hair mask isn’t part of your hair care routine yet, what are you waiting for? Using a hair mask is like a spa treatment for your hair – hydrating, strengthening, smoothing and repairing to make your hair look and feel heathy.
Maybe you thought you didn’t have time to indulge in a hair mask treatment. Or suppose you need to hydrate frizzy ends between washes, or your curls need a pick-me-up on day two?
What if we told you that you could get the benefits of a deep conditioning, strengthening hair mask without having to jump in the shower? That you could get all the nourishment of a hair mask without the wait – or the water.
What is a hair mask? Or is it a masque?
A hair mask is a deeply nourishing treatment that can help strengthen, moisturize, de-frizz, and bring back the healthy bounce and shine to dry, damaged, processed, or curly hair. Other spellings for various hair masque treatments include masque, unless you're talking about an Elizabethan courtly drama by that name. Hey, Shakespeare's time had some seriously spectacular hairstyles.
Hair masks, whether they end in -k or -que, are deep conditioners that you use 1-3 times per week to keep your hair supple, lustrous, and strong.
What is the difference between hair conditioner and hair mask?
Hair conditioners are milder moisturizers you can use every time you shampoo, whereas hair masks are deep hydration treatments used infrequently for intensive restorative hair care. To maintain healthy, strong hair, many people use both a daily conditioner and an occasional hair mask.
Both hair masks and conditioners come in rinse-out and leave-in varieties. The distinction is that while masks profoundly condition the shaft to deliver nutrients, conditioners only work on the hair's surface.
With the ease of a leave-in conditioner and the deep hydration and strengthening advantages of a hair mask, Batiste's Leave-In Hair Mask makes it simpler to obtain strong hydrating when and where you need it.
Hair hydration methods include rinse-out and leave-in masks.
Hair masks are typically supplied in tubes that you squeeze to release the cream into your hands or in tub containers that you reach into.
Traditional hair masks are massaged into damp hair from the middle of the hair shaft to the ends, then left in for 2 to 10 minutes before being rinsed off.
Some hair masks, like the Strengthen, Repair, and Smooth products from BatisteTM, are applied straight to damp or dry hair and left in to continue moisturizing, sealing, and smoothing.
After shampooing, when the hair is still damp and more porous, rinse-out hair masks are applied. While leave-in hair masks work best when applied to moist hair, dry hair can also be utilized in between washes by lightly misting it with water. Both kinds of hair masks encase the hair in chemicals that hydrate and protect it.
Who should use a hair mask?
Anyone of any gender or hair type can use a hair mask because they come in a variety of varieties to meet different hair demands, such as hydration, frizz control, and smoothing. You may require a hair mask to a greater extent if your hair is longer, thicker, curlier, coarser, or more treated. For the benefits of a hair mask without feeling burdened down or looking oily, people with intact thin or fine hair may prefer using a smaller amount less frequently.
The Batiste Leave-In Hair Masks are an excellent place to start if you're not sure if a hair mask is ideal for you. To start, apply a small amount to a focused region to gauge the results.
Signs you need a hair mask treatment
Make a hair mask part of your healthy hair care routine if:
- You have split ends or frizzy hair that need smoothing.
- You have Type 2b to Type 3C hair and your soft waves, S-bends, loose or medium curls or tight coils that need taming.
- Your hair is coarse and/or brittle and needs softening.
- You’ve exposed your hair to the sun or heat processing and it needs hydration.
- You have dyed or chemically processed hair that needs moisturizing and restoring.
- Your hair is dull or breaks easily and needs shine and strengthening.
What are the benefits of a hair mask?
There are different types of hair masks that focus on specific needs and hair types, but in general, the benefits of a hair mask include:
- Hydration. Hair masks infuse the hair with moisture from within, using deep moisturizing oils such as shea, macadamia, jojoba, avocado or coconut oil.
- Smoothing. Use a hair mask to help coat the hair shaft, seal split ends and tame unruliness whenever and wherever needed. Restores softness and suppleness for hair that’s in control.
- Strengthening. Use a hair mask to help make hair stronger, reduce breakage, and repair damage from processing and styling.
- Curl definition. From Type 2B to Type 3C, from waves to coils, masks help moisturize and keep curls defined and beautiful.
- Heat protection. Some hair masks coat the hair and help protect it from blow drying, ironing and heat styling.
- Damage repair. If your hair is dry, brittle, frizzy, hair masks helprepair it.
When should you use a hair mask?
The simple answer is: use a hair mask whenever your hair gets thirsty or unmanageable. Make shampoo, conditioner, and dry shampoo part of your everyday haircare routine, then treat your locks to a mask when you need to restore and rejuvenate your hair with an intense hydration treatment.
There isn’t a magical time of day or day of the week to use a hair mask. For rinse-out masks, you’ll need the time to shampoo your hair before applying the mask and to wait for it to do its job – anywhere between 10 minutes to overnight, depending on the mask. Batiste™ Leave-in Hair Masks let you be more flexible, since you won’t need to build-in time to rinse and wash to get the strengthening, de-frizzing, moisturizing, and curl-defining benefits – and you can use it several times throughout the week.
Is it better to put hair mask on wet or dry hair?
Most hair masks work best on damp hair, and rinse-out masks can only be used this way. If you’re using a rinse-out hair mask, apply after washing your hair and lightly towel-drying. Leave-in treatments such as Batiste™ Hair Masks can be used on dry or damp hair.
Use Batiste™ Hair Masks if you can’t get to the shower or sink and need to define curls or give frizz the bizz between washes.
Can you overuse a hair mask?
Hair masks are highly concentrated intense treatments designed for occasional use. A little goes a long way so start with a small dollop, then add more as needed. It is possible to overdo it with a hair mask and make your hair look limp, flat, or oily.
If you experience both oiliness and dryness (hey, we get it), try starting with dry shampoo at your roots to absorb oils, then apply leave-in hair mask from the mid-lengths to the ends to nourish dry hair.
Tips for proper hair mask use
Hair masks are easy to use, but here are a few tips to make the experience even better:
- Read the directions. Seriously, every hair mask is slightly different and the directions are there to help you make the most of your mask treatment. Especially pay attention to how long you should leave the mask on, and whether this mask is right for your hair type.
- Start with a small amount! You can always add more if you need additional smoothing or hydrating.
- Rub your hands together. Depending on if your hair mask is in a tube or a tub, squeeze or scoop a small dollop into your palm then rub your hands together to distribute the product before applying to your hair. This is especially important with Batiste™ Hair Masks to make sure you break open the Vitamin E beads.
- One section at a time. Work in handful-sized sections and start on one side of your head and work around to the other.
- Avoid the roots. Start at the mid-point of your hair’s length and rub gently around a section of hair. Pull down toward the ends.
- Your fingers are the comb. Run your hands through your hair to distribute the mask. Don’t use a brush or a comb. Let your curls or waves bounce back.
- Repeat as needed. Hair masks are there when you need an intensive treatment. Batiste™ Hair Masks have a buildable formula so you can start with a little then add more to achieve the look and feel you want.