Cyclomethicone
Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclopentasiloxane and C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer Cyclohexasiloxane
Dimethicone/Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
Divynildimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
* Dimethicone Propyl PG-Betaine - Another special case. This is an amphoteric silicone-surfactant combination ingredient. It actively bonds to the hair for conditioning and to prevent dye fading and is water-dispersible. Most likely needs a silicone-free shampoo if the hair becomes too soft or too heavy with this ingredient.
Dimethicone
Divynildimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
* Dimethicone Propyl PG-Betaine - Another special case. This is an amphoteric silicone-surfactant combination ingredient. It actively bonds to the hair for conditioning and to prevent dye fading and is water-dispersible. Most likely needs a silicone-free shampoo if the hair becomes too soft or too heavy with this ingredient.
Dimethiconol
Dimethiconol meadowfoamate
Dimethiconol meadowfoamate
Di-Isostearoyl Trimethylolpropane Siloxy Silicate
Dimethicone
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Disiloxane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
PCA Dimethicone
Phenyl Trimethicone
Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate
Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate
*Propoxytetramethyl piperidinyl dimethicone - special case, an amino-modified, polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
Polysilicone-18 Cetyl Phosphate
*Silicone Quaternium-16 - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
*Silicone Quaternium-18 - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
*Silicone Quaternium-22 - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
*Silicone Quaternium-16 - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
*Silicone Quaternium-18 - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
*Silicone Quaternium-22 - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
Silicone Resin Spheres
Simethicone
Simethicone
Simethicone Stearoxy (or Stearyl) Dimethicone
Trimethyl Silylamodimethicone - special case, a polymer-type silicone that bonds to damaged areas and is not supposed to accumulate on top of itself.
Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Trisiloxane
Hexamethyldisiloxane
©Science-y Hair Blog 2014
Silicones which evaporate: They are not water soluble, but they're a special case. These ingredients are added to help other ingredients spread evenly and then evaporate - any remaining residue will be removed with shampoo.
Cyclomethicone
Cyclomethiconal (Cyclomethiconel)
Cyclomethiconal (Cyclomethiconel)
Cyclopentasiloxane
Hexamethyldisiloxane
©Science-y Hair Blog 2014
Why do cosmetics manufacturers use silicones? Silicones are emollients and add shine and excellent slip/lubrication (comb-ability, reduced friction and breakage). Their weight and ability to help seal moisture both in the hair shaft and out prevent frizzing in high humidity. Unlike oils, they are not likely to go rancid (oxidize) which means longer shelf life. Silicones are not bad for hair in and of themselves. Silicone ingredients can weigh some hair down. Their lubricating ability can render some wavy and curly hair flat or limp. If you use shampoo, conditioner and leave-in products containing silicone - that can become difficult to remove. Using heavy-handed applications of silicone anti-frizz serum can make your hair a little more water-repellant and slick than nature intended.
Whereas it takes a lot of other ingredients that provide slip like cationic conditioners (maybe 4-10%) to get the job done, one needs only 1-2% silicones to provide the same benefits. Besides that, water-insoluble silicones have been demonstrated to be washed out by ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate and/or cocamidopropyl betaine shampoos (removing approximately 90% silicone residue). Cationic conditioners by definition accumulate on (bond to) hair and resist rinsing or shampooing hair and this can cause a dull look or matted feeling residue if they are overused. I’m not making that up, it’s actually something that cosmetics formulators try to manage in at least some of their formulations so their products don’t weigh your hair down or leave it feeling coated and matted.
How do water-soluble silicones come into being? Water is polar – it has a positive and negative side to the molecule. Oils (like silicones) are nonpolar. In your first week of high school chemistry you probably learned that “like dissolves like.” Polar water dissolves polar “other things” and non-polar oils dissolve other non-polar things. You know this from observing oil-based salad dressing too. But if we use some cosmetic chemistry voodoo and attach (via esterfication) a polar substance like polyethylene glycol or a protein to a nonpolar silicone – voila, a useful cosmetic ingredient that now has the ability to be carried away by water more easily because one part of it truly is now water-soluble.
What does the “PEG” and the number mean? It’s important! Let’s say you have PEG-12 Dimethicone. That means that 12 molecules of polyethylene glycol were reacted with 1 molecule of dimethicone. The higher the number, the more soluble the oil (and silicone is essentially an oil). That’s because there are more of the water-soluble ingredients -the “PEG,” relative to the water insoluble dimethicone. For example, PEG-8 Dimethicone is slightly less water-soluble than PEG-12 dimethicone, which is slightly less water-soluble than PEG/PPG 15/20 dimethicone.
Are the "water-soluble" silicones really water-soluble? Yes, to a point. But do they rinse off your hair when embedded in a hair product? Try it and see. These silicones don't exist alone - they are accompanied by other ingredients in hair products. Some ingredients in a product are going to stick to your hair no matter what. It may not be the water-soluble silicone that is to blame, but all the ingredients in a formula together. If your hair accumulates build up from everything under the sun, you might notice some limpness if you don't use some sort of cleanser after using a water-soluble silicone-containing product. Here is a handy trick to find out what rinses off easily. Smear some of the product on a smooth, clear glass. Let it dry completely. Then try to rinse it off with water or water and a little gentle rubbing with your finger. Does it rinse off completely and leave no greasy smear? Hair can bond with products more so than can glass, so this is not 100% reliable - just a quick-and-dirty test.
©Science-y Hair Blog 2014
So the Silicones which evaporate can be used in a sulfate/silicone free routine. Simple co-washing would remove any residue that did not evaporate or should these be avoided in products if doing a curly girl method?
ReplyDeleteDeb,
DeleteThe ingredient doesn't exist alone - it is part of a complex formula. Hypothetically something like Cyclopentasiloxane helps a product spread and then evaporates. But in reality the whole product might leave a feel on your hair that you may or may not like. If you use a product with the "evaporating silicones" and it feels like it rinses clean, that's great. If it's leaving an oily feel on your hair, then you may want to avoid it.
Hi, I can't find much information but I would love to know if Dimethicone Propyl PG Betaine is water soluble or not? Thanks
DeleteHello Justyce,
ReplyDeleteDimethicone Propyl PG Betaine appears to be "water dispersible" according to Evonik, one of the manufacturers who calls the ingredient "Abil B 9550." It is a combination silicone-surfactant and that combination makes it a conditioning detergent. It is an amphoteric ingredient, meaning it can be anionic or cationic. And because it is substantive (bonds to the hair), I'm guessing that it is behaving as though it is cationic in these formulas - like a conditioner. Especially when it is indicated that it can prevent hair dye from fading.
If you're concerned about whether it will rinse off with plain water, the answer is no.
If you're concerned about build up or over-conditioning/having the hair become too soft - that is a possibility. Usually with silicones, just about any shampoo will remove excess silicone softness (with very mild shampoos, it make take a second washing). With electrostatically charged silicones, most shampoos should work too, but sometimes it just needs to "wear off."
Thank you so much for your reply :) I use no silicones and recently a hair dresser put silicones in my hair. I wanted to wash it out with sulphates however the only shampoo I had with sulphates contained Dimethicone Propyl PG Betaine and I really didnt want to put more silicones in my hair which looks to be the case if I use this shampoo. Thanks so much for explaining it for me as I was really struggling to understand and couldn't find anything concrete :)
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, Justyce. I wasn't aware of this ingredient, so I added it to the list. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteNot a problem at all :) Hopefully it will help others know what it is too :)
ReplyDeleteI have a low poo that contains decyl glucoside, coco glucoside, sodium cocoyl glutamate, citric acid and betaine (not coco betaine).
