Hair mask: what it is & why you need it!

Plum What is a hair mask & why you need it

Hair oils, conditioners, serums, and masks. Confused? You probably are. With so many hair products gracing the market today, it’s perfectly ok to scratch your head and wonder why you need them in the first place. In an endeavor to make haircare fuss-free today we focus on hair masks; what they are and why we need them. Read on to clear the confusion :)

Hair Masks: Are they just thicker conditioners?

Conditioner is the first thing a hair mask is often compared to. But they’re quite different. Apart from the thicker texture, a hair mask differs the way it nourishes hair. A conditioner, as the name suggests, conditions the hair. It helps protect hair from environmental influences such as dirt & pollution and makes it more manageable. But most of the benefits of a conditioner are limited to the outer layer of hair. And this is where a hair mask differs. A hair mask provides intense hydration and nourishment that reaches deep inside the hair structure. It does more than just soften your hair, it nourishes and regenerates.

Do I really need a hair mask?

Plum Do I need a hair mask

Another common misconception about hair masks is that they’re unnecessary, especially if you use a conditioner. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Even if you don’t subject your hair to heat or colour treatments, the environmental factors such as stress, pollution, dirt & grime change the texture of hair over time. A hair mask penetrates deeper in to the hair shaft to help repair the daily damage. Using a hair mask, that’s suited for your hair type, is a big plus for your haircare routine!

Ok so what type of hair mask do I need?

That depends on your need and your hair/scalp type. Drier hair requires more intense hydration therefore, hair masks which are oil-based work better at taming dry tresses. On the contrary, thin hair, oily hair, or hair which lack volume must be treated with products which include lighter ingredients such as jojoba oil & clay. Coloured hair requires special ingredients which repair the damage caused due to harsh chemicals and prevent the colour from fading.

Thanks for that! But how do I use one?

One of the major differences in application of hair mask & conditioner is the time they are left on hair for. While it’s generally advised to leave a conditioner for no more than 1 to 2 minutes, a hair mask requires a lengthier leave-in period, varying anything from 15 min to even overnight! Hair masks are typically used post hair-wash and on wet hair. But for hair which require intense repair, it’s recommended that you apply it pre-wash. This allows the moisturizing agents to penetrate deeper & repair damage. Unlike a conditioner, a hair mask is not required after every wash. Depending on the hair texture, using a mask once or twice a week is more than enough.

Hopefully this blog post cleared your doubts & confusion about hair masks and how to use them. Happy masking everyone!