Will a Hair Masque REVIVE My Hair’s Moisture?

In short, hair masques are deep conditioning treatments. Like skin masks, they are meant to be left on for several minutes or more to allow their ingredients to penetrate more deeply. Because of their more intensive conditioning properties, they are typically formulated for dry, damaged, or overprocessed hair. There are also hair masks to tame frizzy hair or enhance color-treated hair.

Despite these differences, hair masks all work to infuse moisturizing agents into the hair shaft, then smooth and seal the outer layer of the hair, thanks to a low pH level and positively charged ingredients that are attracted and can adhere to the natural negative charge of our hair. We apologize for any high school science class flashbacks, but cosmetic chemistry can be a beautiful thing – and lead to silky, shiny, beautiful hair! Sealing the outer cuticle offers a plethora of additional benefits as well, including reducing frizz, enhancing manageability, and extending color life.

Conditioning is a critical step in a healthy hair care regimen. In fact, we are such proponents that we even recommend using both rinse-out and leave-in conditioner on a regular basis to maintain hair’s elasticity, shine, and manageability. However, even the best conditioning regimens can come up short sometimes. Hair can become overly dry and brittle due to many factors, whether environmental like extreme dry weather or overexposure to sun, aggressive heat styling and chemical processing, or even physical or hormonal changes over time.

When your hair looks dull or frayed, exhibits visible splits and breakage, or feels brittle or “crispy,” it is time for a deep moisturizing hair mask – or more accurately, it’s past the time. Don’t let your precious locks meet this dehydrated fate! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to hair care. Regular periodic use of a hair masque can help hair from becoming parched to the point of damage, so we recommend adding a deep conditioning hair mask to your routine one to three times per week based on how dry, frizzy or coarse your hair naturally is – more often when in drier or harsher conditions.

So how do you know which hair masque to use? There are many hair masks for dehydrated hair – virtually all of them in fact – but the intensity may vary. Check labels for hair types listed as appropriate for the hair mask formula you’re considering and read the reviews. While some hair masks like Revive Hair Masque work for any hair type, other hair masks are formulated for thick and coarse hair, some for frizzy, some for delicate and fine, and some specifically for color-treated hair. In fact, at Virgo de Novo, we’ve taken color-enhancing hair masks even further by adding toning benefits to create our range of Blue and Purple Toning Hair Masques to neutralize orange and yellow tones respectively as they provide intensive conditioning results.

However, when it comes to deep conditioning treatments, your hair type should guide usage as well as selection. For example, you can adjust how long you leave a hair mask on, as well as how often you use it, based on your hair’s texture, type and condition to optimize results for you. For example, while most hair masks are best used from ends up through midshaft, those with thick, coarse or curly dry hair can deep condition all the way to the roots. If your hair is thin or fine, you can leave a hair masque on for less time and still get the conditioning benefits. Extra rinsing is called for oily scalps and delicate hair, and very damaged hair can benefit from leaving a hair mask on overnight. When in doubt, ask your stylist for the best way to use a hair mask on your hair.