Shop the best overnight masks for your hair that promise to sort your strands while you sleep
Overnight hair masks are not that well known and to me, they’re a reasonably fresh addition to my beauty routine. Take it from one woman who has fine/stressed/greying/coloured (need I go on?) hair – once you’ve got into the swing of using one, you’ll never look back. It's as easy as, well, applying your night cream. And yes, you really can leave a hair mask on overnight.
Best overnight hair masks - top 3
From those designed to hydrate, repair damage or even to help your hair grow, there’s a plethora of hair masks all created to be left on overnight. Wondering what an overnight hair mask really is? Award-winning hairstylist Michael Van Clarke explains: “Applying overnight is an easy way to use the treatment as it gives more time for your hair to absorb fully. The power of habits comes into play and people are more likely to use regularly.
“Usual after-shampoo masks are superficial but also mean hanging around twiddling thumbs with no clothes on. It’s such a faff that people then forget to do treatments.”
Most are meant to be applied onto dry hair, and worked into the ends of hair before sleeping. It might be an idea to sleep on a towel, or a pillowcase that you don’t mind getting a little damp, and in my experience none have ever stained a pillowcase (silk or cotton). Others require slightly damp hair, and I recommend spritzing the ends with a bottle spray to dampen it.
How I chose the best overnight hair masks
- Tried and tested: I’ve been a big fan of overnight hair masks for a number of years, and have personally purchased a number and also been lucky enough to be sent them for trying. I’ve included the overnight hair masks I’ve personally tried and given you my honest opinion.
- Trusted reviews: I’ve scoured online reviews to find trusted opinions of the masks included, if I haven’t personally tried them.
- Popularity: I’ve done my research and included some of the most popular overnight hair masks, along with those cult or niche brands that are worth a moment in the spotlight.
- Price: As with everything, you can spend a lot or little – and while you can easily buy an overnight mask for hair for a few pounds, you can spend upwards of £30. You’ll find both ends of the budget spectrum in this edit.
Shop my favourite overnight hair masks
Percy & Reed Overnight Hair Mask
Percy & Reed I Need A Hero! Wonder Overnight Recovery Mask
Size: 150ml tube
Ideal for: Heat-damaged hair
Shipping: From £1.99 for standard delivery
Returns: Free within 30 days
If you’ve been a slave to heated hair appliances, this is the product for you – it’s dubbed as “beauty sleep for your hair”, with the promise to restore your hair to its former glory while you sleep.
Top review: “The impact is incredible. The frizz has significantly calmed, it's smoother and my hair is so much softer and the effect actually lasts.”
£21 at Amazon
$42 at Amazon
Boots' Overnight Hair Mask
L'Oréal Elvive Hydra Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Hydrating Cream
Size: 200ml tube
Ideal for: All hair types
Shipping: £3.95 or free when you spend £25 or more
Returns: Free within 35 days
Using the L'Oréal knowledge of skincare, the L'Oréal team have applied that know-how to haircare with an overnight hydrating mask with 8% Hyaluronic Acid designed to hydrate the hair and make it softer while you sleep.
Top review: "I love how easy this is to use! You just put the cream in, sleep, and then it takes care of the rest. My hair felt so much softer and more easy to manage after using the cream. It helps to hydrate my very dry ends too."
£12.99 at Boots
$35.58 at Amazon
LOOKFANTASTIC Overnight Hair Mask
Grow Gorgeous Balance Shine-Enhancing Overnight Mask
Size: 200ml tub
Ideal for: Dull, damaged hair
Shipping: Free delivery on orders over £25
Returns: Free within 30 days
Grow Gorgeous are a brand who are dedicated to helping hair grow healthier and stronger, with products targeting the scalp as well as the hair strands. This mask targets both, with skincare ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid to smooth and moisturise hair, Tung Wood to keep frizz under control, and Blended Green Tea Extract and Fruit Acid to nourish hair from the inside out, smoothing the cuticles to enhance your hair’s natural gloss and shine.
This is a top seller on LOOKFANTASTIC, with over 40 reviews praising it's efficiency but many noting it isn't the most pleasant when in the hair.
Top review: "Not going to lie feels awful when in but once washed leaves hair feeling so soft and glossy. Well worth it."
