If you’re in desperate need of hair repair — be it due to frequent dyeing, heat damage or simply the wear and tear of daily styling and environmental stressors — then it’s time to add a hair mask to your routine, stat. What is a hair mask, exactly?Well, similar to face masks, they’re richer in consistency and more concentrated with active ingredients than regular moisturizing products are, making them ideal for treating a variety of hair concerns, from frizz and breakage to dryness and split ends.
“A great hair mask should provide deep conditioning benefits and have ingredients that help repair and restore damaged or weakened hair,” says hairstylist Sunnie Brook. “Look for masks that contain ingredients like keratin, collagen or amino acids, which can help strengthen the hair and reduce breakage.” She also says you want to aim for hair masks that contain hydrating ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid and panthenol, as well as oils and butters that aid in nourishing brittle strands.
How to use a hair mask
As for how to use a hair mask, the process is fairly cut and dry. “Hair masks are typically applied after shampooing and are left on the hair for a longer period than conditioners, usually around five to 15 minutes to allow the ingredients to deeply penetrate the hair,” says Brook. “They’re often recommended for weekly or bi-weekly use, depending on your hair type and needs.”
Speaking of needs, hair masks for oily hair tend to be lighter than hair masks for dry hair, and they’ll often contain fewer oils and butters to avoid making strands feel greasy or weighed down. Other than that, they’re both designed to deeply hydrate, condition and repair the hair.
How can you know which ones are worth your hard-earned money? Well, trust our top choices for hair masks, as shared by people who work with different hair types every day. Ahead, discover the hair experts’ favorites, along with what makes them so worthy of adding to your hair care arsenal.
As its name suggests, this deeply hydrating hair mask is designed specifically for folks with fine to medium strands, so it’s on the lighter side and won’t weigh hair down or make it greasy. “It’s a great mask for damaged hair on finer textures that fights frizz and repairs damage,” says hairstylist Gerard Caruso of one of his go-to recommendations. “It creates a smooth, silky finish.” Ingredient-wise, it contains hydrolyzed keratin to help strengthen weak hair, along with shea butter and panthenol for added hydration and conditioning.
Another must-have for Caruso, this luxury pick from Kérastase contains a powerful blend of peptides, protein and native plant cells to help restore weak hair while preventing breakage and split ends. “This mask really helps to lock in moisture while providing protection from humidity,” says Caruso. “It’s a particularly good option for curly hair.”
A fan favorite among professional stylists, including Aviva Jansen Perea, this light but deeply nourishing hair mask helps repair stubborn damage in all hair types. “This formula has rosehip oil and vitamin B which leaves the cuticle feeling moisturized,” says Perea. “It’s such an amazing reset mask.” On top of rosehip oil and vitamin B, it also contains algae extract, which is rich in minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and vitamins, all of which help protect and strengthen the hair.
“This dreamy mask is so nourishing and uses natural ingredients from Peru,” says Perea. “The scent is also so intoxicating.” Powered by babassu oil, chia seed oil and cupuaçu butter, this intensely hydrating formula expertly tames frizz, adds shine and helps restore dry brittle strands. It’s also an excellent pick for all hair types — from super-fine to curly and coily.
“This is a no-rinse, science-based hair mask that you apply instead of conditioner in the shower,” says Perea of K18’s peptide-infused treatment. “A little of this goes a very long way, and I noticed an improvement in my hair health after just three uses — it’s a little bottle of magic.” While it’s definitely on the pricier end of the spectrum, this innovative mask is clinically proven to help repair hair damaged by heat, color and chemicals. Plus it delivers next-level shine and softness.
According to Nicole Avery, hairstylist and chief marketing officer of Zala hair extensions, this product can do no wrong. “It's my absolute go-to for everything,” she says. This includes smoothing frizz, preventing breakage and adding shine and softness, as well as detangling. It’s formulated for all hair types, from fine to coarse, and contains hydrating moringa oil and pomegranate seed extract for a hefty dose of antioxidant protection.
“I’m a long-time devotee of this whole range of product offerings for heavy-duty damage repair,” says Avery. Enriched with hero ingredients like argan, avocado and olive oils, as well as silk amino acids, the powerhouse formula dramatically reduces frizz and dryness while delivering beautiful shine and bounce to the hair. After just a few five-minute uses, strands look significantly healthier and feel stronger.
“I recommend this mask to all my blonde clients,” says Avery of Aveda’s famous Damage Remedy treatment. Made with strand-strengthening quinoa protein and lipid-rich jojoba and castor oils, it helps renew damaged hair while simultaneously preventing future damage from occurring. It’s an especially great option for anyone with color or chemically-treated hair.
“This mask is amazing for dry, damaged, and coarse hair,” says Avery. Flaxseed and quinoa aid in strengthening hair while shea butter, monoi oil, and coconut oil help restore lost hydration and shine. It’s also made without silicones, sulfates, and synthetic dyes or fragrances, making it an ideal option for anyone looking to avoid these common ingredients.
Hairstylist Ona Diaz-Santin is a huge fan of this hair mask for curls and coils. “I love the viscosity of it, too,” she adds. Uniquely, it contains tomato extract which strengthens and adds shine, along with muru-muru butter and sapote for scalp nutrition and stimulation. Additionally, it contains proven hair hydrators like avocado oil, olive oil, honey and glycerin.
Another recommendation from Diaz-Satin, this weightless formula is great for all hair types, but especially those with fine or greasy strands. “It’s a really lightweight and nourishing mask for all hair types,” says Diaz-Satin. Enriched with a nourishing blend of oils and hydrating panthenol, it leaves hair silky, shiny, and soft to the touch.
Hairstylist Akihisa Yamaguchi swears by this whipped formula for mega shine and strengthening benefits. Amazing for all hair types, it includes essential fatty-acid-rich jojoba seed oil, as well as sea buckthorn and panthenol for optimal hydration. Despite being quite rich and creamy, it never weighs hair down, but instead leaves strands voluminous and impossibly smooth.
Hairstylist Larry Sims calls this his favorite hair mask. “It literally melts into the hair and gives the best slip, but doesn’t weigh down the hair at all,” he says. “It’s infused with shea, cupuacu, murumuru and mango butters so it locks in moisture and helps detangle the hair while also protecting against breakage — plus it’s sulfate-, paraben- and silicone-free.”
“I love this mask because it is a vegan formula that contains proteins to repair curls as well as control frizz, hydrate and increase shine,” says Sims. While especially effective for curly hair, it’s a top-notch pick for all textures and helps with scalp irritation, too, thanks to the addition of soothing blue tansy oil.
Sims swears by this mask for defining and elongating curls. “The rice water and moringa seed extract not only elongate curly hair but also deeply hydrate to repair damage,” he says. “It’s a deeply nourishing formula that doesn’t weigh down hair, making it suitable for all curly hair types.” Because it’s so rich and creamy, it’s also highly effective at hydration and repairing extremely dry hair.
“Your scalp deserves love too,” says Sims. “This mask includes charcoal, retinol and probiotics that nourish, detox and balance the scalp.” A happy, calm scalp is key to healthy hair, so it’s a great one to add to your rotation, especially if you struggle with oil buildup or flaking. It also features refreshing tea tree oil, peppermint oil and soothing aloe vera to boot.