I love a face mask [1]. No, I don't mean a protective mask (though I've got quite the collection there [2], too). I mean the face mask that would come to anyone's mind if those two words were spoken before March. These skin-care treats — along with CBD baths [3] — have been my primary form of beauty self-care [4] while staying at home, but there's a new player in town: A deep-conditioning hair mask I've recently tried and now wholeheartedly love.
You see, with a continued closure of blow-dry bars, I've been trying pretty much anything I can get my hands on [5] to naturally style my hair at home. My number one complaint when air-drying is that my curls turn very frizzy at the ends [6] if I don't put product in, but many gels, creams, and even conditioners weigh them down so they're limp and lifeless instead. As the icing on my sad cake, I also have a mild relaxer [7] along with single-process colour [8], so to say my hair is "dry" is as much of an understatement as calling 2020 "mildly disappointing" would be.
However, when I heard about Bread Beauty Supply [9], a Black-owned brand [10] newly stocked at Sephora, I was intrigued by the line and what it meant for people like me with 3a-4c hair types [11]. It turns out, not only did I love the aforementioned deep-conditioning mask for not making my waves look as lackluster as my mood, but I actually applied its hair oil three times in one day. (Yup, it's that good.) Learn why — and see my reviews of all the Bread products I tested — ahead.
Bread Beauty Supply Hair Wash Gentle Milky Hair Cleanser
The first thing I noticed when applying the Bread Beauty Supply Hair Wash Gentle Milky Hair Cleanser [12] ($20) was its lather . . . and it made me do a double-take of the label. Typically, the sulphate-free shampoos I've used don't offer much in the way of foam — a small price to pay to not have the stripping that often accompanies bubbles — but this cleanser is in fact sulphate-free as well. In addition to a definite clean feeling, my hair felt more moisturised right after rinsing it out (thanks to argan oil and aloe vera juice inside).
Oh, and speaking of clean [13]: This lightweight shampoo (and the rest of the Bread products) are also vegan and cruelty-free.
Bread Beauty Supply Hair Mask Creamy Deep Conditioner
I'm already calling it: This Bread Beauty Supply Hair Mask Creamy Deep Conditioner [14] ($28) is the styling product I'm most thankful for in 2020. It's not only very velvety to touch but, once I applied the mask, my curls drank it right up. I separated my hair into sections while applying, made four little bantu knots [15], and then hopped out of the shower so it could continue to work its magic for 10 minutes.
While I waited, moisturising ingredients like kakadu plum and starflower oil were working to both strengthen my follicles and boost my scalp and hair's collagen and elastin. Sure, that means I was getting a treat on the inside, but I have never been able to detangle my curly hair as easily as I could after letting this product soak in and have never such little hair on my wide-toothed comb when I finished. My hair also felt softer and more slippery, and I knew this mask had found a home in my permanent self-care rotation.
Bread Beauty Supply Hair Oil Everyday Gloss
As I mentioned before, I actually applied this Bread Beauty Supply Hair Oil Everyday Gloss [16] ($24) three times in the same day. First off, according to the packageing, I could apply it all over my hair and scalp for at least two hours as a pre-wash treatment. I put this on in the morning and worked (and worked out [17]) before showering in the afternoon.
Then, after I cleansed and conditioned, I spread this gloss and a favourite curl cream [18] all over my head while my hair was still wet and scrunched it up. Since summer brings out my frizz [19], I added more of this silicone-free oil blend on the ends of my hair after it dried fully. All the while, vitamins and fatty acids from ingredients like kakadu plum and safflower oils were fighting breakage and split ends for me.
Now these Bread Beauty Supply treats do have a sweet smell but it was most noticeable in this one, most likely because I put it on both first and last. The one negative about this product is that the oil does come out quickly and the bottle gets rather slippery, so it's important to be careful when handling it.
Lastly, and I know we're not supposed to like beauty products based on how they look, but this glass container resembles a perfume bottle, and happens to be rather pretty on my vanity.
Bread Beauty Supply Wash-Day Essentials Kit for Curly and Textured Hair
I'm such a fan that it makes sense to stock up with the Bread Beauty Supply Wash-Day Essentials Kit for Curly and Textured Hair [20] ($58), which includes all three full-sized products. There's also a bonus scrunchie, too, perfect for pineapple-ing.
Bread Beauty Supply Snac Pac Travel Size Wash-Day Essentials for Curly and Textured Hair
Or, if hair oil just isn't for you, there's always the Bread Beauty Supply Snac Pac Travel Size Wash-Day Essentials for Curly and Textured Hair [21] ($24) with the shampoo, conditioner, and scrunchie instead. Once it's clear to fly again, both of those packets are under carry-on liquid limits and come in a travel-sized tote that would also fit the full-sized hair oil bottle which is just under those TSA requirements as well.
My Hair After Using All Three Products for the Very First Time
Ta-da! Here's a photo after my hair dried and I'm fairly sure my curls have never looked better [22]. I only have the Bread gloss and a curl cream in as styling products and it's not weighed down at all. What you can't tell from this picture is how silky my hair feels — to get that kind of definition often results in a crunchy curls or curls that sadly droop into limp waves as they dry so having this kind of softness and fullness with visible ringlets is impressive.
Plus, even though I applied oil three times, my hair doesn't feel greasy. It definitely still looks glossy and I'm feeling pretty glossy, too. Now if only I had somewhere to go...