K18 shampoo & conditioner: Our honest review in 2024
The cult hair brand gets rave reviews on TikTok for delivering “epic” results — here’s what happened when we put it to the test.
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When a beauty product goes viral on TikTok, you (naturally) should always take a second to consider whether it will be actually right for you.
That’s what happened when the K18 hair mask first popped up on my TikTok feed about a year ago. I kept seeing it over and over again but only made the jump a few months back.
And now I know exactly what those millions and millions of people were talking about.
The K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask (and the K18 hair brand in general) is all about repairing damage through high-quality vegan and cruelty-free products.
But with a hefty price tag – the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask will set you back $99 – is it really that much better compared to the hair products you can pick up at your local supermarket?
I tried and tested the top-rated range for more than two months and these are my honest thoughts on one of the most hyped-up beauty brands of the past year.
OUR REVIEW OF THE K18 HAIR PRODUCTS
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask, $99.95 at Adore Beauty
What You Need To Know
The K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask is the star of the show. It’s how I first got introduced to the brand and it’s the product that catapulted K18 to the top.
It works unlike any other hair mask on the market – but you need to follow the instructions to get the best results.
Shampoo your hair as normal in the shower but skip the conditioner. On towel dried hair, apply one pump (or more if you have long, thick hair) into your hands and rub them together until it turns into a white paste like the image below.
Then run the product through your hair, coating each strand from root to tip. Let it do its magic for four minutes and then brush out your hair and style as you normally would.
I’ve been using the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask at least once a week for the past few months, and to put it simply, it is epic.
It’s racked up tens of thousands of five-star ratings on Google Reviews, and has been named the “holy grail”, “super effective” and “absolutely amazing”.
I’ve been on a bit of a hair health journey and after trying other hair masks on the market, nothing compares to this genius one from K18.
This hair repair mask has helped strengthen my locks and changed it for the better. It’s made my hair feel stronger and softer, supported my hair growth journey and honestly I now can’t imagine not using this product in my haircare routine.
I will say it is pricey – sitting at $100 a pop – but it does last a while. I have thick, medium-length hair and tend to need about two and a half pumps each use. My bottle is still going strong, so I imagine I’ll only have to repurchase a few times a year.
K18 Peptide Detox Shampoo, $59 at Adore Beauty
What You Need To Know
As an oily scalp gal and a chronic dry shampoo user, detox and clarifying shampoos are my best friend, and I’ve tried quite a few on the market.
However the Peptide Detox Shampoo from K18 is by far my favourite. It’s formulated with activated charcoal to remove impurities and dirt, salicylic acid to clear product build-up without stripping your natural oils and K18 peptide – the brand’s patented formula to strengthen and revive protein loss.
I use the Peptide Detox Shampoo once a week, about every second hair wash and it does a fantastic job at cleansing the scalp without leaving your hair feeling dry and brittle.
I also find that it keeps my colour looking fresh in between salon visits – it doesn’t dull the colour down and leaves my hair feeling super nice and healthy.
K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo, $59 at Adore Beauty
What You Need To Know
I am obsessed with this shampoo and conditioner duo from K18. Perfect for everyday use and safe for coloured hair types, the Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo offers a gentle cleanse while leaving your hair feeling soft and healthy.
The pH-optimised formula has been carefully balanced to prevent excessive swelling of the hair cuticle during washing, reducing frizz, preserving colour, and enhancing shine. The added K18 Peptide technology also ensures your hair follicles stay strong.
I’ve been using it every time I wash my hair and I find that alongside all the other K18 hair products, my hair feels super strong and healthy.
K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Conditioner, $59 at Adore Beauty
What You Need To Know
Following up with the conditioner after the shampoo mentioned above, the Damage Shield pH Protective Conditioner is a must-have in your routine.
Like the rest of the brand’s line-up, the conditioner also features the K18 peptide technology.
Named “more than just a conditioner”, this product is designed to act as a protective shield for your hair, offering protection from harmful UV rays, mechanical styling and environmental damage.
