Busting Silicone Myths | Lab Muffin Beauty Science

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

What other ingredients do you think need some mythbusting? Let me know! 🔍

[@divyakrishna8158]

Can you do a video about harmful chemicals that we've to look out in skincare products? I've seen so many videos on this topic but I'm not sure whether I can rely to such info or not.

[@marianne6373]

Parabens and mineral oil but they've been done before. Maybe BPA, phalates etc (did I spell that correctly?) that can be found in the packaging. Companies often advertise that their products are free from these. Does it matter?

[@fullmoon277]

PEG? Do you need to completely avoid PEG in any skincare?

[@PurplePinkRed]

SLS and sulphates in general

[@ozi9888]

Glycerin

[@lapharmacie98]

When a brand advertises their products as ‘paraben and silicone free’ and ‘natural’ but puts tons of irritating ingredients in them such as essential oils 🙄

[@katydid5088]

Even the fragrance free versions of products aren't truly fragrance free. Aside from the ingredients list, if you can smell the products floral scent, it isn't fragrance free.

[@deadinside8719]

@@katydid5088 same the simple light moisture smells like flowery when it's said fragrance free Broke me out

[@LKMNOP]

Don't forget botanicals lol some of the most irritating things out there

[@Hyram]

The dramatic re-enactment of silicones blocking pores KILLED me 😂 Thank you for this video, so informative!!

[@lauracortez8552]

I trust this video since you commented on here

[@josephcheung6127]

@@lauracortez8552 It should be the other way around. She has a PHD.

[@nonamonsod]

I now have more trust in you knowing you watch Michelle's videos 😀

[@e4lvsops]

I would love to see a video on the different silicones used in hair and how they’re different ie weight, function, volatility, etc… and the role for which they used specifically.

[@OPPAWONTMARRYYOU]

Finally an opinion from someone knowledgable! Love you!

[@illsaythefuckiwant2237]

Or someone that's been brain washed. Oh and she has what degrees?

[@fionn9816]

@@illsaythefuckiwant2237 a phd in chemistry...

[@LKMNOP]

​@@illsaythefuckiwant2237As she stated at the very beginning and has stated at other videos, she has a PhD in chemistry. Which means she has a masters most likely in chemistry. And a BS. Is that enough for you?

[@shorelee8716]

Dimethcon causes me acne like horrible cystic acne and when I eliminated it completely my skin CHANGED so i think everyone’s skin is different

[@HarryLovesRuth]

One tip for silicone: If you have a silicone product, DO NOT decant it into a silicone travel container. I discovered this when my kid's fancy doctor recommended sunscreen turned into a solid half way through a trip to Disney. 😒

[@fashiharz8584]

Yup, like dissolves like. The same reason we shouldn't use silicone lubricants when using silicone condoms.

[@MsSonali1980]

Thanks for this information, one should think that containers of any kind should be more inert.

[@eikawithac]

@@fashiharz8584 That's exactly how I learned this lesson! Not firsthand, but through some public health friends who focus on safer sex initiatives - you also shouldn't use silicone lubricants with fancy silicone toys, hahah

[@Leroset]

@@MsSonali1980 It's impossible to make a container that's 100% inert to the thousands of ingredients that are found in beauty products. Glass is about as close as you can get.

[@rossttyvelez2614]

Great video! I do not understand why many dermatologists put retinoids under moisturizer when it can clearly be put on top of moisturizer without impact on efficacy. From what I know moisturizers should be put on damp skin to prevent water loss but, if you’re putting a retinoid first and then a moisturizer then its defeating the purpose and maybe creating irritation.

[@eileenmcdonnell1072]

I'm fine with using silicones on my skin. I won't use them on my hair though. I came to this conclusion more than 25 years ago through experimentation. Once I discontinued using them, my hair stopped being dry and frizzy.

[@brittniep9219]

Eileen McDonnell that’s so funny! I had the exact opposite experience! Not that either of us are wrong! 😊 I think it really depends on hair texture and porosity among other factors.

[@ArtistProtagonist]

Omg same for me, I don't care for the whole sulphate debate but keep the cones away from my hair.

[@pps1992]

@@brittniep9219 Exact my situation. I tried to be silicone-free for a good 6 months. I thought it would take time for my hair to adapt, but every time I get out of the shower, I hate my hair more. It becomes so frizzy and dry the second day. Although I get a bit of volume, I don't like the feel of my hair at all.

