Quick Hair Mask Comparison: Fekkai Advanced Essential Shea V. Kerastase Masquintense

A quick background on my hair type. I have very long, thick hair which can become quite dry and unmanageable when using the wrong products.

Fekkai Advanced Essential Shea Ultra Rich Mask

The Essential Shea Collection is new to Fekkai, and it's specially made for those with dry, coarse hair. I bought the Ultra Rich Mask to try, and see how it compared to my much loved Kerastase Masquintense.

£25 for a ~ 200ml Tube

According to Fekkai:

An intense conditioning treatment that leaves ultra-dry, coarse or unruly hair manageable, soft and strong against damage.

My Thoughts:

The mask itself is a pale yellow thick cream. It does not feel too greasy to the touch and is easily applied throughout the hair. Initially the product has quite a nice shea butter scent, but after a minute it turns fairly unpleasant. The smell is hard to describe, I can only say it's quite unpleasant and is quite sharp smelling (making me want to quickly wash it off).

The mask rinses out easily, and doesn't leave any residue. This mask did not work well on me. It did not leave my hair feeling smooth and moisturised. Instead my hair felt sort of dry and brittle. Once dry, my hair look is worse condition than normal, which was disappointing.

Kerastase Masquintense Cheveux Epais

I've been using this mask for about 4 months now, and am very impressed with it.

£25/200ml Tub

According to Kerastase:

High concentration conditioning treatment for very dry sensitised hair:

-glucose: provides an energy boost for nutrition of the hair fibre

-proteins: nourish the hair fibre and leave it soft

-lipids: protect the fibre from drying out and improve its natural protection

My Thoughts:

I was a bit dubious when reading about the glucose giving the hair an energy boost. Glucose is sugar and when ingested into the body it is used by cells as a primary source of energy. How hair can break down glucose into energy, I don't know. Nevertheless, I really like this mask. It's a thick white cream which is quite greasy to the touch. So special care is needed to make sure there's no residue left in the shower/bath as I've found myself slipping on it on quite a few occasions.

Despite being a touch greasy, it rinses out of the hair easily. It doesn't leave my hair greasy at all, instead my hair feels really smooth, silky and soft. I've notice the condition of my hair improving with regular use of this mask.

Conclusion:

I definitely prefer the Kerastase Masquintense. It remains my favourite hair mask, and I've now learnt to stick to products I already know and love.