The Surprising Hair Mask That Won Me Over, But Not Without Some Caveats!

I've been using professional hair care products for ages, and I've got to say, I'm a bit of a hair care snob. I don't have a die-hard loyalty to Estel, but I've tried some of their products in the past and they've been okay. Recently, while browsing through a professional hair care store, I stumbled upon these sleek dark green bottles that caught my eye.

I liked the names Babayaga, Kikimora, and Vedma - they're all inspired by Slavic mythology, which adds a nice touch to the brand's overall aesthetic. I didn't decide to buy them on the spot, so the sales associate offered me some samples from those lines and gave me some freebie samples. The mask and shampoo from the Babayaga line blew me away, so I went back to the store a few days later and bought the full-size versions.

Today's review is all about the restoring berry hair mask from the Babayaga line. I've been using it for a while now, and I'm excited to share my thoughts with you.

Main info.

Brand: Estel, a Russian company that's been around for a while.

Country of origin: Russia, which is great for those who are looking for a domestic brand.

Product line: Babayaga, which is a line of hair care products that's inspired by Slavic mythology.

Manufacturer: OOO " Yuikosmetik", a Russian company that's based in St. Petersburg.

Location: Russia, St. Petersburg, which is great for those who are looking for a domestic brand.

Type of product: home, professional, which makes it suitable for both personal and salon use.

Purpose: hair restoration, which is exactly what I'm looking for in a hair mask.

Compliance: GOST 31460-2012, which is a Russian standard for hair care products.

Shelf life: 36 months at room temperature, but after using it for a while, the expiration date drops down to 12 months.

Volume: 200 or 1000 ml, which is great for those who have long or thick hair.

The price was 550 rubles for 200 ml back in February 2022, but now it's 670 rubles in the same store, which is a bit steep for my taste.

You can buy it in specialty beauty stores, marketplaces, or online, but be aware that it's not sold in regular beauty stores like 'Ulybki Radugi' or 'Magnit.'

Appearance/Packaging.

The mask's packaging looks similar to the rest of the line, with a sleek dark green plastic bottle that's got a unique color scheme. The shampoo, mask, and thermal protectant spray all come in almost identical bottles, which makes it easy to recognize the brand.

The back of the packaging has information from the manufacturer: a brief description, ingredients, and usage instructions. It's available in multiple languages, including Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, and several European languages, which is great for those who are not fluent in Russian.

Unfortunately, the text on the packaging is printed in such a small font that it's hard to read in the store, which is a bit of a letdown.

I have to say, the expiration date on the label is almost invisible because it's in black text on a dark bottle, which makes it hard to spot.

The tube itself is made of incredibly high-quality, dense plastic that's so sturdy it's hard to bend. The screw-top has a removable cap, which makes it easy to use the mask.

I was disappointed to find that there was no tamper-evident seal on the bottle, which makes me a bit concerned about the product's safety.

Formula/scent/texture.

The scent of this mask is absolutely enchanting - it's bright and intense, with a berry-herbal aroma that's got notes of cedar and citrus. The dominant note is definitely cloudberry, reminiscent of a cloudberry syrup. When you use it, the smell is really intense on your hair, but it fades to a subtle hint after washing.

The formula with juniper berries, cranberries, immortelle, and horsetail really helps to get rid of dryness, weakness, and brittleness in my hair. My scalp and hair follicles get a berry boost, which prevents premature hair loss and encourages hair growth.

I'm curious to see what the manufacturer promises when using this hair mask. Let's take a closer look at the ingredients.

Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Lanolin, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Helichrysum Arenarium Flower Extract, Propylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Extract, Lactic Acid, Juniperus Communis Oil

When it comes to professional cosmetics, I don't expect them to be super natural, but I do expect them to be effective. And that's exactly what this mask delivers.

Still, I usually check the ingredients on a popular website like EcoGolic, which has a great database of ingredients and their potential effects on skin and hair.

As you can see, there are two silicone polymers in the ingredients, which can clog up the hair cuticle, accumulate in it, and weigh my hair down. Not to mention the parabens, which can cause allergic reactions. I'm not allergic, but I'd advise those who are to pay attention to the ingredients.

