You might see some or all of these words buzzing around the hair mask scene. Here’s a bit of insight into what they mean.
Sulfates: Sulfates are cleansing agents that are usually found in shampoos and conditioners. They can be drying if used too much, so if you have dry hair, you might want to avoid them.
Color-safe: Color-safe isn’t a regulated term, but it usually indicates that a product is free of intensive cleansing agents that might fade your hair. I’ve had some color-safe products strip my hair color and others that didn’t pull any pigment out. If you have colored hair, I recommend doing a patch test on a small section near the back of your head before slathering a product all over it.
Alcohols: Short-chain alcohols like propanol, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol evaporate quickly, which can make your hair dry out. Fatty alcohols like stearyl alcohol can actually moisturize the hair. Not all alcohols are created equally. A product being alcohol-free doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be more moisturizing.
Silicones: Silicones coat the hair shaft to make it smoother and shinier. But if they aren’t water-soluble, they can build up over time, leading to duller and drier hair. Ultimately, whether you use silicones comes down to personal preference. I try to avoid them, but I also use a deep-cleansing shampoo once a month or so that’s full of sulfates to “reset” my hair and get rid of any lingering buildup from any of the products that I use.
Active ingredients: Most masks list their “active ingredients” (and I’ve broken key ingredients down further in the non-exhaustive lists in the tables under my recommendations). These can be things like oils, butters, plant extracts, and keratin. Certain ingredients do not promise certain results. For example, my hair loves some products with shea butter and really hates it in other products. Ingredients can give you an idea of what the mask is trying to achieve, but the best way of figuring it out is just to try it. It can also be helpful to look at reviews from other people with hair types similar to yours.