Other key ingredients include a biotech-produced polysaccharides and a fortifying ceramide blend, both working for pollution protection and damage repair.
K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil, $94.95 at Adore Beauty
What You Need To Know
The K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil can really do it all. It promises to provide frizz control for 24 hours, minimise split ends, enhance shine and act as a heat protectant, all while feeling lightweight and absorbing quickly into your hair.
While that all sounds great, for some reason, this hair oil just did not work for me. I tried applying a few drops on both damp and dry hair – which K18 recommends – but it just felt like this hair oil did not sink into my strands properly.
My hair looked and felt quite heavy, as if the product was not absorbing properly.
In saying that, it does have countless positive reviews online, with some five-star rating shoppers calling it the “best hair oil” that is “ so amazing” … so maybe it was just me. Although considering it’s priced at $95, you may want to be a little cautious before purchasing.
VERDICT: SHOULD YOU BUY THE K18 HAIR PRODUCT LINE?
If strong, healthy hair is important to you, you should definitely give K18 a go. While the prices do sit on the higher end of the spectrum – especially the hair oil at $94.95 – the products will last you a long time, they’re vegan, cruelty-free and they truly worked for me.
With my wedding later this year in September, I’ve been on a bit of a hair health journey and after using the brand consistently for the past two months, I can really see a difference.
I wouldn’t say it’s made my hair magically grow longer overnight – but my hair feels stronger, smoother and just looks overall nicer than what it did before.
HOW WE TESTED THE K18 HAIR PRODUCTS
At news.com.au checkout, it’s our mission to help you make informed shopping decisions. To ensure you buy the right product at the best price, we rigorously test products so you don’t have to. As well as sorting through mountains of consumer reviews, product manuals and conduction thorough product research, our team of expert writers put each product we review through a series of hands-on tests to ensure we give you honest feedback about its performance and whether it’s worth your hard-earned money.
I used K18 Hair products for the past two months, washing my hair about twice a week, using the hair mask regularly and the detox shampoo every second wash.
OTHER COMPARABLE HAIR PRODUCTS
Repairing hair damage is all the rage right now in the haircare world and we’re not complaining.
If you’re looking for something similar to K18, Olaplex is a great place to start. They’re a highly-rated brand with tons of best selling products, including the Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector.
We also love Kerastase – this is a brand that has been leading the luxury hair care industry for 60 years with a new Kerastase Premiere range focusing primarily on repairing hair bonds and damage.
Some more of our favourite hair care brands include O & M, Virtue Labs and Oribe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT HAIR DOES K18 WORK BEST ON?
According to Sadaf Razi, senior beauty editor at Adore Beauty, the K18 range is ideal for “those who are looking to level up their damaged-hair routine especially those with coloured hair”.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FROM USING THE K18 HAIR RANGE?
“Backed by hair science and hairdressers globally for good reason, those with severely dry, damaged, lacklustre or over-processed hair (thanks to things like colouring, heat styling or the elements) can hugely benefit from K18,” Sadaf told news.com.au checkout.
The K18 Leave-in Molecular Repair Mask is their hero product for good reason.
It’s racked up over 150-five star reviews on the Adore Beauty, won countless awards and is featured on thousands (if not more) of TikTok user reviews.
“When it comes to the best treatments for damaged or compromised hair, this iconic hair mask is top-tier for restoring your tresses,” she said.
“Mainly because it harnesses the power of its patented bioactive peptides that help repair keratin in the hair. It also claims to work on your damaged tresses in just four minutes.”
HOW TO USE THE K18 HAIR MASK
The K18 Hair Mask isn’t your average hair mask – there’s a right way to use it to get the best results.
According to Sadaf, “a great tip is to actually rub the product between your hands first to emulsify it a little (it will turn into an almost foam-like texture), which activates the product, and then apply it to the hair”.
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Another tip is to “make sure you’re not using conditioner before you apply the mask. Your conditioner can create a film or seal that will make it more difficult for this hardworking hair treatment to really get into the hair fibres”.
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