Mayonnaise vs. Modern Hair Masks: Battle of the Deep Conditioners
Every winter, we have so many clients who come to us seeking solutions for brittle, frizzy hair and dry scalps. It took me down a little rabbithole thinking about old-school homemade formulas. Today, we have easy access to a variety of argan oil-infused, keratin-packed, deep conditioners, but what did people do before?
I did a little digging (and reminiscing) and it seems many raided their fridges in the name of hair care. And at the top of the DIY hair treatment list? Good ol’ mayonnaise. Yes, the same condiment you slather on a sandwich was once the go-to for deep conditioning. But with today’s hair masks and scalp serums, do we really need to dunk our heads in eggy, oily goop anymore? Or does mayo still hold its own?
I’m going to settle this battle once and for all.
Round 1: What’s Actually in These Deep Conditioners?
Team Mayo
If you’ve ever heard someone swear by the mayo treatment, it’s because it’s packed with:
Egg yolks – full of protein to help strengthen hair.
Oils (usually soybean or canola) – helps with moisture, at least in theory.
Vinegar or lemon juice – adds shine and allegedly helps balance scalp pH.
But let’s be real—it was never designed for hair. It was designed to make sandwiches taste better.
Team Modern Hair Mask
Today’s deep conditioners come loaded with:
Natural oils – think coconut, argan, and macadamia for real hydration.
Hyaluronic acid and glycerin – yep, the same stuff in fancy face creams, now for your hair.
Proteins like keratin and silk amino acids – strengthens hair without making it feel like you dunked it in salad dressing.
Hair science has come a long way since your mom was whipping up those DIY hair masks, and these modern ingredients are formulated specifically for hair health.
Winner: Modern Hair Masks
Round 2: The App Process
Mayonnaise: The Messy Reality
Slathering your head in mayo sounds simple, but here’s what really happens: Your hair smells like a deli counter. It’s greasy. Like, really greasy. It takes forever to rinse out, leaving you questioning all your life choices.
Modern Hair Masks: The Luxury Treatment
Smells fresh and clean, and not like a meal. Plus they all come in an easy-to-use jar or tube and rinse out effortlessly. They leave your hair feeling silky, not like it needs another three washes!
Winner: Modern Hair Masks
Round 3: The Results
What Mayo Can Do. It might add temporary shine AND it can make hair feel softer—but mostly because of the oils, not the eggs. It’s better than nothing if you’re in a pinch.
What Modern Hair Masks Will Do. Deeply nourish and repair damaged strands, provide long-lasting moisture without leaving a greasy residue. It will also strengthen hair without leaving behind a peculiar smell.
Winner: Modern Hair Masks (Because effective and pleasant is a winning combo.)
Should You Ever Use Mayo on Your Hair?
Look, at deZEN, we respect the old-school ways. If you’re trapped in a cabin with no beauty products but a fully stocked fridge, by all means, grab the mayo. But in the modern world, when high-quality, deep conditioners exist and we have them aplenty, there’s no need to marinate your scalp in condiments.
So, RIP to the mayo hair mask—it had a good run, but it’s time to embrace the magic of hair masks that actually work.
Now go forth and deep condition. Here are a few products I recommend, and come see us at deZEN for a professional, deep conditioning treatment, starting at $40.
This is a restorative at-home treatment MASQUE that provides deep conditioning, strength and essential repair to fine and damaged hair. ANGEL.MASQUE leaves hair feeling healthier, shinier and thicker, and contains essential ingredients to help protect against future damage. The richly strengthening MASQUE is ideal for fine, fragile, broken and colour-damaged hair. It also helps prevent breakage, and aids in the repair of split, damaged ends.
KEVIN.MURPHY HYDRATE-ME.MASQUE
Give your dry, parched hair an intense burst of hydration with HYDRATE-ME.MASQUE. The repairing and smoothing treatment MASQUE delivers hydration and moisture to dry hair, or hair that’s been exposed to harsh, dry climates. HYDRATE-ME.MASQUE’s unique formulation features vitamin-charged, micro-capsules, that explode upon contact to deliver hydration and moisture, leaving the hair deeply conditioned from root to tip.
Repair, renew and restore dry, damaged, frizzy over-processed hair with RE.STORE, the third step in our 4-part system for intense repair. This potent, cleansing and repairing treatment is bursting with the goodness of powerful superfood proteins and fruit enzymes that work to naturally bind moisture to help reconstruct damaged hair. With the help of amino acids, the building blocks of repair, RE.STORE helps to rebuild and restore hair’s elasticity strength and moisture levels.
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