“A hair mask is essentially a more concentrated version of a conditioner,” explains hairstylist and trichologist Shab Caspara. From a chemical perspective, hair masks often contain higher concentrations of fatty acids (oils) than conditioners, giving them a heavier texture. The weightiness or buttery consistency is also why many popular hair masks, including Blake Brown Beauty’s, are packaged in a tub that requires finger-scooping. This isn’t the case for all hair masks — for example, I love the Roz Foundation Mask, a brand-new, immediately-trendy formula that dropped the same week as Lively’s line, which comes in a sustainable aluminum tube, mirroring the packaging of popular skincare moisturizers like Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask and Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer.
