If you struggle with untameable frizz, a silicone hair serum can turn your hair from messy to manageable. Serums instantly control flyaways while protecting hair from heat damage and adding shine. If dry scalp is more your issue, go for a specialized dry scalp treatment.
The hardest part of picking out a serum is that loads of the treatments labeled as serums on the market aren’t serums at all. “Serum” is a murky term used for lots of hair treatments but it should have a silicone base–but, not all silicones are good for all hair types.
That’s why it’s important to carefully read the ingredient lists–or read an article by someone who has.
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1.
EDITOR’S CHOICE: Obliphica Professional Seaberry Serum
Pros:
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Three silicones for lots of protection
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Options for coarse to fine hair
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Can use on scalp without becoming oily
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Amazing at taming frizz
Cons:
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Not for hair sensitive to build up
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Pricier than others
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Contains added fragrance
No serum is perfect for all hair types which is why I love that Obliphica makes two different versions of their Seaberry Serum: one for Coarse to Medium Hair and one for Fine to Medium Hair.
It’s a heavy-hitter with three types of silicone in its formula: cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone.
The dimethicone isn’t ideal if your hair is sensitive to build up, but with the inclusion of the others to thin it out, it doesn’t pose such a problem as it would if it were the main ingredient.
The combination of these silicones acts as a very intense smoother leaving hair silky, frizz-free, and soft.
It contains sea buckthorn oil which is a very gentle moisturizer and is safe to massage into your scalp without the fear of looking greasy. If you have dry ends or flyaways, this one is for you.
Another way to add shine to your hair is with apple cider vinegar shampoos–don’t worry your hair won’t smell like vinegar.
Find more Obliphica Professional Seaberry Serum information and reviews here.
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2.
Amika The Wizard Detangling Primer
Pros:
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Cyclopentasiloxane evaporates
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Contains sea buckthorn and avocado oil
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Great for dyed or treated hair
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Detangles and prevents breakage
Cons:
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Not for super oily hair
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On the edge of not being a serum
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Spray bottle not great for traveling
The Amika The Wizard Multi-Benefit Primer was developed for targeted protection of hair from heat treatments like blow drying, curling irons, straighteners, as well as from the everyday hazards of life like harmful UV rays.
If you use any of these heat treatments often, The Wizard can keep your hair safe from heat stress while nourishing and strengthening it at the same time with sea buckthorn oil, avocado oil, and vitamins E and B5.
The main silicone in this product is cyclopentasiloxane which is both a mouthful and a thin, evaporating silicone that helps to evenly distribute the product throughout your hair and prevents tangling and breakage.
The Wizard has that signature Amika fragrance and comes in a misty bottle for even coverage. It’s also available in a smaller one-ounce bottle for traveling or to see if you like the product before getting a bigger bottle.
I like that they’re vegetarian-friendly and cruelty-free.
Find more Amika The Wizard information and reviews here.
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3.
Blowpro Weather Girl Anti-Frizz Serum
Pros:
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Contains four silicones
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Expert frizz tamer
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Silk and soy protein strengthen
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Fragrance-free
Cons:
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Avoid if you’re sensitive to build up
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Not vegan (silk)
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No oils for dry hair
Blowpro Weather Girl is an oil-free serum so it works with all hair types. It is very pure to its purpose and contains four different types of silicone so get ready for serious shine and frizz relief.
The Blowpro serum contains cyclomethicone, dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, and phenyl trimethicone which is somewhere between the others in consistency and is great for heat protection.
If you’re looking for hair armor against humidity, sun, pollution, and heat, Blowpro has your hair covered–literally. (Sorry, not sorry.) It also contains silk and soy protein to repair damaged or brittle hair, another result of frequent heat treatments.
With this serum, a little goes a long way and you only need a tiny bit to kick frizz out of your day.
Find more Blowpro Weather Girl Anti-Frizz Serum information and reviews here.
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4.
Chi Keratin Silk Infusion
Pros:
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Has good evaporating silicones
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Choice of bottle size
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Great for natural hair and curls
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Helps repair damaged hair
Cons:
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Not best for oily hair
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Not vegan (silk)
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Contains added fragrance
Chi’s Keratin Silk Infusion Serum has a cult following and Chi, itself, is a trusted brand in hair for good reason. Their heat protection products are some of the best on the market.
