Are Silicones Bad for Curly Hair? Myths, Benefits & How to Use Them

Use code: DEWY at checkout to save 20% on my Dewy Curls Shampoo and Conditioner on my website at https://www.thevintagehipster.net/natural-hair-products and experience the intentional balance of silicones we discussed today.

Silicones have long been demonized in the natural hair community, but is this fear based on facts or misinformation? In this enlightening deep dive, we unravel the truth about these controversial ingredients and why they might actually be beneficial for your curls. 

Discover the science behind common silicones like dimethicone and cyclomethicone, and how they work together to create the perfect balance of protection without heaviness. Far from being the moisture-blocking villains they're often portrayed as, these intentionally formulated ingredients can seal the cuticle, lock in hydration, reduce frizz, and shield your strands from environmental damage, heat styling, and even hard water. 

The problem isn't silicones themselves but how they're used. We explore who benefits most from silicone-based products, proper application techniques, and why regular clarifying is essential to prevent buildup. You'll learn how to incorporate silicones into a balanced hair care routine and recognize whether they align with your specific texture, porosity, and maintenance habits.

The natural hair journey is about education and personalization, not blindly following trends or fearing ingredients without understanding their purpose. Whether you've sworn off silicones completely or never given them much thought, this episode will transform how you think about product formulation and help you make more informed choices for your curls. Ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about silicones?

Chapters

• 0:00 Introducing the silicone controversy
• 7:13 What silicones really are
• 11:43 How silicones benefit your curls
• 14:18 Balancing your hair care routine
• 16:15 Using silicones properly for natural hair
• 19:47 Who should use silicones

Transcript

Kinetra Stewart: 0:03

Welcome back to Hair, what I'm Saying. Today. I want to chat about something that gets a lot of heat in the natural hair community, especially among black women, and that's silicones. If you've ever peeked at your shampoo or conditioner ingredients and seen words like dimethicone or cyclomethicone, maybe you frowned and thought oh no, ma'am, silicones, I'm staying away from that. But what if I told you silicones aren't the enemy. In fact, when used right, they can be your hair's best friend. So let's break down the truth behind silicones, why they get so much backlash and how you can actually use them to level up your curls safely and smartly. Welcome back to another episode of Hair, what I'm Saying.

Kinetra Stewart: 0:51

Let's get into this topic of so much controversy First. People think silicones cause buildup, which leads to insufferable strands and make their hair greasy or way down. Also, there's a big wave of clean beauty and no silicone hype, where people avoid anything that sounds synthetic. Plus, some silicones are not water soluble, so they can stay stuck on your hair if not washed out properly. And for us black women with our unique curl textures and hair porosity, I often find heavy silicones uncomfortable or damaging if misused. So the fear is real. But here's the thing Not all silicones are created equal and how you use them matters a lot. So what are silicones really? Let's break it down a little bit. No scary science, just regular old, degular, old terminology.

Kinetra Stewart: 1:53

Silicones are synthetic polymers made mostly from silicon, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. They're used in hair care because they can coat hair shaft, which locks in moisture, and protect your hair from damage. It adds shine, smoothness, even seals the cuticle, especially for my high porosity girls. It provides slip, so detangling is easier and curls don't get frizzy. Two common ones you will find in my dewy curl shampoo are dimethicone and cyclomethicone, and even though they're both silicones, they serve completely different purposes. Dimethicone, it's a heavier silicone that creates, like this, protective barrier on the hair, helping reduce moisture loss and smooth rough strands. Cyclomethicone is lighter and volatile. It evaporates quickly, giving slip and spreadability without all the buildup. So here's why having them both in the same bottle is actually genius and done intentionally. If you only had dimethicone, it could feel heavy or uneven in spots because it's so thick so it wouldn't be able to spread consistently throughout the hair strands. Cyclomethicone steps in, spreading that dimethicone evenly over every strand. Then it evaporates, leaving just the perfect lightweight layer of protection behind. This is the balance that lets your curls get instant slip and long-term frizz control all in one step.