ReplyDeleteCan (one of) these ingredients remove silicone buildup or only minor buildup like oils and butters?
And since citric acid is high on the list, can it remove mineral / hard water buildup?
Some of these detergents will work especially well in hard water and it may help remove oil and butter build-up. You may need to shampoo twice - the second washing will probably give your mountains of lather. Use plenty of warm water to help liquefy the butters. When citric acid is in a shampoo, it's first job is to adjust pH of the product so the preservatives will work and it will be hair-friendly. Citric acid also can prevent the minerals in your water from interacting with your hair. It may or may not remove those minerals.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your quick reply :).
DeleteSo if I understood correctly, one of these detergents also may remove cones like dimethicone?
And which of the detergents I mentioned may remove oil/butter buildup?
Sodium cocoyl glutamate is an anionic detergent as are detergents like sodium laureth sulfate. It is considered mild, but generally anionic detergents (aka surfactants) are better at removing oils (including silicone) than nonionic detergents like decyl glucoside and cocoyl glucoside. But when nonionic detergents like these two are very concentrated - even they can remove a lot of oil and silicone.
DeleteSo this shampoo formula should be helpful in removing both plant oils and butters and silicones. Even concentrated nonionic detergents can help remove oils and silicones - but you may need to wash twice.
If we're talking about oils, butters and silicones by themselves, that is simpler. When we're talking about those as ingredients in complex formulas including polyquaternium ingredients and other conditioning ingredients - sometimes the product as a whole is less easy to remove if it has caused some build up. Generally oils and silicones in simple formulas are easily removed with detergents.
How about Phenoxyethanol? Is this a silicone?
ReplyDeletePhenoxyethanol is a preservative, and it is not a silicone.
DeleteAlso wondering if the shampoo I use has like one of the water insoluble ingredients (dimethicone), is it really bad? Especially if the shampoo also has cocomidapropyl betaine which will remove it?
ReplyDeleteDimethicone is not a bad ingredient. It gives hair a feeling like silk (soft and slippery), it prevents tangling during shampooing and afterwards and increases shine.
DeleteIt becomes a problem if it is too heavy for your hair, or if a person uses silicone serums or conditioners in excess to attempt to make up for lots of heat damage or too much shampooing. It's a useful ingredient when used in moderation for a lot of people.
In a shampoo, regardless of the detergents, silicone ingredients like dimethicone will deposit on the hair. They will not be removed completely until one uses a silicone-free shampoo.
If this doesn't make your hair heavy or limp immediately or over time, it's not a problem. Your hair will show you what is right for it.
Hi, I have a question. I'm currently using a shampoo that lists both sodium laurel and sodium laureth as sulfates, but contains one cone which is dimethicone. Will this cause buildup over time even though dimethicone often makes up under 5% of a mass market shampoo formulation ? Also does it prevent treatments like coconut oil from penetrating? Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeleteHello Jessie,
ReplyDeleteThe dimethicone will be deposited on your hair by the shampoo. It will accumulate somewhat, that is the purpose of having it in the shampoo - to provide some lubrication while your hair is wet and a little after it is dry also. The shampoo must deposit a little silicone on the hair in order to do that. If you find your hair is weighed down or has an unpleasant feel with repeated use, you will be able to remove nearly all silicone build-up by using a silicone-free shampoo.
Thank you for this information! I am still looking for a product - serum or gel or any 'styling' product that has only water soluble silicones. Does anyone know of any?
ReplyDeletehttp://hairrules.com/products/curly-whip
DeleteIt is so hard to find anything that is water soluble. My issue is I find some that is water soluble and later in the list they have non-water soluble
These are the most recent ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Honey (Mel), Hedychium Coronarium Root (Hawaiian Ginger) Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Extract, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi (Job's Tears) Seed Extract, Peg-12 Dimethicone, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Benzophenone-4, Carbomer, Disodium Edta, Triethanolamine, Dmdm Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum)----------------------------
DeleteThe PEG-12 Dimethicone is water-soluble. But I think this formula has changed recently.
Great article! And what about bis-cetearyl amodimethicone please? Thanx
ReplyDeleteAccording to one manufacturer, Momentive, bis-cetearyl amodimethicone is water-insoluble. I'll add it to the list.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteAre Cyclopentasiloxane (and) PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane (and) Dimethicone /Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer safe in cosmetics such as fondations because I read that Cyclopentasiloxane alone is controversial and might cause cancer.
Thanks.
Cyclopentasiloxane is not absorbed by the skin (it's too large a molecule for that). So in that regard, it is not likely to enter your body where it would have access to many tissues in which it could promote cancer. Here is a reference (copy and paste into web browser): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22247236
DeleteCyclopentasiloxane alone is regarded as fairly safe and non-reactive for healthy skin. I suspect where the "cancer risk" came from is that Cyclopentasiloxane is (or was) included in silicone breast implants at one time and were that implant to rupture and leak into the body, cancerous tumors could be a result. Which is a very different application than using it in foundation on your face. You probably don't need to worry about this ingredient causing cancer. Use sources such as Pub Med or the FDA as reliable sources. These sources provide information safety of ingredients which has been studied carefully and ideally, the results are likely to be accurate. Why? Because if you get it wrong or lie in science to support your own bias - get ready to be ripped to pieces by your colleagues. The Environmental Working Group (as an example) flags a lot of ingredients as carcinogens (cancer-causing) without a great deal of discrimination which sometimes condemns good ingredients as well as truly unsafe ones.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your article! Can you please help me with this ingredient? Is this a protein or a silicone?Hydroxypropyltrimonium hydrolyzed collagen
Thank you!
Hydroxypropyltrimonium hydrolyzed collagen is a protein (hydrolyzed collagen) that has been modified to have a positive charge on it. That modification makes it into a conditioner, a protein-based conditioner so it has the strengthening and hydrating effects of protein and the lubrication and softening of conditioner.
DeleteSo it is a protein and a conditioner, but not a silicone.
Is dimethicone oil-soluble?
ReplyDeleteIf I use a condition containing dimethicone and I decide I want to co-wash my hair (using a dimethicone-free conditioner) the following week, if I used an oil-based prepoo to try to dissolve the dimeticone on my hair before co-washing, would that work?
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteKaitlin, I keep re-working my answer for this! That explains all the deletes, I cannot edit my comments.
DeleteYes, silicones are oil-soluble because they're oily, but that applies more to the process of making the product (you can mix silicones into the oil phase of a product and they won't float on top). In your hair, it works differently. Plant oils and synthetic oils are not especially compatible because plant oils are organic and silicones are synthetic so an oil pre-poo won't make any silicone residue in your hair more likely to be removed during cleansing. It may actually make it difficult to remove silicone residue.
You may be able to co-wash out silicone residue if you find it unpleasant in your hair. Some cationic surfactants (a conditioning ingredient, not a bubbly type of surfactant) may help remove silicone from hair: Cetrimonium chloride and Cetrimonium bromide and Stearalkonium chloride. This doesn't mean they remove all silicones from your hair like shampoo would, but they can help pull silicone off if they are present in high enough concentration. I'm still searching for a published reference for this, I have comments from cosmetic chemists. In my own experience, I can get a lot of oil off my hair using a very simple conditioner with ingredients like these. If I do find that reference, I'll do a full blog post about it. If we're talking about removing silicone *completely,* that takes a silicone-free shampoo that does a good job at removing any other oil to remove silicones from hair - a good de-greaser. But you can use milder detergents like Cocamidopropyl betaine, Sodium cocoyl isethionate, Sodium sulfosuccinate, Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate if you avoid stronger detergents like "sulfates" but still use shampoo. A shampoo that is sufficiently de-greasing to remove silicones can remove up to 90% silicone residue in one washing. Conditioners with Cetrimonium chloride may not be quite that efficient - but it's worth a try if you prefer co-washing. If you want to try to co-wash out silicone residue, look for a silicone-free conditioner using Cetrimonium chloride in the first 2-3 or 4 ingredients such as Suave Daily Clarifying Conditioner or GVP Conditioning Balm (that I know of, surely there are others). Runners up are Magick Botanicals Oil Free Conditioner, Cure Care conditioner (contains protein and available in gallons only now), Giovanni Magnetic conditioner. Good luck! I'd be interested to hear how it works for you.
