Silicone Hair Products Guide

SILICONE HAIR PRODUCTS 101
Silicone hair products are valued highly for their versatility. Silicone hair products make hair shiny and soft, detangle hair, remove frizz, protect hair from heat, and a whole lot more.

But what exactly is silicone? And what do silicone hair products do for the hair? This primer on silicone and silicone hair products will help you understand exactly what silicone does and how it applies to hair care products. Plus, learn about specific silicone hair products, like Biosilk Silk Therapy and Simply Stylin’, and uncover what their differences are.

WHAT IS SILICONE?
Silicone is an inert compound – that is, it is not reactive readily with other compounds. And silicone has a wide variety of uses, mostly due to its heat-resistant and nonstick properties. Specific properties of silicone as it relates to hair care include: protection from heat at temperatures exceeding 400°F, the ability to form a watertight seal around the hair shaft, resistance to sunlight, and flexibility.

When applied to the hair, silicone wraps around the hair shaft preventing what’s inside from going out and what’s outside from going in. Silicone molecules are too large to be absorbed into the hair shaft, so they act as a protective coating. For this reason, silicone hair products are great for retaining moisture in hair and for making hair resistant to outside influences such as heat and UV sun rays.

Specific benefits of silicone hair products include:

adding shine
adding softness
reducing/eliminating frizz
protecting from heat (flat iron, blow dryer, curling iron)
detangling
protecting from sun’s UV rays
retaining moisture
refresh hair extensions and wigs

TOP SILICONE HAIR PRODUCTS
Silicone is an expensive ingredient. And because silicone can be an expensive ingredient, most silicone hair products contain inexpensive fillers like alcohol or mineral oil. These fillers don’t really provide any functional benefit to the product – they simply make the product cheaper for the manufacturer to make, padding their profit. Additionally, fillers easily lessen the protective effects of silicone on the hair. These watered-down silicone hair products can work, but generally they aren’t as effective as pure silicone hair products.

Pure silicone products have no fillers included in their formulations. Because they are concentrated with pure silicone, these products can be much more effective at providing all the benefits you can get out of silicone. In fact, you may find that, in comparison to silicone hair products that contain fillers, you need to use less to get your desired results. Generally, these products are more expensive than their watered-down counterparts, but you can find a few affordable pure silicone hair products (see below).

A good example of a silicone hair product that contains fillers is Biosilk Silk Therapy. Widely used by many, Biosilk contains SD Alcohol 40B, a quick-drying alcohol found in most hairsprays, as a filler. Although less effective than pure silicone hair products, Biosilk provides benefits typical of silicone hair products such as shine enhancement, softness, frizz control and heat protection. Generally, a 2.20z bottle of Biosilk retails for $12.99.

Good examples of pure silicone hair products are Simply Stylin’ Silk and Simply Stylin’ Light Silk Spray. Apart from the addition of fragrance, Simply Stylin’ products are blends of 100% pure silicone. Available as a serum (Silk) and a spray (Light Silk Spray) Simply Stylin’ products provide all the benefits of silicone hair products in superior fashion because they are not watered-down. 4oz. bottles of Simply Stylin’ retail for $15 online and can be found for $10.99 in stores.

Hair Styling Tip - Frizzy Hair Remedies

Looking for frizzy hair remedies?

Frizzy hair is unwanted, unsightly and tough to control. You don’t like how it makes your hair look, and you want it gone.

Unfortunately, frizzy hair is a fact of life for many women, particularly (but not exclusively) for women with curly hair. And if you don’t apply some good frizzy hair remedies, your frizz can turn very quickly into split-ends, a definite no-no.

So what to do about your frizz? What frizzy hair remedies truly work?

First, to know what frizzy hair remedies will work, we have to know what frizz is. Frizz is a condition where very small bits of hair shift away from the cuticle and hair shaft resulting in a fuzzy effect. It happens when your hair is dry and lacks moisture.

Some women are genetically predisposed toward having frizzy hair. But others experience frizz when confronted with high humidity. Humidity removes moisture from the hair shaft resulting in a frizzy condition. You can also get frizz from over-drying your hair through the use of heating implements. However you get it, finding success with frizzy hair remedies requires that you understand it’s most prevalent source – lack of moisture.

Other things to avoid when trying to control frizz are:

- Over-processing of hair through excessive perming or coloring
- Stress and poor nutrition (as with all things, a healthy mind and body can help you reach ultimate frizz control)
- Over brushing or combing of your hair can lead to breakage and frizz

So now that you know what it is, what can you do about it? How to reach that nirvana – frizz control?

Here are some essential frizzy hair remedies.

