Style

5 Awesome Hair Masks That Won't Weigh Down Fine Hair

by Deanna McCormack
Amazon/Bustle

For a long time, the only hair masks you could buy were sold in the same aisle of the drugstore as horse shampoo. Nowadays, hair masks are everywhere, and the options are endless. The best hair masks for fine hair, for example, heal, revitalize, and strengthen your hair while adding shine, moisture, and protecting it from — all without weighing it down.

Still, you might be wondering, “If I use a good conditioner, do I really need a hair mask too?” The answer is yes — especially if you dye, highlight, or chemically treat it. As long as you take the time to choose the right hair mask for your hair type, it can only help. For thin hair, the right mask starts with the right kind of moisture. Look for lightweight hydrators like panthenol or oils like jojoba, argan, sunflower seed, and rosehip. Also, because fine hair is particularly prone to damage from heat-styling and sun exposure, you'll want to look for hair masks that strengthen and protect the hair with ingredients like proteins, amino acids, and antioxidants. Lastly, because thin or fine hair often produces excess oils, a mask made for oily hair or sensitive scalps with ingredients like tea tree oil will work wonders.

Check out these five options that are great for fine hair, below.

1An Overnight Mask That Makes Hair More Shiny, Vibrant, And Manageable

For smooth, shiny, frizz-free hair, this easy-to-use from Living Proof should be used once a week on thin hair. The best part? It's an overnight treatment, so it works while you get your beauty rest. The formula is safe for colored and chemically treated hair and has potent conditioners, cuticle sealing technology, and amino acids to hydrate, revive, and protect your hair all week long.

2A Pre-Shampoo Mask To Restore Hair That's Chemically-Processed, Dyed, Or Damaged From Heat Styling

With thin hair, added weight from a heavy hair mask is always a concern. Luckily, R+Co's Palm Springs Treatment Mask goes on before you shampoo, so the mask treats your hair first (with a cocktail of oils, extracts, and deep conditioners), then is thoroughly washed away so it never weighs things down. You can also choose to use it by itself as a co-wash, which replaces the need to use both shampoo and conditioner. Use it once a week to strengthen and repair damaged or fried hair.

3A Gently Exfoliating Hair & Scalp Mask That Can Help Control Dandruff And Itching

With thin hair comes oily hair, which can all be traced back to the scalp, which produces excess sebum and sometimes, dandruff. This treatment mask from Paul Mitchell cleanses the scalp and hair with tea tree oil, peppermint, and natural salicylic acid (three ingredients that are all soothing and mildly exfoliating) while also effectively re-conditioning your strands. It'll also help control itching or severe dryness — one reviewer even said it helped with her eczema.

4A Restorative Hair Mask That's Specifically Made To Treat Sun-Damaged Hair

After a long day in the sun or a particularly damaging color treatment, thin hair needs a little extra moisture boost to properly recover and heal. The SU Hair Mask from Davines does exactly that. It's made specifically for post-sun healing and replenishes softness, moisture, and shine in your hair both quickly and effectively. Rather than a bulky bottle, it comes in a convenient tube, so it's easy to travel with.

5An All-Natural Mask That Smooths, Deeply Hydrates, And Strengthens Hair While Also Soothing The Scalp

With over three thousand positive reviews on Amazon, ArtNatural's Argan Oil Hair Mask is a budget-friendly choice that's pretty much guaranteed to give you expensive looking results — even on thin hair. The mask, which is 100 percent all-natural, strengthens the hair shaft with keratin, amino acids, and quinoa proteins while using argan oil, aloe, and green tea to heal and nourish dry or damaged strands. It also helps protect hair from UV rays, and the 8-ounce jar will last you a while.

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