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15 Of The Very Best Hair Masks For Strong, Glossy Strands
Whatever your hair type, we know just the treatment you need
When you've only got ten minutes spare in your day, slathering on a hair mask might not be an obvious priority. There's TV to watch, snacks to eat, naps to be had. However, a good hair mask can be really worth the time, making a big, shiny difference to your crowning glory.
You might already be doing everything right: shampooing (but not too often), spritzing on the heat protectant diligently, and even massaging in a nightly hair growth serum (you show off). But if after all that, your hair isn't quite at TV-advert level, a mask is likely the missing link.
Hair Masks: The ELLE Top Five
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How to choose the best hair mask
It would be fair to assume little thought is required in choosing a good hair mask, but there are actually a few things to consider before liberally applying the first one you find. Many of today’s best hair masks contain ingredients specifically designed to deal with certain hair issues - be it brittle strands, dryness or lacklustre colour.
First up, dryness. If your hair is dull and brittle, and snaps without stretching when pulled, you need a moisture mask. Many of these can be slathered on in-shower or applied and left to linger longer for maximum hydration.
'If you’re suffering with dehydrated hair, look out for ingredients that boost moisture, such as baobab oil,' says celebrity hair stylist and Arkive founder, Adam Reed. 'Opt for a mask with moisture-building properties that supports hair resilience and elasticity. I believe you should treat the hair and scalp as you would your skincare. There are ingredients in some products that you’d avoid using on your skin, so treat the hair similarly, and try to make a note of which ingredients have benefited your strands the most.'
Conversely, if your hair is stringy and overly elastic – like a chewed-up stick of gum – it's likely your strands actually need protein (regular bleachers will know what we mean here).
As Ryan Wilkes, stylist at Hershesons explains, 'A protein mask will strengthen and prevent breakage while moisture-based masks add hydration to dry hair. If a client is experiencing breakage or change of texture due to colouring or excessive heat, a protein mask will restore and replenish. If their hair is lacking hydration and shine, a moisture-based mask will hydrate and improve the vibrancy.'
When it comes to protein, you can have too much of a good thing: excess protein can leave hair stiff and breakable, so it’s important not to overdo it. While formulas of course vary in strength and effectiveness, using an at-home protein hair mask once a month is a good rule of thumb, whereas moisture masks can be used as often as you feel you need, and left on for as long as you like.
How to apply your hair mask for best results
There's an art to applying a hair mask to ensure the very best results, but as a general rule, you want to concentrate the product on the mids-to-ends of your hair, avoid the roots and hair closest to your scalp (where there is much less damage and the hair is oilier).
'I recommend squeezing enough product for your hair into your hands, and massaging it into the strands. Start by working the product through the mid-lengths to the tips, then gradually move upwards towards the roots and scalp' says Reed.
How we test hair masks
Finding the right hair mask can feel a little overwhelming, there are so many to choose from, and each has a whole host of big claims, from reversing damage to brightening dull strands. That's where we come in, the ELLE UK beauty team have varying hair textures and tones, and we've put countless masks to the test over the years, everything listed below has earned a prized spot on our bathroom shelf - they're that good.
The Best Masks For Every Hair Type
Arkive The Future Youth Treatment Mask
Leading hair stylist, Adam Reed, is a true Fragrance Head, so when we heard he was to launch his own line, we expected an aromatic treat. And boy were we right: this sensorial wonder imparts notes of fresh flowers and sticky rhubarb with every hair swish.
That's not all: of course, it works wonders on turning around dry, lacklustre lengths too. With shea butter, coconut oil and baobab oil, it's a recipe for seriously glossy strands. If your hair is simply lacking a little life, start with this one.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Stubbornly dry, limp strands in need of weightless moisture. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Baobab oil, shea butter and coconut oil give a dose of moisture and nourishment to parched hair. |
Whilst we were initially drawn in by the chic packaging, this hair mask is not just a pretty face: it packs a serious punch in the moisture department, too.
