Silicones in hair care – Does it make a difference?

How do you get beautiful curls or defined waves? This topic has been on my mind for a while now. Which products really help? Can shampoo and conditioner create a proper base? Is there really a visible difference between silicone-containing and silicone-free products?

Thanks to my friend and hairdresser Isabell from Hair & Make-up by Isabell, I got the chance to test the products from Yours Truly and make the ultimate test!

About the products: Yours Truly offers a completely individualized shampoo and conditioner, which are adapted to the customer’s hair texture. To start, an exact hair profile is created via an online questionnaire, in order to formulate a tailor-made care.

Here is a quick recap of my profile:

• Strong and shoulder-length hair, wavy texture with dull lengths and ends
• My hair color is a mix of natural, color and bleach
• I have dry and sensitive scalp
• My hair goals were moisture, bounce/curls, freshness/detox
• I wanted my hair to feel smooth after washing

To top it off, I could also choose a fragrance. I chose Terracotta Stone, a very pleasant scent of peach, jasmine and cedar.

The products arrived beautifully packed at my home. Really sweet was that the products carried my own name. Also added was a letter with my hair profile including individual application instructions. And I was ready to go.

To start the ultimate test, I got my shampoo and two conditioners to go along with it. These had one single difference: one conditioner contained silicone, the other was silicone-free. My task now was to treat one side of my hair with silicone-containing conditioner and the other side with the silicone-free product over the next 4 months. I sectioned off my hair after every washing and used the conditioners on each side for 18 weeks.

After one week:
You would think that after one week, not much can happen. But in fact, I noticed that I could let my hair air dry without it looking "frizzy". A few waves were also already noticeable. However, I was not able to notice a real difference between the two sides.

After two weeks:
My hair had more bounce! I noticed the slow changes in the overall appearance of my hair. But I still was not able to see a difference between the two sides.

After six weeks:
The next phase went on for four weeks. I wanted to wait until I could really see a difference. And then I could: there were defined waves! Yes, still no curls, but defined and beautiful waves. Now I could also see a difference between the two sides. The side treated with silicones looks a bit smoother and more balanced, while the side without silicones still looked a bit dull.

After eight weeks:
The waves were becoming more even. It seemed as if the waves came together to form an even canvas. I felt very good. The side with silicone still looked better.

After nine weeks:
Hello bounce! The side without silicones was catching up and getting smoother, too.

After ten weeks:
Are waves turning into curls? Here is where the big change happened for me. With that extra bounce, my hair was becoming more beautiful and curlier. Now the side without silicones had caught up so much that for me there was no difference anymore. In addition, I also noticed that frizz is decreasing.

After twelve weeks:
More and more I got defined waves/curls and my hair looked healthier. In fact, my hair looked a tiny bit better on the silicone-free side.

After fifteen weeks:
So now it's clear who the winner is. There really was a difference between the two sides now. The side without silicone was looking nicer and nicer, while the side with silicone looked a bit duller and lifeless in comparison.

After eighteen weeks:
My final review: I am somewhat speechless.

That the waves/curls are more defined and even, we now know. BUT: I could not have imagined this difference at the beginning. The side with silicones had completely stagnated, seemed a bit "sad” and there was no real bounce anymore. The waves drooped quickly. It was great to have a direct comparison, because the side without silicone looked just great! The curls looked alive and healthy. And the best part is that they stayed that way. No more dropping and much less frizz than in the beginning.

To go straight to the core: YES! There are visible differences between silicone-free and silicone-containing products. Not directly after a few applications and first you may not see it clearly, because silicone-containing products make your hair look better in the beginning. But in the long term, I can say that my hair has changed completely in the last 4 months.

Without silicone, the curls/waves look more defined, more even and healthier. They have more bounce and also do not droop so easily. Frizz is also getting less and less. If you use silicone-free products, more of the caring ingredients remain in the hair. It’s not just repaired on the surface as with silicone-containing products.

I'm happy to have gotten this chance to make the ultimate test. I am totally grateful for this end result! If anyone is unhappy with the texture of their hair, I highly recommend everyone to go this route! Get your individual hair care without silicone and see for yourself how your hair recovers and becomes more beautiful every day.

Stay tuned and be amazed, it's worth it :)

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