Kinetra Stewart: 3:22

So let's talk about how silicones can actually be your best friend, and this is where I want to change the conversation, because silicones can be amazing for curls if you use them correctly. I believe in the past they were just used incorrectly and, in result, that's how they got their bad rep, and that's pretty much with anything you know. We want to talk about if an ingredient is actually bad or good before we just cast it out, and that's pretty much with anything you know. We want to talk about if an ingredient is actually bad or good before we just cast it out, and that's the reason why I wanted to create this episode to clear up any you know confusion out there when it comes to these specific ingredients that are intentionally placed in these hair products that will really help your hair.

Kinetra Stewart: 4:02

So if your curls are dry or damaged, silicones can lock in the moisture your hair desperately needs, and that comes from dimethicone. They smooth the cuticle, reduce and frizz and breakage, and y'all know how important that is for maintaining curl definition. They also create a protective shield from environmental damage Heat styling especially for my girls who love to heat style. You need silicone in your product and even hard water. I live in Texas. Let me tell you, the water here will dry you up into a prune baby. Let me tell you, I can't stand this water. We had to invest into a soft water system because the water here is so hard. But if you're not able to get a hard water system, you definitely want to purchase products that can break down or create a protective barrier over your skin and your hair so that it don't damage your hair in the long run.

Kinetra Stewart: 5:03

So when I added silicones into my formula, it was intentional, but please understand that there is no product out here that's a one size fits all. I'm not saying silicones are for you. That's why I created this episode to educate you on what silicones are and the benefits that it serves for your hair. And by the end of this episode you're going to know if silicones are for you or not. And I just wanted to clear up the misinformation that's spreaded throughout the natural hair community that's actually preventing us from reaching our hair goals. It's hurting us more than it is helping us. I just know from my experience and based on my clients, concerns behind the chair and what I was able to interpret based on taking care of their hair. I knew silicones could be very beneficial for people who need it. I know for sure for me, based on my lifestyle and what I like to do with my hair.

Kinetra Stewart: 6:01

After implementing silicones into my hair product regimen or my natural hair care regimen, my curls felt softer, smoother and definitely more hydrated. Detangling became way easier, along with less breakage. My hair had a healthy shine that didn't feel oily or weighed down, and that's the bad rep that silicones are known for getting is weighing your hair down. But let's talk about the other side, how silicones do get misused and why they have gained their bad rep. So using heavy silicone products without a proper cleansing routine leads to buildup, and this is how they got their bad rep Because, like I explained earlier in the podcast dimethicone, that particular silicone is a heavy coating ingredient. So if you're not using the proper cleansing products mixed in with your hair care regimen that has silicones, you're going to get buildup. Also, washing your hair with shampoos that aren't designed to remove non-water soluble silicones means they stack up on the hair shaft, so there are water soluble silicones and then you have non-water solid soluble silicones. And if you are using a silicone that is non-water soluble, then that causes buildup. Using silicones on hair that's already oily or not porous enough can make it feel heavy and greasy. Layering too many silicone-based products without giving hair brace can lead to dullness and dryness underneath that barrier.

Kinetra Stewart: 7:44

Everything is all about balance when it comes to hair care. Like anything in life, you can't have too much of one thing and not enough of the other. You have to balance in order to get the benefits of whatever it is that you are investing in. It's no different from how, for me, example, for three months I'll wear my hair curly or textured in some sort of textured state, and then for a whole month I stretch my hair with a flat iron or just maybe even a blow dryer, and then wear more of a blown out style instead of a silk press. Look, and people ask me constantly like how are you able to get your silk press to last? How does your hair stay stretched over so much time without the humidity you know, interrupting it and causing it to revert back? This is why because I intentionally balance my hair care regimen Also, I'm very conscious of the ingredients of those products that I am putting in my hair, of the ingredients of those products that I am putting in my hair.

