A world unto itself for curly hair. Natural curlers are aware of the particular difficulties they face, such as controlling frizz and selecting products that enhance rather than detract from their hair. I made the decision to conduct a thorough personal experiment in 2023 to examine the effects of various hair care products on curly hair.
I specifically tested two widely used strategies: switching to all-organic products versus using products with silicones. Silicones are widely used in hair care products and are renowned for producing a glossy, smooth finish. Do they, however, actually work for curly hair, particularly when the Curly Girl Method is followed? I was curious to learn for myself.
When both approaches were tried for months, the outcomes were unexpected. Using silicones for a seemingly quick fix frequently resulted in longer-term problems. Organic goods, on the other hand, provided a different kind of nutrition. Here’s what I discovered and why it might be better for your curls to stay away from silicones.
| Aspect | Silicones | Organics |
| Effect on curls | Silicones can weigh down curls, making them less defined and more prone to frizz over time. | Organics allow curls to retain their natural bounce and shape without the buildup that silicones can cause. |
| Moisture retention | Silicones create a barrier that can block moisture from reaching the hair, leading to dryness. | Organic ingredients promote moisture retention, helping curls stay hydrated and healthy. |
| Scalp health | Silicones can cause buildup on the scalp, leading to irritation or clogged pores. | Organics are typically gentler on the scalp, allowing it to breathe and reducing the risk of buildup. |
| Long-term results | With continued use, silicones can lead to dull, lifeless curls that need frequent clarifying. | Organics help maintain vibrant, well-defined curls without the need for harsh clarifying shampoos. |
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- Experiment
- Curl care with silicones
- Silicone-free care
- Video on the topic
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First half of 2025
I took part in an interview about the Vieso brand to kick off 2023. It was an amazing encounter! I discussed with the girls our experiences using this incredible brand’s products. Then, I had recently discovered a rose mask that did a fantastic job of moisturizing and smoothing my hair. This is how they appeared back then.
At the time, Vieso, Kaaral, and Insight were the main providers of care I had. Dr. Sorbie’s castings were also available, but I was only impressed with them once every four uses.
My hair has never been so silky and smooth. It’s unfortunate that I was unable to replicate the amazing outcome.
Then the spring marathon started, which I was hoping to run. My objective was to enhance the fabric’s quality by reducing and taming the fluff along its length. I still enjoy cutting the ends of my hair, so it was a success for me to go several months without getting a haircut during the marathon. My hair was also of good quality; the appearance was unappealing. My long, straight hair was fluffy and full all the time.
Nothing at all, not even brush drying, smoothing masks, silicones, or pre-pu, helped me get this fluff down.
After completing the spring marathon, I cut off a little of the ends and proceeded to the summer one with the same goals in mind: to even out the mass of hair. God, I was so innocent.
I should also mention another important hair-related event that occurred in the spring of 2023: I decided to add basma to my henna and dye my hair a color that was closer to my natural shade.
My hair is curly!
How long did I resist this idea! I had an overwhelming urge to get even, sleek, and fluffy hair without fluff! And to be honest, I had no idea what was wrong with them. Ultimately, I provide them with attentive treatment, exceptional care, affection, and cherish them.
Helenochka Hellyritsu and Marinochka Marinka gently brought up my involvement with people with curly hair even in my first post-deduction, but I did not take them seriously. I was appalled by the statement, "Don’t you want to try the curly method?" I was already aware of how boring, protracted, and tiresome it was.
I considered it after speaking with girls who had similar hair types (Nastya AnastasiaKis and Lenochka Helen_M), who had tried KGM and showed me their gorgeous curls. I chose to give it a shot one lovely vacation day. Yes, I realized that, much earlier than 🦒.
As for what followed, you are aware of it.
In my life, the curly method era started! I was finally able to exhale in relief after that because I was done searching for a product that would straighten my hair, which doesn’t really exist.
