I’ve whinged a lot about my hair lately. In articles, in person, in the comfort of my own home where I can rant angrily to myself as I try to straighten my frizz into submission. These strands deal with me whacking ’em up, heating them to a crisp and never ever brushing them. So really, I should be thankful that they’re still attached to my skull.
The one thing I will always, always do though, is a weekly hair mask. And honestly? I think that’s been the saving grace that has kept my strands from nicking off entirely.
But a lot of people shy away from adding a hair mask into their regular routine, and I can honestly say to those people: DO YOU NOT CARE FOR YOUR HAIR?! You moisturise your skin on the reg, why not do the same for your precious baby strands?
Hair masks, for those uninitiated into the glorious slathering pastime, give your hair a really hydrating treat. The ingredients are designed to sink deep into your hair’s structure and, as a general rule, hydrate and reinvigorate it. It gives me life. I love to slather one on twice a week.
And I’m not alone — my boyfriend also has long locks, so I asked him if he’d ever consider using a hair mask. Turns out, he’s been stealing mine anyway so THAT’S FINE. But he also mentioned that he probably would’ve started using them earlier if not for the misconception that they take forever to use.
But here’s what he doesn’t know: depending on the type of hair mask you get, they can be used on wet or dry hair, as a replacement for conditioner, or even as a monthly pick-me-up treat. There are literally so many opportunities to spoil your hair, and all you really need to know beforehand are these three key elements:
1. Your hair type
If you’ve got greasy, thin hair, chances are you’ve shied away from using heavy-duty hair masks for the fear that they’ll weigh your hair down and lean into the greased up look. But that’s just not always the case. Sure, a lot of hair masks are designed for super dry hair, but you can definitely make it work regardless.
You should also consider texture and damage when you’re scoping out a hair mask too. If your locks are losing their lustre and need some serious TLC, then you’re going to want to breeze past those scrubs and opt for a stronger saviour like Schwarzkopf’s Extra Care Ultimate Repair Mask.
2. Your lifestyle/time allowance
Not everyone has the time to let a mask seep into your strands for longer than a few minutes. I asked my boss and one of her biggest bug bears about it was that you had to get in and out of the shower just to have product on your hair for 20mins — who has time for that?!
Not me, which is why I exclusively use masks that require LESS than five minutes to work on your hair, and some can even straight up replace your conditioner. That’s literally just making your routine easier, so you’re welcome in advance from me, your hair fairy godmother.
3. Your self care needs
Honestly speaking, the times I use my hair masks most aren’t necessarily when my hair is at its worst. I use it as a form of self care. Put it this way: if you’re treating yourself to a fancy bubble bath, exfoliating and moisturising your skin, shaving and listening to peaceful music as you surround yourself with candles — why not use that time to treat your hair too?
If time is still the enemy, you can get away with doing a really thorough mask once a month where you leave it in longer. That way it’s less of a regular demand, and you can justify spending the time to revitalise it after all the dodgy things you’ve done to it in the month prior.
So here we are, hair simply begging to be slathered over with that creamy goodness. And can you blame it? Your strands need your love, and you can give that love to them in one cheeky scoop from the tub.
Don’t be cruel to those locks now.
Give ’em some love.
