Conditioner or Mask? Whats the difference?
The difference between a regular conditioner and treatment hair masks.
The difference is super simple!
Each piece of hair under a microscope looks like a piece of string with fish scales on it, we call these cuticles. When you wash your hair with shampoo it slightly opens these cuticles, cleans away grease, and product build up like hairspray or mousse for example.
Conditioner. Closes those cuticles. That is it.
Where as a Mask, while the cuticles are still open from shampooing, the mask goes under the cuticles into the hair and deposits moisture and proteins that the hair really wants and needs. These moisturizers and proteins get taken away from the hair when we colour and use straighteners and also a lot of sweat (when we exercise and sweat from our head ) will dehydrate the hair. So by using a mask, this is the only time we give back to our hair all the things our lifestyle and daily habits take away.
In our salon when we wash our clients hair at the basin we do a little stretch test on the hair. By the results of this test we can analyse what the hair needs. Be it Protein, moisture or a combination of the two. From there we can prescribe to our clients the best products for them, specific to what their hair needs and what is going to give them the hair that they desire! We regularly recommend home hair care, which gives our clients amazing results!
We believe with the right hair care there will be no more bad hair days! Only 5 star fabulous, all day long!
There are three types of hair masks
- Protein. Like the body the hair needs protein to give us strength. For example when the hair is over coloured/bleached and becomes week and stringy like old knicker elastic, it’s in serious need of protein.
- Moisture. Some hair is strong thick and course. It feels hard. Some hair is fine but dull and lifeless. This hair is in serious need of moisture. To bring back its shine and bounce.
- Moisture and protein mask. This mask has both ingredients inside, because some hair needs to get stronger and moisture to become silky and shiny again.
Sometimes it has happened that someone has been recommended the wrong mask for their specific hair needs (sorry not my fault, they should have read this blog
When figuring out what type of hair mask you have or need, ask your hairdresser!
If that fails, look for words like:
Strength, restore, for damaged hair. This will be a protein mask.
Moisture, shine, rehydrate. This will be a moisture mask.
Also if you have strong, hard coarse hair and are using a protein mask, it will not do anything for your hair, apart from make it feel hard and possibly even dry! Because giving protein to hair that needs moisture will not work. NOTE super market hair care is NOT the same as anything you will get in a Hair salon!
The products you buy in a supermarket don’t contain the same good ingredients and may contain silicones that coat your hair and will make it feel soft, but this is superficial. These silicones will lay on the outside of your hair and after a while this build up will dehydrate the hair. (some people recognise this so feel the need to change shampoo and conditioners regularly. But this is not a solution. When you use salon products you will see and feel the difference because your hair will be healthy happy and shiny, without the need to change products just because.)
The products you buy in salon, have the best high quality ingredients and go way further as they are super thick and concentrated, not watered down and runny like super market products.
Lastly when you buy your hair care from a salon it will last you x4 as long! Read more in my next blog ( salon vs supermarket hair products.)
Best hair masks to use, and WHY to use them.
Here are Aphrodite Hair Salons Top Masks that we love to recommend!
- Moisture Masks: TIGI Catwalk Honey and Oatmeal, Bed Head Re-energise, Davines OI, Moroccan Oil
- Protein Masks: TIGI Catwalk Fashionista Violet, Bed Head Resurrection
- Moisture & Protein Masks: Bed Head Recovery, Colour Goddess, Davines OI
Like i said before these salon brands have the best ingredients to drastically improve the condition of your hair and give the shine, bounce, life and general gorgeousness we want because we are worth it! Let your hair be an attention seeker! Be complimented on your beautiful hair!
All of these products and more can be found on our eshop go to www.haircarecyprus.com
If you would like any help with choosing the perfect home hair care just for you and your hair got in touch! Come see us at our salon or message us on facebook, we would love to hear from you.
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All our love, Be 5 star fabulous!