Best Kevin Murphy Products: I Tested Over $1000 Worth
Here's my honest breakdown of the best Kevin Murphy products after several years of testing.
I'll admit it: I'm desperate when it comes to my hair. My hair is naturally fine in texture, but I have a lot of it, making it both thick and prone to frizz. Without the right products, it's puffy in the humidity and flat in the winter. But oh wow, with the right products... it's shiny, bouncy, and capable of giving me Great Hair Days. Unfortunately, those days are expensive. Very expensive.
After trialing way too many brands, I've landed on Kevin Murphy as the line most capable of giving me good to great hair days. That said, not everything I've tried is something I'd repurchase. Let's dive in...
Part 1: The Skips
Let's start with the things I DIDN'T repurchase from Kevin Murphy, and why:
HEATED.DEFENSE
This heat protectant is a leave-in foam that made my fine hair a bit sticky. It may have been doing its job as a heat protectant, but the texture of my hair was a turn-off.
REPAIR.ME RINSE and WASH
There's definitely a customer out there for this shampoo and conditioner duo, but I'm not her. While I love the idea of restorative cleansing and conditioning, this combo left my hair greasy and weighed down. NO THANKS.
YOUNG.AGAIN.MASQUE
While I love the YOUNG.AGAIN treatment oil (more on that below), I was expecting similar big things from the masque. I felt a little let down that it didn't seem that transformational each time I tried it. For a masque called YOUNG.AGAIN, I don't think it even took two months off my hair.
MAXI.WASH
I'm more neutral on this one, but typically with products, if I'm neutral it's a no. A clarifying shampoo, it worked well, but didn't do anything special or different than other high-end clarifying shampoos. A skip from here on out.
LEAVE-IN.REPAIR
This leave-in cream didn't make any kind of noticeable difference to my dry, damaged hair, and I went through the whole bottle. Compared to the results I've seen with K18, it's just not worth it.
The Best Kevin Murphy Products
Unlike the skips, the best products from this line are those that I repurchase again and again. Here's the full list:
EVER.SMOOTH
EVER.SMOOTH is a heat-activated spray that's both smoothing, as the name implies, as well as a style extender. It also reduces blow-dry time, which is a huge plus in my book. I've trialed it against similar products from other lines, and it's by far the best I've tried. I never want to be without it.
YOUNG.AGAIN
Marketed as an "Immortelle enriched treatment oil," this stuff is liquid gold. It's both nourishing and conditioning, and it acts as a heat protectant up to 230°C (450°F). I put a bit on before blow-drying, then smooth a little through my ends after styling. Although I only use pea-sized amounts, it's never made my hair look greasy or oily, as similar products can do. It's really, really good. Buy it yesterday.
HYDRATE-ME.WASH and HYDRATE-ME.RINSE
This duo has been my go-to shampoo and conditioner for several years. I've tried to cheat and try other brands, but I always keep coming back. It keeps my dry hair nourished without weighing down my fine hair, and cleanses well. I typically use it every other day. As long as they make it, I'll keep repurchasing.
HAIR.RESORT.SPRAY
I don't own this one, but my stylist uses it on me every time she creates beachy waves and the result is to die for. I'd purchase it if I styled my hair like this on a daily basis, but I'm not great at beachy waves so I leave it to a professional. But if you have fine hair and want effortless, soft, natural hold, this should be on your list.
Where to Buy (Without Getting Scammed)
Because Kevin Murphy is a professional-only line, buying it requires a bit of strategy. A major word of caution here: be incredibly careful of "diverted" hair care.
If you see these distinct square bottles sitting on the shelves of a standard drugstore or listed by a random third-party seller online, step away. Because of how the industry works, those unauthorized products are frequently expired, diluted, or outright counterfeits.
To ensure you are actually getting the real, high-performance formulas, only purchase directly from an authorized partner salon or from the Kevin Murphy website.
Final Verdict: Are Kevin Murphy Products Worth It?
For fine, frizzy hair that's hard to please? Absolutely. The results I've gotten from the right products in this line are unlike anything else I've tried, shinier, smoother, and more manageable without the weight.
The catch is that not everything works for every hair type, so some trial and error is part of the process. The good news: the line offers most products in travel-size bottles, which is exactly how I'd recommend starting before committing to a full-size bottle.
If you're not sure where to begin, EVER.SMOOTH and YOUNG.AGAIN are the two products I'd put in anyone's hands first. They're the most universally impressive in the entire range, and a good indicator of what this line is capable of.
One last reminder: only buy from an authorized salon or directly from the Kevin Murphy website. The results you're paying for depend on getting the real formulas.