I first came across this product when I was in Boots one day searching for a cheap hair mask. Having wasted money before on expensive hair products that didn't work, I needed something that I could try cheaply and if it didn't do the job, I wouldn't feel too guilty afterwards for buying it. This mask was only £1.99 at the time so I quickly snapped it up!

I chose the Honey & Jojoba Intensive Hair Mask from Boots 'Ingredients' range which appears to be a fairly simple range that concentrates on using natural extracts. The Honey mask is designed for dry, damaged hair but other hair masks in the Ingredients range include camomile & lemon (blonde hair), henna & horse chestnut (brunettes/red hair) and coconut & almond (normal-dry hair).

The mask comes in a clear plastic round tub with a white label on the front and on the lid with a picture of honey comb and jojoba leaves. The packaging is simple but manages to look quite classy at the same time. The instructions and ingredients are on the bottom of the tub. The lid is a screw top which doesn't bother me but some people might find it a pain to open in a shower for example. The tub contains 350ml of product which is very generous for the price!

Now, onto the product itself. When I first opened the tub, I noticed how lovely this mask smelt. It has a nice, natural smell- not too perfumed or fake. It has a sweet herbal small and I can detect honey in the scent. The mask is a pale creamy yellow colour and the texture isn't overly thick but it isn't runny either. You apply the mask as you would with any other, just apply to the hair after shampooing. The instructions advise to leave on for 5 minutes but I use it for less time with good results. The mask spreads nicely throughout the hair, I find you don't need lots and it washes out of the hair easily. I have to say that the results of this mask are impressive! I wasn't expecting an awful lot to be honest as the price was so cheap but I have been pleasantly surprised by how good this mask is. It leaves my hair with more shine, softness and makes my hair easier to manage. It doesn't weigh down my hair and my hair does seem to look smoother after I have used this.

Although this product is marketed as an intensive hair mask, I have been using it as an everyday quick conditioner and it does a great job as it is not too heavy. I find that this mask works as more of a quick treatment mask rather than a intensive, penetrating mask that you might leave on for longer.
I have fine hair which does have a tendency to get a little dry and whilst this mask nicely conditions my fine hair, it is not very heavy so I would say that if you had very thick, dry hair you might need a mask that is heavier to give you more moisture.

I would definitely recommend this mask to anyone who is looking for an effective and cheap mask. Having just looked at the ingredients, I have noticed there are no silicones either which I know some people will find a bonus. You can only purchase from Boots stores (or Boots.com) but there are so many Boots stores around, it shouldn't be too tricky to find a store that stocks this product. I brought mine in 2010 when it was £1.99 but with the recent VAT increase, it is now £2.03 which is still a bargain!

UPDATE: Oct 2011: This product has now been sadly discontinued by Boots. They now make only the Coconut and the Camomile versions I believe :(