Kevin Murphy NIGHT.RIDER — front of package

Sizes & containers

Photo coming100 g Photo coming30 gTravel size

100 g · No store price at this size yet

Kevin Murphy

NIGHT.RIDER

Styler / Paste, strong-hold

Styler
paste
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Protein-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size100 gusual store size · 2 sizes

Price$14seen at one store · 1.06 oz

Price / oz$13.21/ozat 1.06 oz

Where to buy1 store

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

Reviewers describe it as boronia, citrus, fresh, grapefruit, smoky, tangerine.

“A smoky citrus blend of boronia, grapefruit and tangerine, grounded yet bright with a warm, diffused edge.” (Brand page)

Manufacturer page: kevinmurphy.com.au

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Curly–Coily Not in your profile

Moisture level Moderate Not in your profile

Hold (as stated) Strong Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Some Not in your profile

Weight on hair Rich Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein None Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup High Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Scent Citrus · Fresh & airyStrength not recorded Not in your profile

Show all 23 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Parabens / preservatives None of these listed Not in your profile

Essential oils None listed 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

Aerosol can Pump or tube Not in your profile

Needs heat to set Not determined Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Not heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 26 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Masstige Not in your profile

Where to buy it Brand website · Salons Not in your profile

The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.

Same job for less elsewhere

$13.21/oz at 1.06 oz, more than 83% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent

Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down

Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them

Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that 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.

Hold (as stated) Strong

A strong hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

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. The 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
Lanolin WaxLanolin Wax (Lanolin Cera) (Cire de lanoline)	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Buildup
BeeswaxBeeswax (Cera Alba) (Cire d’abeille)	wax	Holds shape and adds weight	Buildup
PVP	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Lanolin Alcohol	fatty alcohol	Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol)	Softens
Limonene	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Peg-8 Beeswax	emulsifier	Stabilises the mix	Stabilizes
Propylene Glycol	humectant	Adds a little water-binding	Moisturizes
Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
FragranceFragrance (Parfum)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Linalool	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.

Full ingredient list (26)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

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 Lanolin Wax · Lanolin Wax (Lanolin Cera) (Cire de lanoline)

General function
The solid fraction of lanolin, used to give balms body and hold.

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

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- film former
- sealant
- wax
3 Beeswax · Beeswax (Cera Alba) (Cire d’abeille)

General function
A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.

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

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- wax
- film former
- sealant
4 PVP

General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

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

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.

May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
The film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.

PubChem
- film former
- polymer
5 Lanolin Alcohol

General function
The alcohol fraction of lanolin, used to soften and to hold water into a rich cream. Animal-derived.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- emulsifier
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
6 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
7 Peg-8 Beeswax

General function
An ethoxylated or propoxylated formulation aid. Ingredients of this family keep oils, silicones and fragrance evenly dispersed in a water-based product.

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.
- emulsifier
8 Propylene Glycol

General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

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 adds less weight than oils or butters do.

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
- humectant
- solvent
9 Cetearyl Alcohol

General function
A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the 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
The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

PubChem
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
10 Behenyl Alcohol

General function
A long-chain fatty alcohol that gives rich conditioners their thickness and cushiony feel.

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
The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

PubChem
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
11 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
12 Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil

General function
The essential oil of Mandarin Orange (Citrus Nobilis). 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.

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
- botanical extract
13 Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil

General function
The essential oil of Grapefruit (Citrus Paradisi). 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.

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
- botanical extract
14 Tridecyl Stearate

General function
A waxy ester that thickens and leaves a smooth, non-greasy finish.

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
A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

PubChem
- light ester
- emollient
15 Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

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

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
A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
16 Tridecyl Trimellitate

General function
A cushiony ester used for a rich, long-lasting glide.

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
A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
17 Hydrogenated Polydecene

General function
A synthetic light emollient used for slip that does not go rancid.

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
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emollient
18 Trideceth-10
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
19 Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
- thickener
- polymer
20 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
21 Benzoic Acid
- preservative
22 Dehydroacetic Acid
- preservative
23 Potassium Hydroxide

General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to set pH; it is fully neutralised in the finished product.

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.

DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
24 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
25 Linalool

General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as 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
26 Citral

General function
A lemon-scented 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

What the whole list adds up to

7 emollients
6 fragrances
4 emulsifiers
3 film formers
3 fatty alcohols
3 named fragrance allergens
3 thickeners
3 light esters
3 preservatives
2 solvents
2 sealants
2 waxs
2 polymers
2 solubilizers

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 1.06 oz

Seen at $14 1 store · checked Oct 15

Good value under $5 Under $4.66/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

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.

Show the price ladder

Price for 1.06 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Kevin Murphy (brand site)
$14.00

1.06 oz · $13.21/oz

Oct 15Lowest per oz

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

1.06 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 $14 is the price we have observed for the 1.06 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $5 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.66/oz; at 1.06 oz that is $5. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1.06 oz.

Formula

Formula score

9 of 10

Sold through salons, and 7 products that do the same job cost less. Part of what you pay for is where it is sold.

How the score is counted

7 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 83% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 6 things a paste should do
Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs

A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

UNITE HairSame function Styling Cream $7.00/oz $6.21/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

Differs: 2 oz bottle
Sold online

Compare

Dove Men+CareSame function Medium Hold Hair Styling Paste $5.42/oz $7.79/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

Differs: Drugstore tier

Compare

Dove Men+CareLowest cost per oz Men+Care Medium Hold Molding Paste $3.99/oz $9.22/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

· Same function

Differs: Drugstore tier
1.8 oz bottle

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person, not the lowest cost

Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

Best alternative if not

UNITE Hair Styling Cream 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, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

the strongest of our hardworking moulding pastes

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

rough, matte texture to enhance short or choppy looks

Nothing absorbent sits high enough to read as a matte system.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

helps seal in moisture to prevent hair breakage

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

Lanolin Alcohol
Propylene Glycol
Cetearyl Alcohol

Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Enhances shine

Light esters can add a little gloss without a full shine system.

Lanolin Wax
Beeswax
Tridecyl Stearate

Partly supported

A hint of gloss.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Many reviewers like the fresh, citrus-leaning scent, though one preferred the medium-hold version's smell.

reviewers commenting on fragrance

Reviewers praise a strong, moldable matte hold with low shine that lasts all day and leaves no residue or heavy product feel.

mostly male reviewers, several long-term users

Some reviewers found the hold fades or is weaker than expected on thick hair, and two long-term users said newer batches felt more watery, greasier or different.

thick-haired reviewers and long-term repeat buyers

How this page was made

Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one 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.
2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 17 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
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 v23. Record last updated 2026-10-17.

NIGHT.RIDER

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

What people report

More from Kevin Murphy

How this page was made

Hair Care Consultation