Say you’ve gotten a beautiful haircut and colour that complements your features. Or perhaps, you’ve gotten yourself some Beyoncé-esque curls. You feel like nothing can bring you down — until it’s a few weeks later and you noticed that your beautifully groomed head of hair is…well, no longer fabulous. We’re talking dry, unruly and frizzy.
Chemical processes such as bleaching, colouring and perming, while confidence-boosting, damage the hair and lead to dull, brittle hair. And if you do heat styling with a curler or straightener, you’re further exacerbating the problem. Don’t forget, UV rays from the sun and environmental pollution around us also harms hair health.
Fortunately, help isn’t far. Regardless of the condition of your mane, whether it has been bleached and coloured or is just frizzy and dull, read on for our picks to bring it back to its full, shining glory.
Achieve hair that’s softer and smoother to the touch in just 10 minutes with this ultra-conditioning hair mask from The Body Shop, which won Best Mask for Dry Hair in our Hair Awards 2019. It’s infused with organic shea and cocoa butter (and more nourishing ingredients) to thoroughly quench and moisturise dehydrated hair and helping to restore shine to dry and dull tresses. At $29.
Employing Korean herbal wisdom, this Ryo treatment uses ginseng, red ginseng and houttuynia cordata extracts to combat hair loss. The mask is also said to cool and moisturise the scalp too, which is especially relaxing after a long hot day. At $12.90.
This Aesop treatment is created for both the scalp and hair. As such, apply a generous amount throughout and let the blend of sweet almond, soybean, grapefruit seed, lavender and carrot oils nourish your hair from root to tip. At $47.
The name says it all. This Briogeo hair mask has a cult following, thanks to its efficacy at replenishing hydration and shine. It does so through its proprietary NOVA Complex that delivers a blend of B-vitamins, rosehip and argan oils, collagen and algae extract. The mask doesn’t contain silicones, sulfates and parabens. At $49.
Bleached blonde hair can quickly look brassy and lacklustre. To help you overcome that unflattering look, use this Christophe Robin hair mask. This purple coloured treatment nourishes and repairs your hair while removing the unwanted yellow tones. It is also available in five different shades to cater to different hair colours. At $70.
Chemical processing can lead to the opening of hair cuticles, and that causes your strands to feel dry and brittle. This Je l’aime mask combats that by employing algae extract and 18 different types of amino acids. At $22.90.
This Kérastase hair mask contains vitamin E, rice bran and linseed oil and zinc gluconate for shiny, healthy-looking tresses. The treatment also contains UV filters to protect hair from sun damage.
(Read also “This Unusual Korean Beauty Hack Is The Secret To Soft And Shiny Hair“)
With Singapore’s hot and humid weather, you would be hard pressed to find someone who isn’t stricken with frizzy hair. This mask from Lux Botanifique uses a blend of herbal extracts including orchid, eucalyptus and green tea to tame unruly hair. At $18.90.
Specifically created to treat coarse and frizzy hair, this Moist Diane hair mask contains organic argan, quinoa and baobab seed oils and cuticle keratin to smooth and repair damaged cuticles. At $18.90.
(Read also “Your Answer To Soft, Smooth, Shiny Hair In One Easy Step“)
Olaplex uses a patented technology to repair broken disulfide bonds in colour-treated, damaged hair to reduce breakage and restore hair health. So if you’re suffering from brittle hair as a result of bleaching and other processes, give Olaplex a shot. At $44.
Made with a list of ingredients such as murumuru, mango seed butter and watermelon, lychee and edelweiss flower extracts, this Oribe hair mask nourishes the hair, seals cuticles and repairs split ends. Plus, the botanical ingredients also ensure protection from stress and pollution. At US$72.87 (S$100.33), from Net-a-Porter.
This provides hydration and vibrancy to dry, lacklustre locks in just a few minutes. It’s formulated with B vitamins, rosehip and argan oils, collagen and algae extract to control frizz, nourish hair and repair split ends to give you a shiny, healthy and lustrous mane. Its formula even promises to reduce breakage by up to 75 per cent after just three uses.
A deeply nourishing treatment, the mask provides intense conditioning, helping to repair weak hair fibres by restoring its moisture content. As well, it strengthens and restores a healthy appearance to severely parched hair. It’s infused with molecules that mimic the natural oils that coat healthy hair and will will leave it shiny and soft.
This two-piece set includes a cream mask and a hair cap. The hard worker helps to protect hair colour, boost radiance, fight frizz, hydrate and repair hair as you sleep. To use, apply the cream to your hair, cover it with the cap and you’ll wake up to healthier hair.
This has a creamy, melting consistency that doesn’t feel greasy, and helps to detangle and soften strands. Formulated with a trio of natural oils – marula, abyssinian and camellia – as well as shea butter, it delivers intense nutrition to restore and repair dry and damaged hair.
The mask can be used in three ways: as a conditioner for an instant moisture boost, as a rich rinse-off hair mask for deep nourishment, or as a leave-on mask to repair split ends.
With a chemical-free formula made without sulfates, parabens and other harmful ingredients, this vegan mask repairs and protects hair from damage.
It is infused with raw virgin coconut extract to prevent breakage and split ends, which also penetrates into the hair follicles to give you a healthy scalp. At the same time, fig extract and shea butter help to moisturise and detangle, while argan oil tames frizz, and linseed gives hair a silky shine.
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A version of this article was first published in Singapore Women’s Weekly.