I don't want to know how many hours of my life I've lost to blow drying my hair. My hair is thick, porous, and frizzy, and without the right products, it can easily take 30 minutes to dry completely. Thankfully, my stylist introduced me to Kevin Murphy BLOW.DRY Ever.Smooth a few years ago, and I'm now on my third or fourth bottle.
Read on for everything you need to know about this product and whether it's the right fit for you.
What is Kevin Murphy BLOW.DRY Ever.Smooth?
Part of Kevin Murphy's dedicated BLOW.DRY regimen, which includes a shampoo and conditioner, Ever.Smooth is a weightless, heat-activated spray. Once you blow dry it in, it works two jobs at once: cutting down your drying time and helping extend your style for great next-day hair. It's sulfate-free, paraben-free, and cruelty-free, and its formulation keeps hair conditioned while it smooths. The one thing to know going in is that it's not a heat protectant, so you'll still want to layer one in before you style.
The Core Benefits: Cutting Blow Dry Time and Extending Your Style
I keep repurchasing this product because it does two things very well:
- It cuts down my blow-dry time: This has become a huge time-saver in my routine. It works by repelling excess water from the surface of my hair, allowing my blow dryer to do its job in a fraction of the time. Because it drastically reduces the amount of direct heat and drying time needed to get a finished look, my styling routine is much faster and more manageable.
- It extends the life of my style: Once my hair is dry, the style-extending technology really kicks in. Because it locks in condition and completely blocks out external moisture, my hairstyle stays fully intact for a day or two.
Is Kevin Murphy BLOW.DRY Ever.Smooth a Heat Protectant?
While I love the benefits of shortened blow dry time, less frizz, and better next-day hair, I do wish it had one more feature: a heat protectant. It does not.
While the formula relies on heat to activate its smoothing polymers, it does not contain the thermal barriers required to shield your strands from high-temperature styling tools. To keep your hair healthy and damage-free, you will need to pair it with a separate heat protectant spray or cream applied to damp hair prior to styling. To protect my hair, I pair BLOW.DRY with Kevin Murphy's Young.Again treatment oil, which provides heat protection up to 450°F / 230°C.
For the record, I do not like Kevin Murphy's dedicated thermal heat protectant, HEATED.DEFENSE, as it made my hair a little sticky.
How to Apply It for Flawless Results
To fully activate the formulation, the right application process makes all the difference:
- Prep: Wash and condition your hair, then thoroughly towel-dry to remove excess moisture.
- Protect: Layer on your favorite dedicated heat protectant evenly throughout your damp strands.
- Section: Separate your hair into clean, manageable sections to ensure even distribution of your styling product.
- Spray: Apply the Ever.Smooth spray from roots to ends across each section, then use a brush or comb suitable for wet hair to distribute the product.
- Activate: Blow-dry each section using tension and a round or paddle brush. The heat and mechanical tension from your dryer are what trigger the smoothing shield.
- Finish: If desired, follow up with your favorite finishing tools to lock in your final style.
Do I Need to Use BLOW.DRY Wash and Rinse?
As I mentioned above, Ever.Smooth is part of the BLOW.DRY line, which includes a dedicated Wash (shampoo) and Rinse (conditioner). I recently purchased this duo to test them, since I usually use the HYDRATE.ME shampoo and conditioner.
I find my hair is a little smoother and more tame with the BLOW.DRY wash and rinse, but a little drier without the extra hydration of the HYDRATE.ME formula. If your hair isn't as dry as mine, the BLOW.DRY wash and rinse might be great for you, but it is not required to reap the benefits of the Ever.Smooth spray.
Similar Luxury Blow Dry Accelerants Worth Considering
Here's how Ever.Smooth stacks up against similar products in its price point:
- Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray: This is an ultra-lightweight, concentrated mist that speeds up drying time while adding noticeable softness and shine. Unlike Ever.Smooth, Oribe Royal Blowout includes built-in thermal protection up to 450°F. Because it is highly concentrated, you only need to use it sparingly from mid-shaft to ends to achieve a smooth, glass-like finish. It's an excellent formulation, and provides more shine than Ever.Smooth. However, it's easy to overdo, and I don't do as well with formulas that weigh the hair down if you spray too much on.
- Bumble and Bumble Heat Shield Blow Dry Accelerator Spray: This lightweight mist claims to cut blow dry time by up to 50 percent while reducing frizz and flyaways. It's formulated with a Honey Protective Complex to improve elasticity and prevent breakage. A major benefit here is that it also includes both heat protection and UV filters to protect your strands from the drying effects of the sun. However, I found the spray to be a bit drying over time and went back to the Kevin Murphy BLOW.DRY Ever.Smooth spray.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Kevin Murphy Ever.Smooth on dry hair? No, Ever.Smooth is formulated to be used strictly on damp, towel-dried hair. It relies on both moisture and heat activation to properly organize its long-chain polymers along the hair shaft.
Does Kevin Murphy Ever.Smooth weigh down fine hair? The formula is completely weightless and does not leave a heavy residue or buildup. It is safe for fine hair types looking for a smooth finish without sacrificing natural volume and movement.
How often can I use this styling spray? You can use it every time you wash and blow dry your hair. Because it extends your style for multiple days, you only need to apply it once per styling cycle rather than every day.
How Much It Costs and Where to Buy It
A 150 ML bottle runs $41, and lasts me a few months, since a little goes a long way. Kevin Murphy is a salon brand, so you'll need to purchase it at a Kevin Murphy salon or direct from the Kevin Murphy website.
The Verdict
There's a reason I keep coming back to this: it dramatically reduces my blow dry time by 50%, extends the lifetime of my style, and provides frizz and humidity control. It's pricey, but since it performs and multi-tasks, I'll keep repurchasing.
If you enjoyed this post, you might like my full roundup of Kevin Murphy products after testing $1,000 worth of products (unfortunately...my poor bank account!)
