Conditioner is a must, but when heat styling, color, UV exposure, and everyday wear leave hair feeling dry or damaged, the best hair masks step in as the heavy hitters your routine is missing. Think of them as weekly recovery treatments that deliver deeper hydration, strength, and shine than rinse-out formulas alone — especially if you’re dealing with breakage, frizz, or dullness.
When shopping, it’s smart to consider your hair texture, strand thickness, and level of processing. You should also look for nourishing ingredients like oils, butters, proteins, and bond-building actives that target your specific needs. To find the best on the market, we tested and vetted the most buzz-worthy options to find the masks that actually deliver salon-level results at home.
Credit: Sephora
Why We Like It
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Silicone-free smoothing
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Made for all hair types
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Lovely vanilla scent
Hair types: All | Size: 5 oz
This mask gets love for offering hydration without leaving hair feeling greasy or flat. It achieves this with a lovely mix of marula and moringa seed oil and a vegan silicone alternative worth highlighting. As Raven Hurtado, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, says, silicone “can cause buildup and potentially cause clogged pores, making the roots feel oily and ends dry.”
Using it, we noticed fewer flyaways, a smoother texture, and a lovely lingering vanilla scent. During workouts, we also noticed our ponytail looked and felt thicker than ever before. (The brand is known for hair growth products, after all.)
It feels a bit slimy in your hands, but it spreads well and rinses clean. While this mask is pricey, you need so little of this rich treatment that you get a lot of bang for your buck.
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The Vegamour HYDR-8 Deep Moisture Repair Mask uses a vegan silicone alternative.
Credit: Shape -
Vegamour HYDR-8 Deep Moisture Repair Mask can be used on all hair types and spreads well.
Credit: Shape
Credit: Sephora
Why We Like It
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Sweet and fruity scent
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Can help shape curls
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Vegan and paraben-free
Hair types: All | Size: 8 oz
This mask rose above the rest thanks to its lovely sweet and fruity scent, smoothing slip, and ability to shape curls on its own—even when skipping curl gel! Devin Toth, hairstylist at Salon SCK in NYC, points out that it has avocado oil in the formula, which makes it “good for someone who needs protection from breakage, hot tools, UV damage, and environmental damage. It’s also great for someone who wants to repair their hair and add more moisture to their scalp and strands.”
Our only warning: It may take a little trial and error to find the right amount for your hair. Applying too much could weigh down your hair, so start with a little less the first time and go from there.
Credit: Sephora
Hair types: All | Size: 8.4 oz
Packed with mango butter, borage oil, and shea butter, this 10-minute wonder is rich, so we recommend it for very parched strands. Olya Iudina, a hairstylist at IGK NYC, says that is thanks to the fatty acids in the shea butter in particular; “it immediately helps bring back softness and shine.”
We love the amber-vanilla scent, how easily it works into the hair considering its thick texture, and how it doesn’t leave behind a hint of residue. Six weeks after use, we noticed it made a big difference in the strength of our hair and even helped make it look fuller — a score for anyone seeking volume. However, it’s so hydrating and luxe that those with fine hair may find it to be a bit too much.
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Amika The Kure Intense Bond Repair Hair Mask includes mango butter, borage oil, and shea butter.
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Amika Kure Intense Bond Repair Hair Mask offers intense hydration without leaving any residue.
Credit: Shape
Credit: Ulta
Hair types: Wavy, curly, very curly, coily hair | Size: 8 oz
If you’re looking for a treatment that will nourish curls while helping with definition and somehow hydrate without weighing down the finest strands, here’s your answer. Part of the magic comes down to the aloe in it, which Ludina says helps fight frizz and was made for curly hair. But let’s go back to that nourishing element. With a vitamin-rich formula, this mask may help prevent breakage and help grow hair longer and stronger. In fact, it resulted in numerous comments about hair growth from our editors during testing—both in length and thickness. One tester had been trying for years to grow her hair longer with no luck and got several compliments about how long and healthy her hair looked while using this mask.
The only drawback: it’s time-consuming to use. The instructions suggest leaving it on for 15 minutes in the shower or 25 minutes under the heat of a hairdryer or steam.
Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Mask works for curls in all hair densities.
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Credit: Amazon
Hair types: Highly processed or brittle hair | Size: 8.82 oz
Do you color-treat? Texture-treat? Use hot tools on the regular? You need this mask. It’s both moisturizing and protective, helping soften hair while shielding it from the elements. It helps thin, curly hair grow longer thanks to holding off breakage, and we found that the healing aspects of the formula were most noticeable in our testing. Our hair was smoother, shinier, and appeared longer due to less breakage at the ends.
However, we found we had to apply a lot of it to get it to coat the hair evenly. That means the tub may not last as long as you would like, especially with a $40 price tag. Plus, the recommended 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to sit makes it more of a time commitment than many other formulas.
