How Kevin Murphy Creates That Effortless, Model-Off-Duty Hair
Francesca is the Beauty Editor at Adore Beauty. With a background in glossy mags and bylines in publications like Marie Claire, ELLE and BODY+SOUL, Francesca has turned her love of beauty into a career. Whether she's decoding buzzy ingredients or road testing lip glosses (so. many. glosses.), her approach to beauty is equal parts glamour and highly-considered.
In Partnership With Kevin Murphy
What do runway models, beauty editors and backstage pros have in common? Kevin Murphy.
In the world of haircare, few names carry the weight of Kevin Murphy.
With decades of experience across fashion weeks, magazine covers and backstage chaos, the session stylist turned founder built his eponymous brand on a philosophy that blends skincare science with tailored hair artistry.
In an exclusive interview with Adore Beauty, Murphy opens up about the products he swears by, the styling techniques he keeps coming back to and why “effortless” is more a feeling than a formula.
Reflecting on his early career, Murphy recalls his first published shoot; a perfume story in Vogue. “I was a bit scared,” he admits. “You can’t really re-create a smell in a magazine. What was interesting was you had to create a feeling, a sense of something or an emotional connection.” That foundational idea' hair as experience not just appearance, still defines his work today.
“For me, it’s always the high-performance hair and effortless-looking texture,” Murphy says. “I was always humbled by Vogue crediting me with being one of the creators of the ‘beach hair’ aesthetic.” That iconic undone texture may look spontaneous, but it’s powered by precision and product chemistry.
Why Kevin Murphy Created His Own Product Line
Murphy didn’t just step into product formulation out of interest, it was necessity. “I had this salon which was high end, everything was butter and beige, we had special lighting, it was super fancy,” he explains. “But my products were terrible-looking, always in hot pink or bright green, and the labels were dry, damaged, dull, lifeless, and limp. These were not great messages; being told you were dull, lifeless, damaged or limp every day.”
From day one, he wanted KEVIN.MURPHY to feel different. “I knew the range had to be visually distinct,” he says. “There seemed little point filling innovative formulas into something that looked too regular.” Just as important was the brand’s environmental ethos: “The choices we make are important. We need to make considered decisions for the environment that we constantly revisit and change as technology does.”
Which Hair Trends Are Worth Holding Onto?
“Everything is new again,” Murphy says. “Fashion is circular, and everything comes back—even the shaggy mullet is back.” But two hair archetypes remain constant for him: the “effortless appeal” that inspired BEDROOM.HAIR, and “high-performance hair, hair that is in condition, shines, and suits the wearer.”
Techniques will always evolve, but the fundamentals remain. “Good technique and a good product that is not too heavy and does the work for you - that’s the secret,” he says. “In a nutshell, it’s hair tailored to the person wearing it.”
How to Use BEDROOM.HAIR for Lived-In Texture
A cult-favourite for a reason, BEDROOM.HAIR is the ultimate shortcut to undone cool. “This lightweight spray puts touchable texture, separation, and movement into the hair, while still allowing you to run your fingers through,” Murphy explains. “It delivers a perfectly imperfect style every time.”
How to use Bedroom Hair Kevin Murphy?
Apply it to dry hair as a finishing spray. “BEDROOM.HAIR is your secret to sexy, undone texture - the kind that looks effortless (even if it wasn’t),” he says. “Oh, and it’s perfect for curls!”
Pro tip? For “second day” waves, Murphy suggests: “Spritzing BEDROOM.HAIR and a scrunch is all some people need. You could also twist hair around your fingers or place it in a loose bun while you do your makeup, take it out, and you’re good to go.”
Tips For The Ultimate Cool-Girl Styling
What's Murphy's secret to mastering the effortlessly undone, cool-girl texture? Not trying too hard.
“Think of KILLER.TWIRLS as an ideal option for a base when air-drying hair,” he says. “Try not to disturb the hair too much until it is dry, then scrunch up or smooth down the curl as desired using other KEVIN.MURPHY products.”
And the real secret? "Regular trims, moisture and restraint".
