Damaged Hair? Try One Of These 12 Hair Masks For Targeted TLC

This mask instantly gave me smooth, salon-quality hair. And I’m not alone: According to clinical results from the brand, the mask delivers 15x hydration and 3x stronger stands after just one use, with frizz reduction up to 72 hours. 

The formula’s hero ingredient is Karmatin, Vegamour’s signature vegan alternative to keratin and silicone. The biotechnology-derived ingredient (made from fermented silk protein) creates a mirror image of the amino acids that naturally occur in hair, and it remains attached to strands even after rinsing. And unlike silicones, Karmatin actually penetrates the hair shaft. Then there’s milk thistle to provide antioxidant protection and fend off UV damage, as well as cold-pressed, fatty acid-rich marula oil and moringa seed oil for a luxurious slip and shine. After testing Vegamour’s entire Hydr-8 range for eight weeks, this nutrient-rich mask quickly became a showertime staple.

Bleach and chemical dyes can damage the hair over time: "When the hair is overprocessed, past its breaking point, the hair's bonds can be easily damaged and become extremely dried out," celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimmons previously told mbg. If your gorgeous color could use some coddling, try folding a color-safe hair mask into your routine. 

dpHUE is known for their high-quality, color-enhancing offerings, and their apple cider vinegar-infused hair mask definitely fits the bill: It helps seal down the hair’s cuticle to enhance shine, and provides essential fatty acids and antioxidants to moisturize and strengthen strands. 

What our tester says. 

“I often find myself gravitating towards really dense hair masks,” says mbg beauty director Alexandra Engler. “Mentally I connect thick with it must be working. But the reality of it is that I have fine hair fibers, and really thick products tend to weigh my hair down. So I'm left to find light hair products that are able to be just as effective at delivering nutrients and hydration. This is truly one of my favorites. My hair feels so soft and weightless after using it. Plus, it helps bring vibrancy back to my hair—as someone who has spent many years color-treating their strands, I need as much help as I can get.”

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With castor oil, glycerin, shea butter, and panthenol, this ultra-hydrating mask is like a feast for dry ends. It’s pretty thick, yet you could use it every wash day if you wanted to, especially if you have high-density hair. I only wish the bottle was a tad bigger—I run through it quite quickly! 

What our tester says. 

I’ll often use this mask in place of my regular conditioner. It’s so buttery and moisture-rich, yet it doesn’t weigh down my strands with frequent use. For an extra-deep treatment, I’ll wet my hair, run this hair mask through my strands from root to tip, then tie my lengths up in a clip for a couple of hours. (The ingredients are pretty simple and solely moisturizing, so you don’t need to worry about overloading your scalp or strands with protein.) Each time, I marvel at how soft my ends feel after finally rinsing out the solution. 

The first time I used this mask, I was truly in awe at how smooth and frizz-free my hair looked. But after taking a look at the menu of five-star ingredients, it’s not difficult to see why I immediately fell in love: There’s vegan keratin to rebuild hair bonds, argan oil to provide a silky shine, and prickly pear oil for a heaping dose of antioxidants. 

And for any impatient folks among us (self very much included), you only need to let the formula sink in for three to five minutes before rinsing—just enough time for a quick body scrub and shave. A few minutes is really all you need to see those game-changing results, I can assure you. 

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This leave-in treatment instantly reached cult-status, and for a good reason: The brand’s patented peptide technology works to rebuild hair at the molecular level in just four minutes—yes, you read that right. That biomimetic peptide actually mimics the hair’s natural structure, so it can slide in and reconnect broken hair bonds, thus leading to stronger, more resilient strands. 

That said, you need to skip conditioner entirely to use this treatment: Conditioner leaves a film on your strands that will keep the peptide from penetrating into the hair shaft. Give your scalp a good scrub to lift any buildup, apply the K18 leave-in, then proceed with your regular hair styling routine (feel free to add in any products after the four minutes are up). 

Thicker, coarser hair is often prone to dryness, which is why you want to look for “a rich and creamy formula that has natural emollients that protect and help repair your hair, like squalane,” says celebrity hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez. This Biolage concoction contains olive-derived squalane, which not only infuses the strands with moisture but also acts as an alternative to silicones, so you get the same silky shine without the buildup. 

What our tester says. 

