As someone who doesn’t get a trim as often as she should (I’m growing my hair out, okay?), I expect a lot from my humble shampoo and conditioner. I want them to cleanse my scalp and strands of the daily lashings of dry shampoo, not to mention smooth frizz, minimize split ends, boost shine, and make my lengths smell incredible. I don’t think that’s a tall order, especially given how far haircare tech has come. But it’s my job to test these products out, and you’d be surprized how many brands underdeliver. So when I heard that Kundal — Korea’s number one shampoo brand — had landed at Amazon and Walmart, too, I sat up, took note, and headed straight to TikTok to see what all the fuss was about.
While Korea’s skincare continues to enjoy the spotlight, it’s now haircare’s turn to shine, with Kundal taking center stage. On TikTok, the hashtag #Kundal now has over 17.3K posts and counting, many racking up tens of thousands of views, likes, and comments. The consensus? It’s one of the best-smelling — yes, smelling — hair brands out there.
According to the brand’s legions of fans, hair perfume has nothing on Kundal’s shampoo range, which features fragrances like White Musk (clean, soft, and powdery), Cherry Blossom (lightly floral and refreshing), and Violet Muguet (sweet and slightly green). There are also matching conditioning treatments, a scalp tonic, and a post-wash serum, all of which smell just as good. In fact, some are even filming themselves “blind” reviewing the collection based on scent alone.
It seems the most popular scent is White Musk — a warm “skin scent” with a spicy, intimate edge. As luck would have it, White Musk was the fragrance that landed on my desk, namely the Honey & Macadamia Shampoo White Musk, $14.31, and the Honey & Macadamia Protein Treatment White Musk, $14.86. It’s not all hype — they do smell incredible. Hours after using the shampoo and treatment, my partner walked into a bathroom that smelled like a high-end spa. He was convinced I’d spritzed on perfume before bed. Nope, just my hair.
Ask any fragrance obsessive how to smell good all day, and I bet they’ll recommend a hair perfume. Unlike regular fragrance sprayed on skin or clothes, hair perfume really lingers, and the natural movement of your lengths means you catch heavenly wafts throughout the day. But here’s the thing: A lot of them contain alcohol, which can be drying on already parched or fragile strands. The beauty of Kundal’s hair collection is that it’s not all scent over substance; the incredible fragrance is suspended in a handful of nourishing ingredients.
I’ll start with the shampoo. The ingredients list boasts an abundance of smoothing, shine-enhancing plant oils, including coconut, avocado, macadamia, and jojoba oils. Then there’s ultra-moisturizing shea butter to reduce dryness and frizz, plus mild surfactants like lauryl hydroxysultaine to cleanse the scalp and strands without stripping. Don’t underestimate it, though. The lather is rich and creamy, and I only need to shampoo once, rather than twice like usual. My hair always feels light and clean, not weighed down or greasy. It’s been two days since I last washed my hair, and I can still smell the subtle, powdery, musky scent on my strands.
Then there’s the protein treatment, a favourite among people with all hair types — especially those with type 4 natural hair, who love its moisturizing benefits. One content creator even called it “life-saving” for her curls. I have fine hair, but a lot of it, and I use the treatment as a conditioner, letting it work its magic for around five minutes. As the name suggests, the star ingredients are proteins, particularly hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed keratin, and silk amino acids. Certified trichologist Angela Onuoha had previously told me that, in haircare, proteins are considered a type of conditioning agent, and that every hair type can benefit from them to help protect and temporarily repair hair from heat damage and environmental stressors like harsh weather and pollution.
@thatssotrending I’m on a healthy hair journey. @KUNDAL US is making it easier for the natural hair community. My type 4 hair felt so good after using these products! 💜💜💜 #kundalxbeautyko #kundal #naturalhairtiktok #type4hair #curlyhairproducts #washday #healthyhairjourney #haircare #haircareproducts #koreanbeauty ♬ original sound – Jacobdior
Onuoha explained that most proteins latch onto the surface of hair strands, forming a protective film that smooths the hair shaft. The result? Softer, shinier-looking hair. The proteins in this treatment are “hydrolyzed” — essentially broken down into smaller molecules. Onuoha also noted that hydrolyzed proteins can potentially penetrate the hair shaft to help strengthen it from within, offering further protection against damage.
I judge a treatment by how it makes my hair feel when I rinse it out, and I was surprized by how silky it was, not to mention how easily it disappeared. Most treatments leave behind a greasy residue, but this felt more like a lightweight conditioner that left my hair — especially my very split ends — feeling soft and looking a hell of a lot healthier. Of course, a good hair oil helps, too. I absolutely love Kérastase Gloss Absolu Glaze Drops Hair Oil, $36, and while it’s the most expensive product in my routine, a little goes a very long way.
Speaking of price, I was surprized to learn that Kundal’s 500ml shampoo and treatment are under $15 each. Considering the incredible fragrance, not to mention the megamix of expert-approved ingredients, I’d say the brand is well worth the money. Better still, it’s available at Amazon and Walmart. My advice? Grab a shampoo and treatment duo before they sell out — and if TikTok’s fragrance enthusiasts have anything to do with it, they certainly will.
This story was originally published on Refinery29 UK.
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