The €8 vegan hair mask that completely transformed my dry post-winter hair

Thanks to the lovely seasonal combination of heated air inside and freezing weather outside, winter always take a toll on my hair.

This year, that situation was made worse, of course, by the fact that hairdressers are all closed, meaning my poor locks haven't been trimmed since, well, I cannot even flipping remember at this stage. The result? Dull, mattes, tangly hair that was positively screaming out for some TLC. I set about searching for a deep-conditioning hair mask to save my winter-dry hair – and was prepared to have to fork out a bit. Having written about beauty for a decade, I have learned only too well that more often than not, what you pay for is what you get. However, before I even made it to the shops, a friend whose hair is nothing short of gorgeous, recommended I pick up this really budget-friendly mask she was loving – and promised me I would be impressed. Off I trotted to my local Boots to go hunt for the Garnier Fructis Banana Hair Food mask – and was seriously impressed that not only was this mask vegan (yay!), it also contained a whopping 98 percent natural ingredients – and no silicone. Even better? The mask was packed with rich fruit oils and extracts to nourish, hydrate and brighten parched strands. Sounded like just what I needed. I also loved how the mask can be used in three different ways, as a conditioner, rinse-out hair mask or leave-in conditioner. Being it was the weekend, I opted to try it out as a rinse-out hair mask, and once I had washed my hair that evening, applied the mask generously to my hair (it smells amazing!), wrapped a damp, warm towel turban-style around my head, and let it do its work for a good 15-20 minutes. And after rinsing it out, let me tell you this: This mask is so good, they could charge double for it, and I would still pay! My hair felt softer, more nourished and, unlike most masks I have used, this one didn't weigh my hair down and make it look dull and lank. I have since used it twice (I reckon, if your hair is dry like mine, using it once or twice a week is plenty enough), and am equally impressed each time. So if you are looking for a hair treatment that won't break the bank, I cannot recommend this mask enough.