This formula is great for eliminating frizz while helping to restore strength to damaged hair. The hydrolyzed silk and keratin are both proteins that help rebuild and repair damaged hair, preventing breakage.
If you use daily heat processes or have colored your hair one too many times (guilty) then this serum will return that healthy shine to your stressed out hair. For dry hair, this serum also contains argan oil and jojoba oil to hydrate your hair and restore elasticity giving it that healthy bounce.
This makes this serum ideal for people with natural hair or for those who have chemically damaged and dry hair. If your hair tends toward the oily side, you probably want to find a serum that doesn’t contain any extra oils.
It comes in this six-ounce bottle which is more cost effective but is also available in a two-ounce bottle if you want to try it out first.
Find more Chi Keratin Silk Infusion information and reviews here.
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5.
Biosilk Silk Therapy Original Cure
Pros:
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Uses evaporating silicone
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A good choice for oily hair
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Works on all hair types
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Contains silk protein for strengthening
Cons:
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Contains denatured alcohol
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Contains parabans
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Added fragrance
This Biosilk Silk Therapy serum has been around and loved for years. It works well with all hair types, delivering soft, frizz-free hair.
The silk protein helps repair and strengthen brittle hair damaged by chemicals or heat and reduces breakage while the evaporating silicone helps detangle knots, prevent more snarls, and define your curls.
It doesn’t contain any oils and relies solely on silicone to lock in your hair’s natural moisture. It has a to die for scent and one bottle will last you a long time.
This serum does contain denatured alcohol which can be drying for some people so if you generally avoid alcohol in your hair products, skip this one, but most people don’t tend to have that issue.
If you’re unsure, you can also pick up a smaller 2.2-ounce bottle before jumping into this full-size 12-ounce bottle.
Find more Biosilk Silk Therapy Original Cure information and reviews here.
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6.
It’s a 10 Miracle Styling Serum
Pros:
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Cyclopentasiloxane evaporates
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Trusted brand
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Can tame even the worst frizz
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Contains moisturizing oils
Cons:
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Can weigh down curls
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Contains dimethicone
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If you use too much it can look greasy
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Added fragrance
If you struggle to get your hair under control in the summer humidity, the It’s a 10 Miracle Styling Serum may be exactly what you need.
This serum is great for nearly all hair types and is amazing at calming frizz. If you have curly hair, this would be a great product to use before straightening as heat protection, but if you use it on curly hair, it could loosen your curls a little depending on your hair type.
It contains cyclopentasiloxane as its main silicone and by adding dimethicone, this serum has an immediate smoothing and detangling effect.
It does contain argan oil, moriche palm oil, and castor oil for moisturizers, but won’t leave you greasy as long as you’re using the recommended amount of only a couple of drops. A little goes a very long way here. I’ve featured this brand’s hair mask as one the best deep conditioners.
Find more It’s a 10 Miracle Styling Serum information and reviews here.
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7.
Gloss.ME Hair Serum by Design.ME
Pros:
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Moisturizing oils to keep hair hydrated
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Blend of silicone types
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Botanicals and vitamins to nourish hair
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Hydrolyzed protein
Cons:
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Added fragrance
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Might be too heavy for fine or oily hair
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Small bottle for the price
For hair that is both frizzy and damaged, try Gloss.ME by Design.ME. It’s perfect for dry, coarse, or chemically damaged hair as it contains moisturizing oils and a mixture of three silicones to seal your hair’s cuticle and lock that hydration in.
It provides needed moisture with argan oil, hemp oil, rice bran oil, and moringa seed oil. To restore strength to damaged hair, Gloss.ME includes bamboo extract, hydrolyzed soy protein, and omega-6 fatty acids.
The powerhouse of a serum is its silicone content which smooths hair, beats frizz, and locks in all the other goodness in the product. Gloss.ME uses cyclopentasiloxane as its first ingredient and that’s one of the best silicones you can look for a hair product as it’s easy to remove and won’t make your hair feel heavy. To assist, the serum also contains two heavier silicones making this a good choice for dry, damaged, and coarse hair. If you have oily or extra-fine hair, this might not be the product for you.