If a water soluble silicone is in my shampoo, will it just rinse out with water or with conditioner? Or just stay in my hair.
ReplyDeleteNo, it won't rinse out entirely with your conditioner. Water-soluble silicones are easier to remove from hair than water-insoluble silicones, but they tend to deposit on the hair temporarily.
DeleteWhat is Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate?
ReplyDeleteIt is in Olaplex.
What IS it, please?
Carlie,
DeleteThis ingredient is a neutralizer. Or rather it is a neutralizer in the sense that hydrogen peroxide is a neutralizer - it provides a molecule to grab on to freed-up sulfur groups in hair. See the Beauty Brains post on the subject: http://thebeautybrains.com/bbforum/index.php?p=/discussion/693/how-does-olaplex-work
Thank you very much for this intelligent, science-based blog of reliable information. I'm so glad I found you. I would like to add one small point: My understanding is that "dimethicone copoloyol" is not an actual ingredient. It is a term that was allowed for awhile as an INCI name to represent water soluble polymer silicones. However, as that family of ingredients grew expotentially, the term was disallowed and companies now need to name the PEG or polymer ingredient. You will still run into "dimethicone copolyol" on rare occasions. It usually means either the product or label is outdated, and the company has not updated their label for 10 years, or they are pretending that they "didn't get the memo" and are trying to avoid the stigma that has been unfairly attached to PEG ingredients.
ReplyDeleteHello, I have a question. I'm going to transition over to sulfate and silicone free products soon and I color my hair. I was wondering if I really need to use shampoo and conditioner for colored hair and what makes these formulas different from the non colored versions? I've been doing a lot of research, and I have seen that a lot of people have better color results with sulfate free shampoo.
ReplyDeleteI am very confused. Thanks for your help.
Hello, nancpantzng. You don't need to use shampoo and conditioner for colored hair, but they do tend to offer some benefits. For example, sometimes the detergents are milder - such as Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Decyl glucoside. That's good - because it won't cause your hair to swell as much and swelling allows water to have access to the dye molecules in your hair and leach them out.
DeleteMany of those shampoos and conditioners have conditioning ingredients (Polyquaternium-55, Cetrimonium bromide, Cetrimonium chloride, Behentrimonium methosulfate, Polyquaternium-7, oils like sunflower oil or coconut oil. Such shampoos may also include UV protecting ingredients like Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride or Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate or Polysilicone-15.
Color-protecting conditioners tend to follow the same pattern, using ingredients that prevent swelling in hair and help manage porosity like Polyquaternium-55, hydrolyzed proteins or amino acids, UV protecting ingredients and oils.
Look for products that contain any (or several) of these ingredients to help manage porosity in your hair (so you don't lose color easily) and to protect your color from the sun.
As far as avoiding silicones, that may be less important for retaining your hair's color. For example, Polysilicone-15 is a UV protecting ingredient that has done very well in lab tests for helping hair retain color and will wash out with shampoo - even mild shampoos.
What is most important is preventing hair from swelling rapidly with water when it gets wet - so you want those conditioning ingredients in a shampoo if it doesn't make your hair limp - or you might want to condition your hair before shampooing, then rinse, shampoo and condition again to protect your hair and keep the porosity under control.
Oil pre-wash treatments with coconut or sunflower or avocado oil can also do the job of balancing porosity so your hair won't take on too much water when it gets wet - there is a post on this blog about how to use those - usually in the "popular posts" link on the right.
A well-formulated shampoo and conditioner for dyed hair will make a difference. From my list on the Product by Category page, Brocato Vibracolor Fade Prevent shampoo and conditoner is a good example, so is Abba Color Protection shampoo and conditioner. Giovanni Colorflage, Ion Color Defense Shampoo and Intense Leave-in Therapy, Biotera Ultra Color Care shampoo, conditioner - these are all products that cover all the areas for milder detergents, porosity control, and UV protection.
If your hair does not tolerate a lot of protein, watch out for that. If you're doing highlights, your hair may tolerate extra protein. Highlights seem to be the most drying.
Good luck finding something that works for you. More important than following a rule like avoiding sulfates and silicones is finding a product that gives you consistent, good results, that fits your budget and is easy to find, that you like the fragrance of, and that doesn't bother your skin.
Hi my name is Taelin. I'm looking to start using the aussie moist condition but I see that it has bis-aminopropyl dimethicone in it will this negatively effect my hair or is it ok to use if I use the curly girl method and will it wash out with water or a sulfate free shampoo.
ReplyDeleteHello Taelin,
DeleteBis-aminopropyl dimethicone does not cause harm to hair. It is used for lubrication and shine. It is a silicone-based ingredient that has been modified to have a "charge" on it so that it bonds to damaged areas (broken cuticles) in your hair to reduce the friction that tends to go with broken cuticles.
As a silicone, it doesn't work with the Curly Girl method.
I hope to encourage people to make decisions about what to use in their hair based on how products work in their hair. Everybody's hair is unique - one prescription for curly hair does not work for every head of hair.
When people use products with silicones instead of proteins or deep conditioning or things that help keep hair hydrated or use silicones in order to use more heat than is good for hair - that's when silicones can be a problem. Because they keep hair slippery and shiny, they can mask damage or dehydration.
This ingredient will wash out with just about any shampoo, including sulfate-free shampoos.
Hello, I recently had a very long conversation about the solubility of the PVP/VA copolymer. I found articles that indicate PVP itself is water-soluble, but there seems to be no clear answer on the PVP/VA copolymer. One article I read said that it was somehow mixed or added with a silicone and is therefore insoluble, but I think they were referring to products that used both the copolymer and a silicone, and not that the silicone was somehow part of the copolymer ingredient itself.
ReplyDeleteI found some evidence that there are several series of this copolymer, and that some are water-soluble, while others are alcohol-soluble (?). And then some other evidence stated that it is water-dispersible (and so effectively water-insoluble?).
I was wondering if you had any clear direction on whether the PVP/VA copolymer that is used in hair products is of only the water-soluble series, or perhaps might include the water-dispersible ones as well? And is there any way (or any need) to tell the difference?
PVP/VA Copolymer is water-soluble. It will mix readily in water-based products and stay suspended and it also rinses off with water - so the ingredient itself is water-rinse-able. SIlicone is not part of this copolymer. The components are Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
DeleteIf you see "PVP/VA Copolymer," there should be nothing else but those 2 components in that ingredient.
If you see something like this: "Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Cross Polymer" - then you have a completely different ingredient that does contain a silicone ingredient.
Can you please tell me if silicone quaternium-16 is water soluble? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHello Karina,
DeleteSIlicone quaternium-16 is not water-soluble, nor is it water-rinsable, which is what product-users are usually interested in. The "Quaternium-16" means it has been given an cationic end group so that it can bond to damaged areas in hair and protect those areas from friction. That makes it a "smart silicone" that preferentially protects areas that need protection, much like Amodimethicone.
I tried a Jane Carter product that had pvp/pa copolymer--no silicones or polyquats--and it built up horribly. I could find no other offending ingredients. I was sure it was the copolymer.