How To Add Volume To Hair
What: KEVIN.MURPHY Body Mass
If you're struggling with flat roots, Murphy recommends BODY.MASS, a root-lifting spray with built-in scalp care. “It delivers instant, visible fullness while fortifying hair from the root for strength, flexibility, and resilience,” he explains.
The formula was inspired by lash-thickening technology and helps anchor hair at the follicle. “Spray BODY.MASS evenly throughout damp or towel-dried hair, concentrating on the roots and scalp,” he says. “Do not rinse—dry and style as usual.”
Any tips for reviving flat or limp styles in between washes?
"Treat your hair to a day at the beach with HAIR.RESORT.SPRAY, our super-cool hairspray that will help you recreate the iconic “day at the beach” hair." says Murphy.
Defining all hair types without weighing strands down "Recreating my sexy beach-hair editorial look has never been easier. It’s sexy, summer, salty, surfer-spray in a bottle".
DOO.OVER vs. FRESH.HAIR: Which One Do You Need?
If you’ve ever stood confused between a dry shampoo and a texturiser, you’re not alone. DOO.OVER, Murphy explains, sits perfectly between the two. “It gives the hair a light, airy texture. The end result is always a soft, velvety finish,” he says.
For post-blowout texture or mid-day movement, this dry powder finishing spray is ideal. “It adds natural movement while keeping your style in place,” he adds.
On the other hand, FRESH.HAIR is the brand’s true dry shampoo. “It instantly absorbs excess oil, removes odours, and brings back body, bounce, and cool-girl texture,” says Murphy. “Break the rules and try finishing a fresh blow-out with FRESH.HAIR for the perfect texture.”
Combatting Frizz? Meet SMOOTH.AGAIN and SESSION.SPRAY
Managing flyaways and humidity doesn’t have to mean sacrificing movement. “SMOOTH.AGAIN is our hard-working, leave-in smoothing treatment that also delivers all the benefits of a styling product,” says Murphy. “It tames flyaways, leaving hair sleek, touchable, and buttery soft.”
Once styled, set with SESSION.SPRAY - a pro staple. “Spritz and wait a few sections for it to dry,” he advises. “Then brush… and brush some more! It sets the style, fights humidity, and brushes out clean.”
How To Extend Your Blowout
Murphy’s BLOW.DRY collection is engineered for longevity, thanks to skincare-grade ingredients like lemon aspen and blue cypress. “Our purpose-built BLOW.DRY WASH + RINSE is designed to enhance every blow dry, whether in salon or at home,” he explains.
The secret lies in polymers. “It’s the long-chain polymers in EVER.SMOOTH that started this BLOW.DRY revolution,” he adds. “Even a classic jeans-and-T-shirt combination feels instantly polished when paired with glossy, styled hair.”
The Most Underrated Styling Product: HEATED.DEFENSE
If you use heat tools, HEATED.DEFENSE should be your first step.
“It’s a weightless, invisible leave-in foam that shields hair from hot tools and mechanical stress,” Murphy says. “With protection up to 232°C, it distributes effortlessly through all hair types, creating a weightless barrier without residue.”
How To Prevent Damage From Styling
What: Kevin.Murphy Night.Shift
Murphy’s latest innovation, NIGHT.SHIFT, is an overnight serum that “works while you sleep.” He explains, “It hydrates, smooths, and strengthens your hair, leaving it looking fresh, rejuvenated, and silky smooth in the morning.”
Why now? “I’m really interested in products that can hydrate, soften, repair, and improve the shine of your hair between washes,” he says. “It feels indulgent and rich when you use it, and it works hard behind the scenes.”
Styling Faux Pas
The most common mistake Murphy sees is "People adapting to something that is a trend but doesn’t suit them.
“Trends in the beauty sector are being turbocharged by TikTok,” he says. “But the desire for bespoke expertise is superseding any previous demand.”
For him, the future lies in customisation and care. “Products that offer individualised and inclusive solutions, including scalp care are reframing beauty as more relatable to the individual.”
Discover more of Kevin Murphy's best products below:
