Do we need silicones in cosmetics? Are they bad for us? Let me invite you to read my post, where I’ll tell you the truth concerning the issue of silicones used in beauty products.
Do you remember the beginnings of your conscious skin and hair care, when you were acquiring the knowledge that allowed you develop good personal care habits? I bet that one of the first pieces of information that you came across was that silicones are bad for hair and clog skin pores. And you too started repeating this information and passing it over, didn’t you? I hate to break it to you but this issue is more complex than that, hence the idea for this post.
However, before I answer the question: “Are silicones harmful to us?”, I need to present you a few pieces of basic information – just to make it clearer for those who don’t know much about silicones.
What are silicones?
The substance that we name ‘silicones’ are siloxanes, which are silicon-based polymers. Still, this information doesn’t explain much, does it?
For us, the most important is the fact that silicones used in cosmetics are supposed to make beauty products denser, provide better glide and smoothness. And this is exactly why a hair conditioner containing silicones makes the strands so soft and velvety smooth.
It’s worth realizing that silicones are made of hydrophobic molecules which means that they repel water. This is another property thanks to which cosmetics with silicones protect hair against frizz when exposed to humidity. In makeup products silicones ensure extended stability.
I think these are the most important pieces of information explaining what silicones are and what properties they have. Now it’s time to take a closer look and analyze if silicones can be bad for us and how they actually work.
How do silicones work?
When we use cosmetics with silicones, we let them reside in our hair and skin and create a kind of impervious coat. In this way silicones provide protection not only from humidity but also adverse weather conditions, UV radiation and even mechanical damage.
Simply speaking, smoothed with silicone, hair becomes more resistant and strong because it’s coated with a kind of an armor.
And this is the core of the false conviction that silicones are bad for us. We think that such silicone coat not only do not provide enough protection but also cuts our skin out from oxygen. We also assume that the very protective armor overburdens skin and hair.
Are silicones bad for us?
Are our concerns reasoned? Should we get rid of all cosmetics with silicones and choose only the silicone-free formulas?
The truth is that the negative impact of silicones used in cosmetics is a MYTH that has been kept alive for many years now. That’s a wrong conviction because when used reasonably and in right amounts, silicones have positive influence over our hair and skin.
On the flip side, we can notice some negative impact that silicones have and this can’t be denied. Indeed, it happens that silicones weigh hair down, make hair care practices more demanding and impede nourishing substances from penetrating hair. Also, silicones may clog skin pores and contribute to acne. This is true, yet this issue has a hidden agenda to find.
You should realize that silicones added to beauty products cause harm to our bodies only when:
- we use them too often
- we use too much of them
- we don’t remove them thoroughly
How to limit the negative impact of silicones?
It’s only us who decide whether silicones will appear to be bad for our hair and skin, or not. When you don’t apply to much, when you follow the directions for use and when you pay attention to removing them from your body, silicones won’t be bad heroes of our daily personal care. Actually, once you start using silicones correctly, they will do nothing but good.
At the end, let me give you some tips: What can be done to limit the negative influence of silicones? Mostly, start applying less of them. Don’t exceed the minimum necessary – then you will achieve smooth skin and hair that is resistant to damage. Moreover, try not to combine several cosmetics containing silicones. To clarify, if you choose a cream with silicones, you should use silicone-free makeup products.
The most crucial though is regular hair and skin cleansing that focuses on complete silicone removal. To do it, use shampoos and face cleansers containing strong washing agents. Of course, you shouldn’t use them on a daily basis because they may cause dehydration. However, used once or twice a month will help us remove silicone build-up thoroughly. Our hair and skin will be grateful.
