Hair Treatments and Masks To Repair Dry and Damaged Hair

Hair dye, heat tools and even going too long between trims can lead to seriously dry hair—to add back some much-needed moisture, consider slathering on a reparative at-home hair mask. These user-friendly hair treatments work by deeply moisturizing and sealing the hair cuticle, (i.e. smoothing split ends), so your hair is left feeling silky and looking shiny.

To use, simply apply a treatment to damp hair, gently comb through, and leave on for several minutes in the shower for a quick treatment, or overnight to achieve maximum results. Either way, a hair mask is beneficial in minimizing the appearance of frayed ends and styling damage.

If you have highly processed hair, look for a hair treatment that repairs bonds and breakage. While these types of bonding treatments aren’t necessarily meant to moisturize, they do restore overall health and shine to dull, chemically treated hair by repairing the hair structure. They’re called “bond builders” because they penetrate the cortex of the hair shaft, which is what holds hair color. The cortex is made up of pieces of keratin that are held together by disulphide and hydrogen bonds. Repeated coloring and heat styling disintegrates these bonds and leads to dry, damaged-looking hair. A bonding treatment penetrates the cortex and helps fill in the broken links.

If your hair tends to be dry and is susceptible to heat damage, look for an intensely moisturizing mask that uses oils to hydrate your hair. Argan oil, a popular ingredient in hair masks, contains vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which can add shine and boost hair’s elasticity, making it less susceptible to breakage. Leave the treatment on overnight for maximum softness.

Warm oil treatments work by penetrating your hair’s outer layer and hydrating deep into the shaft. They’re a little heavier than a conditioner, but not as thick as most masks, so they’re ideal for restoring shine on fine hair types.