1) Shampoo your hair in warm water. Warm water will open the cuticles of your hair so that when you add conditioner, the conditioner will go right into your hair shaft and begin moisturizing right away. Additionally, make sure you rinse out your conditioner with cool water. This will close the cuticles so the moisturizing and conditioning agents remain sealed in your hair. You will have greater control over frizz with moisturized hair.
2) Keep your hair moisturized to control frizz by conditioning your hair properly. After shampooing, add a good moisturizing conditioner to your hair and leave it in for 3 – 5 minutes. If possible, wrap your hair with a towel, and let the conditioner sink in for 15 minutes. This extra conditioning of your hair will establish a good moisture level that will help prevent frizz.
3) Don’t dry your hair by rubbing a towel through it. Rather, wrap your hair with a towel and gently pat it to allow the towel to soak up the excess water. Rubbing the hair will add to the frizz.
4) Use a wide-tooth comb on your hair, and avoid combing or brushing your hair while it’s wet.
5) Use a pure silicone styling serum like Simply Stylin’ Silk before using a blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron or any other type of heating appliance. Pure silicone will wrap the hair shaft, preventing any potential damage from heat. It will also seal-in the moisture in the hair shaft, preventing the loss of moisture that will lead to frizz. Just rub a few drops in your hands and distribute evenly through the hair before adding heat.
6) Blow dry your hair in smaller sections rather than in a large bunch. This will help you avoid splitting the hair and opening the cuticles, leading to more frizz.
7) Use a deep conditioning treatment at least once a month to establish a significant moisture level in your hair and eliminate damage that might lead to frizz.
8) After styling, mist your hair with Simply Stylin’ Light Silk Spray. This light pure silicone product will add a protective shine to your hair which will keep the effects of humidity at bay.
9) Avoid products with a high content of alcohol or drying ingredients. Such products will reduce the level of moisture in your hair, adding to the frizz effect.

Donn Monroe and Simply Stylin' have helped 1000’s of women with their hair styling tips. Get more tips at www.simplystylinhair.com.

Hair Styling Tip - Flat Ironing 101

What do you use to protect your hair from a flat iron that goes up to 400 plus degrees? Flat iron protection is essential when you apply temperatures that high on your hair; and most flat irons easily reach up to 400 degrees.

Heat protection starts with the type of flat iron you purchase for your hair. Ceramic plate flat irons are the Rolls Royce of flat irons. They create a bone straight, smooth, silky look and feel to the hair. That’s because Ceramic plate flat irons apply an even heat pattern which provides a more uniform finish. Ceramic plate flat irons also move through the hair more smoothly so you will experience no snagging or sticking to the hair shaft. With these benefits alone Ceramic plate flat irons have the more traditional gold-plated irons beat hands down.

Regardless of whether your flat iron is ceramic, metal, ionic, or thermal, they all can be used incorrectly, doing damage to your hair over a period in time. And while we all know no one wants that, damage is still one of the biggest complaints of flat irons.

So we’re going to give you some essential tips for using a flat iron to avoid damage and to achieve luxuriously straight and smooth hair.

Flat iron protection starts with the purchase of your flat iron. Make sure it has a temperature gauge setting on it. Rule # 1: not everyone’s hair can stand the same amount of heat, and you will cause dryness as well as breakage in the long run if you don’t get an adjustable setting with your ceramic flat iron.

Be sure to apply a heat protectant to your hair. A pure silicone like Simply Stylin’ Silk or Simply Stylin’ Light Silk Spray will protect the hair shaft with a silk coating that will not allow heat to penetrate and damage the hair. One of the really great benefits of the Simply Stylin’ products is that you can put them in your hair while wet and then reapply while dry for extra protection; and they are so light that they still will not weigh your hair down!

For maximum flat iron protection, section your hair off in four parts so you have more control over your hair. Start with one section at a time and make smaller sections within each section. Spray Simply Stylin’ Light Silk Spray on the smaller sections you are going to flat iron, going from close to the root to the ends of the hair (avoid getting it on your scalp.) Continue the process until you complete all four sections.

Run your flat iron down each section of your hair smoothly, and avoid overlapping. Flat iron each section of your hair once or, if you must, no more the twice. That’s because overuse of your flat iron on your hair can make your hair very dry and brittle, leading to breakage over a period of time. When you’re done flat ironing your hair, style as usual.

Donn Monroe and Simply Stylin' have helped 1000’s of women with their hair styling tips. Get more tips at www.simplystylinhair.com.

Hair Styling Tip - Hair Growth

People always ask how they can get their hair to grow faster and longer. They want to know what products and procedures to use for longer, thicker, more lustrous hair. Well, right now we’re going to clarify for you a few things about hair growth and help you get that hair you’ve always wanted.

First, let’s point out the obvious: hair grows from the scalp. If your hair stops growing from your scalp, you start going bald. So, if you’re not going bald, your hair is still growing.

But my hair never grows long enough, you say? Then the problem isn’t hair growth; it’s how you treat your hair once it has grown out from the scalp. If you weaken your hair after it has grown out from your scalp, it is prone to breakage. And that breakage will make it seem as if your hair just isn’t growing. So prevent the breakage and you promote healthy, longer hair growth.