Not only did the honey-loaded formula leave hair feeling smoother, but it gave parched strands a softness and glossy shine that's usually only achieved after a salon visit.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Dull, dry, overly processed hair in need of shine and nourishment. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Just like all Gisou products, this mask is enriched with the Mirsalehi family's honey to nourish and moisturise the hair. |
Of course our hair hero, JVN, knows exactly how to make an exceptional mask. As the name would suggest, the formula is intensely hydrating, in fact, it can continue to moisturise hair for up to 72 hours after using.
Expect silkier, smoother strands and a reduction in the appearance of split ends, from the very first use.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Dehydrated, frizz-prone hair, lacking shine. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Keratris (a vegan alternative to keratin derived from upcycled oranges) helps boost hydration and smooth frizz, while hemisqualane, derived from bio-fermented sugarcane, strengthens hair. |
Color Wow + Chris Appleton Money Masque
'With long blonde and overly processed strands, my hair needs all the help it can get,' shares ELLE's Amelia Bell. 'Thankfully, this mask truly works wonders to repair my split ends. I use it as a weekly treatment and will sometimes even leave it in overnight when my lengths are looking especially parched; the next day it feels instantly healthier and shinier and a lot less damaged.'
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Dry, dehydrated and damaged hair, lacking shine. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Blue sea kale binds damage and helps to restore strength and elasticity to hair, while sea kelp and algae attract and retain moisture. |
It's no secret we love the original Olaplex bond-repair treatment, but we admit hopping in and out of the shower to use it is a bit of a faff. Lazy girls, listen up: this mask delivers all of the benefits of the famed original with none of the effort. Simply slick it on after your shampoo, wash your face, and enjoy your sleeker, stronger lengths.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Damage from chemicals, colouring and heat styling. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Of course, this mask is enriched with Olaplex's patented bond-building technology that works to repair broken hair bonds. |
Bread Beauty Supply Hair-Mask: Creamy Deep Conditioner
Finally breathing some much-needed life into the textured hair market is Bread Beauty Supply: the name to know if you're looking to make the most of your curls, coils or kinks.
This pearly, lemon-scented conditioner delivers incredible slip to curls and ensures curls bounce into shape with serious shine. Trust us, try it.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Curls in need of moisture, repair and definition. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Moisturising superfruits, starflower oil and kakadu plum give a major shine boost whilst smoothing and hydrating strands. |
Hair By Sam McKnight Deeper Love Treatment Mask
There is no-one better placed to create a haircare line than Sam McKnight. Throughout his incomparable career, he has worked on hair of every texture, colour and condition, and it's safe to say he knows exactly what works.
McKnight's eponymous range now includes shampoos, conditioners and styling products. The first thing to try? This lightweight yet deeply hydrating mask, which is best used before a big night out: expect shinier hair, less frizz, and a ridiculously delicious green scent (formulated by perfumer Lyn Harris, no less).
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Dull hair, lacking shine, prone to damage. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Ceramide-like molecules strengthen the hair, while plant keratin helps repair damaged lengths and cuticles. |
Davines OI Absolute Beautifying Hair Butter
Truth be told, we’d recommend any and every Davines hair mask, but for very thick strands, it has to be the inexplicably named OI Hair Butter. It’s loaded with Amazonian roucou oil and really softens straggly strands, imparting major shine (and a white-floral scent) in the process. Leave it on for ten minutes, or let it linger longer for the deepest of treatments.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Thick, dry, straw-like strands. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Loaded with roucou oil (found in the Amazon rainforest) which helps protect hair and skin against the sun and other environmental stresses. |
Bouclème Intensive Moisture Treatment
Bouclème's curly-girl approved line is ideal for anyone hoping to reinvigorate curls, coils, waves and kinks. The moisture-grabbing ingredients are super-concentrated, there’s no strong smell (ideal if you follow up wash day with gels and creams) and it has incredible slip for easy detangling on thick and Afro hair. What's more, when applied sparingly, it can also be used as a leave-in without weighing down looser curls.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Dry curls, coils, waves and kinks lacking definition and nourishment. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Marufa butter helps prevent breakage, camellia oil reduces tangling, prickly pear seed oil provides vitamins, sea buckthorn oil helps to encourage growth and wheat bran conditions strands. |
Kèrastase Premiere Anti Breakage Advanced Filler Mask
"I've been using Kérastase's most recent line for months, and honestly I can't quite bring myself to try much else," says ELLE's Senior Shopping Editor Roberta Schroeder.
