From lounging by the beach to swimming in the pool or dancing at festivals, summer activities sure can take a toll on your hair. The scorching sun may damage it with its UV rays, or the salty sea might leave it feeling crispy and coarse. Or perhaps you’ll struggle with a build-up of sweat, causing your scalp to look prematurely greasy. Whatever the hair horror, we’ve got you covered with our expertly curated list of the best hair masks – tipped to trigger a summer-long love affair and enthusiastically approved by our beauty team.
PHILIP KINGSLEY
Imagine going swimming with a force field around your head… that’s essentially what this futuristic formula is like. Apply it before summer activities (read: swimming or lounging in the sun) for protection against common culprits like chlorine, salt water and UV rays. Expect super-soft and healthy hair thanks to its ultra-hydrating properties that help prevent colour fading on colour-treated hair, even saving blondies from turning green.
Blab’Hair
Adored by our Beauty Contributor, (“I feel like I’ve been for a blowout every time!”), this mask is France’s best-kept secret and is the key to effortless, salon-like shine and bounce. Two years in the making, the natural formula focuses on hydration, working to strengthen and reduce breakage by keeping strands perfectly moisturised – even after a day spent swimming in the sea.
Pureology
Loved by the likes of London’s Insta-famous Not Another Salon, this hair mask is the best all-rounder for those who want to tackle a multitude of concerns. Got colour-treated hair? No probs, Pureology’s patented Antifade Complex can protect that. Vegan? Don’t sweat it. Spending the day in the sun? Don’t worry, this formula boasts UV protection and vitamin E to protect against environmental stressors. Trust us, this one’s a fave of all the bleached babes in the office.
k18
Dubbed “the new Olaplex”, the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask is a non-negotiable weapon in anyone’s hair care kit – ready for whenever hair damage dares to strike. One only has to search “Is K18 better than Olaplex” to find a multitude of articles comparing the two brands, with K18 often coming out on top thanks to its use of biomimetic peptides that build and strengthen bonds on a molecular level.
FABLE & MANE
A true treat for oily or irritated scalps, this formula features antiseptic, antifungal and purifying properties via a refreshing cocktail of oxygen-rich sea silt, menthol and Ayurvedic neem leaf to soothe, strengthen and reduce flakiness. Plus, it feels blissfully cool on scalps – just the ticket during the heat of summer
Lazou.
If you haven’t had the chance to book a holiday this summer, worry not! This hair mask will whisk you away to a tropical island with its intoxicating floral fragrance with hints of vanilla. Scent aside, it’s sure to shroud strands in old-school, hard-working hydrating heroes like argan and Shea nut oils, as well as pro-vitamin B5 to repair damaged hair *and* prevent breakage in one fell swoop. Created by go-to balayage babe Nicky Lazou, it’s one of the best hair masks money can buy.
Ranavat
Unlike any other hair masks we’ve seen on the market, this incredible Glossing Hair Masque from Ranavat harnesses the power of “transparent henna”, which, in layman’s terms – according to Michelle Ranavat herself – uses the good-for-hair properties from henna and leaves the parts that deposit colour. With hyaluronic acid and plant oils in tow, it comes as no surprise to see the mask’s impressive claims: it leaves your hair 93% stronger and with three times the shine.
