Truth be told, I don’t think I like my new hair colour. Although going as brightly blonde as I was arose from a misunderstanding and me not paying attention, when I look back at pictures of myself in bright blonde mode, I like them a lot better than the toned down look I have now which just seem very average in comparison. Even taking into account that I have to look at pictures of myself more than your average person so therefore maybe fall into extra self-critique, I am hoping that once the toner wears off, a more vibrant look will emerge. All of that said, that bleach knackered my hair. Breakage has been a big issue – it looks like I’ve washed a short haired terrier in the bath when the plug comes out. Breakage occurs when there isn’t enough moisture in the hair and honestly, I thought I was keeping it hydrated. Clearly not enough. In theory, I don’t really have the patience for a 20 minute pre-shampoo mask, but needs must and I put the 98 Beauty Hydra Bond Mask to the test. It’s created by influencer Lorna Luxe who has had her own hair issues with hair loss.
I wasn’t super keen on the smell – it’s very musky and quite strong – but in its dilute form (after the wash and dry), it’s really quite nice. However, it would be something of a miracle to use a product once and see a difference in your hair breakage but that’s exactly what I saw. I tend to wash my hair either in the bath (we have a shower attachment – obvs) or over the bath so it’s very clear what is left because the hairs stick to the sides of the bath whereas they’d probably just head straight down to clog your pipes in the shower. It was completely obvious that there was far less breakage after using the mask – there were just a few stray strands – which leads me to conclude that the 98 Beauty Hydra Bond Mask did its job to perfection.
What breaky hair really needs is the right kind of moisture – ask any expert and they’ll cite castor oil as a deal breaker. It’s the cheapest of ingredients but really a hidden gem and sure enough, 98 Beauty Hydra Bond Mask lists it as 3rd on the INCI with Olive Oil as 5th. The first five ingredients on any INCI are the ones pulling their weight the most but the mask also includes Brazil nut oil, avocado oil and wheat proteins and together that is a gold standard for hair that needs moisture. It’s £35 HERE for a smallish tub but you don’t need very much at all (so don’t be tempted to over-use) – maybe two teaspoons to work through your strands if you have hair my length. I’m very much won over by the Hydra Bond that has worked better in one go than many treatments have in many.
