I recently started taking the time to use hair masks … a positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine you could say! Turns out – I love them & I’m hooked! I used to be one of those people who would just “leave the conditioner in a little longer” and call it self care/maintenance. A hair mask is actually not as labor intensive/time-consuming as I thought it would be – depending on which type of mask you choose – and actually, some of them only require you to leave it in for 3-5 minutes … which turns out to be less time than my “leave the conditioner in longer” method 😉
Masks are especially great for color-treated hair and even more necessary during summertime when we tend to be at the pool, beach or just washing our hair more often from all the sweat (just keeping it real! LOL).
You’ll want to do this step after shampooing but before getting out of the shower as you’ll need to rinse the mask out. Try to squeeze out as much water from your hair as possible before putting in the mask. You could even leave a small hand towel next to the shower if you want to give your hair a quick squeeze! Also, it’s a good idea to avoid the scalp area to avoid additional weight and build up there. I will say, though, that if I know I don’t have anything coming up, I will put some mask up at the scalp.
I did a little online research to start off with and narrowed it down to two I wanted to try. It was also helpful that Ulta was having a sale, and I was able to purchase both of them at a discount! 🙌
The first one I tried was Wella Oil Reflections Luminous Reboost Mask. This brand was new to me (though I’d seen it on the Ulta website bunches of times), and this is the first product of theirs that I’ve tried. This mask is thick and heavy and I loved it – but I have thick hair. I definitely do not recommend it if you have very thin, fine hair. It will totally weigh it down. I also loveee the smell of it and it stays with your hair for days!! A little goes a long way! My hair felt super soft after using this product. I’m not sure how much “shine” I can see, but I was honestly just looking for something to really hydrate my hair and I definitely felt this one did just that 🙂 I definitely recommend this one as a top choice if your hair has the strength for it.
The other one I really liked is the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Masque. I’m no stranger to the Alterna brand as they have some fantastic hair products. I’d say as far as pricing goes, they are high end-middle of the road type thing. It’s not even close to the most expensive brand out there, but I wouldn’t call them cheap either. I do feel like you get what you pay for sometimes, and this is definitely a brand that makes quality products. This mask has a lighter feel to it and more muted fragrance than the first one. Again, this one’s great for less thick hair or if you don’t want a strong scent. This one is twice the price of the Oil Reflections, and I’m not sure that for me this particular Alterna product is worth full price. I will continue to watch when Ulta puts it on sale for 50% off – totally worth it then and makes it the same price as the Oil Reflections! I just stock up 🙂 If I’m using a hair mask all the way up to my scalp, I will use this one because it’s the lighter formula.
I tried a few other – some that were jars, some that were one-time us, some that were super highly rated on Sephora etc – and didn’t love any of them as much as these two! Out of these, I actually like the Oil Reflections for my hair and find I grab it a little more frequently than the Caviar; though I totally use both! I do think if you have thinner, finer hair, you should go for the Caviar.
Definitely watch for those Ulta sales, though, so that you don’t have to pay full price 😉 This is definitely one of those beauty products that I wouldn’t splurge on unless you absolutely need the lighter Alterna formula. Even then, I would highly suggest catching it on a deal; but ultimately this is an area I would recommend saving on!!!
Seriously a hair mask is such an easy thing you can do to add a little self love to your weekly routine – and that’s all you’re adding in as far as time goes – max 5 minutes once per week 🙂 I really wish I had started sooner. You will see and feel noticeable improvements in the health of your hair for a very small time tradeoff!