Find more Gloss.ME Hair Serum by Design.ME information and reviews here.
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8.
Sun Bum Heat Protector Spray
Pros:
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Nourishing botanicals
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Lightweight cyclopentasiloxane
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Shea butter, coconut, and avocado oil
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Fine to medium hair is best
Cons:
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Needs to be shaken up
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Not everyone loves a spray
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Added fragrance and dyes
This Heat Protector Spray from Sun Bum is perfect if you’ve got some frizz or want to prevent damage from heat treatments or time out in the sun, but want to avoid heavy serums weighing your hair down and making it look greasy.
This one fills the need for a lightweight serum. I have fine hair that is prone to be quite oily and frizzy. (How? I don’t know.) I have to be very careful with my anti-frizz treatments because it’s very easy to go straight past sleek hair directly into “haven’t showered in a month” hair.
That’s why I like this product which has a unique first ingredient for a protectant: water. It’s followed by cyclopentasiloxane, a silicone that isn’t as heavy as cheaper silicones and that won’t cause build-up over time. To moisturize dry hair Sun Bum includes shea butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and sunflower seed oil.
Normally products would use chemical emulsifiers to make oils and water mix, but instead Sun Bum chose to not add more chemicals to their spray which is why the product settles into two distinct layers of a clear liquid and a blue liquid. Before use, give the bottle a good shake to combine the products and you’re good to go.
To nourish hair, Sun Bum adds kept extract and extracts of banana pulp, leaf, peel, and flower. It has a pleasant tropical coconut scent to it.
Most of the other serums on this list are must stronger but if you’re looking for something less intense this might be for you. If you’re still concerned about the amount you’re using, try spraying it on your palms and working it into your hair for better control.
Find more Sun Bum Heat Protector Spray information and reviews here.
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9.
CHI Tea Tree Oil Serum
Pros:
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Uses an evaporating silicone
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Heat protection and scalp health
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Tea tree, peppermint, and lavender
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Trusted brand
Cons:
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Can look greasy if you use too much
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Not for oily hair
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Tea tree scent isn't for everyone
I know this bottle of Chi Tea Tree Oil Serum says oil in big letters on the gorgeous glass bottle but the base of this tea tree serum is silicone. It contains three different types of silicone including cyclopentasiloxane, and they’re all the type of silicone that won’t build up in your hair so you can count on this serum giving you intense shine and slip while protecting your hair against heat damage.
If you have a dry, flaking scalp, tea tree oil is a miracle worker. This serum has tea tree leaf oil, lavender oil, and peppermint oil to calm your hair and scalp and bring out your healthy bounce. I love tea tree everything. It has such great healing qualities and I think it smells fantastic.
Tea tree and peppermint can cause a tingling feeling on the scalp which most find really refreshing and soothing but might be unpleasant for those with sensitive scalps.
Because it contains oils, you do want to be careful about applying too much so you don’t get that wet hair look and if your hair has a tendency to look greasy, you might want to opt for an oil-free serum.
Find more Chi Tea Tree Oil Serum information and reviews here.
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10.
Rusk Deepshine Protective Oil Treatment
Pros:
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Uses an evaporating silicone
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A little goes a long way
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Great for natural or coarse hair
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Moisturizing argan oil
Cons:
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Dimethicone can cause build up
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Can look greasy if too much is used
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Added fragrance and dyes
Rusk Deepshine Protective Oil Treatment has a base of two silicones and is finished with argan oil so if you have dry, damaged, or coarse hair this one is made for you.
The first ingredient is dimethicone which is a heavier silicone, perfect for dry or coarse hair types. If your hair is sensitive to build up, this might not be the best choice. It also contains cyclopentasiloxane which is one of the good silicones so that should elevate some of that heaviness. This won’t be a problem for a lot of people, but it’s something to keep in mind especially if you have very fine hair.
