The issue with trying to find the best silicone-free haircare is that, even in 2023, silicone-free can be hard to find. Sure, there are options out there—but they’re often scattered far and few between. You’ll find one product here and one product there, but outside of natural drugstore brands, there are very few uniformly ‘cone-free haircare lines. In particular, it’s difficult to find really nourishing products that are silicone-free—the easiest way to smooth out a dry cuticle is to slater it in dimethicone, and when that’s not an option, brands sometimes falter. That’s why I love Authentic Beauty Concept. The entire brand is silicone-free, and it’s all formulated to be luxurious, rich, and nourishing.
Authentic Beauty Concept fills in a gap in the market. It’s all silicone-free, which is great for those of us with allergies and the like, but it’s a lot nicer than something like Live Clean or Jason. (No shade to drugstore brands: I love Live Clean in particular. But there’s a big difference between a $10 conditioner and a $30 one, you know?)
On the other side of things, though, they’re still products that are made for consumers. You’re not left buying $120 litres from the salon when all you really wanted was a regular-sized shampoo and conditioner duo. Authentic Beauty Concept is priced like Amika or Living Proof and underneath Ouai, Oribe, Kevin Murphy, etc., and it performs exceptionally well.
A great hair mask for dry, brittle hair
My one defining characteristic is that I, dear reader, am always on a little walk. They started as nighttime mental health walks in my teens, morphed into general escapism walks during the pandemic, and now they’re just little spots of sunshine throughout my day.
I love my little walks, but my hair does not. In Alberta’s dry, windy, often-scorching weather, the walks that I love so much have kind of destroyed my hair. And it’s not like it had health to spare: It’s thin, dry, and brittle from balayage as it is. Add in the wind friction and tangles and my crisp little strands are crunchy by the end of the day.
The only thing I’ve been able to combat this with is a great hair mask—and the Authentic Beauty Concept Hydrate Mask is a great hair mask. It’s a deeply hydrating mask with Behenoyl PG-Trimonium Chloride for detangling and a faint fragrance of florals, cotton, mango, and basil. I leave it in for 15 minutes before I shower and my hair, which usually tangles in the shower and is essentially a rats nest by the time I’m drying off, rinses out sleek and straight. It’s smooth, easy to brush out, and very manageable for a couple of washes.`
Finish with Authentic Beauty Concept Hydrate Spray Conditioner for a little extra. You can’t really overdo it with this one and it’s a more effective detangler than any of the detanglers I own. (Great for de-frizzing curly hair, too!)
Shampoo and conditioner for dry hair and frizzy curls
Okay, so sleepovers aren’t a characteristic of me, but they were a characteristic of my summer. It was really lovely: I mentioned offhandedly to a couple of friends after a breakup that I was worried I’d be lonely this summer, and god, did they ever turn up.
I hosted six different sleepovers this summer. (It rocked.) From those, I can report that Authentic Beauty Concept’s shampoos and conditioners don’t just slap for straight and damaged hair. They’re also magnificent for curly hair. The brand’s rich, silky conditioner formulas hydrate curls beautifully, leaving them springy and plump. No tangles or frizzy hair here.
I think the Glow line is great for turning frizz into beautiful, plump curls, and the Replenish line shines on damaged hair. I’ve tried a ton of products for my damaged hair and the Replenish conditioner is my favourite—it’s super thick and soaks in like a sponge. My hair feels stronger and smoother after using the Authentic Beauty Concept Hydrate Mask and Replenish Conditioner than it does with either Olaplex or K18 treatments, so I cannot recommend this enough!
The rest of the best silicone-free haircare from Authentic Beauty Concept
Those are my showstoppers, but I have some other Authentic Beauty Concept silicone-free haircare in my rotation, too. Their little dry shampoo works great; it goes on invisibly and smells delicious and sweet. I like their Hand & Hair Light Cream for a little something extra in my ends, but it’s not a must for me. And, finally, their Shaping Cream is nice for curls—not really necessary as a primer for straight hair though. (I prefer the Amplify Spray Conditioner for fine or straight strands).
Overall, the Authentic Beauty Concept range is killing it right now and I’m enjoying each new product launch even more than the last. I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking to indulge in some luxury haircare that delivers salon-quality results!
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Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were gifted for editorial consideration only.
