CULT BUY: The thermal hair mask that made my hair ridiculously soft. And it's under $10.

Is it just me, or does everything shrivel up and die in winter?

Skin. Lips. My veggie patch. My social life.

Sure, there’s a unique joy in putting away all your sleeveless tops to make room for chunky knits. And having an excuse to stay in on Saturday night watching re-runs of The Good Wife is pretty great, too.

But we could do without what chilly winter mornings do to our hair, no?

As soon as the weather gets cooler, my everyday conditioner seems to go on strike. Nup, I can’t work under these conditions (pun intended), it would cry if it could.

That’s because your regular conditioner probably isn’t fully equipped to combat dry, harsh winter winds. It simply can’t do it alone.

In search of reinforcements for my dry, dull hair, I came across the Mirenesse Thermal Wrap N Repair Hair Treatment – 3pk for $28.99.

This self-heating thermal hair treatment claims to be 'the ultimate way to maintain your hair's elasticity, density and shine, and steam, smooth and protect.'

It also has four to five-star reviews on Adore Beauty.

"This treatment is AMAZING, I have damaged my hair beyond words and I have used a million masks ranging in price and I have to say this is the best I have used."

"My hair goes very frizzy and almost wirey when I don’t straighten it, I’m on day 4 after doing one hair mask of this and it still feels awesome! The smell is incredible too."

"I couldn't believe how soft my hair was after using this. I also found I needed less of my usual styling products to achieve bouncy, perfectly formed curls. And the fragrance is simply beautiful, like walking in a tropical garden. LOVE this!"

But does it really work? Could a swimming cap full of conditioner really take the place of salon treatments?

I put one on my head to find out.

Side note - here are the things only blondes will understand about, well, being blonde. Post continues after video.

How does the Mirenesse Thermal Wrap N Repair Hair Treatment work?

Hair masks aren't new. But this one's at-home thermal technology is.

Essentially, think of it as an in-salon hot oil and serum treatment but in the comfort of your own bathroom. In your pyjamas.

The cap heats up automatically to enhance the absorption and infusion of ingredients like Lotus Flower Infusion, Hydrolysed Silk, Ceramides, Anagain Hair Growth Molecule, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Argan Oil and Organic Manuka Honey (all the good stuff).

The Mirenesse Thermal Wrap N Repair Hair Treatment also stimulates hair growth and fights hair loss. Oh, and it's free from nasties like parabens, alcohol, mineral oil, petrolatum, pthlates, gluten and sulphates (all the crap stuff).

How to use the Mirenesse Thermal Wrap N Repair Hair Treatment

After reading the instructions, and reading them again, I set about getting soft, smooth hair.

Before we begin, here's my hair before.

Like always, greasy at the roots and dryer than your mouth the morning after a night out drinking on the ends.

I started by jumping in the shower and washing my hair with my normal shampoo. No, photos of this step do not exist.

Then, how you choose to do this next bit is completely up to you.

I unfolded the aluminium-looking foil to reveal a legit cap full of creamy product that smelled like a floral perfume I'd really love to buy.

Next came the bit where you have to get all your hair into the cap - I have pretty long hair so this was a tad tricky, tipping my head over and twisting it into a loose bun did the trick.

Once on, you pull the tab around so the cap is tight against your head, and secure with the sticker that comes with the cap.

It's all very glam.

From here, you can jump back into the shower if you've got some business of the shaving variety to attend to or lay back with a book in the bath. Some also say you can clean or catch up on emails. I went and sat on the couch.

Whichever way you choose, it's important to massage the cap to disperse and work the product into your hair (this is crucial if you have longer hair). It's at this stage you'll feel the cap heating up.

20 to 30 minutes later, I carefully removed the cap and rinsed my hair off. Honestly, I was surprised to see just how much product needed to be rinsed out. A good sign.

Also good signs - not only did my hair smell bloody good, but it felt soft to touch straight away.

A quick towel dry and blast on the cool setting of my hair dryer, and the result was noticeably softer, less frizzy hair. I couldn't stop touching it for hours after, much to the concern of my partner.

The Mirenesse Thermal Wrap N Repair Hair Treatment recommends regular use - two to three times a week - for thicker, healthier hair.

Personally, I'll be adding this to my weekly (alright, fortnightly) stash of self-care products along with sheet masks, coffee scrubs and body oils.

In part, because it genuinely made my hair look and feel like I'd had a bouncy blow dry. But mostly because there's something really luxe and lovely about taking 20 minutes out for yourself to sit on the couch with a hair mask on.

You can buy the Mirenesse Thermal Wrap N Repair Hair Treatment 3pk for $28.99 and a bunch of other beauty products over on Mamamia Shopping.

Have you tried the Mirenesse Thermal Wrap N Repair Hair Treatment? What did you think?