DeleteButters and some creamy thickening ingredients can build up too. If you're not using shampoo, PVP/VA copolymer can leave a tacky residue on hair, more so in some formulas than others.
DeleteThank you! I've learn soo much from your blog.
ReplyDeleteWhat about this combination: VP/VA copolymer? And, is it good for low porosity hair? Thanks in advance.
The list of ingredients for the Giovanni, Natural Mousse Air-Turbo Charged, Hair Styling Foam:
Aqua (purified water), VP/VA copolymer, tocopherol (vitamin E), *aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, *helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, *glycine soja (soybean) seed extract, *betula alba extract, *malva sylvestris (mallow) extract, *achillea millefolium extract, *chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, *equisetum arvense extract, *lavandula angustifolia (lavender) extract, *rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, *salvia sclarea (clary) extract, *thymus vulgaris (thyme) extract, *tussilago farfara (coltsfoot) flower extract, *urtica dioica (nettle) extract, citric acid, phenoxyethanol, natural fragrance
VP/VA Copolymer is a hold-providing ingredient. It's not a silicone-based ingredient. It usually is more of a "crisp, crunchy" type hold when it's in a hair gel, though I think this product is *not* a strong hold, crunchy-hair type of product. It's not really good or bad for low porosity hair, but it's better to have VP/VP together as a co-polymer than to have just PVP alone. (VP and PVP stand for the same thing). PVP is Polyvinylpyrrolidone and PVA is Polyvinyl acetate.
DeleteThank you!
DeleteHello, I have a ton of questions and not necessarily regarding this specific topic, but regarding the broader topic that you talk and know so much about. If it's not too much trouble could you email me so I could ask you these questions? (I dont know if you can see my google account but if not email me at maamod@hotmail.com).
ReplyDeleteAnd if you can't or dont want to email me I totally get it, would it be ok to ask through here? even if its a little too long? (That's why I want it to be in a more fluent medium).
Thanks for answering!
Can you please tell me if Dimethicone is water soluble and how to soluble Dimethicone? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDimethicone is not water-soluble. Making dimethicone water-soluble is something that requires a chemistry lab with a good supply of reagents. It's not something most consumers can do on their own. But you can remove dimethicone from hair or skin with most detergents.
DeleteIs Hydrolized Wheat Protein (alone) a water-soluble silicone? Or, in this case, it's just a protein?
ReplyDeleteHello Erica,
DeleteHydrolyzed wheat protein is not a silicone - it's just a hydrolyzed protein. If a comma appears right after the words "Hydrolyzed wheat protein" it is protein only.
Okay! :) Thank you, WS!
DeleteHi, WS!
ReplyDeleteIn the composition below, is the Hydrolized Wheat Protein just a protein, or do the other ingredients with it change something?
The composition (as you can see, there is no comma in this section, just "and"):
(...), Sodium Stearate (and) Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein (and) Sodium Chloride (and) Hydrolyzed Rhodophycea Extract,(...)
Hello Erica,
DeleteIn this case, you are looking at a combination ingredient (a pre-mixed additive). When cosmetics companies make products, they may buy their raw ingredients from other suppliers. In this case, they have added a combination of Sodium Stearate, Hydrolyzed Wheat protein, Sodium Chloride and Hydrolyzed Rhodophycea extract.
This is like making chocolate chip cookies. You might list your ingredients as "flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, chocolate chips, baking soda" But you could also write, ""flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, sugar (and) cocoa butter (and) cacao (and) vanilla (and) salt, baking soda. Which is what they did.
To be really, truly correct, they should have calculated the percent of Sodium Stearate, Hydrolyzed Wheat protein, Sodium Chloride and Hydrolyzed Rhodophycea extract in the additive, then determined what concentration of those ingredients was present in the final product and listed them in the correct order with all the other ingredients from highest concentration to lowest concentration.
But they did not.
And there is still no silicone.
Got it! ;) Thank you, WS!
DeleteHello WS,
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance for your time and wealth of knowledge. Is it possible to recommend a shampoo (commercial, all-natural, or dish soap) that will remove all silicones and polyquats for the hair? I have been using Aveda's Color Conserve Shampoo and Damage Remedy which contains Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, polyquaternium-7 and 10. I do have highlighted (3c/4a kinky-curly) hair. My goal is to create a fresh slate and find products that have water/ conditioner-soluble ingredients for my damage hair.
Hello Sue,
DeleteTo remove silicones, you can use almost any shampoo, mild or otherwise. The only thing that won't do a very good job at removing silicones is a shampoo in which Decyl glucoside is the only detergent. Cocamidopropyl betaine will work - most commercial shampoos will work. If you had some serious silicone accumulation (lots of anti-frizz serum!), you might need to lather twice.
For polyquats the best detergent is C14-16 Olefin sulfonate, which is in a lot of shampoos. Kinky Curly Come Clean is one example. That will also remove silicones (double-gunk-removing score!). Sometimes it will take 2 wash cycles (wash days) before you feel like you have a completely fresh slate.
I hope that helps!
Thank you!! I have the Kinky Curly shampoo and I'm happy that it will work to remove both silicones & polyquats.
DeleteIs "Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate" a silicone? And what category would it fall into? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHello mari,
DeletePhenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate is a silicone ingredient for shine enhancement, improving UV protection (in formulas that are designed to do that - not just in hair care). It is not water-soluble.
Hello WS,
ReplyDeleteDo you know anything about the ingredient Quaternium-87? I've seen it popping up here and there but any information about it is very vague. What is it? Do you know more about it?
Thank you in advance!
Hello Silverbleed,
DeleteI have copied this from a product data sheet about Quaterinum-87, "Mild conditioner, improves wet & dry combability, provides increased body & volume to the hair, gives soft shine & gloss to the hair... excellent antistatic properties, no build-up effect.
" I always take any claim of "No build-up" with skepticism, but everybody's hair is different. It is a conditioning ingredient - and not a particularly heavy one.
I didn't see silicone quaternium-26 on the list. Could you tell me about it? It is in an intense hydration conditioner I am interested in
ReplyDelete-Heather
Hello WS! This is such a great discussion - thank-you! I just bought a volume must with Polysilicone-15. I see it protects against UV rays - but is it considered a silicone? I'm avoiding all sulfates and silicones when I can!
ReplyDeleteHello Katie,
DeleteYes, Polysilicone-15 is a silicone ingredient. It is not water-soluble, so it would not be compatible with avoidance of silicones.
I just realized a shampoo I purchased (sulfate-free and paraben-free, more natural ingredients) has Silicone Quaternium-16. I see you mention this as a "special case," but should I be wary of using it? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHello,
DeleteSilicone Quaternium-16 is one of those silicones that has been modified to act like other "conditioning ingredients" - it bonds to damaged areas in your hair to smooth out the hair shaft temporarily. Likewise, because it bonds to damaged areas, it's not supposed to build up as much as a silicone like Dimethicone.
So if your wary-ness is based on build-up or your hair ending up heavy after continued use - it may not be a problem. If you really like the shampoo but do notice your looking or feeling a bit overly soft or limp after a while, shampooing with a silicone-free shampoo should help put it back to normal. Good luck! W
Hello! I really appreciate this article and your efforts to help educate us! I am slightly still stuck on understanding exactly what amodimethicone is and how it reacts to my hair. A product I have is listed with the ingredient as the fourth ingredient (after water). Does this mean it has an even greater chance of negatively affecting my hair? To add on to that, will other products that have them listed close to last ingredients (in a long ingredients list) have the same affect? Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteHello Lexx,
DeleteYou didn't mention how you felt that amodimethicone was negatively affecting your hair. As the 4th ingredient, it could be present at a concentration of 5% or a concentration of 0.5%, so it's difficult to make any conclusions based on that alone. If it's a very short ingredient list, then amodimethicone at position #4 may not be very concentrated.
