My Honest Verdict on the Shampoos From Cult Haircare Brand K18
I'm Adore Beauty's resident beauty newbie. Before working at Adore, I was travelling the world for 4 months with just one tiny tube of Jurlique moisturiser. I washed my face with warm water and used olive oil as a deep conditioning treatment. Oh, how things have changed!
Low on time? Check out our key takeaways below
Key Takeaways
- K18 bond repair mask significantly transformed my dry and damaged hair, making it feel stronger and softer.
- Peptide Prep shampoos are specifically designed to create a clean foundation for the K18 mask, enhancing its effectiveness.
- Two options are available: the K18 Peptide pH Maintenance Shampoo for daily use and the K18 Peptide Detox Shampoo for weekly clarifying.
- Detox Shampoo excels at removing product build-up, making it ideal for those who frequently use styling products.
- pH Maintenance Shampoo lathers well for a sulphate-free product and feels effective after just one wash, perfect for my thicker hair.
- Curl definition improved with less frizz after using the K18 products, highlighting their positive impact on my hair texture.
- Investment in quality is crucial for those with damaged hair, as the K18 products can help minimise breakage and prolong colour treatments.
When I first tried K18, I instantly knew it would become a cult product.
At the time, I had long hair that was very dry and damaged.
The K18 bond repair mask was unlike anything I’d used before.
K18 didn’t just leave my hair feeling super soft and silky like a regular hair mask, but it felt stronger, too.
And The People agreed with me, because the product was an instant hit when it landed on the virtual Adore Beauty shelves.
It's been almost a year since the brand launched on Adore Beauty, and just quietly...
A platinum blonde Kim Kardashian even gave K18 the tick of approval in her Allure Magazine cover interview.
But we're not here to talk about the best-selling K18 treatment.
Well, we are, but I'm here to tell you the professional haircare brand has launched not one, but two K18 hair shampoo products.
The K18 shampoos promise to care for your hair with peptides just like the original treatment, but are they worth adding to cart?
My hair type is curly, but it's a lot frizzier than I'd like it to be due to regular heat styling.
Especially when I’m working remotely from a tropical destination… I’m currently writing this article from a co-working space in Bali.
(Please, don’t hate me.)
Long story short, I decided to bring a K18 shampoo with me to see if it could help keep my curls looking manageable in the humidity.
Keep scrolling for my K18 shampoo review, plus all the facts you need to know.
What Is K18 Again?
But first, for anyone unacquainted, let's recap what makes the K18 miracle hair mask so great:
- K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask 50ml is a leave-in treatment designed to be used after shampoo and in place of conditioner.
- K18’s signature peptide formula works to reverse damage caused by heat, colouring and styling by repairing the keratin bonds in your hair.
- If you follow the specific K18 instructions, you'll see results in just 4 minutes.
- Personally, I noticed a huge difference in the health of my hair after one wash.
- You can read our full K18 hair review on Beauty IQ here if you want to learn more.
Meet the K18 Shampoos.
When a brand releases an instant cult classic, you hope and patiently wait for what's next.
Enter, the new K18 ‘Peptide Prep’ shampoos.
If you've ever Googled 'what shampoo to use with K18' or 'best shampoo to use with K18', these are it!
At $59, a bottle of K18 shampoo ain't cheap.
But there's a reason for the price tag, and it's called 'peptide prep'.
Basically, 'peptide prep' means you are cleansing your hair to create a clean foundation for the K18 mask to work most effectively.
And trust me, you want the K18 mask to work effectively considering it'll set you back $94.50.
There are two K18 shampoos to choose from, depending on your hair concerns:
1. K18 Peptide pH Maintenance Shampoo.
- K18 Peptide pH maintenance Shampoo 250ml is a gentle daily shampoo formulated to remove dirt, oil and other impurities, without stripping the hair’s natural pH levels.
- The patented K18 peptide helps strengthen hair, while plant-derived ingredients cleanse the scalp.
- This K18 clarifying shampoo is safe to use on coloured hair, and is suitable for all hair types.
- This shampoo is designed to prep the hair before using the K18 leave-in mask.
2. K18 Peptide Detox Shampoo.
- K18 Peptide Detox Shampoo 250ml is a once-weekly gentle shampoo formulated to cleanse and clarify the scalp.
- Like the K18 pH Maintenance Shampoo, this one also contains the patented K18 peptide for stronger hair.
- It's colour-safe too, and is designed to prep the hair before using the K18 leave-in mask.
- This shampoo also contains salicylic acid to remove sebum and product build up.
- Activated charcoal also helps to absorb and remove impurities from the scalp.
My K18 Shampoo Reviews.
First up, I tried the K18 Peptide Detox Shampoo 250ml before leaving for Bali.
This shampoo left my hair and scalp feeling extra clean, and because I used the K18 leave-in mask straight after, my hair also felt much stronger after just one wash.
If you have a lot of product build up or love using a clarifying scalp shampoo, this once-weekly scalp detox product is for you.
Personally, I can't justify the $59 expense because I don’t use products like dry shampoo that cause build up in the scalp.
That's why theK18 Peptide pH maintenance Shampoo 250ml is more my jam.
I took this K18 shampoo and the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask 50ml with me to Bali.
I've been washing my hair with it, and then applying the K18 leave-in mask straight after.
Here are my unfiltered thoughts:
- It lathered really nicely for a sulphate-free shampoo. I’ve used sulphate-free shampoos in the past that don’t lather enough for my thick hair.
- I found I only needed to shampoo once with this product - sometimes, I have to wash my hair a few times for it to feel fully clean.
- Using both K18 products together gives your hair that strong feeling.
- Usually, I use a lot of hydrating hair care to counteract crunchy damage, but with both of these keratin repair products, my hair feels softer and stronger, and isn’t weighed down at all.
- If you aren't using the K18 treatment in your routine, you won't necessarily reap the core benefits of the shampoo. They're definitely better together.
This is all good info, but what about how it's making my curls look?
After only three washes, I can see more definition in my curls with less frizz.
Final Verdict...
Yes, a K18 shampoo coupled with the mask is a fairly big investment of around $150.
But I firmly believe if you have really damaged hair, it’s always worth investing in quality repair products.
Regular colouring at the hairdresser is expensive, so you want to minimise breakage and help your colour last between appointments for as long as possible.
Got pretty healthy hair? You might not see game-changing results from using K18 products.
But for anyone like me with ultra damaged hair, trust me, they work!
P.S. Check out this YouTube video for even more hair mask recommendations.
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