Here are some of the many ways we can damage our hair:

Chemical processing – Relaxing or perming your hair can weaken the bonds in your hair shaft, resulting in easy breakage.

Strenuous combing and brushing – Added stress to the hair can break hair easily, as you can see when you look at your brush or comb.

Excessive heat without heat protection – Heat damages hair easily, so be sure to use a pure silicone product like Simply Stylin’ Silk to coat the hair before applying heat.

Failure to trim ends regularly – Trimming removes split ends that will do nothing but continue to split right on your hair shaft and break your hair.

http://www.simplystylinhair.com/

Hair Styling Tip - Wig Maintenance

Proper maintenance of your wigs will improve their longevity and appearance. Here are some important steps to follow.

1) First, gently brush out your wig to remove any tangles (unless the wig is extremely curly and/or it came with a tag telling you that it shouldn't be brushed). Most of the longer styles will become quite matted towards the back, and it may be necessary to separate the tangled strands gently with your fingers. Apply Simply Stylin’ Light Silk Spray to aid in brushing and easy removal of any tangles.

2) When the wig is ready to be washed, fill the sink with about 2 quarts of cool water. Never use hot water, as this could relax the curl that was set into the wig during the manufacturing process. Pour about 2 capfuls of shampoo into the water and then submerge the wig. When the wig is fully wet, swish it around for about a minute and then let soak for about another minute.

3) Remove the wig and rinse in cold water until no suds remain. Then place the wig on a bath towel to completely dry overnight. It is all right to blot the wig with a towel, but don’t twist the wig or ring it out. You can use your fingers to gently separate and arrange the strands as the wig is drying, but don’t try to comb or brush the wig while still wet. The fibers could be stretched to the breaking point.

4) After the wig is dry, spray lightly with Simply Stylin’ Light Silk Spray to restore the shine and luster and aid in manageability.

5) Mist your wig with Simply Stylin’ Light Silk Spray regularly to keep it looking new and fresh.


www.simplystylinhair.com

Hair Styling Tip - Breakage, Shedding, Damage and Chemicals

Experiencing damage and want to know the cause? Well, if you’re using chemicals to straighten your hair, realize that changing your genetically coded tendency for wavy or curly hair into stick-straight locks is going to do some damage. Even using a blow-dryer or a flat comb to straighten your hair non-chemically is going to inflict some damage.

But fear not! You can reverse some of the damage done by following these steps.

1. Deep condition your hair right away and continue to do so every two weeks.
2. If you notice severe breakage or split ends, go to a salon for a trim.
3. Use a good leave-in conditioner often.
4. Avoid heating appliances like blow-dryers, flat-irons and the like.
5. Avoid coloring your hair until the damage is repaired.
6. Don’t add tension to your hair in the form of braiding or wearing a ponytail since these styles can promote root damage.
7. Comb your hair gently.
8. Relaxers can be tricky to apply. Misapplication can result in severe damage. If you have any hesitation in applying them by yourself at home, please go right to a professional stylist instead.
9. Protecting your hair from the stress of styling products (combing, brushing) and the effects of the environment will go a long way towards preventing further damage. Make sure to coat your hair after styling with a light application of a pure silicone product. Simply Stylin' Light Silk Spray is ideal for this purpose.

http://www.simplystylinhair.com/

Hair Styling Tip - Need More Lift?

Is your hair flat with no volume? Sometimes this is caused by poor shampooing techniques. (For example, if you’re not rinsing your hair correctly after a shampoo, residue from your shampoo may be weighing your hair down.) Sometimes it’s the wrong shampoo. Sometimes, it’s just nature at work.

To increase your hair’s volume, first make sure you are using the right shampoo for your hair type. (Oily hair is more prone to being flat, so most likely that is your hair type.) Look for a mild, volumizing shampoo that is geared for your hair type. Wash your hair carefully at night, rotating the shampoo over your scalp and roots with your fingers. You want to focus on the roots more than the ends. Use cool water to rinse, and be extra thorough around the crown and sides. Apply conditioner to the ends of the hair, not the roots, and make sure your conditioner is formulated to add volume.

Don't brush your hair right away -- gently pat with a towel to take away most of the water. Comb it about 15 minutes later. If you've got a blow-dryer, give it a quick hit, focusing on the roots. It's a good idea to blow dry with your head upside down for volume.

If your hair is long enough, take a scrunchy and pull it all to the top of your head and make a loose ponytail. It's important not to put tension on the hair -- don't make it tight. You're just gathering the hair so that when you lay down, it's stretched out on the pillow, not trapped beneath you.

You'll wake up with more volume, but you may have to wet hair just a little to style it for the day. Be sure to use a volumizing mousse or spray to lock in the bounce.

http://www.simplystylinhair.com/