Hello, thank you very much for this article. Could you please explain, Moca ingredient that is found in many make up products, is it water-soluble, I mean is It enough just to wash lipsticks and eyeshadows using water? If Mica is in our shampoos, is sulfate and water enough? Thank you very much
ReplyDeleteMica is a mineral (think of rocks when you think of mica) - it occurs in flat little shiny mini-sheets in other rocks. It is not water-soluble, but it's also not oil-soluble, so it's not difficult to remove when you remove makeup. If there are little sparkly mica bits left behind, you have not removed all the makeup. If there is mica in a shampoo (Really? For sparkles or pearly-ness?), it should be rinsing out with the shampoo or else washing out the next time you wash your hair.
DeleteThank you for the answer. You are right,i never saw mica shampoos. I didnt understand your answer completely, is mica oil-soluble or not? I mean should some oily substance be used for it or just a soap or a shampoo, if nothing is there - are enough?
ReplyDeleteHello TM,
DeleteMica is not oil-soluble, but it doesn't need to be dissolved to be removed.. It should wash out with a shampoo if it is present in a cosmetic product. Some kinds of makeup contain mica - and it is removed with makeup remover like cold cream or micellar water or soap or detergent or makeup remover "wipes" or even petroleum jelly.
If mica was in a shampoo, it should rinse out, and definitely wash out. If not during the initial shampooing, then during the next shampooing with a mica-free shampoo.
Hello, thank you for your help.
ReplyDeleteThere is hair product with the following ingredients:
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, cetearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, camelina sativa seed oil, propylene glycol, Ceteareth-33,Glycerin,Hydrolyzed wheat
Protein,Alfa-isomethyl ionone, Arginine HCl,Benzoid acid, Bht, caramel, Cetrimonium chloride, Fragrance (Parfum),Glycine soja (soybean) seed extract (Glycine soja seed extract),Glycine soja (soybean) Seedcake extract (Glycine soja seedcake extract), Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride,Limonene, Linalool, Lysine HCl,Peg-32,Peg-400, Phenoxyethanol,Polyquaternium-37, sodium benzoate, Yellow 6 (CI15985)
Could you please tell me:
1. Is there any silicone here?
2. If yes, is it gone from your hair simply by water (its a balsam)
3. If water doesn't help, what else can you advise to use after balsam, because shampoo dries hair, balsam is a must. may be its a silly question, but is there anything that can be used like soda, Sault, anything?
4. All the oils that are in this product, are they washed away with water or stay on your hair for while?
I am sorry for many questions,but they are very important for me. I am looking for balsam without a silicone, its difficult, so i thought, may be some simple thing can help remove it after balsam without drying the hair?
Thank you very much
Hello TM,
DeleteI can see your problem with the ingredients here - it's alphabet soup! 1) No silicone. 2) I don't see any balsam in the ingredient list. 3) I'm unclear about what you mean by balsam and how you are using it. 4) The oils and conditioners in this product stay with your hair after applying and rinsing. Next time you wash, some will rinse out.
Reading through the comments and I have to give it to you on how timely you've answered everyone's questions for over 2 years so far. Pure dedication, commitment, knowledge, and organization. Thanks for taking time out of your day to read the comments that other people post on your blog as well as type up reliably well informed responses. I've only came across this one post while searching about silicones in conditioners, but man what a great impression. Bonus points for science, too!
ReplyDeleteHello, thanks a lot for this information! I have one question, can micellar water(lets say bioderma sensibio h20) remove dimethicone from face?
ReplyDeleteBased on the ingredients, probably not. But dimethicone is not the only ingredient in any particular cosmetic - so my answer isn't entirely accurate. If it's in a makeup and the micellar water removed the makeup, you probably don't need to worry about dimethicone in the makeup still being on your face. But if it's leaving makeup behind, like a silicone-rich foundation, then it's not removing it and you need something more "detergent-y."
DeleteI've been referring back to this helpful post since I found it months ago. I recently purchased Arganaturals Nourishing Argan Conditioner and am afraid to use. 1st 6 ingredients ok, but the bottom 7 are just plain scary silicones and stuff. The directions for the Conditioner say "Work into a rich lather" 1) What ingredient would cause this conditioner to 'lather', and is that a harsh scary bad sulphate? 2) Is "Silica" or "Thiosulfate Silica" water-soluable? Clearly silicones but I've not heard of these in any other US products. I cowash several times a mo, but only use gentle shampoo once a mo and I use condish daily as a leave-in so I'm scared to try this on my long thirsty curls.
ReplyDeleteIngredients: Water, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Passiflora Incarnata (Maracuja) Oil, Bambusa Arundinacea Leaf Extract, Trametes Versicolor Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, DL Panthenal (pro Vitamine B5), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, PEG-16, Macadamia Glycerides, Amodimethicone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-12, Polyquarternium-37, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Octyldodecanol, Diazalidinyl Urea, Tocopheryl (Vit E) Palmitate, Ascorbic (Vit C) Acid, Silica, Sodium Proposylydroxypropyl Thiosulfate Silica, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Hello Bev,
DeleteI wonder if the information for the shampoo accidentally got printed on the conditioner label about working into a rich lather.
Amodimethicone is included, which is meant to build up less and be more like a conditioner than something like dimethicone, which works by spreading all over the hair surface (along with the rest of the product's ingredients).
Sodium Proposylydroxypropyl Thiosulfate Silica appears to be a slightly water-soluble, conditioning surfactant. It's not what you'd think of as a "silicone" ingredient.
The other ingredients that look scary are just conditioners, ingredients to thicken or give the conditioner a nice texture, proteins, preservatives, vitamins. So it's not all that bad, although the ingredients certainly can sound intimidating.
Hi:
ReplyDeleteQuestion: As to build up of silicones preventing moisture to the strands, does it matter if the silicone is toward the bottom of the ingredients list?
I am modified curly girl, I do not use sulphates and I do not use products where silicones are high on the ingred list. I have found that silicones, particularly Bis-Aminopropyl protect my long hair from split ends. Without Bis-Aminopropyl products my hair rubbing on my shirts/sweaters seems to look ragged quickly. In products like Herbal Essences Color me Happy, Totally Twisted and Aussie Volume Bis-Aminopropyl is very low on the ingred list. Also I ALWAYS use a natural product SheaMoisture & natural oils first before I put the Herbal Essences product on. I might use Herbal Essences 2 or so times a week and I only wash with gentle poo 1/mo. Am I less likely to have build up during the month when the silicone is lower on the list of ingredients like HE Totally Twisted or does it matter? --like does the silicone spread out and stay on my hair til I wash w/ sulphate? If I add a small amt of vin or baking soda to my co-wash and do that 1/week will that assist in removing cones like dimethicone and bis-aminopropyl? I also have some African Pride products and all their stuff has Dimethicone w Phenyl-Trimethicone in there towards end of the ingredients list, I don't use often, but will in a pinch. Please help.
Aussie Volume Ingredients: Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearyl Alcohol, Quaternium 18, Fragrance, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Prunus Serotina Bark Extract (Wild Cherry), Humulus Lupulus Extract (Hops), Bis Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oleyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Stearate, Citric Acid, EDTA, Polysorbate 60, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Bev,
DeleteThat particular silicone is designed to attach to damaged areas in your hair - little chipped cuticle edges, broken cuticles. It doesn't prevent moisture from entering the hair strands. It acts like a conditioning ingredient. It will wash out with almost any detergent. The only detergent that does not remove it very well is Decyl glucoside or Lauryl glucoside - and that only applies when one of those is the *only* detergent in a shampoo.