I've got to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall formula of this product. You can see some real natural ingredients in there, like lanolin to thicken it up, keratin to give your hair some much-needed TLC, and lactic acid to calm down any inflammation and help repair your locks.

I was also stoked to see bittersweet and juniper berry in the mix. The only thing that caught me off guard was the lack of horsetail, which the manufacturer mentions as an ingredient.

The consistency of this mask is nice and thick, almost like a rich oil. You can see from the pic that when you scoop it out, it forms a solid clump that doesn't spread around. But when you apply it to your hair, it glides on smoothly and evenly.

In use.

My hair after shampooing and masking.I'm not one to put a lot of stock in beauty product claims, so I wasn't expecting a miracle from this mask. My hair's pretty long and fine, so it's not a huge pain to deal with. The one thing I do struggle with is dryness and frizz - my hair can get a bit knotty and flyaway. And don't even get me started on my scalp - it gets irritated from cheap mass-market products, but gets greasy from rich, silicone-heavy masks. I was hoping this mask would at least give my hair some much-needed moisture and a healthier look.

How to use it.

Apply the mask to clean, damp hair, massaging it in evenly from root to end.

Leave it on for 5-10 minutes.

Thoroughly rinse.

I follow the instructions to the letter, but sometimes leave it on a bit longer. After washing my hair, I apply the mask with my hands, then comb it through with a silicone brush. I've got a cheap knockoff of the Tangle Teezer, which I'm not a fan of, but it works great for this mask.

I've got to say, this mask is a breeze to use and it's super economical. A little goes a long way - you can see on the photo, just a tiny amount on a spoon is enough for my hair. I checked the sample that the sales consultant gave me, and it was 8ml - just enough for my first application.

I was really impressed with how my hair looked after using the mask. It gave them a fantastic moisturizing effect, and they felt softer and silkier to the touch. Even after using a hair dryer, they didn't frizz up or stick out all over the place. They looked more dense, but not heavy or greasy.

My hair after using all the products from the Babaya line and using a hair straightener.You can see on the photo that my hair has a glossy shine, just like after using a hair oil. I loved the effect, and especially that it lasts for a few washes. So, you don't need to use the mask after every wash, just a couple of times a month.

I also want to highlight that I didn't notice my hair getting too greasy or weighed down. They're softer and less prone to frizz, but not too heavy or oily.

The Verdict.

So, I'll try to explain why I wrote so many good things about this mask, but only gave it a moderate rating.

I've got to say, the packaging was a real letdown. It's probably the worst packaging I've ever seen for a face mask. It's more suited for a balm or shampoo, but it's totally unsuitable for a thick mask like this. The tube is super dense, making it a nightmare to squeeze out the mask, especially when your hands are wet. The small opening doesn't help either - the mask comes out in tiny blobs. And to make matters worse, the leftover mask gets stuck in the nozzle, making it a real pain to clean out. I even tried storing it upside down, but the mask still doesn't come out smoothly due to its thick consistency. I recently finished another face mask and got a lovely, easy-to-use jar, so I transferred some of this mask into it and now I can scoop it out with my hands or a spoon. But about a third of the mask just wouldn't budge. I ended up adding some water to the remaining mask and mixing it up - now I'm using it as a hair balm instead of a face mask.

Overall, I think the manufacturer really dropped the ball on the packaging and didn't think about the user's experience. And that's even more surprising considering they have other masks with better packaging. For that reason alone, I'm deducting a star.

I'm deducting a second star for the pricing. Estel's been positioning itself as a fully domestic brand for a while now. I get why import prices went up in March - companies have to pass on the increased transportation costs. But I'm not sure why this Russian manufacturer chose to raise prices so sharply at this time.

Still, I really like the mask and I'd recommend it. I might even consider buying it in a larger or smaller size, if the manufacturer decides to change the packaging. As it stands, I don't think I'll be purchasing it.

The Babayga line includes other products, like:

Restorative berry shampoo - it's a great shampoo, but it's not for everyone.

Hair heat protectant spray - it's not for everyone, either. I'd suggest reading the review to avoid a disappointing purchase.