The Best Hydration Hair Mask

As the name says, the hydration mask is a cream that you apply to your hair to nourish, repair and moisturize it.

Different mask can have different compositions, and usually, they have specific purposes. To achieve the expected result, it is not enough to just buy any product. Investing in a mask that offers what your hair needs can make all the difference.

Brands like L’Oreal, Pantene, Kerastase, have great hair masks. In this article, we will present information on the use of hydration masks. We will also explain how to find the best product for you and tips on using your mask efficiently. You can’t miss it!

Why is a hydration hair mask different from a nutrition hair mask and hair mask for reconstruction?

To answer this question let’s learn more about the capillary schedule.

What Is A Capillary Schedule And How To Do It?

Essentially, a capillary schedule is a treatment schedule designed to restore or boost hair health. With this technique, it is possible to keep the hair shiny and smooth for a long time, and anyone can benefit from it. After all, who doesn’t want perfect hair?

The capillary schedule consists of three stages, to be carried out three times a week, for example, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Hydration

The hydration stage returns moisture and nutrients to the hair, making it softer and shiny. You will need a specific hair moisturizer with ingredients such as glycerin, glycol, Aloe Vera or corn proteins, soy, chocolate, honey, and others.

Nutrition

The main purpose of nutrition is to replace the lipids that restore the natural oils in the hair. Nutrition can be done with nutritious masks (with oils and butters in the composition) or vegetable oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, and argan oil. If you choose oils, they should be left on your hair for at least 4 hours. Another alternative is to sleep with the product and rinse it in the morning.

Reconstruction

The reconstruction restores the proteins and the mass of the strands, giving rigidity and strength to the hair. It is an essential part of the treatment of hair with chemistry. The main ingredients for reconstruction are arginine, keratin, amino acids, collagen, creatine, cysteine, wheat protein, etc. Even on healthy hair, it is recommended that this step is done monthly.

What Are The Advantages Of The Hydration Mask?

Everybody, at some point, has suffered from dry hair. It is quite common that, due to many external factors, the hair loses strength and nutrients.

In these cases, the best course of action is to moisturize it using hair masks. These products are full of ingredients and substances that, together, have surprising hydrating power. With regular use (once or twice a week), they will give shine and will strengthen the hair again.

It is not a very cheap product, but it can offer surprising results to damaged hair.

Hydrating Masks For Chemically Treated Hair

When ordinary conditioners simply don’t give you the desired results, it’s time to invest in something more powerful. It is at this moment that the hydration masks for hair with chemistry enter the scene.

What is chemically treated hair?

For many people, chemical treatments are a constant presence in their beauty routine. A trip to the salon usually means more than a cut, which can mean hours spent changing the color, texture, or overall appearance of the hair.

Although chemical treatments allow you to try different looks, they can also damage your hair. Understanding some of the hair problems associated with these procedures – and how to treat them – is essential for keeping hair healthy and shiny.

According to experts, some chemical processes can be so aggressive that they can dissolve the protective layer in the strands, resulting in profound damage to the hair cuticle. In turn, damaged cuticles are less effective in retaining moisture, resulting in dry, brittle, and bristly hair.

In extreme cases, a chemical treatment can result in redness, irritation, scalp burning, or even hair loss. These problems are usually the result of an allergic reaction or the interaction of incompatible chemicals.

Fortunately, these side effects are less common. On the other hand, dry, opaque, elastic, and lifeless threads undergo dyes, straightening, and discolorations.

An important tip is to never underestimate the signals your hair is giving you. If you notice changes such as breakage, fall, intense dryness and frizz, be careful, as these are the first signs of fragile and thirsty for a treatment mask hair.

Hydrating masks for chemically treated hair tend to have a higher concentration of conditioning ingredients. Among them are silicones, vegetable oils, and butters.

How to care for chemically treated hair?

We all want soft, hydrated, and bright hair with no frizz and no split ends. So, how to achieve all these wonders? Easy! The first step is to bet on products specific to your type of hair. Also, follow a simple but very smart tip: make a treatment with hydrating masks specially designed for chemically treated hair.

Want more tips?

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Hydration is the key to chemically treated hair. At your home, bet on the treatment masks to make the hair strong again.

