Spray-On Conditioner Is A Thing Now & It's Pretty Great

If you were to wander into my adequately clean bathroom, you would quickly discover discover that I have an obsession with hair conditioners. I've got tubs stacked on tubs, an assortment of half-used masks, and an entire shelf dedicated to post-shower hydration.

Insert The Little Mermaid singing: "I've got masks and oils a-plenty. I've got leave-ins and elixirs galore! You want deep conditioners? I've got twenty! But who cares? No big deal. I want more!"

So what's a hair conditioner-obsessed woman to do when she's seen and tried it all? She reaches for the newfangled stuff with glee and hops into the shower for an exciting hair hydration experience! IGK's Prenup Instant Spray Hair Mask certainly fits the bill, and though I was at first skeptical, it has officially won a spot in my regular rotation.

This mask was inspired by Korean splash masks, which pack the heaviness of a cream into a lightweight, easy-to-apply formula. Whereas splash masks are diluted with water and then splashed onto the face, Prenup is pre-diluted and applied to shampooed hair via an aerosol nozzle. The idea is that you are able to condense a 20-minute leave-in hair conditioner routine into a 3-minute experience without forfeiting the benefits of a longer conditioning session.

IGK Prenup Instant Spray Hair Mask, $32, Sephora

Contrary to typical hair conditioners, treatments and masks, this formulation is absurdly lightweight. I sprayed some directly into my hand to get a better idea of what it looks and feels like: An oily, slightly cloudy, viscous water. Its star ingredients are amla extract ( another name for gooseberry, which mends and adds a ton of shine), cupuacu (an Amazonian fruit that’s banana-like in texture and super hydrating), apple cider vinegar to seal the cuticle, and senna leaf extract to repair and soften.

The nozzle does a good job of evenly coating your hair, though you’ll need to lift and section off your hair to ensure even distribution throughout. Also note that the light formulation can be deceiving: this product is intensely moisturizing, which means you should not apply it directly to your scalp. That also means a little goes a long way, and that you need to rinse thoroughly before stepping out of the shower.

On that note, let's talk price point. The $32 sticker may feel somewhat hefty, but if you use this product like a once or twice-weekly treatment then it's actually not so bad. I find that I get about six to eight uses from almost any hair mask, and the same was true for this product. That's about $5 per condition session, and if you use it once per week it'll last you about two months.

Before:

Not terrible, but in need of a deep condition.

After:

Softer and more obviously more hydrated.

I would argue that it's just as easy to apply a regular deep conditioner via your fingers as it is to spray this product, but I appreciate Prenup's ultra-hygienic packaging. I'm also super into it's thin yet potent formulation, and its ability to coat evenly without much effort. This product definitely delivers on its hydration promises, so let it work its magic on your locks ASAP.