The Color Depositing Mask from Moroccanoil is for all hair types and claims to deposit temporary color while hydrating, nurturing and adding shine to the hair.

Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propoxytetramethyl Piperdinyl Dimethicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Parfum/Fragrance, Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy Amodimethicone, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Algin, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Chitosan, Citric Acid, Acetic Acid, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-13 Pareth-9, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-70, Dipropylene Glycol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Quaternium-87, PCA, Sodium PCA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trideceth-6, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, CI 56059 (Basic Blue 99), CI 12245 (Basic Red 76), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool.

Directions state to start with clean, towel-dried hair, applying a generous amount of product on sectioned hair and distributing evenly with a wide-tooth comb. Leave on for 5 to 7 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

After a keratin straightening treatment lightened my newly colored hair to an auburn (which I do not like), then over time faded to an orange/auburn color with grown out grey hair, I wanted to give the Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask a try, hoping it would tone down the red/orange tones and cover the grey.

Based on the color chart on the Sephora website and my starting color (light brown to dark brown), bordeaux and cocoa are the only masks that would deposit color. I chose cocoa (the mini size). The formula was not too runny or too thick. It has a similar scent to the oil, a sort of musky, masculine scent (which I don’t particularly like) that fades throughout the day.

After shampooing and towel-drying the hair, I divided it into four sections and distributed using a plastic wide-tooth comb. I used the whole mini tube, putting extra on the grey hair. I found that the hair, once the mask was applied, was rather difficult to get a comb through. The hair felt almost sticky and stiff. Once applied, I wrapped a plastic bag over the hair so it would not dry out, and let sit for 10 minutes. This stained my hands and under and around my nails. It washed off okay with soap and a scrub from the palms of the hands, but the next day I still have staining on dry patches and around my nails.

While rinsing the mask, my hair did not have the silky feeling of a regular conditioner or deep conditioning mask (surprising since the Moroccanoil mask has a few different silicones and oils). On towel drying the hair and running my fingers through it, my hair did not feel very soft or smooth and I had to apply a leave-in conditioner. After blow drying my hair, the color looked a bit darker and more refreshed.

As above, the mask provided no grey coverage.

The red-orange in the hair is toned down and there is less of it. I was hoping for a more brown color, however, it’s not too bad. The mask color itself looks like it has red undertones.

The photo on the left is shortly after the keratin treatment faded my hair a couple shades and the right is after the Moroccanoil mask. So it looks like the mask sort of restored and refreshed my hair color closer to my previous shade before it faded to a more orange tone.

As for how long the color lasts, this would depend on the starting shade and condition of the hair; the lighter and healthier the hair, the longer the color will last. I have washed my hair four times so far, shampooing twice each time, and have had no fading yet.

As a hydrating, conditioning mask, I was disappointed. As for the color deposit, I was hoping for more of a brown and at least some grey coverage, but it did deposit and refresh color.

I would consider purchasing again to restore color, however, I wonder if a color refresh hair gloss might work better for this purpose. If the Moroccanoil mask covered grey, I would repurchase (edit June 30, 2020 – as per the comment above, the Moroccanoil website states the mask does not cover grey).

Thank you for reading.