Abuse of thermal protectors 

Protecting your hair from the heat is essential for the hair to remain healthy. Apply the product before using any heating toll like hair dryer and flat iron.

Cut your hair periodically

In addition to providing a new face to your strands, a beautiful cut can leave the hair free of unwanted split ends, resulting in much more lightness and movement.

 

How To Choose A Moisturizing Mask?

With so many options on the market, choosing the right hair mask for your hair can seem confusing. But you don’t have to worry! We will tell you here what are the characteristics that you should observe in the products.

Determine the porosity

To correctly choose a hydrating mask for hair with chemistry, you need to determine how porous your hair is.

Take the porosity test

Cut a piece of hair, preferably from the ends. Put water into a glass and throw the hair shaft inside. Wait for about 2 minutes and check the glass.

The results:

If your hair floats, it has low porosity. If it sinks halfway through the glass, your locks are with medium porosity. Your hair can also sink to the bottom of the glass. In this case its porosity is high.

Low porosity

Hair with low porosity has difficulty absorbing hair products and treatments, but it is not impossible. To help the strands, take a hot bath (this will open the cuticles). Then, apply your hair moisturizing mask. Rinse it off with warm water. Finally, use a light oil to help seal the moisture between the cuticles. Good oils for this are argan and jojoba oil.

Normal porosity

Hair with normal porosity can easily be tamed with high-quality moisturizing products

High porosity

Hair with high porosity has a permanently elevated skin layer, making it brittle and opaque. The result? It absorbs moisture quickly but has difficulty holding it. Among the most effective solutions are products with essential oils in the composition.

Choose the product according to the desired benefits

Find out below how the different ingredients in the masks can benefit your hair.

For hydration, opt for products that contain Panthenol

The constant use of dryers, flat irons, or even contact with chlorine in the pool, seawater, the sun, and the wind, for example, tend to dry hair. If that is your case, or if your hair is already naturally dry, the best is to invest in hair masks with hydration as their main objective.

Most hair masks on the market carry the term “moisturizer” on the label. However, dry hair most benefits from the masks that contain Panthenol in its composition. Also called pro-vitamin B5, Panthenol is a substance with high hydrating power, which helps the hair retain water and contributes to the regeneration of damaged hair.

For nutrition, choose products with vegetable oils and butter

When the hair needs nutrition, it is dry, opaque, and has a lot of frizz. This happens when the hair’s internal fiber loses nutrients, such as lipids, that protect the hair from external aggression. Chemistry and heat tools are some of the factors responsible for the lack of nutrition of the hair.

If you believe your hair can benefit from a nutrition treatment, masks rich in oils and vegetable butters may be the right choice. Argan oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter are examples of ingredients present in various masks, which can contribute to the nutrition of your hair.

For reconstruction, look for keratin masks

Damaged hair is a hair missing water, proteins, and lipids, compromising the hair structure. Chemical processes such as discoloration and permanent straightening are responsible for this type of damage. To rebuild the hair and make it healthy again, it is essential to bet on masks that contain keratin.

Keratin is a protein present in the hair composition. When using masks that have this ingredient, you will be replenishing your hair. Other ingredients that also benefit damaged hair are collagen and amino acids.

Prefer products developed for your hair type

Did you know that there are 4 groups of hair types? These are straight, wavy, curly hair, and coily hair. Products aimed at your hair type can guarantee a better result.

Straight hair is naturally heavier and tends to be more oily. Therefore, specific hydration masks for this type of hair can offer a better result, fighting oiliness. The opposite happens with curly hair. They are usually drier because the waves do not let the oil from the root reach the strands’ ends. This type of hair requires extra hydration.

Wavy hair, on the other hand, has characteristics of both straight and curly hair. Therefore, it is essential to buy products that ensure proper hydration and help with a definition without weighing your hair too much.

In this post you will learn more about the different hair types.

Check if the mask has silicone in its composition

Most hair products have silicone in their formulations. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of this component, know when to choose it, and avoid it.

For glossy finish and combat frizz, choose silicone masks

The silicone acts as a film that surrounds the entire hair shaft, which protects and gives more shine to the hair. This film protects the hair, it helps to control frizz, as it unifies the hair fiber and helps control the volume of the hair.