I now recognize all of my errors. If I had paid attention to brands like Lebel, Alfaparf, L’Oreal, and Matrix, I could have probably straightened my hair and been closer to my objective. However, I took the opposite route and gave in to the allure of the magic jars Vieso, Angel en Provence, Kaaral, and Insight. As a result, I now have beautiful, healthy hair that is in its natural state.
It was impossible to smooth without silicones (my hair didn’t get smooth).
Thus, I must admit that I’m a little let down by Vieso as well—despite using these products, my hair turned out gorgeously curly rather than straight and sleek!
I actively experimented with styling throughout the summer, trying out different gel, mousse, and liven combinations. I decided to use livin, gel (strong hold preferred), and mousse or foam (preferably containing proteins). This combination is the most beneficial one thus far.
Experiment
I kept using the "curly method" in the fall and also made the decision to carry out a little experiment.
My care, which had been almost entirely organic up until then, became silicone in a paradoxical way. Numerous makeup products from companies like Lebel and Alfaparf are essentially silicone-filled. Even the Kaaral I got with these components is almost completely silicone-free.
I will state up front that I have no problem with silicones; I neither despise nor condemn them. However, I’ve found that even with their care for my straight hair, they don’t really smooth it (at least not to the extent that I need it). But maybe I was just using the wrong products. 🤦♀️
Let’s review the definition of silicones:
What are silicones
A class of artificial polymers known as silicones is employed in manufacturing, health care, and cosmetics. They are a silicon and oxygen chain, Si-O-Si-O, in which silicon atoms are joined to different organic groups to produce a variety of silicones with distinct properties. They are utilized in cleaning, caring, and decorative cosmetics in the cosmetics industry. Enhance the sliding, smoothing, protecting, and moisturizing qualities of makeup. Although many people are afraid of silicones because they are synthetic, there is no substance that has the same properties as silicones because silicones are inert, stable, and non-toxic all at once.
Silicone products are beneficial to curls when used properly. They create a thin layer of protective film on the hair’s surface and smooth out the scales, which:
- In rinse-off care (masks and conditioners) helps hair not to get tangled after washing;
- Protects damaged and porous hair from moisture loss, helps hair not to lose caring components from mask care;
- Helps colored hair retain its color longer;
- Has low thermal conductivity. This property protects our hairfrom uneven and sudden heating during hot styling and, therefore, significantly neutralizes subsequent damage. This property of thermal protection.
- Prevents hair damage when combing, improving the comb"s glide along the strands;
- Gives dull, dull hair shine and a lively look. Used to temporarily "weld" split ends in some curling hair products.
Simply put, only strong pluses.
There is one "but," though: I use the curly approach.
Allow me to reiterate its key tenets:
- It is necessary to completely exclude silicones from hair care products;
- It is necessary to use different types of styling for styling hair;
- Curls need a lot of moisture and the use of conditioner is mandatory;
- Curls should never be combed dry, only in the shower with plenty of water and conditioner or mask;
- It is necessary to completely abandon the terry towel, replacing it with a silk or microfiber one (an old cotton T-shirt will do just fine at first);
- It is advisable to replace pillowcases with silk or satin models, you can also use a silk turban or cap.
The initial one is a total denial of silicones.
Why? They are excellent.
However, the problem with silicone armor is that it makes it much harder to moisturize hair, which is necessary to bring out its natural curl. The hair is additionally weighted, which stops it from curling.
I generally don’t accept taboos, severe limitations, or rejections in life. I adore being adaptable and having the ability to change things to suit my needs. I kept using silicone-containing hair cosmetics because of this. I even considered doing an experiment in the vein of Marinochka Verte from this post because I had a lot of these products and the hat season was approaching, but I quickly realized that I did not want to see my hair straight. Not at all taxing, curly washing has already cemented itself into my routine of care.