Kinetra Stewart: 8:51

And when you become intentional and balanced about your hair care, you would be surprised how this journey, you know, with your natural hair, can become really nourishing instead of like a burden. So it's not the silicones themselves, it's how they're used and what they are paired with. So let's talk about how to use silicones properly for natural hair. Here's what I recommend to keep silicones working for you and not against you. Know your silicones. I know this may be asking for a lot, but if you educate educate yourself now you don't have to worry about this in the long run, because your natural hair journey is going to be this never-ending cycle of I don't know what to do with my natural hair if you don't become educated in the ingredients and how they will work for you or against you, depending on your hair care regimen.

Kinetra Stewart: 9:50

It's no different from whatever career you invested in. In the beginning, it probably felt like a lot. It felt overwhelming. You probably even wondered if you would ever get to the other side of accomplishing this goal that you have set for yourself. But you did, because you invested the time and education in order to reach that goal that you set for yourself, and you may have to do that with your natural hair. So, when knowing your silicones, you want to use water soluble or volatile silicones like cyclomethicone for lighter protection. Dimethicone is heavier, heavier, so don't overload it. But I have both in my shampoo because they balance each other out. Because I need that dimethicone, which is the heavier silicone, in my product so that it can coat those hair strands to prevent that frizz and also, if you have high porosity hair strands, it can seal the cuticle. So I need that dimethicone in my hair product and then I need the cyclomethicone for the lighter protection, to break down that dimethicone in order to balance it out so it don't feel heavy and create so much buildup.

Kinetra Stewart: 11:07

You want to also choose cleansing products wisely. You want a shampoo that can remove buildup without stripping natural oils. I have a shampoo that will be on pre-sale order soon, called the Soul Cleanser, and that's what it does. In the meantime, I highly recommend the Biolodge Clarifying Shampoo. It removes buildup without stripping any of your natural oils. So make sure that you're choosing your cleansing products wisely. You want to incorporate a clarifying shampoo whenever you are using products that have silicone in them.

Kinetra Stewart: 11:46

Also, don't overdo it. Use silicone containing conditioners or styling products in moderation. A little goes a long way. So, for example, I just shampooed and conditioned my hair with my Dewey curls shampoo, with my Dewey curls hairline rather. So the next time I shampoo my hair I'm not going to use it, I'm going to go back to. If I go back and forth I might go back to, to wrecking, and if I don't do wrecking then I'm gonna go to bi-lodge. But you see how I'm switching it up. I know not to go back to back with my silicone based products because I don't want to cause build up over a long period of time. But I do wash my hair weekly. So if I want to follow up again with my dewy hair care line, because it's so bomb that I love it so much, it's really hard for me to not want to follow up my with my own hair care line. And I'm not to my own harm because my shampoo and conditioner is really like that. I really love how my hair feels afterwards. So I may just follow up with it again and then I will follow up with Redken or Biolodge. But, like I said, I do wash my hair every week.

Kinetra Stewart: 13:00

If you know you are a person who does not wash their hair every week, I highly recommend you not to follow right back up with a silicone-based product, with a silicone based product. Also, remember to clarify when needed. I like to clarify once a month. That's like the. You know, that's like the most recommended across the board for any natural hair care specialist. We will always say at least once a month. Month. But if you are a person who loads your hair with a lot of product, I'm gonna say at least every two weeks. But just make sure you are clarifying your hair strands if you feel build up. Clarify once every couple of weeks with a gentle clarifying shampoo or treatment. Or once a month. Balance with hydration. Make sure you're moisturizing well underneath the silicone layer to keep those curls healthy and pay attention to your hair's needs. Porosity, texture and your routine all matter.

Kinetra Stewart: 14:08

Silicones are a tool, not a curse. Now, when I created dewy curl shampoo and conditioner, I will say my conditioner does not have silicones in it. It's my shampoo. But I did that intentionally, not as fillers and for sure not marketing. Okay, because silicones are banned in the natural hair community, so that lets you know this was intentional and done on purpose, but because they serve a purpose. When I use my shampoo and conditioner, my curls feel protected, but still bouncy. I don't get that weighed down, greasy feeling, even though there's dimethicone in there, because the formula is balanced with cleansing agents and humectants. The cyclomethicone gives that silky slip, so detangling is smoother.