[@sidrasiddiqui1852]

Same here

[@maggiemcfly5267]

Same for me, my hair improved so much when I changed to silicone free shampoo

[@sarahkp729]

I appreciate that you acknowledged it's not always the best for hair, but can be beneficial. I don't use silicones in my hair at all, my hair doesn't curl properly with silicones in it, but I'm okay with it in my skincare, and I tend try to follow the eu standards for stuff because I try to be environmentally concious, even if I'm not perfect at it

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

There's so much variation with hair porosity and texture - there isn't one best product/strategy for anyone!

[@traepalmer]

Love this ! As someone whose skin leans dry, I find that I can use a retinol serum that's based in silicones, and it almost feels and acts like a moisturizer on my skin. I don't know why they've gotten such a bad rap.

[@emkn1479]

Yes! Thanks for breaking through the noise. Yay, science! I would love to know the ideal products for eczema.

[@chrissybrownnz]

Microtears in skin from physical scrubs?

[@monsutades9999]

You should make a video pertaining to silicones and curly hair/natural hair this is the community I see demonizing silicones the absolute most.

[@stealthis]

I think there is some truth in why they may not like them though, so it's not exactly the same. For one, hair is a moving, flexible object that is meant to be worked with in various ways which you can't do with your skin (skin braiding anyone? HEAT STYLING!?)... some silicone products can weigh down the hair or make it harder to work with. Of course, not all products are created equally, but you get the point. Another issue is that silicone heavy products are not usually the best to condition with, for example just regular or deep conditioning the hair may leave it with a lack of moisture while feeling smooth or soft, but you can tell it's not really ~healthy~. I've had times where my hair is both very soft and yet dry at the same time. Some people use silicones, but only in products after for styling, not for raw conditioning. I think there is some validity about their subjective experience and the end result of using them. Somebody who has unmanageable hair might like them for the smoothing capability, while somebody with finer hair might find they take away too much volume or they don't need excess smoothing. I definitely think they buy into the whole real oils more natural/better/green but you will see a lot of oils used in place of where silicones would because they still like some of that oil/oil like benefit. Garnier for example pretty much puts mineral oil or coconut oil in products they label silicone free from time to time, like they are acting as the main silicone in a regular product that would have dimethicone.

[@Stuffings00]

Also, my understanding is, like many products, they can build up. For a lot of us with dry skin and or hair, we use milder cleansers and so the argument (as I saw it originally, but it's definitely been corrupted) is that you need a more clarifying and therefore harsher shampoo if using silicones.

[@bep5753]

I don’t think there’s any faulty science involved in their demonizing though. Curly hair does best when you’re not cleansing it of its natural oils, so most in the curly/natural hair community use co-wash or just plain conditioner in their hair with no shampoos. Silicones would need a good shampoo cleanse to prevent buildup and weighing the hair down, so it wouldn’t really go well with the co-wash.

[@hshel2063]

Curly and Kinky hair have COMPLETELY different needs. It requires gentler cleansers and most clarifying treatments are far too harsh for hair with multiple fragile points along the strand like super curly/kinky hair. We know what our hair needs after being ignored by the beauty industry before 2007. Silicones are ok for heat styling. We may use water soluble silicones because they are easily removed from the hair shaft without the requirement of harsh surfactants. Trust. We know what we're doing

[@luciagarcia5272]

Your knowledge is so refreshing! Please, make a review of the Curly Girl Method, silicones ansd sulfates free!!

[@crish5305]

I really liked this video and love this scientific view of skin care! I do have one question, though: if silicones still allow oxygen and water to pass through, how is it that it reduces transepidermal water loss?

[@Z0mb1es]

I’m so glad I found you a few months ago. There definitely needs to be more critical thinking when it comes to beauty products (and life in general to be honest). Thank you so much Michelle 🥰❤️

[@noodlepotato132]

It may be okay for skin but after quitting silicone and sulphate for my hair products I have completely changed and benefitted my hair

[@perly0153]

Me too.I had to quit silicones 3 times... You can't take care of your hair totally if something is covering damage so cleverly...

[@mjo6586]

@@perly0153Hair is dead material anyway .So this is what all oils do.And there are polyquaterniums or amino silicones that penetrate the hair

[@alejandrarodriguez2508]

Silicone doesn't break me out but silicone primers actually actually fill my big pores & I have to squeeze it out like blackheads! And I know it's the primer because it'll be the color of the primer (icy blue, pink, orangey peach)

[@brittniep9219]

Alejandra Rodriguez that’s so wild!

[@21dzz]

do you double cleanse? a good first cleanser should be able to remove your makeup and primer from your pores

[@alejandrarodriguez2508]

@@21dzz yes. I usually go in twice with my creamier cleanser when I prime. Its my really big pores that this happens to so it's not like I have 20+ pores to extract. It's more like 4-5 sometimes less

[@LKMNOP]

​@@alejandrarodriguez2508forget a creamier cleanser for the first cleanse. Just use something like grape seed oil. I understand your problem and this works for me. You don't even have to use a lot. I just spread it on wait a minute and I wash it off with basis bar soap. It's a very gentle soap. Then I use a gentle water-based cleanser to remove all the excess oil and that has cleared out everything.