This is the hair mask I’ll use every time I blow-dry. Heat harms your hair, so you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll do my best to mitigate the damage. The ultra-moisturizing, buttery formula cradles my strands in moisture, so each blowout looks fluffy and full. If you are one to use hot tools on occasion, I encourage making this mask part of your regular rotation. 

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We can’t have a hair mask roundup without mentioning Olaplex! There’s a reason why this buzzy brand has captured the hearts of countless beauty folks: It seriously works. The patented bond-building technology noticeably repairs strands, resulting in stronger, shinier, and visibly healthier hair.  

A quite note: You may have seen online hacks and routines that involve leaving on an Olaplex mask all day long (some even use it to slick back their hair in a pony or bun). The label advises you to rinse after 10 minutes, and we suggest following the brand’s instructions. If you leave on some treatments for too long, those benefits can potentially start to backfire. 

What our tester says. 

This mask is mbg assistant beauty editor Hannah Frye’s go to pick: “I keep this hair mask in my shower at all times, in case of emergency. By that, I mean when my hair has been blow-dried, flat-ironed, slicked back, and hair sprayed a little too often,” she says. “After a deep cleanse and a generous application of this mask, my strands come back to life almost instantly. Plus, it makes my hair feel soft even after a second and third wash.”

If you have fine locks yearning for moisture, you can’t go wrong with this weekly ritual. With tsubaki seed oil and yuzu fruit extract, the blend deeply hydrates and strengthens without weighing down strands. Yuzu is also notably high in potassium, which helps aid in hair growth.  

What our tester says. 

Crown affair founder Dianna Cohen has some of the silkiest, fluffiest strands in the game (IMO), so I’ve pretty much copied her entire hair care routine at this point. (Her clip-and-twist air-dry technique is now one of my nonnegotiable steps.) Her mask truly serves as a moment of self-care—the cool, light fragrance transforms my shower into a spa—and it leaves my hair touchably soft. 

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Honey is a hair care hero (that ’s why you can find it in a number of DIY hair masks; we’ll explain more in a moment!). It’s known for its humectant and antioxidant properties, and it’s rich in minerals and amino acids to fortify damaged strands. 

No, you can’t fully repair split ends (the best you can do is trim them off and start anew), but this glossy, emollient-rich formula disguises them quite beautifully. With coconut oil, castor oil, and hydrolyzed wheat protein, it will surely prevent frays from making an appearance.

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As a general rule, you’ll want to follow the directions on your hair mask. If it says to rinse out after 10 minutes, don’t leave it on all night long (unless otherwise instructed by a professional). If you’re looking for a treatment to coddle your tresses overnight, look for a formula with leave-in capabilities, like this spray mask. 

Briogeo’s Don't Despair, Repair! range is beloved for amino acid-rich infusions (this one features micro-encapsulated argan oil, algae extract, and panthenol), but I especially adore the ease of this spray-on treatment. The fine mist effortlessly coats your strands in moisture—without making a mess of your bathroom counter or pillow. 

In addition to moisturizing players, like shea butter, coconut oil, baobab oil, and sweet almond oil, this nutrient-rich mask contains scalp-stimulating essential oils, like lavender and rosemary oil. Why are these important? Well, stimulating the scalp helps deliver vital nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles, which helps with hair growth. 

Rosemary, in particular, has been clinically shown to boost hair growth: Holistic plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, M.D., even calls the blend "a very reasonable option for people who want to stay natural and have some thinning hair issues" on the mindbodygreen podcast. So if you’re struggling to grow weak, damaged strands, this is quite the nourishing mask to choose. 

Well, yes, to an extent. “As our hair cannot regulate its own moisture, it is important to maintain proper hydration levels using three key substances: emollients, humectants, and occlusives,” says Reveay. “Hair masks typically include these ingredients, which work together to attract water molecules to the hair follicle, seal in moisture, and create a barrier to prevent water from escaping.” 

While it isn’t possible to fully fix damaged hair, hair masks can help ease some of the signs (like breakage and dryness).

“Oil based hair masks should be used on dry hair because wet hair won’t allow the oil to be absorbed,” says Alvarez. (Remember: Oil and water do not mix.) 

“For all other masks, apply on wet hair—it not only absorbs ingredients better than dry hair, but it also allows you to shampoo your hair beforehand, leaving [your scalp] clean. The absence of dirt and oil will also allow the ingredients in your mask to better penetrate into your hair shaft.”