My “Glass Hair” Has Earned So Many Compliments — & This Mask Is Why

I’m on a never-ending quest for shiny, healthy-looking hair. I’ll try any product or TikTok trend that promises to impart a light-catching lustre, from shampoos infused with gloss-giving glycolic acid to hair oiling, an ancient South Asian beauty ritual. So when Fable & Mane's Shine Hair Mask, £32, made its way to my desk, I was more than a little intrigued.

Unlike other hair masks, where the star ingredients are mostly glycerin and a handful of oils, this one features a blend of black tea ferments (more on this special addition later) and moisture-boosting enzymes. The new, intensive treatment claims to inject luminosity and bounce into the hair. My ends have been extra dull and tangled lately due to the changing weather, not to mention excessive styling. Needless to say, I was ready to get my hair wet.

After a few weeks of incorporating the hair mask into my shower routine, I'm now ready to spill the tea — pun intended. Keep reading to discover my honest take on how this hair mask truly lives up to its glossy promises.

Before I dive into what makes this mask so effective, I have to compliment the scent; it won me over at first sniff. True to its star ingredient — fermented black tea extract — the product boasts a comforting chai aroma. I absolutely adore a warming cup of masala chai at any hour of the day, so this scent is right up my street.

Most hair masks I’ve tried are either runnier in texture or are more similar to a thick salve. This mask sits somewhere in between, reminding me of a lightweight body lotion. Thanks to the airy texture, it was very easy to pull this through my thick, long hair with my fingers.

What really clinched the deal was how the hair mask added an immediately noticeable gloss to my hair, which lasted for days on end. Let’s dive into the science of it all.

The main reason my hair started looking instantly shinier is thanks to black tea ferments, an antioxidant that improves scalp health. I asked celebrated hairstylist Tom Smith to give me a deep dive on the benefits. “Black tea ferments are rich in antioxidants like catechins and theaflavins, which can help protect the scalp and the hair strands themselves from pollution and UV exposure,” says Smith, both of which can dull the hair and contribute to colour fading. As a result, antioxidants are a popular choice in hair products, he adds.

According to Eva Proudman, a consultant trichologist at UK Hair Consultants, these antioxidants have a positive impact on scalp health by improving circulation, encouraging hair growth and reducing overall shedding, giving it a shinier, healthier look in the process. “The hair becomes shiny as the antioxidants stop the hair from becoming dry and dehydrated, which causes dullness and dryness,” she adds. Clinical trial findings from Fable & Mane also support this, with 89 to 95% of respondents agreeing that the mask makes their hair look and feel shinier and silkier just after one use.

The mask also boasts AHAs, or alpha hydroxy acids, which are found in natural sources such as sugar cane, fruits, and, in the case of this mask, hibiscus flowers. They are a popular exfoliant that removes dead skin cells and product build-up from the scalp, which can otherwise make hair look dull, says Proudman. AHAs also boost shine without stripping hair or making it feel uncomfortably squeaky and dry.

But that’s not all: “They can also help to remove mineral deposits from the hair caused by using hard water, promoting a cleaner environment to improve hair texture and shine overall,” adds Proudman.

Finally, enzymes complete the nourishing formula. According to Akash Meta, co-founder and CEO of Fable & Mane, the enzymes in this hair mask were created through a fermentation process that breaks down sugar into smaller compounds, making it easier to penetrate the hair cuticle for intense hydration. These are naturally derived ingredients that can enhance hydration and maintain the strong bonds in the hair to prevent damage. Smith is equally impressed by enzymes in hair care: “Enzymes are great for deep cleaning the scalp; they combat the overuse of styling products when the hair has not been washed for a few days,” he says.

While my hair wasn't overly damaged to begin with, I didn't realise how much I needed this mask until I used it for the first time. It genuinely took my hair's shine to the next level. So much so, I'm convinced that you'd be able to see my hair reflect light from a mile away. The “after” photo below was taken more than two days after I used this hair mask, and the mirror-like shine was still going strong. The fuss-free application is icing on the cake.

It’s usually recommended to slather a mask treatment on towel-dried hair for around 10 minutes, but Fable & Mane says it’s only necessary to squeeze out excess water before application, and you can rinse it all off after three minutes. (You can use this after shampooing, in place of a conditioner.)

As a lazy person, I can vouch for how this streamlined routine has made my life infinitely easier since I don’t have to climb in and out of the shower to dry my ends and kill time before I can wash it off. For that reason, I’ve used this hair mask a lot more compared to the other, more cumbersome ones in my collection

The hair mask is arguably the star product in Fable & Mane’s burgeoning hair collection, but I also wholeheartedly recommend the Volumising Shampoo, £28, which makes my hair look fuller with strand-plumping fenugreek extract. As a relaxing bedtime ritual, I’ve also been using the HoliRoots Hair Oil, £34 from roots to ends; it’s infused with ashwagandha, a type of herb often used to promote hair growth. To keep my goals of having a big, enviable head of hair alive, I’ll be incorporating all three of these products into my haircare routine for the summer and beyond.