Updated January 2023 By Dr Jonathan Palmer
Know How To Use Hair Masks
Hair Masks - Why would you use them?
Hair masks are an excellent way of getting essential nutrients and oils back into your hair, especially if you notice your hair is getting dry and starting to break easily. Hair masks, if used regularly, can make a positive and measurable difference to your hair health and beauty.
Good hair masks will possess a mixture of essential hair oils, nutrients and include either argan oil or coconut oil. The hair health benefits of both these hair oils cannot be overstated and should be an essential part of your haircare repertoire.
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We use these excellent hair masks ourselves. They are fantastic and give your hair a nutrient boost -exactly what it needs. We use the coconut mask in particular which smells great and boosts hair health due to that all-important coconut oil. Let us know how you get on!
Regular use of hair masks can reduce dryness, reduce the rate of porosity increase, and enhance your hair's natural beauty, keeping it healthier for longer.
The standard everyday method of applying a hair mask at home
Typically, when using a hair mask, you would wash your hair with a good shampoo (ideally a sulfate-free shampoo) and partially dry your hair with either a towel or, ideally, allow your hair to air dry. Then apply your chosen hair mask for between 2 to 10 minutes before rinsing off. This method of using your hair mask works well and can be more easily incorporated into your weekly hair-washing routine.
Essentially you are replacing the standard conditioning step with your hair mask.
The best way of applying a hair mask at home -The HairKnowHow Method
To get the most nutrients and oils into your hair from your hair mask, you need to have already washed and dried your hair -ideally using a good conditioner in the usual way the day before. We suggest you wet your hair with water only, and within a couple of minutes of wetting, you apply your hair mask thoroughly and evenly. Concentrate on the tips of your hair when applying. We suggest leaving the hair mask on for at least 10 minutes before washing it off and allowing it to air dry if you have time. We recommend that you do this every 1-2 weeks. Every month apply the hair mask as detailed above but extend the treatment to include the entire length of your hair fibres so that all of your hair benefits from the deep nourishing treatment.
We suggest this slightly different method of applying your hair mask because when you wet your hair, it can take up to 4 minutes for your fibres to swell and fully absorb the water.
You can use this natural water swelling phenomenon to help enhance the movement of nutrients into your hair, where they can do the most good.
After approximately 4 minutes, your hair is thoroughly wetted. Therefore, it will only absorb nutrients by passive diffusion, with the nutrients no longer being carried into your hair fibres rapidly on the "wave" of water entering your hair.
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We use these excellent hair masks ourselves. They are fantastic and give your hair a nutrient boost -exactly what it needs. We use the coconut mask in particular which smells great and boosts hair health due to that all-important coconut oil. Let us know how you get on!
The HairKnowHow Hair Mask method is more time-efficient and can also enhance the movement of nutrients that may need a more significant 'push' to get into your hair fibres.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with the HairKnowHow team for advice.
Alternatively, if you are interested in getting your hair expertly tested -evaluating your hair health and getting personal product and grooming recommendations then please take a look at our complete hair test below.
The HairKnowHow Team. :)
