Here’s how and why you should be multi-masking your hair
byAva Welsing-KitcherMulti-masking makes so much sense. Once it became an official term, we wondered how on earth we hadn’t thought of it sooner - while a nifty handful of us had already been doing it without realising it was a thing. Mapping the zones of your faces and treating them according-ly, regulating T-zones and hydrating parched cheeks in the quest for total harmony, and of course snapping a selfie of all that cute patchwork action.But what about our {hair}? The multi-masking method hasn’t quite made its way over yet, despite having such dramatically different ecosystems. From the roots to the ends, it’s a continuous fluctuation between oily, dry, damaged, strong, young and old. Most {masks} are tailored to focus on the lengths and ends, with specialised formulas for the scalp targeting every concern. While {scalp-care} is still a relatively new concept, we’ve already gotten into the habit of designating time for our roots - and only the roots. But ever since I started combining my hair treatments together, plus masking before shampoo to protect my dry ends, I’ve had the most targeted - and most time-saving - results. Firstly, let’s take a look at the scalp; specifically, my scalp. It’s pretty normal and rarely gives me oiliness, dryness, or that dreaded itch, so my mission is to keep everything functioning at its best. Every third or fourth time I do my weekly hair mask, I add an extra deep cleansing element to the scalp - and Sunday Riley’s {Clean Rinse Clarifying Scalp Serum} is the perfect tool. This (quite literally) golden liquid is rich in detoxifying rose clay and witch hazel, plus glycolic and salicylic acids to dissolve product build-up and sebum. If you’re sitting there with your dry scalp thinking “not for me”, hold up - zinc PCA is there to regulate both oily and parched skin, plus niacinamide and vitamin B complex to coax healthy growth. I leave it on for about thirty minutes pre-shampoo, and it’s safe to use multiple times a week if your scalp needs more frequent TLC. Those with excessively oily and flaky scalps might need something a bit more heavyweight. Briogeo’s {Scalp Revival Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo} does what it says on the tin: revitalising and nourishing clogged up skin with charcoal and coconut oil, with anti-inflammatory peppermint and tea tree oils to combat every itch and flake. The gently gritty formula foams up for a properly satisfying cleanse - I love leaving the lather on for a couple of minutes before rinsing it and my hair mask off. And if thinning hair is your concern (especially thanks to lockdown stress), look no further than Aveda’s {Invati Advanced Intensive Hair and Scalp Masque}. A shortcut to multi-masking (we’ll let this one slide as it’s just so great), its plant-based molecules fortify weak hair to slow down hair fall, while polymers boost each hair strand for a fuller, plumper look. Use with Aveda’s looped-bristle {Pramasana Scalp Brush} on dry or mask-soaked hair for maximum stimulation. Onto the lengths. This is where everything branches off depending on your hair concerns; use your favourite treatments depending on what’s needed. My bleached curly hair needs a lot of love, and a strict rotation of restructuring, hydration, and colour-correction. {OLAPLEX} is my Holy Grail for injecting bounce and strength back into my spirals; the No 0 acts as a primer to No 3, the mask. As a pre-shampoo treatment, it works perfectly in my routine, as does Bread Beauty Supply’s starflower oil-rich {Creamy Deep Conditioner}, which is sumptuous enough to leave behind a nourishing trace post-shampoo. For cooling down brassiness, I skip toner and rely on Davines’ {Alchemic Conditioner} - the inky indigo butter adds an ashy softness while caressing my curls. With a mask lineup like mine, multitasking is a must. DISCOVER MORE HAIR CARE >>
