The best drugstore hair masks are what we like to call tiny miracles in a tub. Whether your strands are dry, color-treated, frizz-prone, or just begging for extra softness, these affordable hair treatments are here to help rescue your strands. Packed with protein (hi, hydrolyzed keratin) and nourishing oils, they tackle breakage, smooth frizz, and leave hair feeling silky without weighing it down. From ultra-rich masks that rescue coarse or curly textures to lightweight formulas perfect for fine hair, the right pick can turn a bad hair day into a “how is my hair this soft?” moment.
Our Top Drugstore Hair Masks
Frequently Asked Questions
We tested tons of formulas ourselves and reached out to experts to get the lowdown on the best picks, all of which prove you don’t need constant salon appointments to get hair that looks and feels healthy.
Best Overall: Nexxus Humectress Intensely Hydrating Masque
Why it’s worth it: When your hair’s protein-lipid balance is thrown off, strands can turn stiff, dry, and frizzy because the cuticle can’t properly hold onto moisture. That’s where Nexxus Humectress Intensely Hydrating Masque steps in. Nourishing lipids, alongside protein-strengthening ingredients like hydrolyzed keratin, help fill in weak spots along the cuticle, and hydrolyzed wheat protein helps boost strength and elasticity while helping hair retain hydration. New York City-based hairstylist Sarai Martinez specifically calls out the keratin, noting it as a key ingredient for treating severe heat damage. And the best part? You only need to leave it on for up to five minutes to notice a difference—after one use, hair feels noticeably softer, smoother, and far easier to run your fingers through.
“Using anything from the Humectress collection always takes me back to being a teen—sneaking pumps of mom’s Nexxus shampoo and conditioner, which she always called “the good stuff.” If that was the good stuff, then this mask is the pinnacle of the line. Two-thirds of a pouch takes my long, poofy hair (that desperately needs a trim) and leaves it feeling soft and looking smooth. It also defines my overmanipulated waves. My favorite part of using it, though, is its classic, clean scent reminds me of learning about beauty from my mother.”—Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
- Key ingredients: lipids, hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Who it’s for: people with dry, stiff, damaged, fragile, frizzy, or lackluster hair
- Fragrance-free: no
- How to use: apply to clean, damp hair from mid-lengths to ends and leave on for up to five minutes before rinsing
Best for Fine Hair: Bondi Boost HG Miracle Hair Mask
Why it’s worth it: Lightweight yet seriously effective, Bondi Boost’s HG Miracle Hair Mask is a standout for fine hair that needs repair—less breakage, frizz control, and slowing thinning—without the heaviness. It’s infused with rosemary to support hair growth, peppermint oil to refresh and stimulate the scalp, and Queensland nut oil (a nod to the brand’s Australian roots) to deliver moisture and softness without a greasy finish—a big win for fine textures that can’t handle overly rich masks.
“Even though I have a lot of hair, my individual strands are fine and prone to breakage, so I love that the HG Miracle Mask strengthens my hair while keeping it hydrated, without leaving greasy patches once it dries (which happens more often than you’d think). I also love the cooling sensation when I use it on my scalp—yes, I can apply it there without any heaviness—and it leaves my hair feeling extra clean, never stripped or dry. It’s truly a win-win-win.”—Lily Wohlner, commerce writer
- Key ingredients: rosemary, peppermint oil, Queensland nut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil
- Who it’s for: fine, thinning, or breakage-prone hair
- Fragrance-free: no
- How to use: apply from mid-shaft to ends once per week and leave in for 15 minutes before rinsing
Best for Shine: Dove Intensive Repair 10-in-1 Serum Mask
Why it’s worth it: If your hair drinks up moisture but loses it easily (hey, high-porosity hair), Dove’s Best of Beauty-winning Intensive Repair 10-in-1 Serum Mask is your winner, especially at just $10 a tub. The formula is rich but effective, meaning a little goes a long way. It’s powered by amino acids to help strengthen fragile strands, glycerin to boost softness and hydration, smoothing silicones to refine the cuticle, and coconut oil for extra nourishment and shine that blew us out of the water during testing—seriously, it looked like we just left the salon. Scoop out a small amount, work it through lengths and ends, and you’ll step out of the shower with hair that feels noticeably smoother, softer, and glossier without that dreaded heavy coating.
