I have been on the lookout for a good decently priced hair mask. I have coloured hair which I get done every 3-4 months (it lasts that long -  have Goldwell’s Elumen in my hair!) and take very good care of it; washing it only once a week but conditioning it daily.  I also use Moroccan Oil on it daily. The day I wash my hair, I also do a treatment mask. I have tried the following with interesting results using 2 tsp of each as I have long dry fine hair: (all prices quoted in Canadian $)

*Make sure to comb through the mask through your hair, no need to put much on, 1 tsp for shorter hair and 2 tsp for longer hair will do the trick if you distribute it properly.

Pantene 5 Minute Strengthening Hair Mask – 7.6oz ($5)

I put off using this for a few weeks because I was afraid it was going to make my hair feel heavy. I didn’t recognize the ingredients so I admit, I was skeptical. So this week I took the plunge and hoped for the best. For one, it smells a lot like their shampoos, so it’s quite pleasant.  After I blow-dried my hair, I couldn’t believe how SOFT, light and bouncy my hair was and it stayed like that all day and night.  I had read good reviews for this but after using luxury hair masks I didn’t think this one was going to blow me away. Well, it did. This is definitely my frugal pick, hands down. AMAZING.

Garnier Fructis Colour Resist Deep Nourishing Hair Mask: ($5 – 6.8 oz)

I used to use this one ALL the time and to be honest, I do really like it. It comes in a tube and is nice and thick, a little goes a long way. It does leave my hair soft. Just leave it on 3-5 minutes then rinse properly or else you can have some issues with a build-up feeling. I ended up trying other products as I was looking for something organic or more natural, but if you’re in a bind financially, this is very decent for the price!

GOT2B Hottie Deep Rescue Conditioner (by Schwartzkopf) – ($8 – 8.5 oz)

I used this one for several months. I liked it but didn’t love it. I kept thinking the smell was like that “new plastic doll” stench. It feels very chemical and if not washed out properly can leave a film on your hair. Despite this, I don’t hate it. I did get this for free so I felt compelled to use it till it was gone. I won’t ever purchase it though, but if someone gave it to me, I might use it again. I guess it felt more like it did what a conditioner does as opposed to a hair treatment.

Yves Rocher Moroccan Hair/Face Mask – ($22 – 3.4 oz)

Sometimes we see the price of something and think to ourselves “wow, this must be good stuff!”. At about $6.50 an ounce, you’d think this stuff was miraculous wouldn’t you? I ended up getting this combo hair/face mask. I love the idea of a product that does two things instead of just the one so I was very excited. I got this on sale (2 for 1) and was so psyched to try it out. To my dismay, my hair felt coarse and left my ends crunchy and brittle after a 5 minute treatment  (I do need a trim soon but my other treatments did not do this). Using it for the face was ok but did not notice anything spectacular. It’s also a pretty small tube, the smell is ok but I was expecting a much thicker mask. It was a little runnier than I wanted it to be. Don’t waste your money.

Kevin Murphy Born Again Conditioning Treatment:  ($35 – 8.4 oz)

After the Yves Rocher Hair Mask debacle I had to save my hair. I had a small travel size of this Kevin Murphy Hair treatment which I used on my hair the next day. It repaired the crunchy brittle ends! Hurray! I admit, I love a very thick mask. This pours out more like shampoo but it has a pleasant light scent to it and your hair really soaks this up if it needs nourishment. I love that they use essential oils and that it’s organic though. If it were a bit thicker, I’d probably buy it. I just use 2 tsp or so and I have long hair so a little goes a long way. Make sure to comb it through your hair after applying it. At just over $4 an ounce, this stuff is great.

Moroccan Oil Hydrating Mask – 8.5oz  ($40 8.4 oz)

I use the Moroccan Oil for my hair on a daily basis and I must say that it has done wonders for my hair. I thought this stuff was just hype and was surprised as to how well it works and protects my hair. So I decided to take the plunge and try their Hydrating Hair Mask at a whopping $40! Ouch. I was very scared I was going to love this. Well, guess what? I did. The smell is so yummy. And a little goes a long way, like the Kevin Murphy stuff. It’s THICK and creamy too. And  I do recognize most of the ingredients in there, there aren’t too many. The only thing is that it’s a bulky tub so not as good for traveling as a few other products out there. After use, my hair felt really soft. What I noticed is that it made my hair feel soft and silky all week, not just the day I used it. It didn’t give me that airy bounce that the Pantene gave me but it worked wonders long term. This is my favourite luxury pick.

Favorite Frugal Pick:
PANTENE STRENGTHENING 5 MINUTE HAIR MASK

Favorite Luxury Pick:
Moroccan Oil Hydrating Hair Mask

Please feel free to share you hair mask picks!