7 Best Overnight Hair Masks for Smoother, Shinier Strands by Morning

17.10.2025, 15:47 allure.com

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If you’ve ever wished you could make frizz, damage, or dullness disappear overnight, the best overnight hair masks come pretty close to making that happen. Unlike regular hair masks that you rinse out after a few minutes, these rich treatments work while you sleep—giving ingredients more time to deeply hydrate, smooth, and strengthen your strands.

Because they’re designed to stay on for at least a few hours, many of these formulas are a little thicker and more nourishing than your typical rinse-out mask or leave-in conditioner. The extra-rich texture locks in moisture, smooths rough ends, and protects your hair from the pillow friction that leads to frizz and flyaways. “Overnight use rather than rinsing out right away allows more time to best work their magic. It’s the difference between giving your skin a full spa day and a quick five-minute refresh,” says New York City-based hairstylist Reagan Baker.

The best part is that they couldn’t be easier to use. Just apply before bed, let it do its thing while you sleep. While those with damaged or color-treated strands will see the most dramatic results, Baker says everyone can benefit: “Even those with healthy hair should use them. The goal is to protect and prevent future damage.” Most overnight masks still need a quick rinse in the morning, but that’s a small trade-off for skipping the whole wait-around-in-the-shower routine that comes with regular masks.

Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best overnight hair masks to help you wake up with smoother, stronger strands.

Crown Affair

Sephora

Allure shopping director Shanna Shipin applying the Crown Affair Overnight Repair Serum

Why it's worth it: If your hair feels more like sandpaper than silk, add Crown Affair’s Overnight Repair Serum to your hair-care routine. “Unlike a heavy mask, it absorbs quickly since it’s a serum texture,” says Linda Gattineri, a colorist based in Del Mar, California. A blend of silk proteins and meadowfoam seed oil nourishes and smooths the cuticle while strengthening fragile strands. “You wake up with softer, detangled hair, and over time it helps improve resilience, shine, and overall hair health,” says Gattineri, who notes it’s especially ideal for those with fine or thin hair. Plus, chia and linseed extracts help prevent breakage, while Tsubaki (camellia) seed oil, rice bran, and vitamin E lock in moisture and tame frizz.

Shipin before applying the Crown Affair Overnight Repair Serum

Shipin after applying the Crown Affair Overnight Repair Serum

Tester feedback from shopping director Shanna Shipin

“I put my hair through the wringer—curly one day, blown out the next—so this serum is a lifesaver. It's weightless, leaves no residue on your fingers, and dries down quickly. No staining your pillowcase or getting a hair mask on your cheeks. It's meant to be an overnight serum, but I love using it in the daytime, too, essentially whenever I'm brushing my hair smooth—it seals up my split ends so well! On top of all the benefits I see from using this serum, it also has the signature Crown Affair scent; a revelation for damaged ends.” —Shanna Shipin, shopping director

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Virtue

Amazon

Nordstrom

Ulta Beauty

Why it's worth it: When your scalp’s feeling irritated or out of whack, it’s nearly impossible for your hair to look its best, and that’s where Virtue’s Overnight Scalp and Hair Elixir comes in.“It’s the same idea as using a night cream for your face—it hydrates and soothes while you sleep, but for your hair and scalp,” says Gattineri. The formula is powered by Virtue’s signature alpha keratin 60ku protein (yep, the same hair-healing blend in all their products) to repair damage and fortify fragile strands. At the same time, hyaluronic acid and olive-derived ceramides keep hair soft and smooth. “You wake up with softer, refreshed hair, and over time it helps reduce breakage and support healthier hair growth,” says Gattineri.

Allure senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor applying the Virtue Overnight Scalp and Hair Elixir

Calaor after applying the Virtue Overnight Scalp and Hair Elixi

Tester feedback from senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor

“This milky serum is formulated to balance your scalp's microbiome and strengthen strands. In the two weeks I've been testing this, my ends feel less crispy and my scalp less flaky.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor

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Alterna

Amazon (2-Pack)

Nordstrom

Dermstore

Allure commerce editor Sarah Han applying the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Overnight Serum

Why it's worth it: If your hair’s feeling the effects of your obsession with hot tools or color treatments, Alterna’s Caviar Restructuring Bond Repair Leave-In Overnight Serum helps strengthen and restore fragile strands. “It’s also especially beneficial for bleached or color-treated hair, curly textures, or anyone whose hair needs a serious moisture boost,” says Kelly Novobielski, a stylist and colorist based in New York City. The brand’s caviar extract and hydrolyzed keratin work to seal cracks in the cuticle—smoothing rough texture and reducing breakage—while shea butter delivers a boost of lasting moisture.