I have a post about which detergents will remove silicones: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2016/05/detergents-which-remove-silicones.html
You're less likely to have build up if the silicone is not one of the first few ingredients.
The most important thing is that you observe your hair. If it's not showing signs of any build-up or ill effects, that's all the information you need to decide when to shampoo or not.
But most mild shampoos will work to remove silicone residue. Much better than vinegar or baking soda, which do a very poor job of removing silicones from hair.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI just want to say before asking my question that I am loving this blog, it's hyper-informative and I can't stop reading, it's really nice to be able to learn about what I using on my hair in depth, I realize how I have been duped by many labels now that I am learning about actual ingredients, so thank you times a million!
Anyhow, I started using the Aphogee Hair Strengthening Kit and my plan is to use it once every 4-6 weeks. The problem is this treatment has silicone in it, specifically Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, as well as Petrolatum and Mineral oil. I only shampoo once every 4-6 weeks (with come clean kinky curly), right before I do the treatment and I co-wash my hair once a week in between (with as I am coconut co-wash). I just want to know if leaving the silicone in my hair for a whole month (or more) is bad for my hair which is prone to dryness, and whether I should shampoo in between? How long is it recommended go without shampoo if you have silicone in your hair and does it even make a difference since I put the silicone right back in my hair after shampooing?
I have very kinky/coily "type 4" hair and so I would prefer to shampoo as infrequently as possible due to the dryness and fragility of my hair, in fact the main reason I shampoo is to do the protein treatment otherwise I may go even longer without shampoo. Nothing else that I use in my hair contains silicones and I have only done the ahpogee two times so far (this regimen is new), but I do pre poo and deep condition in between my shampoos and I am worried that my hair is not getting what it needs if I don't remove the silicone. I am thinking based on this info I may have to switch to a silicone free protein treatment but I really like the aphogee :/ so now I don't know. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Yvanne
Aphogee Hair Strengthening Kit Ingredients
Step 1: Water (Aqua, Eau), Collagen Amino Acids, Polyacrylamidomethylpropane Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Phytantriol, PPG-5 Ceteth-20, Tremethylsiloxyamodimethicone, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-16 Pareth-9, Trideceth-12, Chlorphenesin, DMDM Hydantoin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylisothiazolinone
Step 2: Water (Aqua, Eau), Stearalkonium Chloride, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum, Huile Minerale), Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Silk Amino Acids, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Slavia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Phytantriol, Alanine, Proline, Polysorbate 60, Petrolatum, Stearyl Alcohol, Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, Allantoin, Squalene, Tryptophan, Acetamide MEA, C11-15 Pareth-7, Collagen Amino Acids, C12-16 Pareth-9, Trideceth-12, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, DMDM Hydantoin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance (Parfum)
Hair: Type 4 kinky/coily, coarse untreated with some heat damage
Hello Eden,
DeleteI two seriously simple suggestions. 1) Only use "Step One" of the Aphogee 2-Step kit and don't worry about the Tremethylsiloxyamodimethicone in it, that's a conditioning (modified) sort of silicone, it's not quite like plain old dimethicone. It acts like conditioners and bonds to damaged areas.
2) Make a homemade recipe (link to my updated recipe, and contains a link to the original recipe). This isn't exactly like the Aphogee 2-Step, but it's close. I mix it with an equal part conditioner before using it, and some oil like argan oil - anything oil you like will work. http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/gelatin-protein-treatment-recipe-update.html
One thing the Aphogee has going for it (and the homemade recipe) is that it is a very concentrated "dose" of protein, and it's a protein that adds support and a substantial feeling to hair.
If you want to replace the Aphogee product with a store-bought, silicone-free product, look for the larger, support-providing proteins like collagen, oat, quinoa, wheat, and "vegetable" protein to pack the protein punch that you're getting from Aphogee.
Good luck! W
I should add - if you use the Aphogee Step One alone, follow it up with a good, slippery, intense conditioner instead of the one provided as Step Two. The same applies to the DIY recipe.
DeleteHi! I just wanted you to know I tried your gelatin recipe, (the original no xantham gum) and it worked very well, my hair was stiff at first but after deep conditioning it felt super soft yet strong. My curls were also "popping" and very defined all over, I have a super tight natural curl pattern so to get them defined is near impossible my hair always frizzes. Thanks so much I will be no longer using the aphogee as this worked better and is so much cheaper haha also zero silicones and all natural!
DeleteThanks again,
Yvanne
I still have some apogee left so I think I will continue using it for the next couple months, but it's good to know that I can use any conditioner rather than what's provided. Maybe I'll try your recipe after I finish the aphogee I like the idea of controlling what goes into my protein treatment.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice!
Is "phenyl propyl dimethyl siloxy silicate" a silicone? Have been told yes by a friend, but she has no actual background in this and it doesnt seem like it.
ReplyDeleteHello Mariel,
DeleteYes, that is a silicone ingredient.
Hey WS, I have been using a shampoo bar for over a year now and I have seen amazing improvement in my hair. My scalp appearantly cannot deal with sulfates and conditioner only. However I've been thinking about experimenting with silicone lately (for my ends especially). Is the shampoo bar (I use chagrin valley) able to remove most silicone? For exampe dimethicone and adimethicone? Also I had the Loreal Elvive Full Fiber conditioner before I started with decent results. It says there is a silicone in there. Which one is it and can I wash this out too with the shampoo bar? Thank you very much in advance!
ReplyDeleteHello Silverbleed,
DeleteI would expect the soap bar (shampoo bar) to be able to remove silicones. Soap is anionic and de-greasing. The water-insoluble silicones tend to wash out with anionic surfactants or with some of the amphoteric surfactants. You'll really have to experiment to see how it feels, and how any product with silicones (or any ingredient) works with your hair and shampoo bars in the long term. If it's good at first, and then not so good, you might only be able to use that product occasionally. Or only on the ends. Your hair knows what it likes best. If it's consistently great - that's the best of all possible hair-worlds. Best wishes - W
Hello i have a question.Do the water insoluable silicones form a water resistant surface? I mean do they prevent the water to reach the hair? As the water insoluable sillicones form a film on the hair, the water reaches the film , not the hair. Think that i used a hair cream containing a water insoluable sillicone. And i washed my hair with only water without using any shampoo or a soap. In such a case, the water will not reach my hair. Becase of the silicone film on my hair , the water will just reach the silicone film surface on the hair but not the hair itself. Am i right?
ReplyDeleteHi WS,
ReplyDeleteI usually clay wash my hair (Rhassoul or Bentonite) mixed with ACV, do you think these ingredients are capable of removing non water soluble silicones such as Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone found in Aussie Moist conditioner which i love and want to go back to.
Hello Shyness,
DeleteHere's my late answer: Maybe for the clay wash, but no for the vinegar. Clay might help remove some residues - oils, conditioners/silicones in them but vinegar does not help remove those very well.
I realize you're mixing the two, I think rhassoul clay already has a lower pH than bentonite. But I was thinking about them separately. For some reason. Clay can change its character and it's electrostatic charges when mixed with an acid, so I would use as little vinegar as seemed necessary.
Give it a try and see how it goes. The primary expert you need to consult on this subject is your hair. If something is going to work well, your hair will show you that. If it's not going to work, your hair will show you that too. More important than any one ideology about hair care and what you should use vs. what you should avoid - is your own trial and error and your observation of how your hair is responding. Good luck! W
Hello!
ReplyDeleteIs "aminopropyl triethoxysilane" a silicone?
