Silicone-Free Shampoo and Conditioner for Men

Natural hair care seems to be more important than ever and that is no different for men. Almost everybody has heard about parabens and sulfates, but silicones are usually a little bit less known.

In many cases (synthetic) ingredients are not as scary or harmful as claimed online, but it is always smart to do your own research as well. Read more about the truths and myths about parabens or about sulfate-free shampoos. This particular blog post will be about shampoos and conditioners without silicones.

Wat are silicones?

Let us start at the beginning and first see what silicones are exactly. Silicones are synthetic ingredients. So, they are manmade in a chemical process, as many other cosmetic ingredients.

For multiple decades silicones have been used in shampoos, conditioners and other products. They provide hydration, soften your hair, help to reduce frizz and retain moisture. Silicones form a protective layer or coating to protect your hair.

That is also why some people consider silicones as bad ingredients. The protective layer they provide make it more difficult for other (natural) ingredients to penetrate the hair shaft and nourish your hair. Silicones can also weigh your hair down a bit.

What are silicones in shampoo and conditioners called?

As with many other chemical ingredients, silicones are called differently in ingredient lists. It is important to know that ingredient lists start with the ingredients that the product contains most and end with the ingredient that the product contains least.

You can recognize silicones in your shampoo or conditioner by looking at ingredients that end with -cone. A few examples that you often see in shampoo and conditioners that are not sulfate free are dimethicone and cyclomethicone. Not all silicones are the same though, because some of them are water-soluble and easier to remove out of your hair.

Heavier silicones that are not water based and often used in shampoos and conditioners are: amodimethicone en dimethicone. Examples of lighter and water-soluble silicones are: cyclomethicone, dimethicone copolyol, stearoxy dimethicone and behenoxy dimethicone.

When you want a truly silicone free shampoo or conditioner without silicones, then you should avoid all ingredients that end in -cone. In the Moquer shop we always show the full ingredient list in the 'more information' section on a product page.

But is silicone bad for hair?

No, silicones in shampoos and conditioner are not toxic or harmful for your hair. The heavier silicones can make your hair dull or make it harder to remove them from your hair though. In that case it is best not to use shampoos and conditioners with silicones to often or choose for lighter, water-soluble options.

It is as with most things: use in moderation. Especially men with curly hair or hair that does not do well in humidity, can benefit from products with silicones. But change it up with a silicone-free shampoo and conditioner occasionally. Or switch to fully silicone-free hair care products all together!

Alternatives for silicones in shampoos and conditioners

As mentioned above, silicones are ideal to help retain moisture, reduce frizz and to condition your hair.

There are alternatives though, that have similar properties without closing off your hair shaft for other nourishing ingredients. Those ingredients you can find in many silicone-free shampoo and conditioners.

Plant based oils

The first alternative to silicones are plant based oils. Just a few examples are castor oil, jojoba oil, olive oil and argan oil. These natural replacements of silicones have similar properties, but they do not weigh your hair down or make your hair greasy.

Some of these oils also provide excellent protection against the heat of a blow-dryer or the sun, so they also can substitute silicones for their heat-protecting properties; another reason why silicones can be found in shampoos and conditioners.

Plant based butters

Silicones in shampoo and conditioners can also be replaced by natural butters. Examples of that are shea butter, mango butter or cocoa butter. These ingredients contain healthy fatty acids to nourish your dry or frizzy hair, but allow your hair to 'breathe.'

Aloe vera

What can aloe vera not do? It has anti-inflammatory properties, works great for your skin after sunburn and it can also be used as an alternative for silicones. That is why you regularly see aloe vera in the ingredient list of silicone-free shampoos and conditioners. Some products are even aloe vera based, instead of water based.

Silicone-free shampoo

Luckily, nowadays there are many silicone-free shampoos available, also for men. In the Moquer shop we have a large selection of silicone-free products, so that you do not have to do any searching online anymore.

Newest silicone-free shampoos in the shop

When you want hair care products without silicones, but also prefer them to be paraben and sulfate free, then you can check out the shampoos for men below. Your options are more limited, but luckily you are still left with a few amazing options.

Silicone, sulfate and paraben free shampoos for men

Silicone-free conditioner

Are there also silicone-free conditioners for men? Yes, those are also available. Conditioners are meant to nourish your hair, so you often find silicones in conditioners. Maybe even more often than in shampoos. But when you want a silicone-free shampoo, you also want a silicone-free conditioners, of course.

Newest silicone-free conditioners for men

Conclusion

Hopefully this blog post provided you with some useful insights about silicones. Conditioners and shampoos with silicones definitely have their purpose and they are not harmful, but there are more natural alternatives available. Everybody has to make that decision for themselves. In some cases, you might be allergic to silicones or another ingredient and then you have to choose more carefully.

In the Moquer shop we offer many natural products, including many silicone-free shampoos and conditioners for men.

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Silicone-free shampoo and conditioner for men