Looking for the best French hair masks to get your hair looking like a parisienne’s?
Hair has become a way to express ourselves and as a result, we put it through the paces. We color, perm, bleach, dye, style, brush, and expose it to chemicals and UV rays in the environment. All of these cause dryness and damage, whether you are careful with your hair or not. Even virgin hair is prone to damage.
An example of hair damage is bleaching or lightning. Bleaching breaks the bonds in the hair, roughs up the cuticle so that it’s no longer smooth, and sucks out all of the moisture. This leaves the hair dry and brittle. Daily styling, brushing, and blow-drying can cause similar damage, to a lesser degree.
This is where French hair masks come in.
If you’re not using hair masks in your beauty routine but want to try, then this guide to the best French hair masks will help you out. After all, hair masks are an essential step in the French haircare philosophy.
What to Know About Hair Masks from France
The first thing to know is that French hair masks are not the same as conditioner. They are meant to strengthen hair and repair damage. That being said, they do more than moisturize. Hair masks improve your hair’s overall health and integrity.
Hair masks often contain proteins that penetrate into the cuticle of the hair to repair damage. They can also clarify or break down product build-up that occurs with the use of gels, hair sprays and oils. There are also oils, emollients, and humectants in most French hair masks that moisturize and lock in moisture. Your hair will not only be softer after using a hair mask, but it will also be stronger and healthier.
The following are the best French hair masks for normal and dry hair. There are also a couple of budget-friendly versions. You are sure to find one that meets your hair’s unique needs.
Normal Hair Masks
You don’t have to have damaged or dry hair to need a mask. Masks can clarify, boost volume, enhance shine, and improve manageability for all hair types. Normal hair masks are beneficial to fine or lightly textured (wavy and curly) hair types. These masks will improve the health of your hair and won’t weigh it down.
The following are the best French hair masks for people with normal hair. Although they work for normal hair, many of them repair damage and are worth considering for all hair types.
Christophe Robin Cleansing Mask with Lemon
If you have textured or oily hair, this Christophe Robin mask is perfect. Styling products and conditioners leave a build-up on your hair and scalp, which causes your curls to become limp and not hold their shape.
This shampoo mask gently clarifies your hair while nourishing, moisturizing, and sealing the cuticle so that your hair is smoother and the ingredients are locked in. It is safe for all hair types and perfect for damaged hair.
The mask has key ingredients like lemon peel extracts which nourish, exfoliate, and close up the hair cuticle resulting in ultra-shiny hair with vibrant color. It also contains the plant St. John’s wort and chamomile extracts to brighten hair naturally. It has slowly gained cult status and is poised to become one of the best French beauty products to own!
Leonor Greyl Masque Quintessence
The Leonor Greyl Masque Quintessence is a good fit for you if you prefer natural ingredients. It repairs damaged hair and deep conditions with oils that stay in the hair much longer. It is color-friendly and suitable for the most fragile hair.
Ingredients such as amaranth extracts, mongongo oil, cupuacu oil, and orchid cactus repair, deep condition, and strengthen your hair making it softer, smoother, and more manageable.
Klorane 3-in-1 Hair Mask with Cupuacu Butter
This Klorane cupuacu butter mask is another good one for those with textured or damaged hair. Keratin proteins repair and fill in the cuticle of hair natural ingredients infuse and lock in moisture without weighing your hair down. This formula is 96% natural, vegan, and biodegradable, making it an environmentally friendly option. This mask will improve your curls and leave them nice and bouncy.
Phytovolume Volumizing Jelly Mask
This jelly mask by Phyto has plant-based ingredients and is vegan and cruelty-free. Its ingredients won’t weigh your hair down and detangle, making it perfect for fine and curly hair types. It strengthens and repairs your hair while improving elasticity. This means that you will experience less breakage and damage while styling your hair. It contains natural plant-based ingredients such as yarrow, tormentil, and bamboo extracts.
French Dry Hair Masks
If you have dry hair, a normal hair mask might not work well for you. Dry hair can include all damaged hair and textured hair types. If your hair never seems to have enough moisture or is thick and needs a little extra conditioning, these may be the best hair masks for you.