Yes it is. W
DeleteNot sure what to make of this shampoo ingredient: Cetyl triethylmonium Diemethicone PEG-8 Succinate
ReplyDelete1) I'm assuming they have just misspelled Dimethicone, since I can't find anywhere that Diemethicone is a different ingredient.
2) The cetyl in front of it made me think it is not water-soluble, based on the list above
3) The PEG-8 at the end made me think it is water-soluble.
4) Leaving me completely unsure what to make of the ingredient.
5) And the Succinate and Triethylmonium don't clear anything up for me--I see that succinate is a salt, but don't understand how/if that affects the silicone-ness of the ingredient.
Thanks!
Hello dkx,
DeleteThis ingredient appears to be soluble in water - but that is information for the people making the formula (what do I have to do to get this stuff to dissolve?). It probably is not water-rinse-able because it bonds to hair. It's a conditioning ingredient.
Hi WS,
ReplyDeleteIs Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol a silicone; if so, may you update your list. Also, is it water soluble or water insoluble. Thanks so much!
-Toyin
It is in the "Water Soluble" category.
DeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteIs silicone quaternium-26 water soluble?
Not that I am aware of.
DeleteSo with products containing amodimethicone. Will cocamidopropyl betaine be sufficient enough to remove it?
ReplyDeleteYes. Because amodimethicone bonds to hair, it may take a couple wash cycles to remove all of it. But meanwhile, it's protecting your hair from friction.
DeleteAre silsesquioxane water rinsable?
ReplyDeleteHello Maham I - It looks like many of them are water-soluble. Whether or not they rinse off with just water, I can't say. It's likely that the ingredient bonds to hair (temporarily) and may not rinse off with water.
DeleteHello, I notice that some products tend to bring out the natural wave in my hair and some remove volume by making it lay flatter. Are there certain types of quats or cones that will make my hair straighter and not so much more defined texture? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHello Patrick,
DeleteMany products containing silicones will reduce volume by creating lubrication that allows hairs to settle closely together. That may be revealing your natural wave by also allowing those hairs to form a clear wave pattern vs. having fluffy volume and a less-clear wave pattern.
The heavier the product (like a conditioner containing dimethicone or amodimethicone), the more likely it will be to pull out wave for straighter hair. If you brush your hair while damp, that also tends to pull out wave.
Thank you so much for your thorough blog post and equally thorough replies to comments! I have gone sulphate- and silicone-free for some while now; I have long, straight hair which previously didn't feel weighed down but also didn't seem to ever get beyond tailbone length - it's now thigh-length after the change. However, I'm now getting tangles overnight and thus splits, which no amount of oiling / deep conditioning appears to have helped. So thanks to your excellent explanations above, I now feel a bit braver to experiment with water-soluble silicones and other conditioning ingredients that looked scary! I and my hair thank you very much :)
ReplyDeleteIs PEG 7 dimethicone water soluble/rinsable?
ReplyDeleteIt is water-rinseable alone, and probably water-rinse-able in a product as well.
DeleteHi, there! It's Courtney Conover! I hope all is well with you! I recently started a youtube channel and I wanted to let you know that in the description box of the video I uploaded today, I link to this very blog post because of everything I've read on this topic, your list is the most thorough and comprehensive...is that okay? If you would prefer that I remove the link, I will..
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ahead!
Hi Courtney,
DeleteI've seen your YouTube page referenced - somewhere. I need to check it out. I'm happy to have you share the link. Best wishes -W
Can you recommend hair serums? polishes with phenyl thrimethicone in them? I would very much appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI have a hair oil I use sparingly (1-5 spritzes a day). I use it primarily because of the fragrance, which I love, and it was costly. One of the primary ingredients is Cyclomethicone. I have read the MSDS and know that this is not water soluble. I am trying to implement a Conditioner only wash routine, and have read from a couple of sources that any unevaporated cyclomethicone residue will co-wash out. I have also heard, from other sources, that it won't, and requires a sulfate shampoo. I would like to know which is accurate. Is there a specific solvent I should look for in a conditioner to be sure I am removing the build-up? I am not asking to have my hope that it will CO-wash out confirmed. (Though it would be nice) I am asking in order to obtain real scientific information, so that I can move forward making educated decisions.
ReplyDeleteHello Mayhem,
DeleteCyclomethicone is indeed volatile - meaning it evaporates over time. The point of using an ingredient like this is to avoid adding a lot of weight, and to leave a dry vs. an oily/slick feel. It's meant to help other ingredients spread out evenly, and then do a disappearing act and evaporate. It does not evaporate completely unless the product is in your hair longer than 24 hours, and the other ingredients in a formula, or products in your hair may slow down evaporation. Read the following with the very low "dose" you're using of this product: Residual cyclomethicone would probably not be removed *completely* by using a conditioner to wash your hair because as an "oil" it may need a surfactant with stronger de-greasing capacity than the cationic surfactants in conditioners. It is absoutely possible to remove a certain amount of oils with co-washing - so you really have to try it to see if you're satisfied with the result. You're not using much - so you're unlikely to have much residue to remove.
Most sulfate-free shampoos will remove residual cyclomethicone to give you a clean slate. If you prefer not to use shampoo at all, then use your own powers of observation to see if you're getting a satisfactory result with co-washing and using your hair oil/spritz.
There is also the possibility of co-washing most of the time and occasionally using a mild shampoo when you feel you need it, if keeping that flexibility in your routine is practical, or might make life more enjoyable than giving up a product with a fragrance you love. Best wishes - W
Hi Wendy, thanks so much for this info! This is the only place that I could find anything about cyclomethicone. But I was actually wondering about cyclomethiconal. It's an ingredient in the evolvh styling creme and I was wondering if it's water soluble. If not, what ingredient should I look for in a shampoo to remove any build up? Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteHello,
DeleteI don't think I can help you with this ingredient as it is listed as "Cyclomethiconal." I cannot find an ingredient with that name in any literature I have access to. And because they do not use standard (INCI) naming for the rest of their ingredient list, there is good reason to be skeptical that this is not a correct name for this ingredient. It may be just Cyclomethicone - with an "L" on the end for all we know.
hi,what about behentrimonium chloride? is in almost every cheap conditionei in my country.
ReplyDeletethank you and have a good week.
Hello JC,
DeleteThat is not a silicone, it is a cationic conditioning ingredient which tends to be good for detangling hair while wet.
thank you for your answer.but is it washable? does it bind in the hair?
DeleteBehentrimonium chloride does bond to hair temporarily. That is how it provides "slip" when hair is both wet and dry. It is always combined with a fatty alcohol such as Cetyl alcohol for a smoother glide to the product, more softness in the hair and a thicker, creamier product. Fatty alcohols do not bond to hair, but they do leave a lasting effect - at least between washes.
Deletethank you very much.
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteis bis-isobutyl peg/ppg-20/35/amodimethicone copolymer soluble/rinsable in water?
I believe this one is not water-rinseable and does not appear to be water-soluble either.
DeleteWell, I tried cone-free and my hair was miserable. I found out my hair really loves Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone. My ringlets are so shiny and happy now!
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa - it's good to know what your hair likes! My hair "likes" Amodimethicone, which is very similar. It makes it so flexible and silky.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI read in an article that the following are considered silicones, however in several silicone free labeled products the followig ingredients are still present:
C10-30 Alkyl acrylate crosspolymer
VP/VA Copolymer
Polybutene
Polyisobutene
Would these be considered silicones? If so, would these silicones be water soluble? Or do they create a barrier on the skin/hair that is unable to wash off with water alone?
Thank you!