Credit: Sephora
Hair types: All | Size: 1.7 oz
There’s a reason why you see this stuff everywhere on social media these days: “Everyone loves it. That’s all. It’s simple and works extremely well,” says Toth. Hurtado adds her name to the pile, saying: “It’s good for colored and damaged hair and restores strength, elasticity, softness, and bounce.” It all comes from a patented K18 peptide, which can strengthen the hair’s keratin chains.
Before testing, we described our hair as dry and dull with lots of frizz and breakage. However, during our testing period, we found this mask led to incredible smoothness and shine and made a noticeable difference in hair health. The fact that you don’t rinse it out (you apply it out of the shower and allow it to work for four minutes before continuing your styling routine) makes it a slap-on-and-go option. The price is high, but since you only need one to three pumps per session, it may last you longer than you think.
Credit: Sephora
Hair types: All | Size: 6.8 oz
With a five-minute work time and luxe ingredients like edelweiss native cells and ginger root, it’s not surprising this formula gets a lot of love in the hair community. Toth calls it “lightweight and great for long hair that you don’t want to be weighed down.” Hurtado says, “It hydrates and strengthens weak hair and decreases hair shedding from brushing and over-styling.”
We found all that and more — including that it left hair with body and bounce after blow drying. However, the almost perfumey scent can seem strong, so you may want to skip it if you’re sensitive to fragrance.
Credit: Kevin Murphy
Hair types: All | Size: 6.7 oz
This one grabs attention with its amino acid complex. What are amino acids again? “Building blocks for proteins in your hair, such as keratin,” explains Toth. “They help to strengthen your hair and prevent breakage, fight frizz, and make your hair shinier and smoother.”
This mask delivered in our testing, and we found it made for a great reset at the beginning of every week and again before the weekend. More like a thick conditioner than a mask, it is especially lightweight, making us hesitant to recommend it to someone with thick and dense hair. But for those with medium or fine strands, it’s a great choice.
Credit: Ulta
Hair types: All | Size: 12 oz
A mix of rich, shielding oils from rosemary, sesame seed, and coconut makes for one potent treatment. When put together in one formula, Toth says, “I would expect that product to repair the hair, add shine, moisture, and smoothness, and promote hair growth and blood circulation to the scalp.”
We found that to be the case — in fact, it prompted the hairstylist of one tester who used it before wearing her hair in protective styles to remark on the difference. Our hair was soft to the touch, more moisturized, and all around looked healthier. Plus, it seemed to help with hair shedding and made for less frizzy blowouts after the testing period. But note that a little goes a long way, so you should start with less and use more during your next session if your hair can handle it.
Credit: Amazon
Why We Like It
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Works on all hair types
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Nourishing and promotes healthier, longer hair
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Helps with thinning hair and irritated scalps
Hair types: All | Size: 8.5 oz
If you can’t seem to get their hair to grow past a certain point, this may be the formula for you. It contains niacinamide (vitamin B3) and biotin (vitamin B7), which Toth explains “are essential nutrients that are known to promote hair growth and would benefit someone who has thinning hair or even just an irritated scalp, especially if that person is deficient in either of those vitamins.”
We found it left hair healthier and more moisturized while providing a bonus of helping with frizz and split ends. After about three weeks, we saw over half an inch of growth (higher than average). There also appeared to be less breakage, and our strands were stronger. The mask seemed to leave a barrier around each strand (in a good way!) that protected against further damage even after you rinsed it off. And while it’s lighter weight than it may sound, it could slick down fine hair, so if your strands qualify, proceed with caution.
Redken Extreme Length Triple Action Treatment is nourishing and promotes healthier, longer hair.
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Credit: Sephora
Hair types: All | Size: 8.1 oz
You might be surprised to see a conditioner on a best-of hair masks list, but this one does the work of a mask in just two minutes, so we think it deserves a spot. Plus, it’s got ingredients you don’t often spot in a regular conditioner, like Ximena oil (for moisture) and glucose fibers (for strength).
We found it did appear to help hair grow, increasing “baby hairs” around the hairline and helping curb hair shedding. Our favorite part was that no matter how dry or tangled our hair felt going into the shower, we came out smoother and snarl-free. It also accomplished what a 15-minute hair mask does in just two minutes.
If you’re looking for the luxurious experience of a mask, we could understand why you might balk. But for those looking to prompt healthy growth and get in and out of the shower quickly, it’s hard to beat.
Nutrafol Strand Defender Lightweight Strengthening Conditioner has a lightweight texture.
