Grooming and a healthy lifestyle are something we all look forward to, and self-care is supposed to be the first and foremost step towards it. When it comes to following the hair care routine, one gets confused about the actual approach to it and questions which product should be applied first for effective results.
Our scalp needs nourishment with consistent nutrients inside its roots to battle the outsource impacts. The actual question that can solve 93% of your hair problems is about what and in which way we should use certain products and how it can be followed consistently.
Starting with “do you use a hair mask before or after shampooing?” I have cleared many doubts in this guide to get the best out of your shampoo and hair mask.
Do you use a hair mask before or after shampooing?
Hair care is always incomplete without using shampoo and a hair mask to strengthen the strands but many people get confused about if it is better to apply the hair mask first or the shampoo. You may have come across multiple opinions on this and the majority are irrelevant and without a proper source.
Here is what you need to know.
A hair mask should always be used after shampooing, swiftly followed by the completion of the shower on damp strands. The excess water should be cleaned out. Using a hair mask after the shampoo makes the product more effective by opening the cuticles and allowing the nutrients to be fully locked in the strands.
Why a hair mask after shampoo?
It’s a little science to use your hair mask after getting the shampoo all washed out for a successful result.
Shampooing first can make your scalp surface more responsive by opening up the cuticles and allowing the conditioning ingredients to penetrate down to the roots successfully.
Salons are a great example to know that they keep a firm check on their customer’s routine of shampooing and if they don’t, they make sure to wash hair before applying any treatment.
Hair mask before or after shower?
Using a hair mask directly after shampooing helps to penetrate the ingredients of the mask product which has amazing conditioning properties. Hence, make sure your hair follicles receive this gentle treatment after shampooing.
What if you use a hair mask before?
Using a hair mask before shampoo will do no good. Hair masks have protein and conditioning properties that should stay on your hair for some time or till when you apply for another beat.
A Lot of people ask, “should I shampoo after hair mask?”. Shampooing after can remove your product and will not be able to give you the results you desire.
Shampooing your scalp first is the step to allow your hair cuticles to open and later use a hair mask on the hair strands, permitting more goodness to reach the roots.
How often should you use a hair mask?
The number of times your tresses need a hydrating hair treatment in a week depends upon the present condition of your hair.
If you are blessed with a naturally smooth strand, it does not mean you should not condition or hydrate your hair. Applying the hair mask following your beauty routine once a week on your scalp can prevent you from having future hydration loss and keep up with the healthiness of your hair.
Dry and brittle hair type needs extra nourishment, and for it applying a hair mask twice or even thrice a week is ideal.
Make sure to follow the instructions on the label of your product to achieve the best results.
Step-by-step hair styling guide
I always have a big no when it comes to compromising on my hairdo. Here I am featuring a step-by-step styling guide to help you keep up with the beauty standards and never compromise on flexing with a stylish hairdo.
The order to follow is starting with the most intensely active products and ending with the light ones.
STEP 1. Shampoo your hair
Start your hair styling with the shampoo first. A better shampoo product should be preferred depending on your scalp type. The harmful ingredients following chemicals like sulfate and parabens should be avoided. Natural ingredients follow better health for your tresses. A small amount would be enough to remove the dirt and impurities.
‘For dry and damaged hair, the options should be considered while picking a hydrating or moisturizing shampoo. ‘Oily scalp’ can be treated using “clarifying shampoo.”
STEP 2. Apply A Hair Mask
Nourishment of your scalp is important to overcome the deficiency of nutrients needed to maintain hair health.
Applying a hair mask quickly after shampoo, on damp hair is the ideal order to follow.
Do you use a hair mask before or after shampooing?
Since hair masks have hydrating and smoothing ingredients properties to penetrate down to your hair follicles – which have been lifted off from your scalp after shampooing.
Hair masks can be used for deep scalp nourishment, lathering down the cuticles while boosting healthy growth.
STEP 3. Conditioner
An ongoing debate on whether should I use conditioner after hair mask is still somewhere prominent and here’s what you should do.
A conditioner should be applied after showering and preferably after using a hair mask, and should strictly be followed in your beauty routine.
Conditioner keeps a firm balance of your hair strands, using a cream or gel-based conditioner for dryness is optimal. Altering the heavy impact of the conditioner and using an amount to moisturize your hair strands. People with fine tresses or have frizziness should look for ‘repairing damaged hair’ labels in conditioner that helps create volume in your fine tresses.