£25 at Lookfantastic
$30 at LOOKFANTASTIC
Amika Overnight Hair Mask
amika Dream Routine Overnight Hydration Treatment
Size: 100ml pump
Ideal for: Curly or dry hair
Shipping: Free delivery on orders over £20
Returns: Free within 28 days
Amika’s overnight treatment is dubbed as a moisture-boosting formula created to target dry, brittle hair of all textures and types.
It’s designed to seal in moisture for up to 72hours and keep your hair bouncy and full of life.
Top review: “Having popped it on overnight, I have woken up with silky soft hair after having had frazzled dry locks. Highly recommended if you want something that actually makes a difference.”
£29 at Sephora
$32 at Amazon
Living Proof Overnight Hair Mask
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Night Cap Overnight Perfector
Size: 118ml pump
Ideal for: All hair types
Shipping: From £1.99
Returns: Free within 30 days
With the promise to nourish hair as you sleep, this product uses the brand’s signature Healthy Hair Molecule to enhance colour vibrancy for up to five washes – a great overnight treatment for those who colour their hair often.
HELLO! Tried and Tested: "My love for this is so strong that I have recommended to friends. It's one of the least sticky or slimy overnight masks, and is one you can leave on in the morning.
"It actually makes your hair look great when you wake up, rather than crispy like some masks or greasy. My hair was smoother, sleeker and just looked, well, healthier, when using it.
"I did find it powered through the bottle quickly though" - Carla Challis
£18.95 (save 18%) at Amazon
$33 at Amazon
John Masters Overnight Hair Mask
John Masters Naturals Overnight Hair Mask
Size: 125ml bottle
Ideal for: Weak or brittle hair
Shipping: From £1.99
Returns: Within 30 days
Packed with nutrients and moisturising ingredients, this overnight mask claims to transform the health, strength and suppleness of your hair.
Applied before you go to bed, this treatment is designed to repair and moisturise your hair without weighing it down whilst reducing breakage.
Top review: "This is the only organic hair mask I've ever tried. This product smells incredible and I do notice a difference in hydration on the dry pieces of my hair after overnight use. The bottle is just a little bit larger than travel size, so it's a good introduction to overnight hair masks if you're interested in trying one."
$29 at Amazon
Coconut Oil Overnight Hair Mask
Sephora Collection Coconut Hair Sleeping Mask
Size: 1 sachet
Ideal for: All hair types
Shipping: Free delivery on orders over £75
Returns: Free within 60 days
We all know how amazing coconut oil is for the hair, and this overnight hair mask infuses coconut with mango and aloe vera for a deliciously scented hair mask. Ideal size for trying out overnight hair masks.
Top review: "You can put this mask on dry hair, which, perhaps means it won't get absorbed as well as if it were on damp hair, but its a huge convenience for those days when you weren't planning on washing your hair. I've seen some comments about there not being a lot of product, which is fair enough. I got it all over my head, while focusing on my ends, and I found it to be enough."
£5.99 at Sephora
Michael Van Clarke Overnight Hair Treatment
Michael Van Clarke Lifesaver Deep Sleep Overnight Treatment
Size: 100ml and 500ml available
Ideal for: All hair types
Shipping: £3.95 standard delivery or free on orders over £40
Returns: Not specified
Whatever your hair is lacking, this overnight hair mask will try to fix it. From strengthening to moisturising, this mask is a great entryway into overnight hair treatments – users have said hair gets better the more you use it.
This is also infused with lavender to help you get a better night’s sleep, too.
HELLO Tried and Tested: “I’ve been using the MVC Lifesaver treatments for years, and I credit them with seriously sorting my hair – it went from having to be straightened if I wanted it to look half decent to being able to leave it air dried without a spot of frizz.
“This is isn’t a one-time wonder; you need to use it night after night to see results, but it really does work. I apply it onto dry hair at night, and sometimes don’t even need to wash it out in the morning. It doesn’t leave hair looking greasy in the morning, fuller if anything. This incarnation of the classic MVC product smells divine, I can’t say it helped me sleep any better than normal but the scent was pleasant!” - Carla Challis
From £11 at Michael Van Clarke
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