I Can’t Afford Fancy Salon Treatments, So I Use This Hair Mask Instead

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My hair has (surprise!) never been the same since I dyed it blonde last summer. Even after a bit of corrective coloring and multiple haircuts, I’ve accepted the fact that my thick, kinky curls will never totally revert back to the pre-bleach days, and that I’ll always have to go the extra mile to make sure they’re looking and feeling their best.

I do that on a budget thanks to a very serious conditioning schedule, never (ever) shampooing, and a throwing a few hair masks into rotation every other week or so. Of the latter, my favorite is hands-down the Davines Nounou Repairing Mask ($13 for 75ml, or $34 for 250ml). It’s easily the best, most effective hair mask I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried out several.

This particular version is specifically for nourishing and repairing damaged and processed hair. The ingredients include Fianchetto tomato, olive butter, and cherry oil for a huge boost of moisture and added volume. The clear, super minimal (as in very plain, not trendy) tub that it comes in gives it the at-home-remedy look, which is what it feels like to me.

I find the best results come when I towel-dry my hair after taking a shower and then work a tablespoon or so of the mask through my hair with my fingers — paying extra attention to my brittle ends — with a wide-tooth comb. After a good 10-15 minutes, I rinse out and air-dry. I can feel a difference immediately after rinsing, but after it dries? My unruly curls feel so soft and smooth without any loss of volume, and I feel like I’ve just dropped $200 at a salon.

After a month of bi-weekly use, my hair is noticeably stronger, shinier, and way easier to brush and style in the morning. It’s become something I always need to have in my house, and considering it’s sold out on the Davines website (don’t worry, you can buy it here and here.), I have a feeling I’m not the only one.