I'm going to say it: I really hate showering. I find it boring. And the pressure for it to be a relaxing, rejuvenating, Herbal Essences-esque experience is just too much. There are better things I could be doing with my time than standing under a stream of not-so-steady, not-so-temperature-controlled New York City water. Which means I like to keep my showers short—seven to ten minutes, max. Plenty of time to check all the hygiene boxes (People who spend 20 minutes in there, a question: What are you doing? And is it worth missing multiple Today Show segments for?). My only issue is that I have very long, highlighted hair, which, when subjected to the frigid winter air, becomes something more akin to a bundle of dry, brittle, split-ended sticks, rather than my desired bouncy mermaid locks. This is where deep-conditioning hair masks—and, unfortunately, extra shower time—comes in.

Many masks require at least fifteen minutes of leave-on time in order to properly hydrate your strands. I’m not quite sure what I could do in the shower for fifteen minutes or more—you can only gingerly apply shaving cream and Schick your legs for so long. But not so with the Rene Furterer Karité Intense Nourishing Mask (thank you for the reco, Ms. Codinha): you take the thick butter-colored conditioner, comb it through your battered hair, and leave on for two to five minutes. That’s it! Perfect amount of time to shave your legs. Then, just wash it out and go about your business.

After a few goes with the Intense Nourishing Mask, my hair feels thicker, looks glossier, and has a bit more weight to it than before. And whether due to these treatments or the weather, static and frizz have also dissipated. So thank you, Rene Furterer, you time-saving genius—you've now got a coveted spot on my shower shelf.

—Elizabeth Brockway