When I think of Kevin Murphy the first thing I think of is effortless chic style. I know I should be dwelling on the fact that it is so eco-friendly and mainly planted based, but it is the quality of the products that always resonates with me. Yes, I know they use ingredients native to their homeland of sunny Australia, but really all I can think about is all the texture in my hair, and how good it smells.
All jokes aside, Kevin Murphy, as a company, are dedicated to fashion, performance, and environment and that is abundantly clear the second you try them for the first time. Every facet of their production sees to that, down to the water they use within each product, which is purified and returns to nature cleaner than it left it. Each move is carefully considered and tailored to the needs of the customer, the stylist, and the planet. Essential oils don’t just provide long lasting fragrance, they also act as a natural anti-bacterial. Rather wonderfully all their products are sulphate, paraben, and cruelty free. That is not them jumping on the bandwagon, they have conducted themselves like this, since their inception. The packaging is not just beautiful, but clever. It is shaped to allow for maximum capacity when in transit, therefore cutting down on transport emissions. The lid is at the bottom of the bottle to cut down on product wastage and allow you to use every drop. See, I told you it was carefully considered.
As a whole, their shampoos and conditioners are beautifully lightweight. In fact, if you have dry or thick hair I would advise to go one step richer than what you think you might need.
I have a couple of shampoos and conditioners that really stand out to me and I will quickly nip through them for you. Although don’t get confused if I call them washes and rinses, as this is what they are called by Kevin Murphy.
Firstly, Plumping Wash, a super lightweight wash that uses eyelash thickening ingredients to plump and thicken the hair strand, giving maximum volume and density. There is also the corresponding Plumping Rinse, which I would highly recommend. This is one conditioner you do not have to shy away from as it is super lightweight, and actually increases hair density.
Another favourite is Young Again Wash and Rinse. Not only is their fragrance hypnotic, but the condition and shine that they restore to aging hair is remarkable. No they are not age specific, but if your body has recently gone through a stressful time of hormone change these little beauties will give it a new lease of life, mainly via a plant extract called Immortelle, it counteracts oxidation and regenerates the hair strand. It’s amazing stuff really.
And then there is Maxi Wash, what a superstar! This is a great “Sunday Shampoo”, as I would call it. Not one to be used all the time necessarily, but the perfect detox to remove excess oil and product build up. It gives you that squeaky clean, uber fresh feeling that lasts all day.
I have a special place in my heart though, for Kevin Murphy’s styling product range. These are some hard working, heavy hitting, soft to the touch miracle mixtures that give nourishment, texture, and definition to all hair types. You may have heard me mention before that my roots literally hate volume. I, however, love it. You can imagine, after 15 years behind the chair, I have tried a product or two, but Kevin Murphy stylers are like the gifts that keep on giving.
Rough Rider is a great texturiser for short styles, it gives definition with a medium hold, and a natural to matt finish. It is neither masculine nor feminine, with a mutually balanced scent. It gives a gorgeous workable finish that washes out easily as it is water soluble.
One hero product for blow-drying fine to medium hair is Anti Gravity. It is available in both a lotion and a spray format, it is just a matter of personal preference. I love the lotion because I feel I can work it in better with my fingertips, but someone else might find the spray easier. This stuff really does defy gravity. If you have a stubborn crown especially, it will really help control it, and give the hair lift. It is also not visible in your hair, so your hair doesn’t look shoved and glued into place, instead it maintains movement and visually increases in fullness. This is a real deal volumizer and just like most of Kevin Murphy’s products it rinses out with zero residue. And it smells fantastic.
The last product I am going to mention is Doo Over, my absolute favourite. I love my hair being styled, but I hate it looking over-styled. I like it to look like I’ve just hopped out of the bed and it just happened to fall into place, if you get me. I have had Doo Over described to me as backcombing in a can, and I guess it kind of is, just minus the Dolly Parton tribute. It gives instant volume and texture with a matt finish, plus hold but is still moveable and natural looking. I especially love putting it into fresh waves. I generally feel a tad too twee without my Doo Over, it’s like fairy dust to my hair that puts volume where I want it and hold where I need it. I know it’s like I am writing an ode to Doo Over, I just love hair and products and styling, so when I strike gold, I really appreciate it.
That’s enough of my fangirling for now, I think. If it sounds like a range you are interested in hop over and take a look at our Kevin Murphy Gift Sets available for Christmas. They work out at great value and give you the chance to try out their selection comprehensively.
