The mane problem of every man most likely starts at the root where there is a lack of moisture but that’s nothing the silicone-free hair mask called Oribe Hair Alchemy Strengthening Masque can’t fix. 

No small amount of cosmetic eccentricities in a skincare routine would have a man (or us) bat his eye. However, in the circumstance of a haircare routine, two courses of action typically pan out when his hair starts thinning out. The first — and perhaps the most convenient — would be for him to buzz it all off and enjoy the compliments.

The second would be to shell out some serious dollars for clinical treatments where more often than not, the root of the problem lies in genetics or a lackadaisical approach to his haircare routine.

One of the best silicone-free hair masks is the Drunk Elephant Silkamino Mega-Moisturizing Masker which reduces the crunch of your hair. 

As far as East Asian hair goes, we have twice the diameter and a much thicker cuticle than Caucasian hair, which allows our follicles to react faster to hair loss treatments as it grows equally and quickly. However, where we lose out during the mane event of hair loss is that our hair has higher porosity levels (think of it as hair with large pores) that absorb and retain moisture as much as it possibly can.

A quick test to determine one’s hair porosity level is to pluck out several strands and put them in a bowl of water — if it floats, it means low porosity; if it sinks, the level is high.

Instead of silicones, the Gallinée Hair Care Mask is formulated free of it and replaces the smoothing agent with mafura oil that is ultra conditioning. 

With that being said about porosity comes another problem, high-porosity hair is especially prone to losing moisture throughout the day. When the scalp is unable to produce moisture due to the use of shampoos with sulphates (a commonality among men here), it goes looking for it in the air — then leading to frizz.

Overwashing, over-styling and exposure to pollutants simply from walking down a street can also lead to dry hair, which causes even more dehydration and results in hair thinning or falling out in larger quantities than usual.

The Body Shop’s Shea Intense Repair Hair Mask uses the classic buttery ingredient for maximum moisture. If your hair feels super dry, leave it on and wear a shower cap to let the heat allow for better penetration.

In tackling this issue, these hair masks function differently from their predecessors because they do not contain silicone — a smoothing but temporary ingredient that brings about another slew of problems. The effects of silicone-based hair masks are immediate post-wash because they form a “film” around the hair follicle.

However, they can also potentially lead to build-up on the scalp as it traps substances like oil, dirt and dead skin cells which in turn causes itching, flaking or appearing more oily as the “film” dehydrates the scalp — which paradoxically causes the scalp to produce more oil.

The texture of L’Occitane’s Intensive Repair Mask should be a clear indication of how moisturising it is. As a bonus, it comes wonderfully scented as essential oils have been used in its formula. 

The effects of these hair masks can be said to be similar to both a soothing creme bath — with ingredients like vegan silk protein and flower or fruit oils, which have close compositions to the nutrients our hair produces — and a state-of-the-art clinical treatment with a focus on buzzier ingredients like tetrapeptides that “stimulates” hair growth, biotin that strengthens the follicles and probiotics that create the most hospitable environment for the scalp to remain healthy.

Like we mentioned above, the Virtue Labs Flourish Mask for Thinning Hair comes formulated with tetra peptides to also stimulate hair growth. 

While they might not work on issues already exacerbated to the point of no return, they are moisturising enough to thicken, densify or even lock in colour but lightweight enough to use as daily treatments. Just remember to apply from the scalp to the hair ends, and leave it on for at least five minutes.

Photography Jaya Khidir
Styling Manfred Lu

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