[@jannaschwab8184]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and all the research you do for these videos. Please keep them coming! ❤️

[@rebeccadarling5894]

Thank you for this! My oily skin loves silicone and I’m constantly being lectured that it’s like putting plastic wrap on my skin... sigh.

[@Call-me-Al]

Buut, some people habitually put actual plastic wrap on their skin for keeping it moist and supple, usually with oil or vinegar or something, to brighten their complexion. I used to know a model who did that weekly for her thighs and waist with some skin care products under the Saran wrap, not for sweating out/reducing stored water in her skin, but for making her skin smoother and plumper.

[@poplikid3306]

When i stopped using conditioner with silicones, my hair got more dry and frizzy. But i saw less congestion in my skin when i started using silicone free moisturiser. So for now im sticking to silicone in hair products and none in skincare

[@LKMNOP]

If you get bumps on your forehead it could be because of the silicone in your hair conditioner. After I wash my hair and use conditioner, I hold my hair back and wash my forehead and face with my regular cleanser to get rid of the silicones that irritate my skin the same way it does yours. Same for your back if you wash your hair with your hair down your back.

[@PurplePinkRed]

You are one of the few people who makes science interesting to me! ❤

[@beckyc.5743]

Thank you for your channel. I hope the word gets out and people stop supporting ‘natural’ products based on a label and limited research of the actual ingredients. Natural is actually a warning sign for me because it’s often accompanied with essential oils, bergamot and lavender.

[@perfumaphilia3246]

Please make a video elaborating on the idea of "sustainable" or "green" skincare. Similar to the "natural is better myth", people assume that natural ingredients are more sustainable or better for the environment. This actually doesn't make much sense to me on its face, since the more natural ingredients you use, the more natural resources you're depleting. But I'd love to hear your take!

[@amandasjoberg463]

I have thin curly hair and I experience that silicones do weigh my hair down. I also don't use silicones because you need to use sulphates to remove them. Is this true? I have heard that amodimethicone, when paired with trideceth-12 and cetrimonium chloride, is water soluble, and thus need no sulphates to remove it. Is this true?

[@geckolia3823]

You mean you avoid water resistant silicones? At least this is what the curly method states.

[@jojopink100]

All emollients need good surfactant to remove it sweetie

[@annad.3201]

I'm not an expert, but I also have curly hair and I've been experimenting a lot. Reintroduced silicones to my routine (only in my styling products) about half a year ago and absolutely love it. There are some milder surfactants that can wash out silicones apparently. I don't use sulfates, because my hair is always way too squeaky clean afterwards and doesn't curl properly 😅 haven't had any issues with build up so far, so I'm assuming those sulfate free shampoos work 🙈

[@andreaparker2069]

Love your videos and generally take your reporting seriously. However even though you clearly stated that this video was sponsored, I feel like you may have glossed over why the EU bars certain sillicones because a sillicone producer provided financial remuneration. I'm in the US, but I tend to trust EU requirements.

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

I definitely could've been more clear about the different environmental regulations - I cut it out because it was already quite technical and long, and I regret doing that now. The Australian NICNAS report I cited goes into more detail about why they take a different stance to the EU position - the solubility and actual environmental concentrations are much lower than the lowest concentrations required to have any effect on organisms. It's a similar argument to what I presented in the sunscreens video for why sunscreens being washed down the drain doesn't kill coral.

[@MF-qf7bs]

And yet i received an eyeshadow pallet that contained chemicals not approved in the US. There are chemicals in US foods that are banned overseas. Different countries have different standards for different reasons. There's no evidence of siicones being an environmental contaminent. The UK is a much smaller area with a greater amount of people per sq ft in it and take that into consideration. It's like an equation only for the US you use one variable and the UK uses another. Same math, different answer.

[@Victoriarobinn]

Could you make a video about skincare ingredients that are harmful to the environment? Or which aren’t. I’d love to know what to look out for.

[@rajnandinichatterjee2212]

Everything is harmful in high concentrations really. Even soapnuts contain saponins which is toxic to fish in high concentrations. Concentration and mechanism of action is key. In small amounts these things cycle through the environment and get broken down somehow or sequestered. But in large amounts the balance of those processes is disturbed. Ingredients that are biodegradable and/or inert have lower chances of being environmental disasters

[@zahrabjinu]

I was one of the people who asked about silicones in skin and hair care.There are so many pro natural people who are scaremongering about silicones on internet.

