How do you even know if silicone is in your shampoo or conditioner and, more importantly why does it even matter?
Silicones are synthetic polymers and a common ingredient in a wide variety of haircare (including shampoo, conditioner, hair masks), skincare and cosmetics but here at KIND2 we have an amazing range of silicone free shampoo & conditioner bars so you can wash without the worry of harsh chemicals.
In hair products, silicones are used for the effects of smoothing, detangling, conditioning and adding volume. And while they might make your hair appear healthy and feel silky at first ... they accumulate, weighing it down and creating a barrier that actually prevents moisture from penetrating your hair shaft.
Non water-soluble silicones build-up, making your hair dull, dry and setting off an unpleasant cycle of over-production of oil - leaving you with greasy roots and dry ends. Sound familiar?
Want to know how to identify silicones in your shampoo?
Then check your products for some of the most common silicones to avoid:
- Dimethicone
- Amodimethicone
- Cetyl Dimethicone
- Cyclopentasiloxane
- Dimethiconol
To remove any of these ingredients from your hair, you’ll likely need a clarifying shampoo or one containing sulfates. Our award winner, The Rebalancing One Shampoo Bar will help remove any residual silicones and together with The Restoring One Conditioner Bar, leaving your hair silicone free, looking and feeling healthy all day long.
Something to bear in mind if you are making the move to using shampoo bars from liquid products containing silicones, is that the gentler formulation of the bars may not be able to shift any accumulated silicones in the first wash. It may take a few washes for your hair to adjust – but don’t confuse this with a “transition period” you might have heard of. This term is often used when people are talking about soap based hair bars, they are not shampoo and due to the high pH of soap, we would advise that you DON’T use it on your hair. Learn more about why pH matters here.
Avoiding silicones isn’t just about hair health, they’re bad for the planet.
Both Cetyl Dimethicone and Dimethicone are named by Plastic Soup Foundation on their Red List of ingredients considered to be microplastics.
Amodimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane and Dimethiconol are all classified as orange, “skeptical microplastic” ingredients - meaning synthetic polymers for which there is not enough information and concerns with toxicity to humans and/ or aquatic environments.
You can rest assured that there's no silicone in any KIND2 bars. We believe it’s important to create products that are about more than just plastic free packaging and we’re proudly certified micro plastic free "Zero Plastic Inside" by Plastic Soup Foundation. On their website and with their Beat the Microbead App you can check products and find brands that are truly plastic free.
Of course, it’s entirely up to you if you wish to avoid silicones in your haircare – we know you can still have soft, shiny and healthy hair without them from the power of our plant based bars. Our formulations include incredible hair nourishing oils like Coconut, Macadamia, Argan, Shea and Hemp Seed for shine and strength, plus Cacao Seed Butter and Panthenol (Vitamin B5) for moisture. You can learn more about the benefits of plant based oils for haircare here.
Ready for shiny, healthy and plastic free haircare yet? Visit the KIND2 shop.
