If your hair is suffering from chemical or mechanical damage, here are some of the best hair mask remedies on the market.
Best hair mask for damaged hair
Olaplex No 3 Hair Perfector
£26 for 100ml – Buy now
This concentrated treatment rebuilds protein bonds that have broken down in your hair because of colour, chemical or heat styling damage. Suitable for both colour-treated, bleached or natural hair, it's the perfect solution for compromised strands. This treatment is intended to be used as the final step in their three-part treatment plan (with the first two being in-salon treatments only) but we can also recommend for use on its own. Apply once a week to wet hair either as a 10-minute pre-shampoo treatment or leave it on overnight. Although it comes in a small bottle, with this product a little goes a long way.
Best premium hair mask for damaged hair
Oribe Gold Lust Transformative Masque
£62.50 for 150ml – Buy now
This miracle mask combines white tea leaf, jasmine and baobab oil with Oribe's bio-restorative complex to nourish and condition your hair. Other important ingredients are caffeine, biotin and niacinamide, all of which repair damage and strengthen hair cuticles. Suitable for all hair types including those with colour and keratin treated hair, and ideal for hair damaged by styling and processing, this is formulated without parabens, sulphates or sodium chloride. It also provides UV protection to prevent further damage.
Best high street hair mask for damaged hair
Aussie Deep Treatment 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor
£4.99 for 250ml – Buy now
This damaged hair treatment with a super repair formula works wonders in just three minutes – although it can be left in longer or even overnight. Using Australian macadamia nut oil, it transforms damaged hair into soft, shiny strands. The best part is that it is affordable and can be found in most high street pharmacies and supermarkets.
Best hair mask for colour-damaged or over-processed hair
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer
£35 for 150ml – Buy now
Philip Kingsley's original cult product is a best-seller, with one sold every two minutes. Originally designed for Audrey Hepburn, to revive her hair after weeks of on-set styling, it is particularly good for hair that is suffering from bleaching, colouring or over-styling. Its rich formula combines hydrolysed elastin, a protein that penetrates deep into the hair shaft to increase elasticity, with castor oil, olive oil and glycerin to restore moisture and shine. Note that it should not be used 72 hours before or after dying your hair, and is intended to be used as a pre-shampoo conditioner.
Best hair mask for damaged blonde or bleached hair
Kérastase Blond Absolu Masque Ultra-Violet Treatment
£36.40 for 200ml – Buy now
This purple mask for lightened and highlighted hair can be trusted to neutralise brassy and yellow tones, keeping your blonde light and restoring shine. Its unique ingredients include hyaluronic acid, edelweiss flower and antioxidants to rebuild damaged hair fibres from within for a uniform, deeply nourished cuticle, preventing future breakage and giving you a salon-worthy gloss.
Hair mask with the best ingredients for damaged hair
Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment
£32 for 150ml – Buy now
You can't go wrong with Aveda's 96% naturally derived hair treatment, which helps to revive hair damaged by chemicals and heat styling. It contains quinoa protein that penetrates the hair shaft to strengthen and repair, as well as moisturising barley and castor, jojoba and meadowfoam seed oils to smooth the hair's surface. Cruelty free and vegan, it is suitable for all hair types.
Best leave-in hair mask for damaged hair
Bumble and bumble While You Sleep Overnight Hair Mask
£40 for 190ml – Buy now
An overnight mask treatment infused with beneficial ingredients such as Evening Primrose and camellia oil to help repair split ends and styling damage. UV filters enhance colour vibrancy and fortifies against future damage. Can be used as a 20-minute mask, but for best results it should be applied to dry hair – in particular the mid-lengths and ends – and left in while you sleep. You will wake up to smooth, silky hair with restored health and vitality.