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Not knowing how to use a hair mask won't necessarily ruin your strands, but your hair just won't come out looking fabulous. It is best to know what product you're using and whether or not it should be applied to wet or dry hair. Some products are used best with one type of hair while others can go on the opposite type.
Dry Hair
Hair masks should be applied correctly or else you really won't get the desired results. Alan Gold, creative director at Haig & Co. Salon in Philadelphia, loves the Julien Farel Restore and Condition hair mask. He says that the mask should be applied on dry hair because wet hair would dilute the product. Apply the restoring portion to the scalp and the conditioning portion to the mid-shaft and ends. Gold says that your tresses will drink up this fabulous treatment. The mask promotes a healthy environment for your strands to grow in, starting from the scalp. The product also comes in Fusilli for curly hair, Volume for limp hair, Zero Frizz, and Vitamin for color-treated strands.
Wet Hair
Conditioned hair is fabulous hair. Mike van den Abbeel, owner of Orlando's Mosaic Hair Studio, agrees, recommending Intensive Conditioner by Biomega as a great hair mask. He says that hair masks work best when applied to wet hair because water will swell the hair, allowing for greater absorption of the ingredients. If this is done at a salon, Abbeel recommends sitting under a dryer, or even using a shower cap to lock in all the mask's goodness, and open up the hair even more using the heat.
Towel-Dried Hair
Michele Owen, founder of BE Beverly Hills, says that incredible tresses come from a weekly routine, which includes a hair mask treatment. Owen says that using a hair mask is an important step in your hair's health because it is a highly concentrated formula that infuses both moisture and protein deep into your hair. This counteracts all of the damage you've caused your precious strands due to styling. She says that it is best to apply a hair mask to clean, towel-dried hair. Miguel Angarita of Mizu New York salon agrees, saying that masks like Karite Special Intensive Repair Mask from nuNAAT are best applied to towel-dried strands. Both experts say that for an added benefit, you can apply heat to intensify the results. Owen's favorite hair mask is the Inspired Intense Masque, which she recommends applying overnight and rinsing out in the morning.
Wet and Combed Through
Veronica Penzone of Beauty by Veronica Salon in Scottsdale, Arizona, says that when applying a hair mask or any treatment for reconstructing or reconditioning damaged hair, always apply it to wet hair. She says to use a wide-tooth comb to work through the hair, so that the product applies evenly throughout. She also recommends applying heat to the hair after the product has been applied. Her favorites include Kerestase, Nutra Thermique and Masquintense, which even comes in two options for fine or thick hair.
