Why You Need Silicone to Smooth Your Hair
Hating on silicones is so last year. In fact, the reason many people hate silicones is what makes them a great heat protectant. Here’s why:
Silicones do not penetrate the hair cuticle.
That means they sit on the outer surface of the hair. For a treatment product? Maybe not ideal. But for a heat protectant? That’s what you want! They’re creating a protective barrier around the hair that is beneficial when using heat to style your hair.
Natural oils have a low smoke point.
This means that if you’re relying more on natural oils as a heat protectant, the heat of your styling tool may be higher than the smoke point. This results in smoking off the oils and exposing the hair which leads to head damage. Silicones, on the other hand, have a higher smoke point.
Natural oils get absorbed.
Again, for a treatment? This is good. But for heat protectant? Not so much. You want your heat protectant to protect the hair, not leave it exposed. Silicones on the other hand aren’t absorbing into the hair. They’re staying put.
Here are some heat protectants with silicone that we recommend:
This blog was inspired by cosmetic chemist Javon Ford’s TikTok. Watch it here:
What is your favorite heat protectant? Let us know in the comment.
