After several days at home without getting your much-needed hair treatment, your locks might be thirsty for some love and sweet sweet moisturizing. Armed with a treatment mask and some cling wrap, we set out to try one of the most lauded deep conditioning methods out there, the “baggy method.” We hear it’s great for those growing their hair long, but we think anyone could benefit from it. This is what we found out.
Wrapping your hair in plastic to create heat isn’t new to the hair world. In fact, most salons still use a version of this for hot oil treatments. The goal is to create the right conditions to encourage better absorption of the treatment into the hair fiber. This concentrated environment also helps prevent breakage and split ends.
The concept is simple enough to follow. Using a plastic cap or cling wrap, apply the mask and cover up the hair accordingly. For this, we used the Kérastase Discipline Maskeratine Mask, a hair-smoothing moisturizing cause for frizzy unmanageable hair. As with most of our hair trials, we did encounter a few hiccups. We will spare you the details — like the tragedy of uncooperative cling wrap — and get straight to the solutions.
Applying the mask
Apply hair mask on damp hair. Use a towel to soak up any excess water. It should feel damp and not dripping wet. This will prevent the mask from sliding off when being applied, so you’ll use up less product, giving you more mileage for every tub of hair mask.
Apply mask in sections, twist the lengths before emulsifying the applied mask on your hair by rubbing them between your hands. Doing so activates the product and distributes it more effectively. If hair becomes too dry, have a spray bottle ready to dampen the lengths and strands. Bring them together in a bun, before applying the cling wrap.
The Baggie Method Time
Start by wrapping along your hairline first before covering the other sections. For cling wrap that tends to bunch up and cling to itself, we recommend putting it in the freezer for a few minutes.
Another important reminder is to make sure the tension on the plastic film is firm (not sagging). Loose cling wrap is more likely to collect water and slip off. If this is unavoidable twist the roll of plastic wrap around to tighten it.
Once hair is on lockdown, let it sit there for the period of time recommended on the instructions for your hair mask. You could leave it on longer if you think your hair could really use a good nourishing soak. For this, one we kept it on for six hours.
The Results
The hair felt more moisturized. The strands felt thicker and once it was fully air-dried there was no frizz. Just smooth shiny hair and all from the comforts of your own home!
Is it worth doing?
Definitely. Depending on your hair mask and your hair type, nourishing your hair this way is great as a weekly hair spa. The cling wrap wasn’t bothersome either but can slip off if you’re not careful.
Over-all it may not rival in-salon treatments, but it does provide a healthy environment for your locks while in-between visits - especially now that it will take a couple more weeks (hopefully not longer) before we get back to our old routines
Did you find this article helpful? Let us know if you have any questions. We’d love to hear more from you.
