Clinically proven damage repair
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
K18
Molecular Repair Oil
Finisher / Hair oil, glossing
- Finisher
- oil
- Cruelty-free · brand states
Size1.01 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$21seen at one store · 1.01 oz
Price / oz$64.10/ozat 1.01 oz
Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: k18hair.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 19 factors we check.
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- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Shine system
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Not determined
Not in your profile
Essential oils
Not determined
Not in your profile
Show all 19 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · brand states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Not determined
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not determined
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
22 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Prestige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Specialty beauty
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$64.10/oz at 1.01 oz — more than 99% of the 169 hair oils , which mostly run $4.50–16.47/oz.
Great for
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Dull-looking haira recognised shine system is present
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Frizz in humid airno film former or silicone to hold it back
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Shine system
Oil blend
A silicone or oil blend does the shine work here.
Weight on the hair
Rich
Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate | — | — | Neutral |
| Squalane | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Detangles |
| Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil | oil | The shine and softening system | Shine |
| Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil | oil | The shine and softening system | Shine |
| C13-15 Alkane | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Shine |
| Undecane | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Shine |
| Benzyl Alcohol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Tridecane | solvent | Carrier for the rest of the formula | Shine |
| SH-Oligopeptide-78 | protein | A small amount of protein | Protein |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hexyl Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesFragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (22)
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.
- 1 Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
-
2
Squalane
General function
The fully hydrogenated form of squalene, now made from olive or sugarcane rather than shark liver. Hydrogenation is what makes it so slow to oxidise; it spreads very lightly and absorbs without a greasy film.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
- emollient
- conditioning agent
-
3
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
General function
A rich oil used in masks and heavier creams for softness on coarse or dry hair.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
4
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus). It is one of the lighter plant oils, absorbing faster and leaving less residue.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
5
C13-15 Alkane
General function
A plant-derived light alkane used as a clean-feeling replacement for silicone or mineral oil.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emollient
- solvent
-
6
Undecane
General function
A light plant-derived hydrocarbon that spreads other ingredients and evaporates.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- solvent
- emollient
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
7
Benzyl Alcohol
General function
A preservative and solvent that also occurs naturally in some essential oils.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
- solvent
-
8
Tridecane
General function
A light hydrocarbon carrier, usually paired with undecane as a plant alternative to volatile silicone.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- solvent
- emollient
- 9 Castor Isostearate Succinate
-
10
Propanediol
General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
11
SH-Oligopeptide-78
General function
A bioengineered peptide used at low levels in scalp and growth-positioned products.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairUnhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.
- protein
-
12
Fragrance
· Fragrance (Parfum)
General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
13
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
14
Cinnamal
General function
A cinnamon-scented fragrance component listed as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
15
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
16
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
17
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
18
Linalyl Acetate
General function
A lavender-like fragrance component, related to linalool and listed for the same allergen reason.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
19
Pinene
General function
A pine-scented component of essential oils, declared as part of the fragrance.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
-
20
Rose Ketones
General function
An individual aroma chemical. It is part of the product's fragrance; brands that print these are disclosing more of the blend than the rules require.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
-
21
Terpineol
General function
A lilac-like fragrance component found naturally in several essential oils.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
-
22
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
General function
A synthetic musk or woody-amber note used as a fragrance base.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
What the whole list adds up to
- 10 fragrances
- 6 emollients
- 5 solvents
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 2 oils
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 preservative
- 1 humectant
- 1 protein
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 antioxidant
- 1 vitamin
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 1.01 oz
Seen at
$21
Good value under
$5
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $5 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.
Sizes
0.34 oz
$27
$79.41/oz
1.01 ozmost listed
$65
$64.10/oz
The 1.01 oz costs 19% less per ounce than the 0.34 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
1.01 ozmost listed
-
K18 (k18hair.com)
$65.001.01 oz · $64.10/ozSep 8Lowest per oz
0.34 oz
-
Target
$27.000.34 oz · $79.41/ozSep 8Lowest per oz
34 ozBest per ounce
-
United Salon Supplies
$21.0034 oz · $0.62/ozSep 8Lowest per ozSale · was $42.00
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.
How we work this out
- 1.01 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Seen at $21 is the price we have observed for the 1.01 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $5 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.47/oz; at 1.01 oz that is $5. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1.01 oz.
Formula
8
Formula score
8 of 10
Sold through specialty beauty at a price 7 products that do the same job undercut — the counter is part of what you are paying for.
How the score is counted
- 7 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 99% of the 169 hair oils we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a hair oil should do
- Prestige tier, sold at Brand website and Specialty beauty
- A shine systemThe silicone, oil, or ester that produces gloss.3 pts
- A weightless carrierDelivers the shine without leaving grease.2 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- An antioxidantKeeps the oils in the bottle from going off.1 pt
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job, for less
Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.
Eva NYCFragrance-free
On Point Split End Mender
$7.97/oz $56.13/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein
- Differs
ORSClose function
Unapologetic Root to Tip Nourishing Oil
$6.00/oz $58.10/oz less
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
- Also
SheaMoistureLowest cost per oz
Manuka Honey & Yogurt Strengthen & Protect Oil
$3.64/oz $60.46/oz less
- Protein-free
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Hard to justify at this priceBest user
Coarse, dry, or high-porosity hair, looking for a formula with real substance and shine
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or frizz on humid days
Best alternative if not
Consider Eva NYC On Point Split End Mender, for similar results at a lower price
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, against what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
4
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
24-HR frizz control
Oils and polymers can smooth a little; the stronger smoothing agents are not listed.
- Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
- Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil
Partly supported
Some smoothing, in dry air.
104% more shine
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
78% reduction in split ends
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
450°F (232°C) heat protection
Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.
- SH-Oligopeptide-78
Stated by brand
Only lab testing can show this.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
More from K18
How this page was made
- Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
- 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.
- Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
- 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.
- 3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 18 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
- We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-08.