How Often Should I Use a Hair Mask?

We all want to leave the house each morning looking like we’ve just left the salon. You know the feeling—the slow-motion close-up highlighting our perfectly shiny, healthy hair as we toss it casually over our shoulders.

No? Is that just us?

Either way, split ends and frizz can put a damper on our hair fantasies—but with the help of restorative treatments like hair masks, we can get pretty close.

Want to learn how to get healthy hair? Hair masks can add a beneficial boost to any healthy haircare routine. With a hair treatment so lush, you might wonder if it can replace your daily conditioner—or if you should relegate them to a once-monthly ritual. In fact, depending on your hair type, you can use a hair mask up to a few times a week to deliver a healthy dose of moisture to your locks.

But that’s just a start—getting the most out of your hair mask means taking a look at the ingredients, your hair type, and more. Let’s dive in.

What is a hair mask?

So, what is a hair mask? Hair masks are deep conditioning treatments that nourish, protect, and revitalize. Nourishing hair masks give your mane a deep conditioning treatment for maximum shine, softness, and manageability. 

Similar to how you might use face masks, they’re generally applied to wet hair after initial cleaning. Then, you’ll want to leave the mask for a period of time (often 5 or 10 minutes) to soak in all the beneficial and nourishing ingredients. While using a mask every day might be overkill, using one to replace your regular conditioner here and there can do wonders for your hair if you’re prone to extreme dryness and hair damage. 

More intensive than a regular conditioner, hair masks differ from a leave-in conditioner because they’re usually rinsed out after doing their job. However, some hair masks, like our Triple Bond Complex, can double as a leave-in treatment for added strength and protection.

Benefits of hair masks

Hair masks can provide transformative results to thirsty locks, bringing strands back to life with a bright, shiny bounce. If you’re on the fence about whether or not you should add a hair mask to your healthy hair routine, consider all the ways using a hair mask treatment can enhance the beauty of your hair.

Thanks to their conditioning powers, masks have the potential to:¹

• Repair hair damage
• Restore moisture
• Protect from damage
• Reduce hair breakage
• Replenish hair’s protective layer
• Make hair feel and look healthier

While hair masks could help your hair in so many incredible ways, it’s best to restrain yourself from using them every single day. The intense hydration lasts longer than you think, and over-conditioning, when your hair doesn’t need it, could lead to hair build-up, excess oil, and heavy, weighed-down hair. 

When in doubt, use the product as recommended by the packaging for best results.

Are hair masks safe?

Hair masks are absolutely safe for regular use as long as you purchase them from companies that conduct rigorous consumer safety testing, like Living Proof. Depending on the type of hair mask and the specific ingredients, you may not want to overuse them. Giving your hair too much love might do more damage than good. It’s also a good idea to check out the ingredients of a hair mask before use in case you have any allergies or sensitivities.

How often should I use a hair mask based on hair type?

Your hair type and routine play an important role in how often you should use a hair mask. While some hair types benefit from more frequent treatments, others do best with a once-a-week refresh.

Use the instructions on the packaging as a starting point, but pay attention to how your hair feels — soft, hydrated, and manageable usually means you’re on the right track.

Whether your hair is sleek and straight or full of curls, here are some general recommendations for how often to use a hair mask based on hair type. For more tips on application and maximizing results, check out our guide on how to use a hair mask.

Dry hair: 2 to 3 times per week

If your hair tends to lack natural oils, using a hair mask a few times per week can help replenish moisture and restore softness. When you wash your hair (whether that’s once, twice, or three times a week), consider using a hair mask in place of your regular conditioner to give your strands extra hydration and nourishment.

Damaged hair: 2 to 3 times per week

Hair that’s been exposed to heat styling, coloring, or environmental stress can benefit from regular treatments. Using a hair mask a few times per week helps strengthen and rejuvenate brittle strands or split ends while locking in hydration and protecting hair from future damage.¹

Fine or oily hair: once a week (or every other week)

If you already have plenty of natural oils permeating your scalp or your strands are fine and feathery, keep hair mask usage to about once a week, or even less. This schedule will help you avoid weighing down your hair with too much moisture-rich hydration or throwing off the balance of your natural oils by adding unnecessary moisture. It’s the Goldilocks effect—you want just the right amount to strengthen and nourish without overpowering your natural hair structure.

Using a hair mask with other products

As you curate a cocktail of hair masks perfect for your hair type, you might pause and wonder—can you use a hair mask alongside other hair products? You’ll be glad to know the answer is yes—but, preferably, not all at the same time. You don’t want to add anything else while your mask is in use to give your strands room for maximum absorption.

Otherwise, it’s easy to layer into your haircare routine:

1. Shampoo your hair as usual and rinse until clean.
2. Then, use the mask in place of your conditioner.
3. Let the mask sit as long as instructed by the packaging.
4. If your mask is a leave-in option, like our hair repair treatment product, be sure to wash and condition as normal, then simply comb it through and go about styling your hair as usual.
5. If you’re using a rinse-out mask, rinse the mask out completely before you start styling.

Last but not least—marvel at how smooth and moisturized your hair has become.

The only hair mask you’ll ever need

Imagine your hair after a long week of styling, heat, and environmental stress—dry, frizzy, and tired. In just five minutes, our Moisture Rescue Mask feels like a reset button. It restores your hair’s moisture barrier, leaving strands softer, smoother, and more resilient, with hydration that lasts for days, not just hours.

Think of it like a rejuvenating barrier treatment for your hair, similar to how a moisturizer or serum restores and protects your skin. The mask adapts to your hair’s unique needs, locking in essential lipids like a protective shield while a castor-oil–derived polymer strengthens each strand from root to tip. With a bright, refreshing scent, this mask turns a quick weekly ritual into an act of care your hair can rely on, much like the everyday essentials you trust for your skin.

If you’re looking for the highest level of damage control, pair it with our hair strengthener, Triple Bond Complex, a leave-in hair mask treatment clinically proven to rebuild hair structure that also strengthens and provides heat protection.

Unmask your hair’s full potential with Living Proof

At Living Proof, our science-based haircare solutions mean we’re constantly pursuing the newest innovations, paving the way for the future of hair repair. Combining the knowledge of biotech scientists and haircare specialists, we’ve created products with proven performance that improve and evolve with each new discovery.

When you’re ready to find science-backed solutions for your toughest hair needs, take our hair quiz and browse our hair products online, which are specially formulated to target, treat, and protect so you can put your best hair forward with confidence.

Resources

1. International Journal Of Trichology. Hair Cosmetics: An Overview. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387693/ 
2. FASEB. Topical and nutricosmetic products for healthy hair and dermal antiaging using “dual‐acting” (2 for 1) plant‐based peptides, hormones, and cannabinoids. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8332470/
3. Scientific American. Hair Products Popular with Black Women May Contain Harmful Chemicals. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/hair-products-popular-with-black-women-may-contain-harmful-chemicals/