firm, weightless, long-lasting hold
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
Sizes & containers
337 ml · aerosol can · No store price at this size yet · UPC 09339341060420
Kevin Murphy
SESSION.SPRAY
Styler / Hairspray, strong-hold
- Styler
- hairspray
- aerosol
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Strong hold
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size337 mlusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$22seen at one store · 3.38 oz
Price / oz$6.51/ozat 3.38 oz
Where to buy1 store
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Notes: citrus, geranium, vanilla.
“A joyful blend of citrus, anchored by geranium and vanilla” (Brand page)
Manufacturer page: kevinmurphy.com.au
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 23 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
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
Medium
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 · FloralStrength 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
High
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
Pressurised can
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
Present
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
19 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.
Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$6.51/oz at 3.38 oz, more than 90% of the 242 hairsprays , which mostly run $1.61–3.87/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
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
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.
Cast risk
Unlikely
Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.
Fast-drying alcohol
High in the list
Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Denat. | drying alcohol | Sets the style fast, which is also why it can feel dry | Drying |
| Dimethyl Ether | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Tocopheryl Acetate | antioxidant | Protects the formula | Stabilizes |
| Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Neutral |
| Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil | oil | A little softening for the film | Softens |
| Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone | emulsifier | Stabilises the mix | Buildup |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Benzyl Benzoate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.
Full ingredient list (19)
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
Alcohol Denat.
General function
Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.
Role in this product typeIn hairspray, denatured alcohol acts as a fast-evaporating solvent that carries the styling polymers and helps distribute them in a fine spray. As it evaporates, the polymers remain on the hair to form the hold film.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewMay suitFine or easily flattened hairMay suit hair that needs a fast-drying, lightweight spray base rather than an oil- or wax-led finish.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairPorous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairConsider if hair is very dry or highly damaged: when alcohol is this prominent, the fast-evaporating base may leave the hair feeling drier.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
2
Dimethyl Ether
General function
An aerosol propellant that also helps the formula spray as a fine, fast-drying mist.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- propellant
- solvent
-
3
Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
General function
A firm hold polymer used in hairsprays and gels. It holds well in humidity and brushes out.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
4
Tocopheryl Acetate
General function
A stable form of vitamin E used to keep the oils in a formula from oxidising. It is used at fractions of a percent.
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.
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
5
Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract
General function
An extract of Ivy (Hedera Helix). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
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.
- botanical extract
-
6
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light oil that softens without much residue.
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 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
7
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil
General function
Orange peel oil used for a fresh citrus scent; naturally high in limonene.
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
- botanical extract
-
8
Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil
General function
The essential oil of Tangerine (Citrus Reticulata). Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.
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
- botanical extract
-
9
Water
· Water (Aqua) (Eau)
- solvent
-
10
Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone
- silicone
- emollient
-
11
Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone
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 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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe PEG- and PPG-modified silicones disperse in water, so ordinary washing carries them off instead of leaving a film to accumulate.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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 hairDelivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.
- emulsifier
- silicone
- water-soluble silicone
-
12
Triethyl Citrate
General function
A citrate ester used to stabilise fragrance and support the preservative system.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH 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.
- pH adjuster
- preservative
-
13
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
General function
A UV filter added to protect the product's colour and, in leave-ins, to slow colour fade.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairSunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.
- UV filter
-
14
Aminomethyl Propanol
General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH 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.
- pH adjuster
-
15
BHT
- antioxidant
-
16
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
-
17
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 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
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
-
19
Citronellol
General function
A rose-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
What the whole list adds up to
- 6 fragrances
- 3 solvents
- 3 botanical extracts
- 3 named fragrance allergens
- 2 antioxidants
- 2 emollients
- 2 silicones
- 2 pH adjusters
- 1 drying alcohol
- 1 propellant
- 1 film former
- 1 polymer
- 1 vitamin
- 1 oil
Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 3.38 oz
Seen at
$22
Good value under
$7
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $7 line; products that do this job typically go for about $9 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
-
Kevin Murphy (brand site)
$22.003.38 oz · $6.51/ozOct 7Lowest 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
- 3.38 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 $22 is the price we have observed for the 3.38 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $7 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.99/oz; at 3.38 oz that is $7. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $9 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.38 oz.
Formula
6
Formula score
6 of 10
It costs more per ounce than 90% of the 242 hairsprays we’ve priced, and 7 formulas we score as close matches cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 7 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 90% of the 242 hairsprays we’ve priced
- No no drying alcohol in the first three in the formula
- Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
- 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.
JoicoSame function
Humidity Blocker+ Protective Finishing Spray
$4.18/oz $2.33/oz less
- Protein-free
- Medium weight
- Differs
Paul MitchellLowest cost per oz
Soft Hairspray
$2.38/oz $4.13/oz less
- Protein-free
- No aerosol
- Medium weight
- Function
- Also
CHIClose function
Luxury Black Seed Oil Blend Flexible Hold Hair Spray
$2.89/oz $3.62/oz less
- Protein-free
- Medium weight
- Function
- Also
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?
Similar results available for lessBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and defined, clumped curls
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair
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.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
excellent humidity resistance
Humidity resistance is measured in a lab, not read off a label; film formers can help.
- Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
- Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone
- Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone
Stated by brand
May help, but not measurable here.
Brushes out easily without flakiness
No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.
—
Stated by brand
Soothing, not an active treatment.
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.
Reviewers describe strong but flexible hold that survives humidity, avoids frizz and does not feel tacky, stiff or heavy, and brushes out easily.
reviewers with fine, thick, long or curled hair, many long-time usersA few reviewers say the spray nozzle clogs, gums up or stops working after limited use even though they like the product.
buyers who liked the hold but had dispenser problemsSome reviewers, particularly with fine or thin hair, found it stiff, drying, heavy or flaky, leaving white residue with little real hold.
fine and thin-haired reviewersMore from Kevin Murphy
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 7 of 13 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.