Kinetra Stewart: 15:01

It's about understanding what's in your product and why, understand why these ingredients are incorporated together. Don't see one ingredient and rebuke it in the name of Jesus. Okay, because social media will have you thinking alcohol and products are bad, not understanding that there are healthy alcohols and you have unhealthy alcohols and they all serve a specific purpose. But we're not going to get into that. If you want to know more about that, I can create an episode around that. But yeah, so that's why you cannot, without thoroughly educating yourself, you know as far as why these ingredients are in the product in the first place, it's not really fair to just ban the product all together. It's really about understanding what's in your product and why, instead of fearing ingredients just because of a label or because the influence of a community of women that we love and trust and adore. So let's get into my favorite part of the episode, and that's who this is for and who it is not for, because silicones are not for everyone, and that is okay. And here's how to know where you stand who this is for Individuals who deal with uncontrollable frizz or dryness and need long lasting protection.

Kinetra Stewart: 16:31

Those who heat, style or are often in environments that cause damage environmental damage like harsh sun or wind. People who want smoother, shinier curls with less breakage. Anyone who is willing to cleanse properly Listen to this one. This one is important, okay. Anyone who is willing to cleanse properly and maintain a balanced routine to prevent build-up. So if you know you are, you know really laxed when it comes to shampooing your hair. I told y'all earlier I shampoo my hair weekly. So if you know you more relaxed in that area, don't you even think about getting a silicone based product. Okay, don't do it to yourself, because you will hate your hair, because it's going to start responding to what you are doing to it. I'm actually going to create an episode separately on why you should be washing your hair weekly, but that's another conversation for another day, and let's keep on talking about silicones. Okay, now, who is this?

Kinetra Stewart: 17:48

Not for those who avoid synthetic ingredients entirely for personal or lifestyle reasons, because I don't ever want someone to feel pressured into doing anything, especially coming from me. Like life is already, it has its own little unique challenges. So if you just want to stay away from things that you deem are unclean and synthetic and whatever you are doing is working for you, by all means stay there, okay. Anyone who knows their hair gets weighed down easily and prefers lightweight silicone free options. So if you know your hair gets way down easily and you don't wash your hair weekly, this is probably not going to be for you. So that would to me, if I had to signify that or classify not signify but classify that with a specific texture, I would say my very high density, fine, strand, curly girls probably wouldn't be for you if you don't want to wash weekly.

Kinetra Stewart: 19:01

So the goal is not to say silicones work for everyone, but to understand whether they align with your hair needs and your hair care habits. So if you are afraid of silicones, I get it, but I hope that I gave you enough education and awareness to let you know that you don't have to be and don't shut the door on them without knowing the whole story. They're not bad. Just like anything is how you use them and what your hair needs. My advice will always be educate yourself and to experiment, and also to listen to your hair, because your hair definitely talks to you. It says exactly what it needs.

Kinetra Stewart: 19:47

Sometimes there's miscommunication and misunderstanding and that's why the goals also don't get met. But if you want me to create an episode about how hair talks to you, I can do that as well. I can dive deep into all of the non-verbal things it likes to tell you. Okay, but anyways, silicones, when used right, can protect your curls, lock in moisture and keep your hair shining and healthy. That wraps up today's conversation on silicones.

Kinetra Stewart: 20:20

I hope you're walking away with a clearer understanding of how they work, why they get so much backlash and how they can actually be your curl's best friend when used correctly. Remember, it's not about labeling an ingredient good or bad. It's about understanding its purpose and using it in a way that supports your hair's needs. As a thank you for tuning in, you can use code dewy at checkout to save 20 on my dewy curl shampoo and conditioner. This way, you can experience the intentional balance of dimethicone and cyclomethicone we talked about today and see the difference in your curls. Thank you for listening to Hair what I'm Saying. Until next time, take care of your hair and it will take care of you.