Hello Mobi, None of those ingredients are silicones. C10-30 Alkyl acrylate crosspolymer and VP/VA Copolymer are both water-rinseable. Polybutene and Polyisobutene are not water-soluble or rinseable, but they fall into that whole class of emollient, lubricating ingredients in products (like conditioning ingredients) which you don't want to rinse away completely (and right away) or you wouldn't have a nice, soft feel in your hair. Best wishes - W
DeleteHello, can somebody tell me if the ingredient says SIMETHICONE alone, not the way it is describe above with all the other words is the same??
ReplyDeleteBecause when I google it alone it says that is to prevent gas (that can affect the way it comes out of the container)
Thanks!!!!
Hello Fernanda, Simethicone when listed alone is definitely not water-soluble.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to ask if Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer and Silica Dimethyl Silylate are considered silicones? If so, would there also be considered water-soluble, or would they also create a barrier on skin/hair that is unable to wash off with water alone?
Another question I was wondering about non-water soluble silicones, would washing them off with a sulfate, (SLS) shampoo/product help them remove them from the skin/hair completely?
Thank you!
Hello Mobi, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is not a silicone (and it is water-soluble). Silica Dimethyl Silylate is a thickener, it IS silica-based and is not water-soluble. Water-soluble silicones do rinse right off with water if you are working with the raw ingredient on its own. It's not a problem at all. But a product containing them is a mixture of many ingredients, so how that product as a whole behaves in your hair has more to do with the formula as a whole than one single ingredient.
DeleteHi Wendy. Recently I became aware of a product called Hydrahair Care Curl Former which has Sea kelp water soluble dimethicone as an ingredient, link here: https://hydrahaircare.com/products/curlformer-best-curly-hair-product?variant=4576933937190. I was not able to find any information online about sea kelp being combined with a dimethicone and wondered if you knew anything about it. I am keen to try it but wonder about it's solubility though the website assures that it is water soluble. Would you have any thoughts please? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Kerliz, thank you for the link. I *think* this is a "Case of the missing comma" in this product label. I wonder if the ingredient is Kelp, Water-soluble silicone. Either way, that is not an adequate way to tell us what the ingredient "Water soluble silicone" actually is. It's like a recipe book saying, "Fruit" rather than "Finely diced green apple." Those are my thoughts, anyhow. At the moment, I don't know about any kelp-silicone ingredients. There are ingredients that combine proteins and silicones or seed extracts, though. And those tend to be water-soluble. Sorry I can't answer that with more certainty. -Wendy
DeleteDo liquid mineral oils and waxes fall in the same category as water-insoluble silicones when it comes to detergents that are needed to remove them?
ReplyDeleteYes, they do. Waxes can be more difficult to remove because they are solid (and sticky) at room temperature and above.
DeleteHello, I left a comment earlier this evening, not sure if it went through. Sorry if it reposted! First, I want thank you so much for this blog! You have help me immensely in my 2b, wavy hair, low - medium porosity, moisturized, fine hair journey.
ReplyDeleteMy question is I have a product that contains something called Cyclotetrasiloxane. It is the ninth out of fourteen ingredients listed on the label. Is it able to come off with a sulfate free shampoo?
I also have another product with cyclohexasiloxane and aminopropyl dimethicone. They are the 11th and 13th ingredients out of 24 on the label. Are these able to come off with a sulfate free shampoo? Thank you. 😊
- Lisa V
You have changed my life!! I have my silky, bouncy hair back after years of ruining it with Moroccan oil which is really dimethicone. I was using shampoo that had no sulfates and was getting buildup after buildup, not to mention drying it into straw...My hair is now waist length, with no problems anymore. I can't thank you enough!
ReplyDeleteI am curious if you know of a silicone free (and sulfate and paraben free) heat protectant that actually works and prevents split ends. I just realized my go to, Kerastase Ciment Thermique is loaded with silicones. I just colored my hair for the first time and can't clarify anymore. thanks for any ideas!
ReplyDeleteIs Dicaprylyl Carbonate a silicone substitute? It's the third ingredient in CurlsSmith's Weightless air dry cream.
ReplyDeleteIf yes, is it water-soluble and can it wash off with a sulfate free shampoo?
Hello, Dicaprylyl Carbonate is an ingredient that does mimic some of the effects of silicone. Meaning it's an emollient with easy spreading and a dry, light feel. It leaves a product with a nice feeling when dry (not greasy or heavy - depending on the other ingredients). Like most emollients, it's not soluble in water. But neither are many of the other ingredients in that product (Castor oil, babassu oil, Cetearyl alcohol, Behentrimonium chloride, Murumuru and shea butter, jojoba oil). Which is to say that products like this are a judgement call on your part as to whether or not any excess is removed well enough with your favorite cleanser(s).
DeleteDo you have any info. on silicone "substitutes" which leave a film on hair just like silicones? Are they water soluble and easy to rinse out with water and/or sulfate free shampoo? Example:
ReplyDeleteAcrylamides
Acrylates
Carbomers
Copolymers
Methacrylates
Polymers (most commonly polybutene and polyisobutene)
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)
Btw, the curly girl method doesn't suggest to avoid silicone substitutes in hair care like Acrylamides, Acrylates, Carbomers, Copolymers, Methacrylates , Polymers (most commonly polybutene and polyisobutene), Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and Hydrogenated polyisobutene, which is a silicone oil. All of these leave a film on hair just like silicones. CG method actually approves them. I have to enter ingredients in their "Is it CG?" app and then double check for all the silicone substitutes because I don't know if they'll be washed out with water and sulfate free shampoo. Do you have any info on these silicone substitutes?
ReplyDeleteThank you
Hi!
ReplyDeleteCould you please tell me about PEG - 55 PROPYLENE GLYCOL OLEATE? is it water soluble? Also, PEG-18 GLYCERL OLEATE /COCOATE?
I am looking to buy the ouai leave in conditioner I have low porosity hair and i have 1b to 1c type hair my hair is dry frizzy and little bit tangled at the moment but it has a ingredient which is 4th on the list quaternium-91 and polysilicone 29 which is 30th on the list and another silicone quaternium 16 which is the 33rd ingredient will this build up if I used it every week I wash my hair twice a week also has a protein which is hydrolyzed pea protein which is the 15th ingredient and another ingredient called Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract which is the 12th ingredient.
ReplyDeleteHi Jodie, Those low concentrations of polysilicone might not be noticeable over time, if you are shampooing your hair occasionally. In formulas that complex (30 ingredients!), I think it's best to assess the product as a whole rather than based on one ingredient or another.
DeleteThank you for your post - it's very informative 👍 how do you think which silicone could be used to hold pigments on the hair surface?
DeleteHello Rolling Stylist. There are several silicone ingredients which help with color retention (for use during, after coloring and going forward to keep color from fading). They are all modified silicones - at least the ones that performed well in tests that used both visual inspection and other forms of measurement. Some are very common ingredients in color-protection or heat-protection (or UV-protecting) conditioners. Examples: Amodimethicone, Silicone quaternium-16, Bis-isobutyl PEG/PPG-20/35/ amodimethicone copolymer, Bis-hydroxy/methoxy amodimethicone. These ingredients may help the color spread evenly during coloring. They may help color "grab" the hair better during coloring and resist rinsing out during the coloring process (these particular silicones have a charge that gives them that functionality). In use after coloring, they may help prevent hair from swelling with *too much water, too quickly* during washing which can be a characteristic of color-treated hair and speeds up color loss when all that water inside the hair takes come color with it upon rinsing. This was especially useful with red dyes, which are notorious for fading. Best wishes! W
DeleteIs Silicone Quaternium-26 found in the brand hair food conditioner Water soluble?
ReplyDelete