For oily hair and natural finish, prefer masks without silicone

As stated before, the silicone creates a film around the hair shaft. This film can make the hair look a little heavier. If your hair is already oily, silicone can worsen this factor. Also, the silicone does not have moisturizing effects on the hair. It only creates a film around the hair.

Many people believe that the use of silicone hair masks contributes to pimples’ appearance on the face, back or neckline. As most products have some type of silicone in their composition, if you want to avoid it, you can look for the scientific names that are usually on the labels. Its scientific name is Dimethicone and Amodimethicone.

Consider the Cost x Benefit

There is a wide variety of hair masks on the market. Masks with high-quality ingredients tend to be more expensive. Thinking about it, and taking into account that it is a product of frequent use, it is important to consider the quantity of product contained in the packaging. Your choice should consider your hair’s needs without compromising your wallet.

One strategy you can use is to have two products. One mask which is more accessible for continuous use and another for special occasions or for careful care from time to time.

The Best Moisturizing Masks We Have Tested

Haskell Keratin Mask with Thermal Protection

Keratin (composed of more than 18 amino acids) is one of the main assets for hair recovery. The Keratin makes this mask a great ally in the treatment of hair. This is because the compound helps to fill the cracks and make hair more resistant and healthier.

In addition to its repair function, keratin and castor oil wrap the hair shaft, protecting against damage from the flat iron and the dryer.

Joico, Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm Mask 

 

Nutrition for very dry and rebellious hair

The Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm Mask, by Joico, is for nourishing dry and unruly hair. You know that dry hair looks crunchy, right? This mask is the best solution for this. However, because it is a very strong mask, it can also weigh in thinner hair.

The best nutrition I have ever used in my life. This powerful mask from Joico combines several types of oils and amino acids for a deep lipid recovery indicated for really dry hair.

L’ORÉAL Absolut Repair Cortex Lipidium Mask

To Restore the hair moisture

This mask has excellent acceptance, and it is easy to find anywhere in the world. Indicated for the treatment of very damaged hair, it strengthens the hair, combat porosity, and frizz. 

The L’Oréal Absolut Repair Lipidium Treatment mask was developed for professional use. It deeply treats and instantly reconstructs all areas of the hair while creating an insulating barrier to contain the essential nutrients inside the fiber, protecting the hair from further aggression.

Formulated with Lipidium, a technology that consists of a combination of Lactic Acid, Phyto Keratin, Ceramides, and Lipids that have the power to reconstruct hair fibers from the inner layer of the hair. The treatment can strengthen the strands, fight porosity, and frizz for repaired, healthy, and shiny hair. A high investment, but worth it.

Aussie Smooth 3 Minutes Miracle Hydration Cream

The treatment cream Aussie Smooth, in fact, is a mixture of hydrating mask and conditioner. In short, it leaves the hair hydrated and free of frizz. 

Wella Enrich Moisturizing Treatment

The Wella Enrich hydration mask recovers vitality and lightness and movement of dry and damaged hair. It is indicated for dry or damaged hair. It also has great results on curly hair.

Specific Mask Truss

Initially, it recovers and moisturizes the damaged ones, restoring shine, softness, and vitality. It contains keratin, panthenol, and argan oil.

Joico K-PAK Intense Hydrator Treatment

Thanks to the bio-advanced peptide complex, this mask restores the moisture and lipids of dry hair, making it supple, hydrated, and shiny.

Kerastase Nutritive Oleo-Relax Anti-Frizz 

First of all, this cream is perfect for dry and unruly hair. It is perfect for untangling, facilitating, brushing, and control unruly hair. Also, its assets nourish intensely, in addition to giving movement and shine.

Read the complete Kerastase guide

Redken Extreme Mega Mask

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This mask provides deep conditioning and strengthens fragile and damaged hair from the inside out. 

BIOLAGE Hydrasource Conditioning Balm

The hydration power of this product is very high. It is super emollient and acts in seconds. Also, it treats dryness, leaves the hair very soft and with less sturdy ends. 

All Soft Heavy Cream, Redken

Indicated for dry and opaque hair, this is a well-balanced mask, with actives that hydrate, nourish and reconstruct.

Your hair will smell so soft, it will detangle immediately and gain shine. This product is excellent in controlling the hair frizz. It acts super fast, it doesn’t weigh at all. It also leaves the ends more behaved and silky.

