Are Hair Masks Good for Curly Hair?
If you’ve done any amount of research on conditioning your curls, chances are you’ve heard of hair masks. They are often mentioned alongside deep conditioners and are touted to be a godsend for those with hair damage. But could they be any good for curls? That’s what we’ll get into in this article. By the end, you’ll know without a doubt whether hair masks are good for curly hair.
Hair Masks are Great for Curly Hair
There’s a good reason why hair masks are so big in the curly hair community - they are great for curly hair. Why? A few of the main issues people deal with when it comes to their curls include dryness, split ends, and breakage. Hair masks are often formulated to counteract these issues and rejuvenate the hair on a deeper level than regular conditioners and even some deep conditioners. Within just one use, a hair mask can give damaged or dry hair a real pick-me-up. And this is the case even when the damage is due to chemical damage or excessive heat use.
Since hair masks are not all created equal, some are going to work better for certain curly hair types than others. There are heavy, oil-intensive hair masks that are better suited to tighter, coarse curls (4A to 4C) and others that are more lightweight, perfect for those with type 3 curls or fine strands. In addition to that, there are protein-based hair masks that aim to repair hair damage stemming from protein loss. And, of course, you can get a mega-dose of hydration from a moisturizing hair mask full of water, oils, botanical extracts, fatty alcohols, and more.
How to Use a Hair Mask for Curly Hair
The way you’ll use a hair mask for curly hair depends on the hair mask you’ve got at your disposal. If you’re going with a premade hair mask, you’ll follow the instructions on the packaging. Most times, you’ll be instructed to do the following:
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Wash your hair thoroughly. If you have visible buildup or haven’t clarified your hair in a while, use a clarifying shampoo or deep cleansing shampoo for extra cleaning power.
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After rinsing out the shampoo, you’ll apply the hair mask of your choice to your hair, focusing especially on the ends.
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Wait for the amount of time indicated on the packaging. This could be anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour or more. To intensify the treatment, cover your curls in a plastic processing cap as you wait.
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Rinse the mask out, ensuring that no product is left behind.
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Proceed with the rest of your hair care and styling routine.
How Often to Do a Hair Mask for Curly Hair
How often you do a hair mask will have a direct effect on how much you benefit from this type of hair treatment. If your hair is in very bad shape, you’ll do hair masks more often than you would if your hair was healthy and thriving. But in general, a weekly, biweekly, or monthly hair mask can make a difference in how your hair looks, feels, and behaves. Still, you should be sure to customize your hair mask frequency based on how your hair is doing. For example, if you’ve been using a mask biweekly to remedy hair dryness and aren’t seeing results, you may want to crank up your frequency to once a week.
So, there you have it - hair masks are definitely good for curly hair. They are often formulated with ingredients that every head of curly hair needs to be shiny, manageable, hydrated, and healthy overall. We hope you found all the information you were looking for, and we wish you the best with your hair.
Author: Andrea Reyes
Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.