[@Call-me-Al]

The "if you can't pronounce it then don't use it" attitude is so messed up. Especially since these same people wouldn't be able to pronounce even half of all the components of "natural" things like banana, olive oil, and the like. Dihydrogenmonoxide is the more technically correct name for water, because it is the name that explains its components. The lack of being able to pronounce it says more about the silly people's anti-intellectualism than the scientific names. It's like going "if you can't pronounce the Latin plant name then don't eat it". You don't need to be able to pronounce Solanum tuberosum, Phoenix dactylifera etc to eat them. Nor do you need to be able to pronounce the chemical formula name for C6nH10n+2O5n+1 to eat Jerusalem artichokes.

[@LKMNOP]

I find it interesting that there is no legal definition for natural. So all the people calling for natural stuff don't even know what they're talking about.

[@emiv592]

I really like your videos, but I wish you had phrased the precautionary principle differently. It ends up sounding like the eu is being weirdly overprotective, instead of them not being allowed to wait for actual consequences if there are scientific studies showing that there could be a negative effect on the environment, which it actually is.

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

That's an excellent way of putting it! I wish I thought of phrasing it that way.

[@kittendivine1]

There is a negative effect on the environment? Please elaborate. :)

[@cecetheworld]

Tbh I got very confused by that phrasing and I read it 3 times 😅

[@vismithasimha227]

You litreally answered all the questions I didn't know I had about Silicones

[@heatherrogers548]

Same here. I never considered that something could degrade without being “biodegradable”.

[@Wizardwiwizard]

Please do one about milia

[@swimmerkat3965]

it would be great to see some myth-busting on alcohols in beauty products. i've seen so many people act like it's the devil of skincare ingredients

[@Sebastian-xy3xk]

I really love this video. Within the curly hair community, there is a lot of pseudoscience and fear mongering about ingredients like silicone that I used to fall into. Videos like yours are really empowering to help fight misinformation 😁

[@margolane8529]

One myth that you didn't mention is that silicones can only be removed using sulfates. I've read on several curly girl blogs that Cocamidopropyl Betaine is enough to wash out cones but I'm not 100% sure about this.

[@saammmy7]

I have to say it makes me a little uncomfortable that a video debunking silicone myths is sponsored by a silicone producer. I'm happy that you get some money for your good work but at the same time I can't help thinking you might have made more of an objective pros&cons video if it wasn't sponsored.

[@joyuna]

Couldn't agree more. "The truth about silicones, sponsored by silicones". Makes me question the content of the video event if it's well researched and accurate! I would encourage you to seek sponsorship from the regular standbys, Skillshare or Squarespace and the like

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

I understand the sentiment - that's why I disclosed the sponsorship very clearly at the start of the video and in the caption, and made sure to reference the accompanying blog post more thoroughly than usual so people could check the sources for themselves. For the record, Grant simply asked me to make a video busting silicone myths, and didn't have any input into the actual content of the video except to add their URL and to remove a confusing typo in a reader comment.

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

@@clarisaantiagingdermatology A. Why would information I remembered be more convincing than information I carefully researched in detail and wrote down? Human memory is far more fallible than published peer reviewed research. B. If you look up TEWL reduction of different ingredients, dimethicone provides about 50% of the occlusivity of petroleum jelly. This is information I've presented multiple times on my blog and Instagram, and it's covered in every basic dermatology textbook. On the other hand, "silicones depleting and causing dry and malnourished skin" is not in any dermatology textbook.

[@MF-qf7bs]

Money can't change the science saammmy. And that's pretty much what she was basing her comments on.

[@brittniep9219]

Clarisa AntiAgingDermatology you’re not a dermatologist. You are just a skincare enthusiast. Please, show us your medical degree, PhD in chemistry or biology or a similar science field, or at least a license to be an esthetician would do to lend your words any weight.

[@SusanSlattery]

I love your hair in this video! I know you change the color on the ends now + then, this color combo is GREAT!

[@raysarlie7786]

Interesting point about natural ingredients being responsible for more allergic reactions. All of my hair conditioners have silicones in them but I recently used a silicone free Shea Moisture conditioner which I had an allergic reaction to. I tried to break down the ingredients list to see what I could’ve reacted to and the main differences included natural ingredients and preservatives not in my usual products. My hair is bleached at the ends and most of my favorite products include amodimethicone. Thank you for the thorough video !

[@nancycastagno7284]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Can you please do a segment on hydroquinone.

[@AdamL6102]

Great video as usual but I would consider a trigger warning for the graphic image used at 4:24.

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

Good point, I didn't even think of that! Added a warning in the caption.