“My bleached, gray, perimenopausal, and very thirsty hair loves nothing more than a tall drink of the Dove 10-in-1 Serum Mask. Whenever I use it in place of my regular conditioner, my hair dries smooth and feels silky.” —Jenny Bailly, executive beauty director
- Key ingredients: amino acids, glycerin, coconut oil
- Who it’s for: people with dry, damaged, fragile, or lackluster hair
- Fragrance-free: no
- How to use: apply to clean, damp hair from mid-lengths to ends and massage upwards at least once a week; let sit for at least one minute before rinsing
Best for Frizz: Hask Keratin Protein Smoothing Deep Conditioner
Why it’s worth it: If heat-styling or coloring damage has left your hair feeling fragile, Los Angeles-based hairstylist Annagjid Taylor recommends Hask’s Keratin Protein Smoothing Deep Conditioner to “reinforce the strand while keeping hair smooth and manageable.” The silky conditioner pairs keratin with jojoba seed oil to soften hair and boost shine, leaving strands glossy enough to pass for a fresh salon blowout. Each packet delivers two to three uses, making it an easy under-$3 win (and a no-brainer for tossing into your carry-on or gym bag!).
- Key ingredients: keratin, jojoba seed oil
- Who it’s for: people with damaged, frizzy hair
- Fragrance-free: no
- How to use: apply to clean, damp hair and focus on damaged areas, and leave on for up to 10 minutes
Best for Textured Hair: SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Protein Power Treatment
Why it’s worth it: Another go-to of Taylor’s, SheaMoisture’s Manuka Honey & Yogurt Treatment really shines on textured hair. “It delivers moisture while restoring elasticity, which is especially important for curls, coils, and chemically treated hair,” she says. The brand even recommends using it on wigs—apply it and let it sit overnight for a smoother, more polished-looking wig by morning. The formula combines, you guessed it, manuka honey and yogurt, along with mafura and baobab oils, to help strengthen fragile strands and reduce the look of breakage, frizz, and split ends, leaving hair soft and smooth. Just note: The texture is rich, so a little goes a long way to avoid weighing hair down.
- Key ingredients: manuka honey, yogurt, mafura oil, baobab oil
- Who it’s for: people with coils, curls, wigs, frizz, or damage
- Fragrance-free: no
- How to use: apply to clean, damp hair from roots to ends and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes (may also be used as a pre-wash intensive treatment)
Best for Blond Hair: Eva NYC Bye Bye Brass Toning Hair Mask
Why it’s worth it: Infused with violet pigments to tackle brassiness, this mask tones warm, coppery-blonde strands in just five minutes, leaving hair with a softer, sun-kissed finish. Purple shampoo, who? Bonus: It doubles as a deep conditioner, delivering serious moisture thanks to wild cherry bark. It’s the perfect at-home boost to keep your blonde looking bright, fresh, and flawless between salon visits.
- Key ingredients: violet pigments, cherry bark extract
- Who it’s for: blonde hair
- Fragrance-free: no
- How to use: apply to clean, damp hair from roots to ends and leave on for up to five minutes; use weekly or whenever your blonde starts to look brassy
Frequently Asked Questions
What ingredients should you look for in a drugstore hair mask?
Hydrating oils are the most prevalent ingredients you’ll find in your hair mask, but Martinez also says collagen is a big one to look out for, as it promotes growth and strength. “You want to look for a combo of hydrating ingredients and strengthening agents,” adds Taylor, who points to proteins like keratin or silk amino acids to support damage and humectants like honey or glycerin to draw moisture into the individual strand. “Oils and butters, such as shea butter or coconut oil, are also great for improving softness and shine.”
How do you choose the right mask for your hair type?
According to Taylor, the best mask is the one that addresses what your hair actually needs at that moment. “If your hair feels dry or frizzy, lean toward moisture,” she says. “If you’re experiencing breakage or weakness, look for a mask with protein.” She adds that it’s important to pay attention to how your hair responds. “Hair that feels stiff may be getting too much protein, while hair that feels heavy may need a lighter formula.”
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best drugstore hair masks, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
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