Nourishing hair masks for all hair types
When was the last time you gave your hair a bit of TLC?
We bet you can't remember. While many of us heed the importance of taking care of our skin – lathering oils and serums and As and Bs and Cs on it religiously – we tend to forget about our poor hair.
Yet healthy-looking hair goes a long way in helping us look refreshed and put together. In fact, we reckon it can have just as much of an impact as the right undereye concealer or sharp, fitted blazer.
If you're thinking we're right, and you need to make up for lost time, we've got a list of solutions for you. We've rounded up a list of effective hair masks and treatments to cure most hair-related concerns – from oiliness to dryness, to limp and lifeless.
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
Best for all types of hair
Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3 Home Treatment, 250mL
Cult favourites are cult favourites for a reason. It means they've been tried and recommended by many people and loved by most of them – and the Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3 Home Treatment is certainly a cult favourite.
With 4.7 stars out of over 1,000 reviews, many of which owe the treatment to repairing their brittle and broken hair, Olaplex No.3 gets our pick for best overall hair healer.
If your hair is particularly damaged, the No.8 ($54) is a great one to sub in too. The No.8 is a leave-in mask in lieu of conditioner, whereas the No.3 is a pre-wash treatment. If you had to choose just one, however, the No.3 is best for maximum effectiveness.
For a similar product with a much lower price tag – hailed as somewhat of a dupe – try the NAK Hair Structure Complex No.3 Bond Enhancer.
Best oily hair treatment
Coco & Eve Like A Virgin Deep Clean Scalp Scrub
Oily scalps aren't only unseemly but they're a pain to reckon with. Washing your hair every day? Who has time for that?
Use the Coco & Eve Scalp Scrub weekly to rid your scalp of any unwanted build-up and start fresh. As well as loosening up that oily hair, it will help with any itching or irritation too.
Best for curly hair
Davines ESSENTIALS Love Curl Hair Mask, 250mL
Calling our curly girls. The Davines ESSENTIALS Love Curl Hair Mask will treat and hydrate your limp tresses, bringing them back to their regular schedule of bounciness. It will also keep frizziness at bay.
It's vegan, cruelty-free and packed with vitamins. Just use in place of your regular conditioner on damp hair and then rinse off after 15 minutes.
It's also Curly Girl Method approved – IYKYK.
Best bang for your buck
Klorane Intense Repairing Mask with Organic Cupuacu, 150mL and Klorane Mango Butter Mask, 150mL
We adore Klorane's range of products because in classic French beauty style, they're effective but affordable. There are two Klorane masks we'd suggest you try: the Intense Repair Mask and Mango Butter Mask.
Both are excellent for repairing damaged hair but the former does a more clinical job than the latter, being specifically formulated as an intensive treatment. The Mango Butter mask instead is a nice regular mask for maintaining hydration and keeping frizz at bay.
Best for blondes
Christophe Robin Shade Variation Mask in Baby Blond, 250mL
In maintaining their golden hues, blondes cop a lot of damage. There's the purple shampoo, the bleaching, the heat treatments. It's a veritable warzone for the follicles.
Not only will a mask for dry and damaged hair help a blonde (see above), we also recommend one that will help to neutralise brassiness.
This Shade Variation mask in Baby Blond from Christophe Robin gets rave reviews. Try it out for a 2-in-1 soothing treatment and toner.
Special shoutout too to the Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicanuit Night Hair Serum which you can lather on and leave overnight. It also works to hydrate and strengthen the hair while complimenting the blonde tones – like a 'night cream' for your hair.
Best salon quality
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask, 50mL
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask works by reconnecting keratin chains that are broken by heat, bleaching or other harsh chemicals. It's science-backed to a spooky degree, promising to restore your hair in just four minutes.
As an added bonus, the K18 mask is leave-in. Just skip your conditioner on your regular wash, pump the formula into your hands and work it through damp hair. Then twist it up into a bun (or however you want to style it) to let the treatment do its thing.
While it's very highly reviewed – Kim K is a noted fan! – it's also quite pricey. If you want to give it a go before committing to the 50mL bottle, there's a 15mL and a 5mL version to try out first.
Best all-in-one
The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil, 30mL
Moroccan Argan Oil has long been touted as the do-it-all oil, helping to nourish skin, hair and nails.
This $12.90 bottle from The Ordinary can act as a hair treatment – just run the oil through your hair from the roots to the ends and leave overnight. Or work it through the mid-part of your damp hair after washing and style it to prevent frizz.
Best for fine and dry
MOROCCANOIL Weightless Hydrating Mask
Those who have thin or fine hair will know that finding the right hydration, without overwhelming the hair with too much product, is a fine line. The MOROCCANOIL Weightless Hydrating Mask is the perfect solution.
It will soothe your locks and bring shine and life to otherwise limp hair. Reviewers have backed up these claims with a slew of positive comments.
It's not just for those with thin hair either – the shea butter and argan oil vegan treatment can work on all hair types.
Best for thick and dry
Alfaparf Milano Semi di Lino Moisture Nutritive Mask, 200mL
Don't worry, thick-haired girlies. We've got you too. We recommend calming your brittle and damaged hair with the Alfaparf Milano Semi di Lino Moisture Nutritive Mask.
Claiming to give you long-lasting shine and UV protection, you can use this mask after your shampoo, leave for five minutes and rinse.
At just $36.95, it's one of the most affordable yet effective hair masks on the market.
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