Finding the Best Hair Masks: Tips & Tricks

Let’s talk hair masks!

Think of hair masks as a moisture infusion for dry or damaged hair. We spoke with three salon experts (with a combined 28 years of experience) about the best way to use these products. And then we tried several brands ourselves, comparing results with different types of hair.

Here are some tips and tricks for using hair masks:

• Masks are most effective on dry, colored and permed hair. Masks reduce hair breakage and reduce frizziness.

• Apply the mask with fingers or comb through the hair. 

• Cover hair with plastic wrap or a shower cap and then wrap a towel around it.

• Leave on the mask for 15-20 minutes, although several readers told us they sometimes leave it overnight. One of our picks is a quick mask of only 4-5 minutes if you’re in a hurry.

• For the best results, rinse with cool or lukewarm water (not hot).

Here are the best masks we found, based on real world results:

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York TimesWall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!