The 11 Best Hair Masks Experts Recommend

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The best hair masks may not get as much use as your daily leave-in conditioner, but they’re still an essential part of any healthy hair routine. These staples come in handy to keep hair feeling soft, fortified, and moisturized—particularly during seasonal weather changes. They also provide extra nourishment during more compromising hair changes, like the addition of dyes or other chemical treatments.

Some of the best masks contain highly moisturizing and reparative ingredients that melt deeply into the hair’s cuticles, in ways many classic conditioners can’t always do. “Hair masks are meant to penetrate the hair shaft, delivering concentrated ingredients to help repair damage, hydrate, strengthen, and nourish from the inside,” celebrity stylist Mark Townsend tells Bazaar. “Masks help seal the cuticle tight, leaving the hair softer, shinier, and less tangled.”

So, what’s the difference between a mask and a conditioner? “I think of conditioners as quick fixes, whereas masks help with longer-term goals of healthy hair,” Townsend adds. As with conditioners, there are hair masks that work across a range of hair types and textures, even on fine hair—but if you need a mask that meets specific texture needs, there are options for those, too. For example, Jan Spagnuolo, stylist director at the Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa in New York City, suggests that anyone with finer hair texture use lighter formulas that won’t weigh hair down, applying them sparingly to avoid greasiness.

Here, we asked professionals to share a few of their favorite hair masks to recommend to clients, featuring top picks from brands like K18 and Rita Hazan, suitable for just about every hair type and concern.

Semi Di Lino Nutritive Mask

Townsend considers this nourishing mask pick his absolute favorite. “It turns dry, coarse hair into soft, shiny, manageable hair in just a few minutes,” he says. “I recommend this to all of my clients with dry hair.” The mask uses moisturizing meadowfoam seed oil, along with UV filters, to keep dyed hair from fading.

Weekly Remedy Treatment

This two-step treatment from Beyoncé’s colorist, Rita Hazan, requires a little extra time, but Townsend says that the top-rated mask “penetrates the hair to deliver moisture and proteins, and then seals the cuticle for long-lasting shine and frizz control.” He advises using it once a week for best results.

Dolce Nourishing Hair Mask

Spagnuolo notes that Rossano Ferretti Parma’s luxe mask works well to deeply nourish and smooth dry or damaged hair. Its moisturizing formula contains shea butter and keratin to repair existing damage and strengthen hair at the same time.

One satisfied customer writes: “Highly recommended to anyone with dry, brittle hair. This is my problem and it’s hard to control too so getting it into any style is difficult. I’m also getting real value for money from this mask, it’s giving me moisturized, healthy hair with style thrown in. Perfect.” —Frankie888

Recovery Conditioner Mask

There’s a reason Function of Beauty Pro’s Recovery Conditioner Mask has nearly a perfect rating from Sephora customers: Its customizable, bond-building formula meets hair needs at every stage. While created for wavy textures, it can also be infused with boosters to further boost shine and manage frizz, along with color enhancements.

One satisfied customer writes: “I got this hair mask as a sample and immediately had to buy the full size because oh my god its so moisturizing and smells gorgeous!!! Leaves my hair feeling rejuvenated!!” —hannahsb7

Nurture Intense Hydration Mask

Made with vegan keratin, JVN’s hair mask intensely nourishes dry hair and makes detangling a breeze, which in the long run helps keep breakage to a minimum. Plus, you need to wait only five minutes for it to work its magic.

One satisfied customer writes: “Been using this product for 2 weeks and already noticing a difference.” —Traci

Honey Infused Hair Mask

This mask’s combination of moisture-attracting Mirsalehi honey, softening hydrolyzed wheat protein, and strengthening pro-vitamin B work in tandem to repair damage from heat styling and the elements.

One satisfied customer writes: “This hair mask is to die for. It makes my hair so shiny, soft, and not as damaged. It also smells nice and I feel so clean when I use it. I totally recommend this.” —Nikki7656

Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask

Over 13,000 Amazon customers agree: Beauty brand K18 is a force when it comes to repairing damaged hair. And even better? Each of its bestsellers—including its beloved Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask—take only a few minutes to work. Peptides in the mask go deep into each hair strand to reconnect keratin bonds that may have been broken from chemical treatments.

One satisfied customer writes: “I was a serious skeptic but I bleached the crap outta my hair and it was frizzy beyond belief especially in Florida humidity! I have had it on my hair maybe an hour and it’s a game changer. Wish I had before and afters. But I don’t know that I will be going without this stuff ever again.” —Jenna T.

Therapy Session Hair Mask

This argan oil and plant protein mask is light enough to use daily in place of a regular conditioner, or weekly for a more intensive hair treatment. After applying it to wet hair, wait up to five minutes before rinsing out the mask completely.

One satisfied customer writes: “This product is so good! This is my second bottle. My daughter bought it and let me try it and I was hooked! It smells amazing and leaves my hair feeling silky smooth! I use it every time I condition, and leave it on for about 3-5 minutes! Works well with any shampoo I have used! Will definitely continue to buy in the future!” —Anonymous

Hair–Mask Creamy Deep Conditioner

You’ll instantly feel the restoring goodness of Bread Beauty Supply’s velvety Hair–Mask. Upon application, its formula feels like a soothing hug for your hair, when dry cold weather has stripped away all of its moisture. And as a bonus, it uses Australian Kakadu plum and starflower oil to boost overall shine.

One satisfied customer writes: “This is one of the best deep conditioners I have ever used. My hair is very curly and prone to be dry. I left it in for a couple hours and my curls have not looked this good in years. I’ve used Bread before and the results are always the same!!!” —Rosebud827

Money Masque

If glass hair is the goal, consider this celebrity-stylist-approved mask your go-to. Key ingredients, like blue sea kale, algae, sea kelp, and vegetable protein help restore broken keratin hair bonds while providing deep moisture, leaving your hair looking its glossiest.

One satisfied customer writes: “This is by far my favorite mask I’ve used for hydration and shine. I have extensions and this is great for both my hair and the extensions that are prone to getting dry easily. I’ve tried so many other brands but this is definitely my go to now.” —loveuhly

Ghost Hair Mask

The word ghost in the name of this popular hair mask from Verb says it all—its featherweight formula is perfect for fine and thinning hair. And since the mask uses moringa oil as its star ingredient, there’s also no compromise on moisture delivery.

One satisfied customer writes: “My sister-in-law (a hairstylist) recommended this product to me for my fine, thin, curly hair. It was so dry and frizzy and nothing was working. This product is amazing it really brought life back to my hair without weighing it down. It has a really light smell and is super easy to use. I will definitely be making this a staple in my hair care routine!” —mirzamuse

Meet the Experts

• Mark Townsend is a celebrity hairstylist and brand ambassador for Alfaparf Milano.

• Jan Spagnuolo is the stylist director at the Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa in New York City.

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For more than 150 years, Harper’s Bazaar has been the preeminent fashion and beauty resource for women at every age. We cover what’s new and what’s next in beauty by working with the world’s leading authorities in dermatology, plastic surgery, cosmetics, skincare, hair care, and fragrance. Every story we publish has been thoroughly researched and vetted by our team of beauty editors and industry experts.

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