https://i.pinimg.com/564x/52/2c/af/522caf0620624eafbdd35038a87c678b.jpg
It’s no secret that silicones aren’t beloved in the curl care community. As most curly girls struggle with moisturizing their curls, they often opt to avoid silicones when they can. This is because silicones coat the curl’s shaft, repelling moisture. This means your curls will often become dry and have difficulty staying moisturized when using silicones. However, understanding how to identify silicones in your curl products can be a bit tricky. Here’s how to know if it’s a silicone. This guide breaks it down, so you can determine quickly if the shampoo you’re eyeballing is great for your curls or something you should put back on the shelf.
How To Know If It’s a Silicone
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e1/48/c7/e148c7a62a374df53b4c1b7422a57c4f.jpg
When looking at the ingredients, check the ingredient in question. Does it end in ‘cone’, ‘xane’, or ‘conol’? If so, congratulations! This isn’t a silicone and it’s safe to continue using on your curls. It also is Curly Girl Method approved.
However, seeking out the answer to if it’s a silicone doesn’t end there unfortunately. When you’re checking your ingredients list, you’ll want to see if there are any that start with ‘peg’ followed by a number. For example, be on the lookout for something like ‘peg-15’. If you encounter that, it means that the product is a silicone. Unfortunately, this means this product isn’t Curly Girl Method approved. Some of these are water soluable, so while not Curly Girl approved, can be more forgiving on your curls should you accidentally use them.
Finally, you aren’t done checking your product lists, unfortunately. There are several ingredients that aren’t Curly Girl Method approved, but often sneak into your favorite curl care products. For example, you’ll want to avoid parabens, artificial fragrances, dyes, alcohol, sulfates, waxes, and mineral oils. All of these ingredients are harmful to your curls, as they promote dryness. When you’re buying products, it’s best to look for those that contain natural, and organic ingredients. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, odds are it isn’t going to be super safe to put in your curls.