How to use a hair mask at home and get a salon effect –

Simple! Professionals follow the ritual straight, without skipping steps. Check here the steps to apply the mask and get the maximum effect – be it hydrating, nourishing or rebuilding:

1. Remove excess water: after washing and rinsing well, dry your hair with a towel. “It is important to remove excess water because it dilutes the mask, reducing the effectiveness of the product. In addition, it makes it go to the root, where, in most cases, there is no need for intense nutrition”, explains Débora Melro, hairstylist at Studio W Iguatemi, in São Paulo. Another problem: the mask can leave the roots oily. To make it easier, already leave a towel in the boxing area – it could be the face towel.

2. Hit the quantity: even the manufacturers say that it is common for consumers to exaggerate the amount, thinking that this way they will get better results. Will not! In addition to wasting the product, the hair can become heavy and lifeless. Cleo Vasconcelos, hair stylist at Werner Coiffeur, in Rio de Janeiro, teaches a trick to do at home: “Use a tablespoon as a measure — one for short hair and two for long hair.”

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3. Learn to glove, the experts’ trick: the word – which you may have heard in some beauty salon – may sound weird, but the process is not complicated. “The name gloving is a upgrade that they gave to the act of spreading the mask on the strands, with quick movements, alternating hands”, says Débora Melro. The process must be done strand by strand, after applying the mask. Cleo Vasconcelos teaches: “Separate a strand and slide your fingers through it, to the ends, always alternating hands and without interruption, until you feel the soft touch, which happens due to the alignment of the cuticles.” In addition to spreading the cream well, these maneuvers cause it to be slightly heated, helping with the absorption of nutrients. Cleo Vasconcelos recalls, however, that the procedure is performed more efficiently in the salon, as the professional can work the entire head with ease.

4. Leave the necessary time: the good news is that current masks work fast. “There is a lot of technology involved in manufacturing the product – a break of between 5 and 10 minutes is enough”, says Débora Melro. According to the expert, it is not necessary to wrap your hair in a towel or put on a hairnet while the product is working: just secure it with a hair clip. Take advantage of this time to take a more thorough bath, exfoliating your body, for example. In time: the mask dispenses with the conditioner and can be used once or twice a week.

See also: 10 things you might be doing to your hair and didn’t even know