[@theprism840]

I really wish I had seen the warning but just clicked on the video from my suggestions. I love the information you provide but I can't get the horrific vivid image of that poor murdered elephant out of my head. I may be more sensitive than most, sure, but that was really unexpected and disturbing content in a beauty science video. Quite unnecessary.

[@th6218]

As someone who doesn't care about natural products, but cares a grate deal about their (natural or not) enviromental impact, thank you so much for explaining that silicones actually degrade 💚

[@vcolozzi]

So I’m a follower of the curly girl method that swears off silicones, drying alcohols, sulfates, and other ingredients that aren’t good for curly hair and I swear to you my hair hasn’t been this curly or this healthy in my whole life. I also breakout like crazy when I use silicone based primers for makeup (first or second ingredient listed). Although silicones themselves may be beneficial, I am surprised that you didn’t mention how the concentration can affect different skin types or hair types differently. Also I’m not a huge fan of this video being sponsored by a company that makes silicones. Love your videos usually but this one to me sounded like paid advertising.

[@kennedycrouch5171]

yeah i thought the same thing. i have no interest in watching a video sponsored by the industry that makes the product being discussed. it’s like a tobacco executive telling me cigarettes don’t cause cancer lol

[@clarisaantiagingdermatology]

You breakout because silicones form a film on the top layer of the skin ( Stratum corneum ) blocking the skin pores, therefore suffocating the skin and pores.. besides because it forms a film on you top layer ingredients are not able to penetrate into the other skin layers, causing the skin to be dull, malnourished, and dry..

[@MsJassi13]

+

[@jayanthis947]

If its causing breakouts u should go with an oil cleanse. Sunscreens with silicone used to break me out too but after I started oil cleansing it didn't happen.

[@karinajaudzems2097]

@@jayanthis947 I break out from cones but will give an oil cleanse a go. Would make finding a physical sunscreen easier if that works.

[@goodolemeli]

This video was so informative, thank you! I never thought about silicone in skin products, but they've never given me an issue. What I do find is that silicone sits too heavy on my thin curly hair, so I certainly stay away from it for the hair. You should do more ingredient videos based on different hair types!

[@CarmenMorales-xw1qe]

I honestly cannot do silicones. I have sensitive skin and I can literally feel the silicone coating my skin.

[@grnddesign]

Would love your take on growth factors & if they’re worth the price & also is DMAE actually helpful when applied topically. Gaba/melatonin too

[@dylanchuo2750]

i think silicone causing breakouts have to do with water insoluble silicones, many do not double cleanse so silicone buildup on their skin, especially men who stop using beauty products after seeing breakouts, i'm using moisturizer with water soluble silicone (the one with bis-peg) and i barely see any reaction even without double cleanse, so my conclusion is water soluble silicones are suitable for skincare whereas water insoluble silicones are suitable for sunscreen and makeup, please correct if i'm wrong :D

[@lauraenright5412]

I'd love to hear more about ingredients in haircare, Michelle!

[@ccorday]

I’ve found that foundations and face creams with dimethicone in the first few ingredients give me little tiny pimples on my cheek, but other forms like cyclopentasiloxane are fine and dandy. Do you think that’s the dimethicone itself overloading my skin or could it be something else?

[@perfumaphilia3246]

@@ocandro That's why many studies are conducted by various institutions, and why peer review exists. If you don't want to use an ingredient for your own personal reasons, or because your skin reacts poorly to it, that's your choice. But please stop the fear mongering and trying to discredit science.

[@liznotslow]

Yay! I love your videos. I learn so much. Also, the ombre in your hair right now is PERFECTION!

[@LKMNOP]

This is purely anecdotal as I have seen no research on it and it might just be my particular skin but silicones give me milia when I use them in any type of moisturizer or something that is used over and over. I can use them in makeup because I just put it on take it off. But in moisturizers within 2 days I get monster milia. And I do mean monster ones.

[@baabsann]

Can you please make a video about good alcohol in skincare😊😊

[@maize3239]

I've been using the 1% Retinol in Squalane. I like it, but am now interested in trying another brand. Do you have any recommendations?

[@_thefrugalbugle]

Great video! I have oily skin and I am trialing lots of no silicone primers/foundations because I wonder if silicone is making my make up slide and make my pores look huge! What do advise re primer for oily skin and perhaps a silicone/flexible foundation? Or silicone vs oily skin in general? Thanks!

[@dianebaileymusicministries]

Thank you so much for the info!!! Can I wash silicone /Dimethicone with cocamidropol betaine?

[@alindaschaap]

The dramatic reenactment is hilarious and scary at the same time

[@raquelalbano170]

You need more, WAY MORE subscribers! Thank you so much for this amazing content, I have always wanted to know about silicones.

