7 Super-Speedy Face and Hair Masks Perfect for Busy Parents

That magical Zen feeling of putting on a face or hair mask is just as good now as it was when you were a teen. Get the mood—and beauty—boost in record time with these five-minute-or-less treatments.

woman applying face mask
Photo: Ohlamour Studio/Stocksy
01 of 07

Best For Hair Damage: 2 Minutes

Pantene Miracle Rescue Intense Rescue Shots
Jeffrey Westbrook

For those with chemically treated hair or who use a hot tool on the reg, adding in a heavy-duty mask like Pantene Miracle Rescue Intense Rescue Shots can help mend strands and prevent split ends. The ampoules are individually dosed with lipids, a building block for hair that penetrates strands rather than just coating them. Smooth through freshly washed sections from root to tip, with an eye toward any areas of damage.

02 of 07

Best for Glowier Skin: 3-5 Minutes

Juice Beauty Prebiotix Instant Flash Facial
Jeffrey Westbrook

As the name hints, Juice Beauty Prebiotix Instant Flash Facial is like a fruit smoothie for your face: Aloe vera, apple, and grape help your skin hold in hydration, while glycolic and salicylic acid break down oil and dead skin cells.

03 of 07

Best for Acne: 3 Minutes

Differin Detox + Soothe 2-Step Treatment Mask
Jeffrey Westbrook

A one-two punch for pimples, Differin Detox + Soothe 2-Step Treatment Mask starts with a three-minute warming kaolin clay mask to clear excess oil and gunk from pores. After you rinse that off, leave the cooling gel on to tame redness and irritation.

04 of 07

Best for Smoother Skin: 5 Minutes

Alpyn Beauty Wild Huckleberry 8-Acid Polishing Peel Mask
Jeffrey Westbrook

Willow bark and huckleberries plucked from the mountainous conditions at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, are the hero ingredients in Alpyn Beauty Wild Huckleberry 8-Acid Polishing Peel Mask. There’s also vitamin C, a potent brightener, and alpha and beta hydroxy acids, to slough off dead cells.

05 of 07

Best for Color-Treated Hair: Seconds

Redken Extreme Bleach Recovery Lamellar Water Treatment
Jeffrey Westbrook

Redken Extreme Bleach Recovery Lamellar Water Treatment is like a bandage for dyed or highlighted strands. The fluid fills in the “cuts” created by the dye process to help make hair shinier, softer, and stronger. After shampooing, pour it over your hair, wait a few seconds, and give it a rinse.

06 of 07

Best for Curls and Coils: 1 Minute

OGX Deeply Restoring + Pracaxi Recovery Oil
Jeffrey Westbrook

Once a week, consider replacing your conditioner with OGX Deeply Restoring + Pracaxi Recovery Oil 60 Second Moisture Treatment, applying from midlength to ends. The plant-based oils and butters saturate strands and hold on to moisture to help alleviate frizz and leave hair silkier.

07 of 07

Best for Hydration: 5 Minutes

Sephora Collection Clean Face Mask
Jeffrey Westbrook

Sephora Collection Clean Face Mask has an ultrathin sheet that helps its moisturizing ingredients sink in with the speed of a toddler who has a crayon and a plan.

This article originally appeared in Parents magazine's July 2021 issue as "Welcome to Speed Masking." Want more from the magazine? Sign up for a monthly print subscription here

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