20 Hair Masks for Curly Hair to Bring Your Locks Back to Life

Best Overall

With over 20,000 5-star reviews, it's no wonder this hair mask is a favorite amongst curly gals. Why? It's a 3-in-1 mask that you can apply for only one minute (we're not kidding), use as a regular conditioner or leave it on for daily moisture. Plus, the vegan formula (and the lasting scent of papaya it leaves behind) is a great match for dry, damaged or color-treated curls.

Best for Damaged Hair

You know your curls are going to get extra care especially if 'protector' is in the name. This $28 pick is just what damaged locks need. Apply the mask once (or twice) a week to bring your curls back to life.

Best for Dry Hair

Your hair feeling a bit parched these days? Look no further than this hair masque to boost moisture in your dry strands. The key ingredient—shea butter—repairs and restores curls, so you can forget all about dryness for days. And with a price tag of $6, you can't go wrong.

Best for Type 3 Hair

Calling all type 3 curls. With ingredients like coconut oil, neem oil and silk protein, expect your locks to come out soft and smooth. This deep treatment is ready to boost shine while reducing any frizz for 3A to 3C curls.

Best for Thin Hair

This treatment is no joke when it comes to strengthening thin or dull strands. The formula (like mango butter and blue green algae) works to repair, restore and replenish curls in about 10-20 minutes.

Best for Type 4 Hair

While all hair types can try this deep conditioner, type 4 curls can benefit the most for its rich ingredients. The babassu oil (among other fatty acids and natural oils) improves curls and coils. Whether you have dry or damaged hair, let this $14 pick be the intense treatment you turn to.

Best for Frizzy Hair

Every curly gal knows that frizz is unavoidable. However, if there's a product that can minimize it, then you have yourself a winner. Enter this deep conditioner that will hydrate, define and soften curls. Use it twice a week and it'll manage your locks in no time.

Best for Definition

If you're looking for defined and voluminous curls, this $13 find can get the job done. Its moisturizing blend (aka coconut milk, coconut oil, mango butter and murumuru butter) can soften, smooth and protect locks, so you can say goodbye to dry, frizzy styles.

Best Budget

Why pay for overpriced treatments when you get all the same benefits times ten for half the price? This butter masque is only $9 and yet it's so much more. The matcha green tea and wild apple blossom blend conditions hair and leaves clean, healthy curls behind. Oh, and did we mention in under 2-3 minutes? Sounds like a win-win.

Best Vegan Formula

When rosehip oil, vitamin B and algae is involved, expect your locks to be taken care of. The vegan formula improves breakage, restores shine and boost moisture to your curls.

Best All-Natural Formula

Want an all-natural product? We've got you covered. This deep conditioner includes moisturizing ingredients (like jojoba oil, coconut oil and tea tree oil, to name a few) to strengthen and nourish brittle strands. Plus, with weekly use, it can protect and prevent any future breakage.

Best Scent

Yes, it checks off all the boxes when it comes to leaving your strands hydrated, detangled and soft. But can we talk about the scent? Thanks to its fruity blend (aka the organic blueberry extract, chamomile extract and aloe leaf juice), your hair will look good and smell good too.

Best for Brittle Hair

Whether you're dealing with split ends, very dry strands and frizzy flyaways, this hair masque is ready to transform your curls. The 5-in-1 treatment repairs and restores your hair—thanks to its core ingredients (virgin coconut, fig and shea butter). Plus, with a little help from their tangle tamer (which comes with the masque), your hair will look spankin new.

Best Deep Treatment

Get ready for your hair to receive the salon treatment. Seriously, it's called an intensive conditioner for a reason. The coconut, shea butter and vitamin E blend penetrates the scalp and roots to moisturize and strengthen your curls. Just leave it on for 30 minutes (and under a hooded dryer) and let it go to work.

Best for Type 2 Hair

If your curls are more on the loose (almost wavy) side, here's a hair mask to keep your curls defined. The shea butter, coconut oil and macadamia oil mix locks moisturizes and defines after a wash. The 2-in-1 can act as both a deep conditioner and a leave-in when you need it.

Best for Dull Hair

Are you locks lacking luster and volume? The main ingredient—argan oil—ensures for maximum shine. Add this as a weekly treatment, leave on for five minutes and you'll see a difference in your curls.

Best for Low Porosity Hair

People with low porosity hair have to constantly deal with moisture staying put. Thankfully, this deep conditioner is making it easier to keeps curls nourished—no matter your hair type or texture. The formula (aka honey, babassu oil and sage) improves dryness, protects from irritation and revitalize weak strands. Plus, the scent is amazing. 

Best Drugstore

No more breaking the bank for a good conditioner. For $6, you can get a formula that restores, rebuilds and improves your locks, especially when olive oil is its core ingredient.

Best for Color-Treated Hair

Let your color shine through with a hydrating and protective mask. This $38 find is great for fine to medium hair (though they do have one for thick hair as well) featuring moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and keratin.

Best for Detoxifying

The morroccan clay and shea butter combo removes buildup for clean, healthy locks. The creamy formula does a deep cleanse while strengthening weak strands.