Vitamins For Hair Or Silicones?

Very often, girls in Bali ask for help in finding "hair vitamins". Often they mean capsules in blisters and jars, which have flooded all the stores from minimarts and pharmacies to supermarkets.

"Girls, where can I buy elips? My friend ordered them, but I can't find them anywhere!"

"Help! Where can I buy hair vitamins in capsules? I really need them!"

And of course, those who have been in Bali for a while come to the rescue with advice:

"Practically every store has them. The Chinese buy huge packs of yellow ones, but honestly, I don't see much of a difference between them. I've tried them all!"

What are these "vitamins" good for, what makes them so effective, and what do they bring more of - harm or benefit?

Let's start with the composition, which is indicated on the package. Not on the front side, where it says it's vitamins, but on the back side - where the manufacturer is obliged to tell the truth about the product's composition.

You know that the components listed first are present in the largest quantities, right?

Cyclopentasiloxane

Cyclotetrasiloxane

Dimethiconol

(These don't sound like vitamin names, but they are key substances!)

Fragrance - understandable, it's the scent.

Tocopheryl Acetate - vitamin E acetate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil - jojoba oil

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Soybean Oil

Polysilicone-15

Panthenyl Ethyl Ether

Retinyl Palmitate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Pistacia Lentiscus Gum - mastic gum

BHT - Butylated Hydroxytoluene

Let's break it down step by step.

Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) - cyclopentasiloxane, cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) - cyclotetrasiloxane, dimethiconol - dimethiconol

Cyclopentasiloxane is a synthetic polymer, a low viscosity volatile silicone. In cosmetics, cyclopentasiloxane provides silkiness and softness, as well as good spreadability without leaving an oily residue or greasy sensation.

Cyclopentasiloxane itself does not benefit the skin. It cannot deliver nutrients to the skin as its molecules are inert and do not react with other substances.

However, when mixed with fatty vegetable or essential oils, cyclopentasiloxane gives them fluidity, slightly dissolves particularly dense oils, makes their structure easily absorbable, and provides a pleasant silky feeling on the skin without greasiness.

When applied to the hair, products containing cyclopentasiloxane distribute freely along the hair, glide smoothly, provide silkiness, and instantly detangle problem strands.

Products containing it provide an instant visible effect of luxury. It envelops each hair with an invisible film, smooths and seals the scales, resulting in shiny and smooth hair. It acts as a good adhesive for split ends and prevents color pigment from washing out after dyeing.

It protects the skin, lips, and hair from the harmful effects of the environment, namely chlorine, temperature changes, and active ultraviolet rays.

The styling process is significantly facilitated by such a composition; the curls dry faster, are easily combable, and protected from harmful heat treatment by a hairdryer, straightener, and curling iron.

Silicone is not a restorative or therapeutic agent, and this applies to absolutely all products containing it, even if the label states "regeneration"; it can only provide visual improvement.

Over time, it ceases to strengthen the curls and makes them more brittle, dull, and fragile.

If such products are used continuously, silicone accumulates in the hair shaft. Instead of the former shine, the curls begin to take on a dull shade, an untidy appearance, and become difficult to style.

The protective film prevents the penetration of nourishing vitamins and substances into the scalp and strands. As a result, metabolic processes are disrupted, normal oxygen and blood circulation decrease.

D4 and D5 are volatile silicones and are washed away with water, while dimethiconol is fat-soluble. To prevent it from accumulating in your hair, it is essential to use shampoos with more aggressive surfactants, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, olefin sulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine. At the same time, the shampoo itself should not contain silicone.

By the way, on January 10, 2018, the European Union restricted the use of cyclopentasiloxane (D5) and cyclotetrasiloxane (D4). As of January 31, 2020, they should not appear in rinse-off cosmetic products in concentrations exceeding 0.1%. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposed to extend this restriction to non-rinse-off cosmetic products. As of today, D4 and D5 are classified as substances of very high concern (SVHC) due to specific criteria. D4 is classified as a persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substance (PBT). D5 is very persistent and very bioaccumulative (VPvB).

Tocopheryl acetate, also known as vitamin E acetate, is an antioxidant that prevents the rancidity of unsaturated oil and sebum. It is a synthetic form of vitamin E. Research shows that vitamin E acts effectively when applied topically. Vitamin E is not only beneficial for the skin but also for the cosmetic product itself, enhancing its longevity. As a moisturizing agent, vitamin E is well absorbed through the skin, acts on small blood vessels, improves blood circulation in the skin, and enhances the skin's ability to retain water.

Derived from the fruits of the plant known as Simmondsia Chinensis. Jojoba oil is characterized by its high content of vitamin E, which stimulates skin regeneration processes. It has an excellent ability to penetrate deep into the epidermis, forming a kind of film that helps retain moisture in the skin.

Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a sunscreen agent with allowed concentrations of 2-7.5% in the US and up to 10% in the EU. It is currently the most popular component of sunscreens worldwide. It absorbs ultraviolet light well, has a high safety profile, dissolves in oil rather than water, and rarely causes sun allergy. Due to these characteristics, it is considered almost an ideal sunscreen component.

Often used as a smoothing skin ingredient. It contains a large amount of phospholipids such as lecithin, sterols, and vitamins (A, E, and K). Some sources suggest that soybean oil has comedogenic properties.

An organic compound used in sunscreens and hair products to absorb solar radiation.

A hair and skin conditioner, antistatic agent, regenerative agent, and anti-aging ingredient.

A skin conditioner. Physiologically valued for increasing skin thickness, stimulating the production of epidermal protein, and increasing skin elasticity. Pure retinol has a mutagenic effect on skin cells under the influence of ultraviolet light. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using cosmetics containing retinyl palmitate before sun exposure.

Caprylic/capric triglyceride, also known as tricaprylin, is a softening agent that spreads well on the skin without leaving visible greasy traces. It is effectively used in creams, lotions, and other oil-based cosmetic products.

Ascorbyl palmitate is used as a preservative and antioxidant in cosmetic creams and lotions to prevent them from becoming rancid. It facilitates the inclusion of ingredients such as vitamins A, D, and C into cosmetic formulations.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is an antioxidant with preservative properties and protective effects.

From the consideration of this list of components, one can draw the following conclusions:

- If you adhere to the use of organic hair products, it's advisable to steer clear of this cocktail of chemical components and opt for eco-friendly cosmetics instead.

- Despite having a natural origin, silicone undergoes significant chemical processing, making the end product not entirely natural. Brands that avoid incorporating this polymer have found excellent alternatives in plant-based waxes and oils of organic origin.

- If you are generally okay with using achievements of the chemical industry and don't faint when someone calls some cosmetic product "chemistry," you can use these capsules as a "last resort" solution. However, remember that they do not provide any therapeutic effect to your hair and in the long run may only damage their condition.

1. Silicone-containing products should be applied to the hair not from the roots but from 2/3 or the middle of the length. This will protect the damaged part of the hair shaft and prevent silicone buildup in the undamaged part of the hair.

2. Use an adequate, but not excessive amount of silicone-containing products.

3. Don't forget about timely cleansing of the scalp and hair with a deep cleansing shampoo (with sodium laureth sulfate or its analogs), capable of washing out accumulated silicones from the hair.