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Side by side

Kevin Murphy PLUMPING.WASH vs MONDAY Haircare SMOOTH Shampoo

94% function match · 11 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 31%. Kevin Murphy PLUMPING.WASH and MONDAY Haircare SMOOTH Shampoo share 4 ingredients among each other's most prominent.

Based on your consultation

Which of these fits your hair?

We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.

Your profile at a glance

  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here

When each one is the right call

What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.

  • PLUMPING.WASH — colour-treated hair
  • SMOOTH Shampoo — colour-treated hair

Side by side

Every trait, aligned

One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.

Trait
Kevin Murphy PLUMPING.WASH — 8.45 oz container Kevin Murphy

PLUMPING.WASH

  • Shampoo
  • Prestige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Lightweight
MONDAY Haircare SMOOTH Shampoo — 12 oz container MONDAY Haircare

SMOOTH Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
Price, size & price per ounce
$45 8.45 oz · $5.33/oz
$7.49 12 oz · $0.78/oz
Value / price positioning
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Prestige tier · costs more than 95% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Lower cost than most shampoos $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 77% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Best for hair types
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Same
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Cleansing strength Same
Moderate Removes oil and product; leaves some conditioning behind. Your hair
Moderate Removes oil and product; leaves some conditioning behind. Your hair
Slip / detangling Same
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Weight on hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Same
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Moderate Your hair
Expected lather Same
Moderate An ordinary shampoo lather. Your hair
Moderate An ordinary shampoo lather. Your hair
Scalp active Same
None No over-the-counter scalp active. Your hair
None No over-the-counter scalp active. Your hair
Hard-water defence Differs
Chelators present Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals. Your hair
None No chelating agent in the list. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
  • Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
  • Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals
from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
More facts about each one
Type
Shampoo
Shampoo
Line
PLUMPING
—
Where to buy
Brand website
Target · Costco · Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • sulfate-free
Vegan
Not vegan · ingredient list
—
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described

Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".

The bottom line

The bottom line depends on your hair

Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.

Take the consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

The detail behind the table

Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.

Shared and distinct ingredients

Shared and distinct ingredients

Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.

What both formulas carry

IngredientPLUMPING.WASHSMOOTH Shampoo
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleanses
#3Leading
#4Supporting
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleanses
#7Supporting
#2Leading
Glycol Distearate
Softens
#34Below the 1% line
#5Supporting
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#26Below the 1% line
#8Supporting
Ethylhexylglycerin
Softens
#46Below the 1% line
#21Below the 1% line
Phenoxyethanol
Stabilizes
#45Below the 1% line
#22Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

PLUMPING.WASH

SMOOTH Shampoo

Full ingredient list — PLUMPING.WASH (59)
Full ingredient list — SMOOTH Shampoo (26)

Claims check

What each brand says, against what each formula shows

Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.

VerdictsPLUMPING.WASHSMOOTH Shampoo
Supported
1
3
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
1
4
Potential conflict
0
0

PLUMPING.WASH

  • Plump up in all the right places, and take your hair to a whole new level of volume and thicknessSupportedLeaves room for lift.
  • Targets fine and ageing hair to create stronger, fuller-looking locksStated by brandNot something a label can show.

SMOOTH Shampoo

  • For frizz-prone hairSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Contains Wheat Protein and Avocado OilStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Multi award-winningStated by brandPopularity, not performance.
  • Paraben and sulfate-freeSupportedGentler on colour and coils.
  • Dermatologically tested, pH balancedStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Leaping Bunny approved (cruelty-free)SupportedMatches our researched record.
  • Recyclable bottleStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

What owners say

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.

Both praised for the scent.

PLUMPING.WASH

Strong scent and noticeable volume lift; used alongside other Kevin Murphy shampoos in rotation

multi-product rotation user

Makes hair feel fuller and softer after switching to travel size, plans to buy full size

new customer, travel-size trial

Reliable, consistent volumizing results wash after wash

repeat buyer

SMOOTH Shampoo

Works effectively across a range of different hair types simultaneously, making it a versatile choice for households with varied hair needs

one reviewer noted effectiveness across family members with different hair types

Effective at reducing and taming frizz across multiple hair types, from straight to textured, while leaving hair noticeably smoother

multiple reviewers describing frizz reduction as a primary benefit

Pleasant gardenia and floral fragrance that is mild and not overpowering, making the product appealing to use daily

reviewers specifically praising the scent profile

Gentle, non-stripping formula that cleanses hair thoroughly without leaving it feeling dried out or damaged

reviewers appreciating the balance between cleansing and moisture retention

Price check

Cost per ounce, in context

Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.

$0.78/oz vs $5.33/oz — Kevin Murphy PLUMPING.WASH costs about 6.8× more per ounce than MONDAY Haircare SMOOTH Shampoo.

$0.00/oz median $1.47/oz $17.29/oz $5.33/oz PLUMPING.WASH $0.78/oz SMOOTH Shampoo

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 817 shampoos with a computable unit price.

Value readPLUMPING.WASHSMOOTH Shampoo
Label
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.
Lower cost than most shampoosCosts less per ounce than most shampoos we have researched.

Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.

Compare with something else

Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.

PLUMPING.WASH vs REPAIR-ME.WASHKevin Murphy · 99% function matchSMOOTH Shampoo vs Coily Miracle Hydrating ShampooIt's a 10 · 95% function matchPLUMPING.WASH vs BLOW.DRY WASHKevin Murphy · 99% function matchSMOOTH Shampoo vs Smooth Perfection ShampooPureology · 95% function matchPLUMPING.WASH vs Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Multiplying Volume ShampooAlterna Haircare · 98% function matchSMOOTH Shampoo vs Pureology Strength Cure ShampooPureology · 95% function matchPLUMPING.WASH vs Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing ShampooOuidad · 96% function matchSMOOTH Shampoo vs HYDRATE-ME.WASHKevin Murphy · 94% function match

PLUMPING.WASH · SMOOTH Shampoo · All shampoos in the library

How this page was made

  • This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
  • We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
  • The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 11 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.

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