Not all data has to live in spreadsheets. Sometimes, your best feedback is how your hair feels at the end of the day—and that’s valid. In this post, I reviewed three similarly priced leave-in conditioners by observing how my hair and scalp responded over a few days after each wash.
👩🔬 The Experiment Setup
I washed my hair, applied the leave-in conditioner, let it air dry for 15–30 minutes, then blow dried. I tracked how my hair and scalp felt over the next few days without additional products, styling, or washing. Dry time? Roughly the same across the board—about 10 minutes.
🧪 The Contenders
| Product | Size | Price | Price per Ounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pureology | 6.7 oz | $35.00 | $5.22/oz |
| It’s a 10 | 10 oz | $29.98 | $3.00/oz |
| Kevin Murphy | 5.1 oz | $35.40 | $6.94/oz |
💬 My Observational Results
🔹 Pureology
- Day 1: Still frizzy after blow-drying, but frizz improved slightly by end of day. Hairline not oily.
- Day 2: Ends felt knotty in the morning, but improved by evening. No oiliness.
- Day 3: Scalp oily. Ends dry and tangly. Hair needed a wash.
🔹 It’s a 10
- Day 1: Hair felt amazing. Soft, smooth, and shiny—couldn’t stop petting it.
- Day 2: Ends were a bit dry and knotty but easily fixed with a brush.
- Day 3: Hair felt dirty (thanks, mountain biking + gardening), but scalp wasn’t greasy.
- Day 4: Slightly oily at roots—time for a wash.
🔹 Kevin Murphy
- Day 1: Smelled the best. Felt dry at the roots and middle, but ends were decent. Got softer as the day went on.
- Day 2: Hair improved; still dry ends but not knotty.
- Day 3: Greasy roots, and I noticed a small breakout on my hairline.
- Day 4: Roots were oily. Mid-lengths were okay. Ends still dry.
👑 The Winner: It’s a 10
Despite being the most budget-friendly per ounce, It’s a 10 outperformed the others in softness, shine, and overall feel. Even on day four, my scalp didn’t feel greasy and my hair still looked put-together.
Travel tip: Don’t pay $10 for the 2 oz “travel size.” Just grab a set of small spray bottles for a couple of bucks and DIY your travel kit.
🧼 Final Thoughts:
This isn’t scientific lab data—but it is real-world, actionable, and reflective of how products perform over time. Sometimes the most useful data is what you observe in the mirror.
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