Our tester tried Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Overnight Serum, a similarly luxe treatment focused on deep hydration rather than bond repair. Both formulas work overnight to soften, smooth, and strengthen hair while you sleep, so you wake up to silky, more manageable strands by morning. “By morning, it’s fully absorbed, so hair feels soft, silky, and smooth—and detangling couldn’t be easier,” says Novobielski.

Han before applying the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Overnight Serum

Han after applying the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Overnight Serum

Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han

“I'll do eight skin-care steps without blinking but hair care? I love a do-it-all leave-in, and this Alterna overnight serum is a hydrating dream for my dry, color-damaged strands. My hair feels soft to the touch the next morning and my pink looks a tad more vibrant, too. The serum even helps coax some of my loose waves, which is a nice change from my usual blow-dry routine that involves a lot of combing and raking through my hair. It's so simple to use, too. I rough-dry my hair until it's mostly dry before I apply a generous amount to my mid-lengths to ends. (I have thin but dense hair and this serum feels the opposite of heavy, like it's barely there! Some treatments, especially oils, feel like they're weighing down my hair.) And voila, I'm ready for bed! I only wash my hair twice a week, so every other wash, I reach for this, and it's whittled down my nighttime routine to a much more manageable level.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor

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Kérastase

Amazon

Sephora

Why it's worth it: Here’s a new reason to clock in a full night’s sleep: Kérastase Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum delivers its most transformative results when you let it work at least eight hours—so you wake up to frizz-free, shinier hair. The plant-based proteins nourish hair with essential nutrients, helping to strengthen fragile strands, reduce breakage, and smooth the cuticle for a healthier texture. With the help of niacinamide, “this formula delivers deep hydration and helps manageability, all while creating a protective slip against pillow friction—perfect if you’re chasing that next-level shine,” says Novobielski.

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R+Co

Amazon

Dermstore

Revolve

Why it's worth it: If your curls feel more crispy than bouncy, R+Co Bleu Sleep Masque Night Repair Serum provides overnight TLC. The brand’s “bleu” molecule complex rebuilds the hair’s internal structure, reinforcing weak spots and helping curls bounce back from damage. Ceramides act like a shield, sealing the cuticle to lock in moisture and defend against friction, humidity, and breakage. “I love this for thirsty curls, as it always manages to leave them so soft,” says Baker. Meanwhile, green caviar (a marine algae that’s rich in amino acids and antioxidants) delivers deep hydration and protection from environmental stressors. Add in shea butter and avocado oil to nourish and smooth, and you’ve got a serum that restores elasticity, tames frizz, and keeps curls soft, defined, and resilient night after night.

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Amika

Amazon

Sephora

Why it's worth it: Whether it’s the aftermath of coloring, constant heat styling, or just that dreaded dry office air, Amika Dream Routine Overnight Hydration Mask is your overnight remedy for parched, thirsty strands. According to the brand, hyaluronic acid pulls in moisture to plump each strand for up to 72 hours, while bio-fermented coconut water and polyglutamic acid help lock in that hydration for long-lasting softness and shine. With extracts like spirulina, “these marine-derived ingredients are highly effective at supplying moisture and strength,” says Novobielski. Plus, true to its name, it leaves your hair smelling just as dreamy as it feels.

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Oribe

Amazon

Nordstrom

Dermstore

Why it's worth it: Everything about Oribe’s Gold Lust Restorative Night Crème for Hair is as much about the sensorial experience as it is about results. From the first pump, that refreshing hint of eucalyptus adds spa vibes to your nighttime routine. And while it smells amazing, it’s not just about the experience: For hair that’s lost some of its strength or shine, niacinamide, biotin, and hydrolyzed lupine protein help rebuild and fortify brittle strands, while olive fruit oil and chia seed extract smooth things out for a softer, glossier finish. “This one’s ideal for finer hair—it adds moisture, tames frizz, and its thicker texture makes it amazing for restoring aging hair,” says Gattineri.

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You’ll see the biggest difference if your hair is dry, color-treated, or damaged—those strands