[@elainet6450]

Thank you for your informative science backed videos...

[@DinaraNabiullina]

Yaaas! I’ve been waiting for this!😍

[@ladycaticorn2950]

I learned so much in this video! I've been avoiding silicones because I've heard many people on the Internet talk about them forming a plastic barrier on the skin (lol at your dramatic reenactment of that haha); I'm really glad to know that isn't true. I have heard that some people with curly hair avoid silicones in their shampoo (see the Curly Girl method on Reddit) because they claim it affects their curls. I wonder if that's true or if it's other ingredients responsible for that!

[@LKMNOP]

It probably also depends on what type of curly hair you have. You can of course curly hair over fine curly hair etc etc etc. And each one is going to react differently to different products

[@watercat1978]

Can you do a video on mica in makeup? The ethics of that industry and how it’s still legal ,etc. I’ve read a lot about it but I’d love to know your thoughts on it and your understanding of it.

[@kittendivine1]

10:00 About amodimethicone: do you mean it lasts through multiple shampoo washes?

[@beressara7243]

I heard that silicones only can be removed by sulfates which are drying for hair/scalp

[@TheAndreita141]

Thats for hair, not skin

[@firearth1581]

I don’t think sulfates are bad, they just clean.

[@TheAndreita141]

They're not toxic, but they can dry the hair. It depends on each person, my hair always looks frizzy after using sulfates

[@Call-me-Al]

@Username not all, just most :) especially of you buy "color protective" shampoos/conditioners for dyed hair they tend to be free from the harshest stuff.

[@mggz71]

Please can you talk about how harmful sulfates, dyes and parabens are in shampoos? Please please. I pay way too much money on shampoo that don’t have these ingredients but they are not making my hair nice. Thanks

[@pencilfriendpaperscribbler6032]

Iwillsucceed4sure Same, 'natural' shampoos leave a waxy coating on my hair and make it so frizzy! I assume all the excellent reviews are from people with very short, straight hair.

[@Call-me-Al]

@@pencilfriendpaperscribbler6032 keep in mind that more important than natural, is whether the hair products supply what your hair lacks/benefits from. Using the wrong type of products, even all natural, will mess up your hair more than they will help. For instance my skin and hair lose protein far too easily, so I need to use e.g. keratin enriched conditioners. While if a person with dry and protein rich hair uses my kind of conditioner, it will leave their hair a crunchy frizzy mess. This while those conditioners make my hair softer, curlier, and shinier. Potentially the same with coconut oil as it helps retain protein, and someone like that needs something more moisturizing than protein-protective like what coconut oil is. You need to learn what your body's particular needs are, including your hair.

[@pencilfriendpaperscribbler6032]

Il Al That’s good advice. Experimenting is annoying, however! I don’t like wasting things that don't work well and then feel aggravated the entire time that I am using them up.

[@Call-me-Al]

@@pencilfriendpaperscribbler6032 yeah, this is why I am grateful for sample packs. There are a lot of guides for experiments you can do to check what kind of hair you have. Additionally if you have a hair cut recently you can just keep a bit of your hair to experiment on with more concentrated ingredients you already have at home (as the hair is as dead on your scalp past the follicle as in your hand) like egg white, different types of oils, acids, etc.

[@terrance7220]

Basically your hair product shouldn’t touch your body skin or hair skin... I usually wash my hair leaning backwards. I cant do sulfate anything skin but sulfate shampoo does make my hair look good. I use them once in a while.

[@senetr]

Hello, If we need surfactants to remove dimethicone,how can we remove it from eyes if it contacts with eyes? Are tears strong enough to remove it ? Also I saw some eye drops contain dimethicone. And I wonder how long can Dimethicone molecules stay on surface? If Dimethicone molecules don't move from surface to surface with water, how can they move through shampoo or beauty products? Because It is spoken about it as if It sticks to certain place and never travels around.

[@eiyela]

When the biodegradability came I was like "Yessss, finally!" It's so nice to have a quick and easy guide to refer to when having this argument. XD

[@ruchitafotedar]

Hi love, thanks for such an informative video. One question though, I have no issues with silicones except for when they are used in pore minimizers, I break out easily and my pores get clogged!?!? Other parts of my face are fine with it. Do you think its silicone or something else is clogging my pores?

[@elejac9925]

Can you debunk myths about sulfates? Love your videos, Michelle!!

[@brunopiccinin]

So my tretinoin gel is going to get through my moisturizer that contains dimethicone and work just as well, isn't it? I hope I got it right.

[@juliettecoatsworth1493]

Thank you for this video! I've been grappling with this topic for some time now so I appreciate the thorough review.