These French hair masks are typically heavier and have a thick, rich formula. They often include proteins to repair damage, oils to penetrate the hair follicle and deep condition, as well as beneficial nutrients to improve the condition and manageability of your hair.
Phyto Phytojoba Moisturizing Mask
The plant-based Phyto Phytooba Moisturizing Mask is great for dry hair that needs repair. It includes wheat micro-proteins to repair your hair and restore strength while jojoba oil, sweet orange oil, and angelica root extract penetrate the hair strand and repair the hydrolipid film. This highly-rated mask doesn’t weigh down the hair and makes it stronger, softer, more supple, and easier to style.
Christophe Robin Regenerating Hair Mask with Prickly Pear Seed Oil
Hair masks are made to nurture the hair. This Christophe Robin regenerating mask is great for dry, thick, and textured hair. It includes prickly pear seed oil, which is richer in antioxidants than argan oil. It also contains ceramides that penetrate and repair the hair follicle. It will brighten the hair and make it less dull with inula extracts with long-lasting results.
Kérastase Nutritive Mask for Dry Thick Hair
The Kérastase nutritive mask is another great mask for damaged or textured hair, including tight coils. Glucose and wheat proteins repair damage and restore the curl and texture while nourishing ingredients, such irisome complex and lipids, deep-condition. Lipids will also fill in gaps in the hair follicle and make the hair appear shinier and smoother.
Fekkai Super Strength Treatment Masque
The Super Strength treatment mask by Provence native Frédéric Fekkai is a vegan and cruelty-free formula that repairs hair and deep conditions. It uses a vegan alternative to keratin to repairs the hair and keeps it vegan-friendly and safe to use. Its deep-penetrating oils and extracts replenish moisture and protect the hair from becoming brittle, making it stronger and healthier from the inside out.
Rene Furterer Karité Nutri Intense Nourishing Mask
The Intense Nourishing Mask by luxury French hair brand Rene Furterer was formulated for dry and damaged hair, making it an excellent choice for hair that has been processed, abused, or stressed. It uses wheat micro-proteins to repair the hair and shea butter to deep condition. Shea oil coats the hair, sealing in the proteins and moisture while a cimentrio complex protects the hair and prevents further damage.
Affordable French Hair Masks
If you need a good hair mask and are on a budget, the good news is that there are a few good wallet-friendly, and effective options. The following are the best French hair masks for budget-minded consumers.
Garnier Fructis Nourishing Treat 1 Minute Hair Mask
If you need deep conditioning, this affordable Garnier mask uses numerous oils that penetrate deep into the hair shaft to replenish moisture. Coconut extract is used to nourish the hair while coconut oil penetrates and seals in the moisture, protecting the hair strand and keeping the conditioning ingredients where they belong. It is a 98% naturally derived formula and is a great option for those trying to avoid unnatural chemicals. It has a 4.6 star rating (out of 5) and over 11,000 people took the time to review it, so you can bet it has some serious fans!
L’Oreal Professional Serie Expert Nutrifier Glycerol Melting Masque
You can always count on L’Oreal for high-quality, yet affordable haircare products. This Professional series glycerol melting mask is no exception. Hydrolyzed wheat protein repairs damage while soybean oil and glycerol penetrate and protect the hair. This hair mask is an affordable yet professional option that offers replenishing and moisturizing ingredients that give you shinier, healthier hair.
French Color-Treated Hair Masks
If you have color-treated hair, you’ll likely need a hair mask that works to preserve its color without fading or turning brassy.
PHYTO Phytocolor Color Protecting Mask
The PHYTO Phytocolor Color Protecting Mask is fantastic for maintaining dyed hair color. Whether you have highlighted hair or dyed hair, this mask contains the necessary color-protecting ingredients to sustain a vibrant color.
How often do French women do hair masks?
Once you found your dream hair mask, you should use it about once a week, which is how often French girls do hair masks. They typically do them on a Sunday which is an unofficial “lazy” self-care day in France, since almost everything is closed! So, if you want to live like the French, Sunday is a great day to devote to your French wellness routine!
I hope you enjoyed this post on French girl hair masks. Let us know any other French haircare and beauty products you’d like to read about in the comments below!