STEP 4. Oil treatments
Leave-in treatments like serums and oils can be used to structure style and lock hydration properties.
These leave-in treatments work a great deal to maintain the health of your strands continuing to persist and shine giving finishing to your edges and dry ends. Using too many products can oppose the result. Minimal product of oil continuing with serum will give amazing results.
STEP 5. Mousse foam
Mousse spray is a styling foam with controlling and protecting properties. It adds volume to your thin hair. A major advantage of this mousse spray is that it gives 2x more volume, adding beauty to your strands. Protecting your hair from further external damage, giving it shine and required strength.
Apply mousse spray on damp hair. This way the roots will be balanced, being protected from frizziness and additionally, preventing them from getting dry.
STEP 6. Heat protectant
Styling or Heating tools like straighteners and curlers can be harmful to your roots. Resulting in damaging or permanent hair loss.
Before styling your hair with these tools use heat Protectant spray or creams to protect the health of your hair, building a barrier to control the damage, allowing you to freely style your hair the way you want without resisting.
Most of these heat protectants conjure formulas of vitamins that protect your cuticles from harmful heating impact.
3 best hair masks for your hair
The best hair masks for this year till date today are on the top and taking on the internet with good reviews and customer satisfaction. The handpicked 3 best hair masks for your beauty routine and according to your hair type are as follows.
REDKEN extreme mega mask
I had a mind-blowing experience after using it on my dry hair. The mask is brilliant and you will feel its result right after the first use!
The treatment will last long even after a few washes. It’s an amazing product for weak and unhealthy hair, strengthening them with single use, and sealing moisturizer for a long period. Repairing the structure of the hair to look more glamorous.
OLAPLEX hair perfecter repairing treatment
The best product for hair health I tested is OLAPLEX hair perfector as a hair mask for damaged hair. This treatment treats any level of damage. Bleaching, dying, heating tools, and harmful chemicals can result in fragile roots including split ends.
This OLAPLEX hair mask can undo all the damage and give new health with regular nutritional feed to your hair follicles.
Davines NOUNOU Hair Mask for relaxed hair
This DAVINES hair mask is worth getting obsessed over, and many hair stylists prefer to recommend it to their clients to look forward to relaxing strands. This product has amazing keratin and biotin properties and additional protein ingredients that make your hair feel soft and shiny, giving it healthy nourishment with just one use.
FAQs
Can we use a hair mask on dirty unwashed hair?
No, we cannot! It is preferred to use a hair mask on washed and clean hair for better results. Because hair masks have ingredients that are built for treating hair cuticles that are obliged to be cleaned before applying a mask as a treatment.
Can we use a hair mask on dry hair?
Ideally, a hair mask should be applied on damp hair; use a towel with minor force to dampen your hair and clear out any possibility of dripping. It helps reach hair strands and penetrate easily.
Can you use a conditioner after a hair mask?
Should I use conditioner after a hair mask?
Conditioner should be applied after the hair mask in a balanced form. An order should be followed.
This means a good hydrating hair mask is eligible to condition and hydrate your hair at the same time; otherwise, the greasiness will infuse too much product which will result in heavy, dull, and limp hair.
For a dry hair care routine, use a conditioner after the mask to seal the conditioning around hair cuticles for softer and shinier hair.
How to use a hair mask for curly hair?
- Start with your regular shower and follow these steps.
- Apply a good amount of product to your hair.
- Cover your head with a shower cap or t-shirt, leaving it for 20-25 mins.
- Give heat around your head to absorb the product by your hair follicles.
- Then rinse it with cold water.
What I concluded
Using a hair mask after shampooing is a lot more beneficial for damaged and fragile hair.
If you have been skipping a hair mask after shampoo, your hair must be deprived of the highly important nutrients to maintain moisture and prevent frizz. A perfect hair mask and conditioner are a must; keeping up the order of application results in solutions to many problems. Equally, maintaining a routine to take care of your hair health with finishing products of oil and serums to lock moisturizer, maintains softness and glamor for a long period.
Ashley’s only hobby in this world is trying different Hair care products on her own hair and later sharing her thoughts via her words, IG stories, and Tiktok. With her grasp of information about all hair-caring brands, ingredients, and remedies, she is an asset to the team.