[@tmhenning1]

Not an ingredient myth, but I'm curious to know if all tans (darkening of the skin due to UV exposure) is skin damage and should be avoided. And to what extent should this be avoided given different skin tones. I'm Afro-filipina and despite using spf 50 with high PA ratings, I *always* tan when I'm outside (and yes I reapply religiously). I'd also love to see you do something on the rates of non acral melanomas for non-white folx. Yes, skin cancer does not discriminate, but from the studies I have read, sunscreen protection isn't going to do much in the way of protecting (against skin cancer) those of us who are on the darker spectrum of the Fitzpatrick scale: that is to say, yes we can get skin cancer, but usually it occurs underneath fingernails or the skin along places where the sun doesn't shine - i.e. places where sunscreen is of little to no use. *I use daily sunscreen because of hyperpigmentation and to thwart wrinkles.

[@haebee]

love your debunking videos. so much scare-mongering woo in this space. thank you!

[@nanalawless9202]

silicones are great but I avoid them in my hair because I dont wash my hair everyday and dont want build up (head gets itchy easy otherwise)

[@LabMuffinBeautyScience]

I personally only use conditioner below my ears - I've found that conditioners make my scalp oily and break out, including silicone-free ones! I suspect it's the fatty alcohols.

[@lingolift5917]

Hi. I am considering using silicone patches to reduce and prevent my sleep wrinkles on the side of my face I sleep on and between my massive breasts. I came across a video entitled "Anti Wrinkle Patches Do they work Pros and Cons" by Go See Christy that suggested silicone patches could reduce collagen production. She cited 2 studies (with only 25 and 30 participants), one of which studies problems with using patches on scars in Saudi Arabia , and another that studied the effects of silicone gels on kiloid and hypertophic scars. The seconds study suggested that silicone could help regulate the fibrolasts that produce collagen, curbing the overproduction of collegean that results in these kinds of scars. I looked at other studies of a similar kind, as well as one on silicone implats with similar results... but I never found a study that indicated silicone could hamper normal collagen production. In general the studies seemed to just indicate areas for further study. However... could it be possible that silicone patches could hamper healthy collagen production?

[@afrenahamed357]

Please make a video about parabene, sulphate etc which usually use in shampoos, recently all people are talking that parabene are very harmful for scalp, hair as well as. I want to know about science behind these.

[@GabrielMiranda-oj1nu]

Silicones are amazing. My hair and skin love them, and whenever I see a product that usually has silicones advertised as "silicone-free", then it has to make up for it in other ways, otherwise I know it simply is an inferior product for no good reason. The thing is, why avoid them in the first place? Most problems associated with silicones are corrected with proper formulation and use (such as properly shampooing your hair for preventing buildup). They are safe, effective, and extremely versatile ingredients.

[@luckychonk9527]

I'm southeast asian with medium-thick wavy (2a-2b) hair. I am learning a lot about the Curly Girl(/Guy) Method and one of the rules I break is that I use silicones. But specifically, amodimethicone and a very similar cousin, the bis-aminopropyl dimethicone. I like bis-aminopropyl dimethicone too because it also does not build up for the same reasons amodimethicone also does not build up.

[@derpicorn7945]

I do find products that are very high in silicone are very hard to remove at the end of the day!

[@hubahubister]

Some people can only see the sponsorship and unable to see the science behind it. It doesn't matter whether it's sponsored or not, the fact is in the science. Science don't lie. Thanks Michelle. Hope to see your video on EWG please.

[@MarjolaineDaudrumez]

I loved this vid. Thank you so much for making it ❤️❤️❤️

[@charlesborden1027]

Thank you so much Michelle and to Grant for this video (next time let's see a tour of the facilites!) I confess to having a knee-jerk reaction to silicones and resigned to a neutral rating but avoiding them myself for these reasons; 1.) I use a fairly mild cleanser - Krave's Matcha Hemp - and don't want to/feel like adding another oil based cleanser (if that's even necessary??) 2.) Most*** of my routine is a lot of layering involving oil products. Marula, Seabuckthorn, Drunk Elephant, Kosas Tinted Oil, Ilia Serum Concealer - etc. and I heard one of the main culprits to weird broken texture through the day is the interaction between different silicones (either with each other from differently formulated products) and oils. 3.) The biodegradability thing - which, until you explained that it relatively quickly does degrade into silica I thought was not much better than washing down plastic microbeads or polyester microfibers from clothing.