I conducted an experiment in 2023 to compare silicones and organic products for curly hair, and the findings were shocking. I discovered that sticking to the Curly Girl Method is essential to keeping my curls bouncy and healthy. Although silicones can temporarily give hair a smooth feel, they frequently lead to build-up, sag curls, and trap moisture. Conversely, organic products nourish your curls naturally and don’t have the negative effects of silicones, allowing them to thrive. Eliminating silicones is the best option if you want vibrant, long-lasting curls.
Curl care with silicones
I’ll demonstrate the outcomes of using products containing silicones to varying degrees when taking care of curls here. I only used these products to wash my hair for a few weeks in order to see the results right away.
I’ll walk you through a few schemes.
My care regimen is primarily focused on moisturizing my curly hair, so don’t be shocked by this.
Only the most prominent "persons" are listed here. The entire plan is composed of:
- Shampoo Alfaparf Volumizing;
- Mask Lebel Viege;
- Conditioner Alfaparf Illuminate;
- Essence Lebel Moist;
- Gel Curl rock and roll strong hold;
- Foam Curl rock and roll medium hold.
And following this combination, this is the outcome.
There are hardly any curls at all. The number of waves is small. The Lebel products contain a significant amount of silicones, most of which are found almost entirely at the start of the composition. I believe this to be the reason for my outcome.
We now go on to other products, which are once more meant to be moisturizing. This forms the foundation of the fundamentals in the curly method.
- Shampoo Alfaparf Nutritive;
- Mask Alfaparf Nutritive;
- Conditioner Petal Fresh mint and rosemary;
- Livin Alfaparf Nutritive;
- Gel Curl rock and roll strong hold;
- Foam So go.
I’m happier with the outcome after using the aforementioned products. The problem, in my opinion, is that living Alfaparf Nutritive, despite being silicone, contains curl-curling proteins.
Let’s move on to the Kaaral brand’s products and the wonderful mask Liss, which is making my hair feel amazing. I’m always amazed and delighted by Kaaral.
Items I made use of:
- Shampoo Kaaral Energy;
- Ampoule Restructure;
- Mask Kaaral Liss;
- Conditioner Kaaral Reale;
- Leave-in conditioner Kaaral Liss;
- Gel Curl rock and roll strong hold;
- Foam Curl rock and roll medium hold.
In general, I’m happy with the outcome. By the way, this is one of my favorite schemes from this post, but Kaaral Liss is used here instead of a mask for Insight Damage.
Another plan involving Lebel that restores:
- Refreshing aromatherapy shampoo for normal skin Lebel Cosmetics IAU Cleansing Clearment;
- Concentrated aromatherapy mask for unruly hair Lebel Cosmetics IAU Deep Mask;
- Conditioner Petal Fresh with olive and grape;
- Essence Lebel Moist;
- Texturizing hair gel with mint and eucalyptus Noah for your natural beauty;
- Modeling mousse for hair with almond oil Noah for your natural beauty.
I was not too happy with the outcome of using these products; I had to use refreshing to get rid of the kind of limp, fluffy curls I had.
I don’t often refresh because there is usually no need for it, but in this case, it was evident that the styling needed to be updated.
A sudden change in appearance! I’m overjoyed!
Consequently, for approximately two months, every plan I had involved products containing silicones. I arrived at the subsequent conclusions:
- Silicone prevents my hair from curling. There is a curl, but sometimes it is very weak;
- The further silicones go in the composition, the better the curls. For example, with a mask Kaaral Liss or Angel Dancoly Argan oil you get quite good curls.
I was able to use up practically all of the Alfaparf products; the pink living and blue shampoo (which, incidentally, works well with the curly method) was only left for one use. The shampoo was excellent, and I might even use it again.
I only used up Viege’s makeup from Lebel; the smaller masks in particular proved to be far too cheap.
I was itching to get back to my silicone-free jars after a few months.
Silicone-free care
When I switched to products without silicone, my hair took a little while to fully curl. It seems that getting rid of silicones entirely takes time, and since I still have a lot of them, it won’t happen anytime soon.