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Credit: Amazon
Why We Like It
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Super creamy and rich
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Good for medium to coarse or dry, damaged hair
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Reduces noticeable signs of damage
Hair Types: Medium to coarse; dry, damaged hair | Size: 4.5 oz
This hair mask does it all for those who need nothing less than a total hair refresh. The Conditioning Hair Mask includes ingredients like glycerin, castor oil, and shea butter, providing the ultimate nourishment for your mane. When combined in this creamy formula, these ingredients not only moisturize and soften your hair but, in turn, reduce the noticeable signs of damage (we’re looking at you, split ends and fraying!). Applying this mask to wet, clean strands for up to five minutes whenever you feel like your hair needs a reboot is the easiest route to healthier-looking hair.
Credit: Ulta
Why We Like It
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Good for dry, damaged hair
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Great value
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Sweet-smelling with notes of amber and vanilla
Hair Types: Dry, damaged hair | Size: 16.9 oz
Few beauty dilemmas are more frustrating than hair that constantly feels frizzy and damaged because of excessive dryness, so we’re thankful that this drugstore hair mask has deep conditioning abilities to remedy this issue. This treatment is under $20 yet provides the nourishing capabilities of a luxe, high-end product. It boasts powerhouse ingredients like argan oil and jojoba seed oil in its sweet-smelling formula (with notes of amber and vanilla), which target overly dry strands to make them look and feel as good as new. We love how large this container is, as well, so you can rest assured this mask will actually last.
Credit: Dermstore
Hair Types: Damaged hair | Size: 3.3 / 8.5 oz
When you’re working with processed, color-treated hair, you need a mask that addresses the damage — particularly if you tend to go lighter or undergo multiple chemical treatments. Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector works to strengthen hair over time and with repeated use. The brand credits its proprietary formula, which includes bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate to help reduce hair breakage. Even after a single use, hair looks smoother and fuller.
What to Know About Hair Masks
- Hair mask benefits: To see the necessity of hair masks for dry and weak hair, it’s useful to know how hair health deteriorates in the first place. Each strand has an outer layer called the cuticle, which resembles a row of scales. The cuticle functions as a protective gatekeeper, controlling how much moisture or hair product can penetrate or escape the strand depending on how raised the “scales” are. Heat and color application can chip away at the cuticle, often resulting in dry, frizzy hair. Hair masks can help fill those cracks in the cuticle, smooth down rough spots, and hydrate, leaving you with lustrous, healthier-looking hair. People who have curly hair and/or rely on heat styling stand to gain the most from hair masks, but everyone can benefit from using one, says de León.
- Ingredients: What ingredients you want to look for depends on your hair type and goals. For example, “shea butter tames frizz, while mango butter helps reduce breakage and smooth out split ends,” says Hurtado. “Vitamin E helps moisturize the scalp and hair. And aloe in a formula for curly hair helps define and smooth curly strands, detangle and soften, and promotes shiny hair.” Generally, the labeling on the bottle will help lead the way with what hair type and results you can expect from each formula.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I use a hair mask?
Apply a hair mask root to tip unless you have an oily scalp, in which case, you may want to start a couple of inches down your hair. Different hair masks require different treatment times, so read your bottle’s instructions before use to determine how long you should leave it on. But, generally, “If you need to be quick, apply in the shower so it can sit for three to five minutes while you’re shaving,” suggests Laura Polko, celebrity hairstylist and Nature Lab Tokyo brand ambassador.
“If you have extra time, apply the mask to dry hair, focusing on the ends or any damaged areas, and leave it on as long as you can, even as long as overnight [before rinsing it out]. If you really need an extra boost, you can put a shower cap on over top and apply heat using your hair dryer.” (Heat helps lift the cuticle, allowing products to penetrate better.)
Plus, Labrecque advises, to “Make sure to always read all directions that come with the product before discarding packaging and using the mask.”
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How often should you use a hair mask?
It depends on your hair and your goals. Toth says dry and damaged hair will want to reach for one once or twice a week. For traumatically damaged hair, you might want to use it every time you wash until you get things back under control if your hair is dry and thick enough to handle it. For those with oily or fine hair who find masks weigh down their hair or make it greasy, there is no need to go nuts — Toth says once or twice a month will do.
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Do you apply conditioner after a hair mask?
Generally, you aren’t expected to double up on the hydration on the days you mask by preceding or following it with a conditioner. Since they both act as the moisturizing and detangling step after shampoo. Ludina insists, “There’s no need to use both at the same time.”
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Can I leave a hair mask in overnight?
Labrecque says, “Yes some masks can certainly be left on overnight.”
Why Trust Shape
Beth Shapouri has been writing about beauty products for 20 years, reporting on ingredients, trends, and formula innovations for publications like Allure.com, Cosmpolitan.com, Glamour.com, and MarieClaire.com. What’s more, her very long, thick, wavy Iranian hair was practically made for this story.
