So last week I was 30 minutes late to meet the Australian hair god Kevin Murphy, after having a dyslexic moment regarding our meeting location. How embarrassing. (Ivana, please forgive?) But that’s not the only reason I’m dedicating today’s editor’s picks post to his range of hair products. Frankly, I would’ve done it anyway—that’s how much I believe in his line. I’ve actually been a longtime fan of Mr. Murphy, whose claim to fame is his career as a “session stylist” (that means a hairstylist that works on photo shoots for magazines, advertisements and fashion shows—and let’s face it, where you’ll find all the REALLY GOOD hair people). When I lived in Australia, I went through a couple of jars of his genius beachy hair texturizer (the original and still the best), now called Hair Resort. But products aren’t the only reason to heart him. He’s a bit of a web guru as well: if you visit his site, you’ll find a virtual library of how-to podcasts. Anyway, you MUST get acquainted with his stuff. Here are a few of my favourite products—and a sneak peek at what’s coming out this spring and summer!
1. Fresh Hair Dry Cleaning Spray ($22) is a kick-ass spray that cleans your hair (for those days you can’t be bothered washing) and adds texture (which, as I’ve been saying, is a BIG deal trend this year). I’ve tried A LOT of these products over the years and (along with Ojon’s) this is my favourite. It leaves no powdery white residue and smells amazing. Here’s the podcast.
2. Hydrate Me Wash and Hydrate Me Rinse ($26 each) are a brand-new shampoo and conditioner duo that deliver moisture to dry hair. What I like about them is that they’re built with collagen- and elastin-building ingredients that until now, we’ve only seen in skincare.
3. The Screen Siren Kit ($48) is out in April and contains everything you need for a modern take on retro Old Hollywood hair: the Anti-Gravity volumizer, eight hair curlers (so good they’re worth the price alone), six pin clips and a comb. When I got my paws on this kit I was blown away by the quality of the curlers, clips and comb—they’re definitely beyond anything you’ll find at the drugstore. What’s even cooler is that you can instantly call up the Screen Siren how-to video by scanning the barcode on the box with your Blackberry.
4. The Surfer Girl Kit ($36) won’t arrive until July, nor is the corresponding how-to video online yet. But keep an eye out for it: it contains my fave Hair Resort Beach Texturizer, eight curler clips, a texture net (whose purpose I have now forgotten, but it’s probably something genius), and a comb.
5. Hair Resort Beach Texturizer ($22) gets scrunched into damp or dry hair to get that fantastic beach look. This spring/summer, I am going to be ALL ABOUT this product.
6. The Smoothing Brush is out this month as part of another kit ($79.95), which includes the Hydrate Me products. I almost can’t believe they’re only charging $80 for all of this—the brush is a very high-quality boar bristle version, and if you’ve got dry hair it can actually help smooth it out. (Yes, really!)
7. Last but not least, we have the Hair Curlers ($36 for a set of 12), which—I kid you not—have changed my life. I’ve ditched my velcro ones because these don’t snag at all, and have the smartest way of fastening (with a ball attached to an elastic…you kind of have to use them to know what I’m talking about). I think everyone should have a set of these.
You can find Kevin Murphy products at Delineation in Toronto along with a bunch of other locations across Canada—see here to find one near you.
Do you love this stuff or what?