"The matching shampoo works to remove the calcium that damaged hair soaks up (this will ring especially true if you live in a hard water area), then the mask rebuilds the damaged sections of each strand. If your hair is bleached or processed frequently, and a simple moisture mask doesn't quite cut it, don't hesitate."
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Weak, brittle, breakage-prone hair. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Formulated with peptides and glycine to condition, repair and strengthen broken strands. |
Yes, London's favourite fragrance house also makes some pretty great hair and body heroes. This moisture mask is as thick as they come and makes even the most parched of ends feel impressively soft. It rinses away with ease, but the scent thankfully lingers: a woody, heady incense blend that's every bit as good as the famous Santal 33.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Thicker hair suffering from dryness and frizz. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Formulated with plant-based ingredients such as spirulina extract and coconut oil, to deeply nourish, soften and smooth hair. |
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
K18's Tiktok-famous mask might be spendy, but the benefits go far beyond a basic moisture injection. It's powered by peptides, which sink into the hair shaft to help repair the keratin bonds that become broken as a result of chemical or physical stress: think straightening, bleaching, or even rough detangling. Even better: this one's a leave-in mask, so you can slather it on and get on with your day.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Extreme hair damage from chemicals, bleach, colour and heat. |
|---|---|
| Key Ingredients: | Patented bioactive peptides heal and repair damaged strands. |
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Hydra Hyaluronic Hair Mask
Fine hair needs moisture, but so many masks leave thin strands overloaded – and there’s nothing more annoying than blow-drying your hair to find your roots are flat and lengths limp. L’oreal Paris’ jelly-like formula will slick over delicate lengths, imparting moisture while rinsing away with ease, so you’re left with nothing but silky strands. Consider this one proof that you don't have to spend a lot to get a product that delivers.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Fine hair suffering from dehydration, dullness and frizz. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Loaded with hyaluronic acid to keep hair hydrated for up to 72 hours – without weighing it down. |
Act + Acre's trichologist-formulated products are ideal for delicate, breakable hair that needs treating extra nicely. The brand's hair mask contains a little protein alongside a lot of moisture, so it a great one for repairing moderately damaged hair. It's fairly rich, so ideal for thicker hair, and comes in the most genius waste-reducing aluminium packaging.
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Dry, brittle, breakage-prone lengths in need of hydration. |
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| Key Ingredients: | Castor oil offers hydration, boosting shine and glycerin slows down water loss to keep hair soft. Fatty acids and vitamin-rich shea butter give an injection of moisture. |
Yes, this one costs as much as a big night out, but I think it's worth every penny. The extra-rich, mega-moisturising formula envelops hair in moisture, resulting in bigger, bouncier blow-dries with an unbelievably glossy shine. The scent is expensive - think Champagne-o-clock in St. Tropez – and the experience truly indulgent. You deserve a treat...
Key Specifications
| Hair Concern: | Dry, damaged, dull hair in need of an overhaul. |
|---|---|
| Key Ingredients: | Made with a mix of moisturising baobab, jasmine and a bio-restorative complex to help repair damaged strands. |
Victoria Jowett is an award-winning journalist and the former Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work in beauty journalism and oversees the skincare, hair, makeup and fragrance content across all of Cosmopolitan’s platforms. She's worked in the beauty industry for over 13 years (and tested 1000s of products), making her an expert when it comes to recommending beauty brands that truly work. Having started her career working weekends on a makeup counter, Victoria began interning at the likes of AnOther and IDOL magazine, before landing her first Beauty Writer job at weekly fashion magazine, LOOK. Joining Cosmopolitan in 2016, Victoria has always remained a beauty fanatic and has been lucky enough to interview everyone from Britney Spears to Kourtney Kardashian about their beauty routines. Follow her on LinkedIn.
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