Since it contains argan oil, you want to apply this one when your hair is still wet to avoid that greasy look. This Rusk serum is perfect for calming frizzy or distressed hair and as a nice daily drink for dry, natural hair.
Find more Rusk Deepshine Protective Oil Treatment information and reviews here.
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11.
Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum & Blowout Primer
Pros:
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Perfect to prime hair for heat
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Trusted, professional brand
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Three types of silicone
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Great for dry or coarse hair
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Different size to choose from
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A little goes a long way
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Vegan
Cons:
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Contains added fragrance
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No moisturizing oils
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Too heavy for fine or oily hair
Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny Serum is a solid serum choice from a well-known and well-trusted professional brand. It’s perfect for people who use heat treatments on their hair daily to protect it from drying.
It has a base of the lighter-weight silicone Cyclopentasiloxane which won’t build up on your hair and adds high-shine dimethicone and detangling trimethicone. Because those last two are less soluble than other silicones, this isn’t one I’d recommend for fine hair or oily hair.
In addition to taming frizz in an instant, the blend of these silicones helps to protect your hair from the damage that the heat from blowdryers, straighteners, or curling irons can cause.
What Is a Hair Serum?
The active ingredient in serums is some type of silicone and sometimes moisturizers like oil are added.
Silicone coats your hair strands, never penetrating into your hair's cuticle. Silicone is what gives your conditioner that slippery, detangling feeling.
It smooths over the rough texture of damaged hair cuticles that can cause flyaways, snarls, and dull-looking hair. This results in instantly shiny hair which is a magical thing.
This slick coating also protects your hair from brushing by reducing friction to prevent even more breakage. Silicone coats hair well enough to protect from heat damage, pollution damage, and even UV damage from being in the sun. It's basically shining armor for your hair.
What's the Difference Between Hair Serums and Hair Oils?
Hair serums and hair oils tend to be interchangeable terms, but they are two completely different things. Hair oil is a moisturizing treatment that is absorbed into your hair and affects it from the inside out while serums protect it from the outside.
It's the equivalent of the difference between putting on sunblock to prevent a sunburn versus putting on a coat.
Some serums do contain oil to condition and keep hair healthy but the bottom line is serums and hair oils have different goals. Serums aid in styling and shine. Oils moisturize.
Is Silicone Bad for Your Hair?
That depends on the silicone and your hair.
Silicone is considered one of the most inert materials around. Medical-grade silicone is considered a material that has zero adverse effects and that practically no one is allergic to.
It's used in practically everything according to a study published in Front Pharmacol and considered safe to be there including sunblock, cooking utensils, and medical devices. Iowa State has a whole page about the safety of silicone bakeware. It's gotten a bad rap in our hair products with lots of shampoos and conditioners boasting that they are silicone-free.
While I'm not saying the quest to remove unneeded chemicals is a bad one, I had never put a thought to why silicone was being removed--I just assumed that because it was being removed it was bad.
Which Silicones Are Good for Your Hair?
Look for high-quality silicones like cyclomethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, or dimethicone copolyol. These silicones aren't as "sticky" as others and they either evaporate or are water-soluble making them easy to wash out.
Certain silicones, like dimethicone, won't damage your hair but they might weigh it down. A study published in the International Journal of Trichology (the science of hair) states that dimethicone is so effective at coating your hair strands that it's difficult to wash off.
This can lead to build-up in some hair types. Dimethicone works and is cheap to produce so you'll find it as the only silicone ingredient in bargain serums.
When mixed with other silicones, the heaviness of dimethicone is reduced. That way you get the shine and protection benefits without the nasty build-up.
How Do You Use Hair Serums with Silicone?
If you only remember one thing it should be this: less is more.
Just like you can overdo it will your hair oil, you can definitely overdo it with a serum and there is way less leeway with serum. For most treatments, you'll only need one to two drops.
Once you are out of the shower and your hair is towel-dry, apply one to two drops of serum to your hands and rub evenly over your palms. Apply the serum to the whole length of your hair, starting at your ends. If you have anything but dry hair and scalp, be sure to avoid your scalp. Then continue styling as usual.
Serum bottles last you a long time so it's worth not settling for a cheap drugstore brand.
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