Happy Thursday! It’s almost the weekend and if your week has been anything like mine, Friday can’t come soon enough. I work from home on Friday so Thursdays are especially exciting for me.
I hope you’re reading this just before or after your nighttime skincare routine because I have some classics for you to read up on this evening. So for Christmas this past year I asked for a few skincare products, because let’s be honest, that shit is expensive. All the products on my wish list were things I knew I wouldn’t casually buy for myself like the Dr. Jart Tiger Grass Camo Drops and the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum. I didn’t end up getting either of those, and instead received a beautiful Kiehl’s gift set that was just as good if not better. A complete surprise! Good job, mom.
I’ve admired Kiehl’s skincare products for a long while now, especially their wide range of products and use of all natural ingredients. I know Kiehl’s isn’t a new name for anyone in the beauty world, but it was new to me and I couldn’t be more excited to try it all out for myself. I received the Best of Kiehl’s set in a bright red box and white ribbon, which they describe as their “all-time favorites for head-to-toe hydration.” And let me tell you – none of them have disappointed me in the hydration department yet.
I’ve been using this gift set, along with their infamous Midnight Recovery Concentrate oil, and they have all honestly made such a difference to my winter skin problems. The recovery oil especially has made huge improvements. At a price tag ranging from $27-125, it’s not exactly the cheapest product, but a little goes a long way. You only need a few drops to cover your entire face and neck, so you’re bound to have it in stock for at least a few months. I love the way it makes my face feel and look the next morning. I wake up with supple and awake looking skin, unlike before where I would wake up in the cold winter morning with skin crying for moisture. I’ve also found that it’s helped with overall color correction. I wanted the Tiger Drops to even out the redness around my nose and forehead, but the essential oils in this product have helped greatly with that problem.
Now, let’s get to the individual pieces of the gift set. I’ve used the Ultra Facial Cleanser and Ultra Facial Cream the most. The cleanser is reminiscent of Glossier’s Milky Jelly cleanser, but a little thicker. It lathers into a nice thin consistency and leaves my face feeling clean and moisturized, unlike the Glossier cleanser that left my face feeling dry and tight afterward. I follow up the cleanser with the Midnight Recovery Concentrate oil and then the Ultra Facial Cream. This moisturizer is a holy grail product for a reason: it’s light, seeps into the skin quickly, and does the job well. Using this trio of products has visibly reduced the flaky patches on my forehead and nose from the endless cycle of dry air and forced heat this time of year.
This set also comes with two small pots of two great masks: the Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask and Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Mask. I haven’t had a chance to use either enough to form a solid opinion. I haven’t tried the overnight hydrating mask yet because I’m still hooked on the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, but I’m interested to see how the two compare. The deep pore cleansing mask digs deep. But if you’re skin is already feeling dry, I would sit this one out for a bit. The clay properties can dry your face out even more. However, I did notice that it visibly reduced the size of my pores. I think using it in combination with the other products in the box and the oil reduced my pores more effectively. But they’re still there, of course.
The last two products in the box is the Creme de Corps Body Lotion and the Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. I’m not too impressed with the body lotion. It doesn’t leave my legs feeling as moisturized as I would like them to be after a shower. And at $30 a bottle it’s not enough to have me begging for more. The hand salve on the other hand is beautiful. It truly does what it says on their site description of locking in a “glove-like” layer of moisture. It’s thick and rich, and exactly the kind of hand lotion you want in the dead of winter.
The Midnight Recovery Concentrate oil and Ultra Facial Cream will definitely be repeat purchases. What are your favorite Kiehl’s products? I’d love to know which of their products you swear by so I can be on the hunt for what to try next.