[@charlesborden1027]

I say most*** because, while I use the Drunk Elephant Umbra as a base high zinc oxide SPF, I *also* layer over Krave's Beet Shield for that good Tinosorb S + Uvinul A protection (which, side note - that's ok right? I know some filters like avobenzone don't play nice with metallic pigments like ZnO, TiO2) which does contain Parsol SLX/polysilicone-15 - which is oil soluble and I haven't seen issue with. My main question is - do Grant and other ingredient manufacturers feel pressure to develop silicone alternatives if they have such a.. "mostly perfect" ingredient if you get what I'm saying. Other manufacturers such as Inolex have a suite of silicone alternatives and maybe this is to satisfy marketing but is this maybe hinting at a new generation that has silicones properties and less/none of it's demerits/hesitations?

[@hayleywong8143]

blue light therapy for acne please!

[@lindap.5921]

@Lab Muffin Beauty Science Laser Light Therapy for skin please ! Blue light, red light, Light therapy-or phototherapy, classically referred to as heliotherapy-consists of exposure to daylight or to specific wavelengths of light ---

[@TracyD2]

Oh man that poor elephant.

[@theprism840]

Agreed.

[@MF-qf7bs]

Thank you so much for the intelligent, clear, scientific chemical explanation (without talking down to us) on something that concerns so many of us that use cosmetics. I'd really like to know what you make of the chemical composition of eyeshadows and what chemicals put our sight at risk. I've heard about talc being banned because it's suspected of being a carcinogetic (?spelling), but what of others? Just how dangerous and concerned should we makeup lovers be? Some chemicals are banned in the US and not in the UK and I'd like a better understanding of the reasoning behind these decisions. I'd really appreciate seeing you do a video like this on on that particular subject. Thank you for your time and consideration, it is greatly appreciated. Yours truly, A New Subscriber.

[@meisj]

Hi how about shampoos with Dimethicone? Or skincare with Dimethicone? Are they safe for pregnancy?

[@kawannahardy2924]

Knowing how ingredients work in products is Very important. Ppl shun ingredients like silicone and certain Moisturizing alcohols without really knowing anything about them. Ppl need to know that what your husband's, sister's, best friend's cousin(who used to work at a makeup counter) says about ingredients is Not LAW. Tfs

[@robertpenaherrera7222]

I love all your videos SO MUCH. Thank you for sharing all this knowledge!!

[@briesullivan883]

Can you do a brand review series? I’d love to see ones for Skinfood(the wash off masks especially; maybe a separate video comparing these?), Tonymoly(especially the I’m real sheet masks, the Pureness 100 sheet masks, the Master lab sheet masks, and the ampoules; maybe comparison videos for these as well?), Burt’s bees skincare line, and Nooni (the Snowflake Whipping cleanser and the lip oils!).

[@natashabusono4550]

I Love how you show research and examples :) new subscriber xo

[@mariaf1694]

I love silicones and thus this debunking video! Great work🤗🧡🧡🧡♡♡♡

[@mariaf1694]

@Bridgee Bridge would not say always, but in many cases i agree - same experience here😅

[@AllNaturalSkinCare1]

AWESOME! Thank you for the info, I was always on the fence with this argument, thanks for clearing it up!!😘

[@heidinichole4680]

I’m glad to hear the hair truths and myths!

[@mitrowitch]

love your videos! theyre so educative and informative! more, mooooooar!

[@Fifje]

I love it when you nerd out 😍😍 you give us some very valuable information 🤗 thank you so much!!!

[@mrjr03]

I straightened my curly hair for a few weeks for the first time in years, and for the first time ever I’m having trouble getting it to revert back to curly. It felt super healthy while it was straight, and even now the spots that aren’t reverting, though they look super stringy in the context of my curls, it’s still super soft and shiny. Could it be that I just cooked too much silicone into my hair and is blocking it from absorbing moisture? 😭

[@brittniep9219]

By the way your blouse is hella cute! I’d be interested in: accutane and retinoids information, sulfates in hair products, and basically anything anyone asks about! 😋🙂

[@SJmoonie]

The video that we all needed! highly informative video as always, Michelle 👏🏼

[@shailyy3202]

Finally!!... 🤓.. Could you please share your views on binders (plant based n chemical ones) used to give gels their gel like texture.. Be Blessed Be Happy 🥰🤗😘🤩

[@kittendivine1]

What about ingestion of silicone (e.g. lip products) and absorption through mucous membranes (e.g. silicone lube)? Is it correct that silicones are not absorbed through the skin?

[@uhlee4249]

Hello, I just want to ask, is Collagen cream okay to use by sensitive oily-acne prone skin people like me? Thank you.

[@HettieB8]

Views on The Curly Girl method and their view on silicones/waxes etc? And the apple cider vinegar rinses and cowashing with conditioner and agitation?? Xo