Review: This Hair Mask Gave Me Salon-Smooth Hair In An Instant

Quick question: When was the last time you gave your tresses some TLC? I for one can’t recall anymore as I’ve been neglecting my hair care routine since the start of the pandemic. As a result, my hair looked frizzy, lifeless and dull — no thanks to skipping trips to the hairdresser and blow-drying it every day without protecting it from heat styling.

Fortunately, I was given the chance to try out the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask to see if it could rescue and restore radiance to my damaged tresses. (Spoiler alert: It did and it gave me salon-smooth tresses instantly from the first use with zero waiting time — I’ll explain how later.)

Left - Dry and lifeless hair before using the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask. Right - Salon-smooth tresses after using the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask once. 

Read on for my experience in trying out this nourishing hair mask for two weeks and discover if it’s worthy of a spot in your hair care routine as well. Then, learn how you can score a set of Tsubaki Premium Hair Care products worth SGD100 by participating in our Read-and-Win contest at the end of this review.

First impressions, claims (salon-smooth hair with zero waiting time!) and packaging

The Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask features bright gold packaging, making it an eye-catching addition to my bathroom vanity. The product comes in a tub, so I was able to scoop up its contents easily using my fingers. It has a soft, creamy texture and it smells heavenly too — comparable to what you’d expect from a luxury hair spa or salon.

Left - A close-up of the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask. Right - A quick texture test.

More than just a pretty hair mask, the product is infused with nourishing royal jelly and camellia oil to nourish your hair. It’s also powered by Innovative Permeation Technology to penetrate deep into the follicles and repair your hair from within, alongside Unique Balance Technology to eliminate dryness and greasiness from the outer layer of your hair. Furthermore, it contains double amino acids to repair damaged hair scales and seal them, along with hyaluronic acid to retain moisture in the tresses.

The Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask has received glowing reviews from numerous beauty lovers too. It was named the number one Cosme Winner in Japan in 2019 by Cosme, an influential beauty community website from Japan.

What’s truly impressive about this hair mask though, is how it’s designed to help users instantly achieve instant salon-worthy hair in the comfort of their own homes. There’s zero waiting time required for this product, so you’re free to rinse it off immediately after applying it — and still expect your tresses to emerge in their shiniest, happiest state. Sounds amazing, right?

That said, I definitely had my initial doubts about this claim as most nourishing masks that I’ve tried — be it for the face, body or hair — typically require at least 15 minutes to 30 minutes for their results to take effect. That’s why I couldn’t wait to witness its benefits for myself.

Applying the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask

The Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask penetrates deep into the hair to nourish and repair it.

I started by washing my hair with a regular shampoo and conditioner. A nourishing conditioner should still be part of your hair care routine as well to give it the comprehensive care it deserves. Consider trying out the Tsubaki Premium Moist & Premium Repair range, which includes a shampoo and conditioner to help repair dry, damaged or chemically dyed tresses.

Then, I scooped up a palm-sized amount of the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask and applied it thoroughly onto my hair using my fingers. Due to the product’s thick, creamy texture, I decided to use a wide-toothed comb to spread out the product more evenly throughout my hair.

Upon rinsing off the hair mask with water and blow-drying it with a hairdryer, I ran my fingers through my hair again. I was initially concerned that the hair mask would weigh down my hair due to its thick, yoghurt-like texture. Instead, I was surprised to discover that my hair felt much softer and bouncier. My hair became less tangled as well and I loved how pleasant it smelt for the entire day. 

A weekly hair mask for different occasions — from the office to date night

The Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask is now a much-needed addition to my weekend beauty routine — or any day, actually — as it’s a quick yet pampering way for me to help restore my hair’s radiance and strength. I also love how it made my shower routine feel so fun and indulgent every time. Here are a few ways where the hair mask can come in handy and make tresses look smooth and beautiful all day:

For the office

My colleagues have noticed how my hair looked much smoother and more manageable than before too, thanks to the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask. 

Returning to the workplace meant looking especially presentable for meetings — be it in the form of virtual sessions with like-minded creators or for brainstorming sessions with colleagues. With the help of the hair mask, my hair has become smoother and it’s much more manageable than before. (I've received a few compliments from my colleagues as well!)

For colour-treated hair and pool sessions

For those of you who dye your hair frequently or love to hang out in the pool, consider using the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask regularly to nourish your hair as well, as the hair tends to become weakened and damaged after it’s being subjected to harsh chemicals and extreme heat. The hair mask provides extra care and nourishment for the tresses to stay shiny, strong and healthy.

For the gym

I brought the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask with me to the gym too. It effectively eliminated the greasiness in my hair and made it much smoother and shinier. 

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using it after my gym workouts too. It did a mighty fine job in eliminating the greasiness in my hair while helping to lock in moisture. My hair still looked strong, smooth and healthy after using a hairdryer.

For date nights

Since I style my hair for date nights with a hairdryer, hair mousse and texturising hair spray, I’ve also cultivated the habit of ending my evenings with the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask to repair my damaged hair. Speaking of which, this product is designed to repair seven signs of damage! I could rest comfortably knowing that my hair was well taken care of.

Final thoughts

The Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask has changed my mane game forever. My tresses effectively went from dry, unruly and damaged to soft, glossy, flowy in a matter of two weeks. The results of using this product are instant from the first use and it’s proof that we should pamper ourselves with hair masks more regularly to restore life and shine back into them.

Furthermore, the hair mask is gentle on both our tresses and wallets too. It’s priced at SGD19.90 for 180G, hence it’s an affordable avenue for you to achieve salon-quality hair at home in an instant without any hassle. Excited to try this product for yourself? From now till 6 October, simply purchase two products from Tsubaki to receive a 25% discount via the brand's Mix&Match promotion on Watsons. With this limited-time offer, you'll be able to take home the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask for just SGD14.90. 

Read and win!

Achieve instant, salon-quality hair at home today with the Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask, which is now available at Watsons.

This story was created in partnership with Tsubaki.