I switched out my honey mask Vieso for perilla in the fall since I ran out of the former. It turned out that the curls that form aren’t very elastic, and it didn’t hold my straight hair to my waist at all. I made use of
- Mask Garnier fructis Superfoodpineapple as a pre-p;
- Shampoo Vieso argan;
- Mask Vieso with perilla;
- Conditioner Vieso argan;
- Spray Vieso argan;
- Cream Vieso honey;
- Gel Taft;
- Foam So go ahead.
The hair in the picture was styled on the third day rather than right away. Although it appears reasonable, the curl did not jump.
I needed to wash my hair when I went to visit my parents during the holidays. I ordered a silicone diffuser online because my mother’s hair dryer is missing one.
The symbolic price of this attachment is 300~ rubles, and it fits hair dryers with nozzle diameters of 4.5–5 cm (my mother’s is only 5 cm). It is simple and quick to install. The curls came out stunningly gorgeous! However, I also took as little care as possible:
- Conditioner Planeta organica Ticket to Iceland as a pre-treatment;
- Shampoo Angel en Provence with iris;
- Conditioner Garnier Fructis Coconut balance;
- Mask Cocochoco Intensive as a livin;
- Gel Angel Professional;
- Foam Taft.
Fructis Conditioner by Garnier Coconut equilibrium I instantly purchased it since it was a great low-cost worker with a composition that was KGM-friendly. Not to mention the aroma! I assumed that because it contains coconut, this note would be more prominent, and I’m not a big fan of the scent. However, there is also cucumber, so it ended up being a lovely, delicate, fresh scent that my nose really enjoyed.
I also purchased a cucumber conditioner from Garnier Fructis, but I haven’t tried it yet. That’s why I actively support L’Oreal’s concern, just like you girls do.
It seems that practically all curl-moisturizing products contain coconut, so I guess I’ll have to like this smell.
I thought the outcome was great! I haven’t had curls this gorgeous, elastic, and beautiful in a very long time!
I believe it’s also because of the amazing diffuser! It makes sense why the guys who own curly hair salons adore them so much. I’m quite impressed.
And I at last tried the Shea Moisture products: the living with coconut and hibiscus and the mask made with yogurt and manuka honey. Once more, I’m impressed! Zinochka zn_maksimova informed me that this company’s products curl hair extremely well, and I can attest to the fact that this is true!
I took this picture of my hair on the fourth day after washing it and wearing a jacket because I was unable to take it right after styling. I didn’t do a refresh, and the top strands formed lovely elastic curls that held together for several days.
- Mask Garnier Fructis Superfood watermelon;
- Shampoo Insight Anti-frizz;
- Mask Shea Moisture with yogurt and manuka honey;
- Smoothie cream Shea Moisture coconut and hibiscus;
- Gel Curl rock and roll strong hold;
- Foam So go.
Light touch here as well. As you can see, even though I usually do, even after silicone masks, I did not use conditioner after the mask. The problem is that after the mask expertly detangled my curls, I wrung out my hair and did a squish-to-condish with it.
And lastly, hair following yet another effective care regimen—my preferred plan number three, which includes the Insight Damage mask. It’s almost a fairy tale how amazing the hair looks after using these products together.
Hair is moderately curly, lush, and volumous.
It’s been eye-opening to observe this year-long curly experiment. There is a noticeable difference in my curls’ behavior when I compare silicone products with organic products. Silicones can produce a sleek finish, but they also weigh down curls over time and accumulate on the hair in the process. Conversely, organic products bring out the natural texture, making my curls look healthier and more defined.
It hasn’t always been easy to follow the Curly Method without silicones, but the benefits are worthwhile. My hair appears more hydrated, lighter, and more bouncy. Curly hair can be transformed with the right organic products, but the routine takes time and some trial and error.
In the end, the wiser course of action for keeping curls healthy has been to stay away from silicones. It’s about accepting the inherent texture and providing curls with the nutrition they require instead of depending on short-term solutions that could end up hurting them in the long run.