Loreal, Mythic Oil Masque

It really rescues the softness and silk of the strands. Besides reducing frizz, but also nourishes, makes the strands more disciplined and aligned, you know?

L’ANZA Healing Moisture Moi Moi Hair Masque

This mask provides hydration, nutrition, and repair, deeply treating the hair and offering the best long-term result. Also, it doesn’t make your hair feeling greasy or too heavy.

Resistance Mask Therapiste, Kerastase

Kerastase is known for making incredible hair masks. The reconstructive factor of this mask acts on the hair fibers from the inside, promoting strength and resistance through a rich formula.

Developed for very damaged hair, it has antioxidant power, and Nutri-huile technology, responsible for deep nutrition and immediate recovery of the hair fiber.

Also, this mask cleans, gives shine, ensures a smooth texture to the threads, and ensures lightness and hygiene.

Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Hair Mask

This hydration mask is part of the Smoothing line by Moroccanoil, and its main objective is to hydrate, and fight frizz.

It is a product enriched with Argan oil, Argan butter, fatty acids derived from coconut and other ingredients. Together these components intensely hydrate and nourish the threads’ fiber, promoting elasticity, lightness, and lasting conditioning.

See also: Hair Treatment With Moroccanoil

Tips On How To Make Hydration At Home

Persistence is necessary if you want really beautiful and healthy hair. It is recommended to do this home treatment at least twice a month.

Using your hydration mask correctly is essential to ensure that you achieve the expected results. Check out the tips on how to use the product and make your hair even more beautiful and healthy!

 

Wash your hair with the shampoo of your choice. One of the most important things when using your mask is to make sure your hair is clean and ready to receive it. 

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After the shampoo, apply the hydration mask and comb it so that it is well untangled. When applying the mask, be careful not to apply directly to the scalp. 

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Wait for about 5 minutes (time may vary according to the package instructions). If you cover your head with a thermal cap or a damp, warm towel, the result will be enhanced. Rinse the hair thoroughly, removing any product residue, which can cause dandruff.

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Gently dry a towel to remove excess water

 

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If you prefer, apply oil on the ends to finish.

 

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Do not use plastic brushes, as these can break the hair. Natural bristle brushes make stippling and brushing smoother. If your hair is curly, prefer wide-toothed combs.

Hydration Mask Or Conditioner: What Are The Differences?

The hydration mask has a very intense treatment effect. It is responsible for replacing nutrients to rebuild the hair fiber and prevent dryness.

It is a product that can be used only as a prevention and damage control, in the case of very dry hair.

And now you must be asking yourself: if the mask is so good, why use the conditioner?

The conditioner’s use is essential because it is responsible for sealing the hair fiber cuticles and preserving the nutrients absorbed by the mask.

Also, the hydration mask has a high composition of assets, so it should be used only once or twice a week to avoid the rebound effect. The hair becomes overloaded with proteins and ends up becoming too heavy.

Therefore, the best is to use conditioner daily, as a way to keep your hair clean and nourished and replace it with the mask on the days that you need an intensified treatment.

	Purpose	When to use
Hydration mask	Replenishing nutrients and rebuilding the hair fiber	Once or twice a week
Conditioner	Seal hair fiber cuticles and preserve nutrients	Daily, except on days when the mask is worn

Purchase Criteria

The hydration mask is a product that deals with the health of your hair, so you should observe every detail before choosing yours. We have selected some criteria that can help you choose, they are:

Composition

Whenever the subject is cosmetic, we recommend that you take a look at the composition of the product. When buying this type of product, you probably have a specific purpose for it, whether it be dyed, highly damaged, or dry hair.

Therefore, always note which are the moisturizing assets described on the packaging. Substances like coconut oil, Argan oil, Shea butter, palm oil, and keratin are great allies.

Among many others, these offer very interesting advantages to hair treatment, such as nutrition, hair renewal, and protection of the scalp.

Aroma

Does it feel better when getting out of the shower with fragrant hair? Of course! At the time of purchase, check the smell of your mask, and see if you like it. Nothing better than the feeling of cleanliness after a busy day.

Method of use

Many people don’t have the habit of reading the back of the mask they are buying, but we recommend that you do it.

You will find information about the composition of your product, and tips on how to correctly apply it and how many minutes the product should be left on the hair.