Pigmented Conditioners vs. Masques: What’s the difference?
A subtle but meaningful difference.
In the world of temporary pigmented hair care, there are a lot of things to consider: how intense you want your color, if you want to maintain your color from wash to wash, or just let it fade. These decisions can help you determine whether a pigmented Masque is best for you versus a pigmented Conditioner. Or maybe you need both—find your way and rock it. We walk you through the basics below to help you decide which is right for you.
Keep in mind that our pigmented products aren’t intended to cover gray hair, nor will they lift or lighten your current hair color.
Transform your hair color with a pigmented Masque.
If you’re looking for an instant color transformation or to enhance your current hair color after one use, our pigmented Masque is the way to go. It has a higher concentration of pigment than our Conditioners to give you that instant color payoff. Typically, our Masques have twice as much pigment compared to our Conditioner.
When you start with a pigmented Masque, you’re packing on the pigment for results that will provide even coverage and last at least two washes. After your first use, use your Masque again when you need to heavily amp up your color. With each use you’ll not only refresh your color, but you’ll also get the benefits of your personalized hair goals.
AURA Insight: Want a super-rich result? Apply your pigmented Masque to clean, dry hair. Want a more subtle result? Apply your pigmented Masque to clean, towel-dried hair. For application tips, read our guide to pigmented products.
Maintain your hair color with a pigmented Conditioner.
Our pigmented Conditioners are made with a much lower concentration of color compared to our Masques. Think of them as a subtle color refresh companion to your pigmented Masque. They are not meant to give your hair a full color transformation, but can enhance and maintain your color from wash to wash as needed. To get that initial color transformation, we recommend adding a pigmented Masque to your Ritual.
Thinking of going with a pigmented Conditioner only? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- If your pigmented Conditioner matches your current hair color, use your Shampoo and pigmented Conditioner as you would any shampoo and conditioner.
- If your pigmented Conditioner is drastically different from your starting hair color, we’d suggest getting a pigmented Masque in the same shade. Our pigmented Masques are designed for color transformation, where our pigmented Conditioners are meant to maintain your temporary pigment over time.
- For darker hair colors, like brunette or black, a pigmented Conditioner will likely be much less noticeable so try using a pigmented Masque instead.
Fully saturating your hair with product can help give your hair the most even color results. If you’ve missed a spot or haven’t combed the product through, and your hair is a different shade, you’ll likely see splotchy or uneven results. Think of it like applying foundation to only half of your face—you’re not going to get that full coverage look unless you apply evenly all over. It’s the same with any pigmented product.
AURA Insight: Apply your pigmented Conditioner to clean, wet hair to help liven up your initial pigmented Masque results. Make sure to fully saturate your hair from roots to ends and allow the product to set before you rinse as mapped out in your personalized instructions right on your label.
A Quick Guide to Pigmented Products
I want to:
- Transform my hair color with one application: Pigmented Masque
- Let my color wash out with each wash: Pigmented Masque
- Maintain my pigment color from wash to wash: Pigmented Conditioner
Do you absolutely need to add pigment to both your Conditioner and Masque? No. However, we recommend using these two products together if you want to transform and maintain a specific hair color. If you’re not sure, reach out to a Specialist about specific pigment results based on your current hair color.
To see all of our pigments and try them on for yourself, visit our color enhancing or Neutralizing pigment pages. Here’s to endless possibilities and pigments that bring out your personality.
