Anyone here use silicones and have good long-term results?

[EggLover]

I was off silicones for around 5-6 years, but never saw the night and day improvement some people do. I gave it a very fair shot, and probably spent thousands dollars on silicone free products.

I recently have come back to them after watching a few of Abby Young's YouTube videos. My hair has consistently looked better ever since! Less frizzy, less tangly, less dry appearing. I don't have a true problem with breakage, but even less breakage it seems. My hair is short however. 2a/b, high porosity, low density.

Anyone have a similar experience? Also, if you've used silicone products long-term, how have they seemed to have affected your hair?

TIA!

[Ylva]

Many people here use all kinds of silicones with great results. We generally go by a YMMV principal, so whatever works for you, go for it!

[mochichichi]

I have not given up silicones and I don't intend to. I've continued to use them and I don't notice much difference between using cone/cone free products. I get a bigger difference between sulphate/sulphates free, but I think there's a lot of individual variation including not just your hair but also where you live, etc.

[lapushka]

After all these years, trying just about all of it, I think I can say that what I found out is that it's more of the overall formulation of a certain type of product, and not necessarily the individual ingredients. So one type of product with silicones can actually be better than one without and the other way around. It's truly a "try and see what works for your hair" type of thing. If you find something that works, don't change it up so much, stick to whatever it is.

[cadaverinna]

I have not given up silicones and I don't intend to. I've continued to use them and I don't notice much difference between using cone/cone free products. I get a bigger difference between sulphate/sulphates free, but I think there's a lot of individual variation including not just your hair but also where you live, etc.

After all these years, trying just about all of it, I think I can say that what I found out is that it's more of the overall formulation of a certain type of product, and not necessarily the individual ingredients. So one type of product with silicones can actually be better than one without and the other way around. It's truly a "try and see what works for your hair" type of thing. If you find something that works, don't change it up so much, stick to whatever it is.

I agree with these. I was fully off silicones for about 3-4 years before I got back to using them and I hadn't seen that much difference... Until I bleached my hair. Now I won't give them up for anything, doesn't even make sense in my specific case. It's plain protection. They keep my hair silky, shiny, and lessen the tangles(less mechanical damage at the end of the day) w/o weighing it down like a carrier oil would.
I'll style my hair w a silicone-y serum(after leave in) on wash day and it usually doesn't need reapplying throught the week(I'm sulphate-free and although processed, my hair is in very good condition). When it's nearing the next wash day I'll decide if it needs more serum or a carrier oil.

Haven't had the need to clarify yet.

[spirals]

I have to use them. My hair is so tangly no matter what, probably due to the wurliness. A combination of oils and silicones works for me if I clarify every once in a while. Dimethicone seems to give me the most slip.

[GordonMurphella]

Well, they're not poisonous or the devil and further, they work as an ingredient, and there are many many different types. So, yes, YMMV and looking at the whole ingredient list is wise. And testing stuff.

Also, people seem to forget that there's no such thing as a magic pill, hair takes time, and there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Try stuff! It won't hurt you! Promise!

[Ylva]

Try stuff! It won't hurt you! Promise!

Unless it’s baking soda.

[GordonMurphella]

Unless it’s baking soda.

Yup, agreed!

[spirals]

Baking soda ruined my hair! Narrator: "Spirals doesn't like to talk about it."