Kevin Murphy Heated.Defense — 5.1 oz container

Kevin Murphy

Heated.Defense

Heat protectant / Lotion, heat-protecting

Heat protectant
foam
Also a leave-in
Sulfate-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size5.1 fl oz

Price$24.50seen at one store · 5.1 oz

Price / oz$4.80/ozat 5.1 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $24.50–35.00

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Listing used for research: saloncentric.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Straight–Curly Not in your profile

Moisture level Moderate Not in your profile

Heat protection High Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Medium Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Prominent Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup High Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives None of these listed Not in your profile

Show all 20 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Essential oils Present Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Cruelty-free · PETA-listed Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Not yet verified Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Not heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence High Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 24 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Salon Not in your profile

Where to buy it Brand websiteOne channel 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.

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

Upper-mid price for a heat protectant

$4.80/oz at 5.1 oz — more than 69% of the 549 heat protectants , which mostly run $1.25–5.69/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Heat stylingthe brand states protection to 450°F

Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove

Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein

Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

How much heat protection you need depends on how often and how hot you style — that is what the consultation works out.

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.

Heat protection Stated to 450°F

The brand states a protection temperature — a label claim, not a measurement.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

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
WaterWater (Aqua) (Eau)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone Peg-8 Succinate	emollient	Softens and smooths the strand	Buildup
Polysorbate 20	solubilizer	Keeps oils dissolved in water	Stabilizes
Hydrolyzed Quinoa	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Protein
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Protein
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil	emollient	Softens and smooths the strand	Buildup
Piper Nigrum (Pepper) Seed Oil	botanical extract	A trace plant extract	Fragrance
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil	oil	A small amount of oil for softness	Softens
FragranceFragrance (Parfum)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Benzyl Benzoate	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Limonene	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Benzyl Salicylate	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein-forward — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.

Full ingredient list (24)

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 Water · Water (Aqua) (Eau)

General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
2 Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone Peg-8 Succinate

General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- emollient
- light ester
- silicone
3 Polysorbate 20

General function
Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
4 Hydrolyzed Quinoa

General function
A quinoa-derived protein used for light strengthening and colour retention claims.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
5 Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
6 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil

General function
Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coats 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 hair
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
- emollient
- light ester
- oil
- wax
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
7 Piper Nigrum (Pepper) Seed Oil

General function
The essential oil of Pepper (Piper Nigrum). Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
8 Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil

General function
A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coats 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 hair
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
9 Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil

General function
The oil pressed from Amyris Balsamifera's bark. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coats 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 hair
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
10 Caprylyl Glycol

General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A 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.

PubChem
- preservative
- humectant
11 Hexylene Glycol

General function
A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A 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.

PubChem
- solvent
- humectant
12 Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate

General function
A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It 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 hair
A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
13 Polyquaternium-55

General function
A conditioning hold polymer used where flexibility and shine matter more than stiffness.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
14 VP/Dmapa Acrylates Copolymer

General function
A hold polymer that sets with some flexibility and washes out with water.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
15 Disodium EDTA

General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

PubChem
- hard-water chelator
16 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
17 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
18 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
19 Benzalkonium Chloride

General function
A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It 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 hair
A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
20 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 zone
It 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 routines
Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
21 Benzyl Benzoate

General function
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It 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 routines
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
22 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 zone
It 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 routines
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
23 Benzyl Salicylate

General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It 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 routines
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
24 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent

What the whole list adds up to

5 fragrances
5 preservatives
4 emollients
4 film formers
3 solvents
3 oils
3 conditioning agents
3 named fragrance allergens
2 light esters
2 proteins
2 hydrolysed proteins
2 humectants
2 polymers
1 silicone

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5.1 oz

Seen at $24.50 1 store · checked Aug 30

Show the price ladder

Price for 5.1 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

SkincareEssentials
$24.50

5.1 oz · $4.80/oz

Aug 30Lowest per oz
kevinmurphy.com.au
$35.00

5.1 oz · $6.86/oz

Aug 23

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

5.1 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 $24.50 is the price we have observed for the 5.1 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
About $12 is what heat protectants typically cost at this size. Too few of the products that do the same job carry a price for us to draw a good-value line.

Formula

Formula score

9 of 10

The formula carries the systems a heat protectant is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for heat protectants per ounce.

How the score is counted

2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 69% of the 549 heat protectants we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 6 things a heat protectant should do
Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs

A film-forming heat spreaderSilicones or polymers that spread heat along the strand.3 pts
A stated heat claimThe brand names the protection it claims.2 pts
A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.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.

Original SproutClosest function Protective Protein Hair Mist $1.99/oz $2.81/oz less

Protein
Rich
Alcohol-free

Function: Film formers
Weight on the hair
Also: Mint scent
Vegan
Prestige tier

Compare

SuaveLowest cost per oz Lush & Coily Cream Detangler Spray $0.75/oz $4.05/oz less

Protein-free
Alcohol-free
Medium weight

· Close function

Function: Slip and detangling
Protein
Also: Sweet scent
Drugstore tier
20 oz bottle

Compare

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?

Good for the right person

Best user

People who blow-dry or flat-iron — for heat protection and protein high in the formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or hair that stiffens on protein

Best alternative if not

Original Sprout Protective Protein Hair Mist — 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Protect your hair against daily life's biggest aggressor, heat damage

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

A weightless and invisible leave-in treatment foam to protect your hair against damage associated with heated and mechanical tools

A mid-weight formula: light on coarse hair, noticeable on fine hair.

Water
Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone Peg-8 Succinate
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil

Partly supported

Depends how fine your hair is.

Providing heat protection up to 232C / 450F

Our library captures this as a heat protectant, but thermal protection is measured in a lab, not read off a list.

Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone Peg-8 Succinate
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Partly supported

Sold for hot tools; untestable here.

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.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Lightweight foam protects hair through repeated heat styling

SalonCentric reviewers

Leaves curls or thick hair soft, shiny, and healthy

Haircare NZ and Walmart reviewers

Some reviewers report little difference after styling

SalonCentric reviewer

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.
5 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 17 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 2026-08-25.