Kiehl's series Nr 20: Rosa Arctica - youth regenerating cream

I was wondering whether I should write this review.  I promised myself I would be honest on the blog, but I also do not want to write a negative review.  I did however hate this product. 

It is a moisturiser and you can read the  marketing about it here.

It is an incredibly thick, lumpy butter.  I read now that you are supposed to warm it in your hands to make it more spreadable.  This is probably not a bad idea, since this butter is so thick.  It is thick, does not penetrate your skin and forms a thick, yucky layer on top.  In addition to that, it tingled when applied.  Quick, and not really badly, but I would prefer not to have this stinging.  It is very thick and would probably moisturise well if you had very dry skin, which I do not have.  And to be honest, my skin did feel quite soft in the morning after using it the night before.  But I hated it and would not keep using it. 
 
You can read the review from Paula's choice here.

Kiehl's series Nr 19: Double Strength Deep Wrinkle Filler

I have neglected the Kiehl's series.  It takes a bit longer to really try the products long enough to have an opinion than I thought it would.  So here is the next one in the series.

I have some serious, new, deep lines on my forehead.  I am therefore really interested in any cream or potion that can remove these.  I have tried a few and have been disappointed with them all. (Specifically this one)

It was therefore with great interest that I tried Kiehl’s Double Strength Deep Wrinkle Filler.  I have been using it now for about two months, almost on a daily basis.  (Or as close as I can get.  I find it difficult to remember, but have used it more days than not).  In that time I used it on some lines and not on others.  I cannot see any difference between the lines where I used it and the ones where I did not.  Nothing!  Sadly this is not the lotion that will take 10 years off my looks. 

 

 

The lotion is fairly thin and smells almost medicinal.  This is what Kiehl's claim it will do:

 

This is what Paula from Paula’s choice has to say:

This thin-textured wrinkle filler is a problem for all skin types and is not recommended. The alcohol it contains causes dryness, irritation, and free-radical damage, which hurts your skin’s ability to heal and limits its ability to produce healthy collagen. This isn’t the way to strengthen aging skin or improve the appearance of wrinkles.

The rest of the unimpressive formula consists mostly of thickeners and film-forming agents (think hairspray). The blend of alcohol and film-forming agents may make your skin feel tighter, but that’s not the same as actually making it tighter, and it certainly doesn’t stimulate collagen production for firmer skin.

The two types of hyaluronic acid Kiehl’s mentions in their claims as being important to the formula are barely present, so don’t expect them to help your skin; neither is capable of acting like the hyaluronic acid used in dermal fillers. In fact, this product’s performance pales in comparison with that of most serums and other so-called wrinkle fillers, the kind that serve as a soft spackle to achieve a minor, temporary reduction in the appearance of wrinkles.

(That last sentence has me interested.  I think I should start looking for that product.)

Kiehl's series Nr 18: Creamy eye treatment with Avocado

I could write two completely different reviews of this eye cream.  I was first introduced to it, after a long flight, in the middle of the night, at an airport shop.  The sales lady loved it, told me she applies it throughout the day.  She let me apply some, but did not have a sample to give me.  I really liked it, it was a thick, yellowish-green (yes, avocado coloured) cream.  It was very moisturising and I was tempted to buy a pot of the stuff on the spot.  I did not however.  But in the back of my mind I kept thinking about this wonderful eye cream.

And then I bumped into a Kiehl's shop again and got two small sachets of the cream.  I used the first and really liked it.  And then almost to the end of the sachet, it started feeling watery.  I have no way of describing this.  The cream you put on your finger is thick, you start applying it to your eye area and then it feels like it glides on over water.  I did check several times whether I dried my eyes properly.  The same thing happened with the second sachet I opened.  I do not understand where this watery feeling comes from.  Needles to say, the cream does not feel so thick and moisturising any more.

I searched the internet high and low, but could not find anyone else complaining of this.  I accept that I am weird and alone in this, but I will continue my search for a perfect eye cream. 

It does not have a strong smell and is very soothing and not irritating at all.

Kiehl's claims on the packaging:  This creamy preparation with Avocado Oil, gently moisturizes the delicate eye area.  Our unique, concentrated texture does not migrate into your eyes.  Tested under ophthalmologist and dermatologist control. 

I could only find one South African review.  You can read it here. 

I was looking very hard for other people who did not like this cream in an effort to figure out why I thought it felt watery, and found this rather negative, rather short review on Paula's choice.   
She said:  Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado is good for dry skin anywhere on the face, but the amount of antioxidants is tiny and they won’t last long once this jar-packaged product is opened.

UPDATE: 
I spoke to a Kiehl's shop assistant yesterday.  He had me try the eye cream and showed me how it turned watery when you rub it.  It is supposed to turn watery and he told me that it shows how much it moisturises.  It changes my opinion of the product that it is supposed to do that, but I still do not like it.  I would rather have a creamy eye cream than rub water onto my eyes.  I guess that is why we try various things before we find our favourite.

Kiehl's series Nr 16: An interview with Kiehl's in South Africa

 

Today's post include only a link to another website for a really nice interview with Kiehl's in South Africa.
http://le1ghlo.com/kiehls/

Kiehl's series Nr 15: Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion

This might be the best exfoliator I have ever used.  I have not used a microderm abrasion before.  The beads are tiny.  It is so small, it almost hurts while using.  You are supposed to massage for 3 mins.  My skin feels soft and clear after using this.  A definite winner and a great find.  This product gets a big thumbs up.

You can read lots of reviews here.  And I managed to find a review from South Africa as well.

Here is a more interesting review from Paula's choice.
She says: Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion is your basic microdermabrasion-in-a-jar topical scrub, with alumina as the abrasive agent. The emollients and silicone in this product help protect skin from the alumina, which can be rough on your skin if not used very gently. Although pricey, this is a good, fragrance-free scrub for normal to dry skin

Kiehl's series Nr 13: Facial oil-free gel cream

 

 

I did not like this moisturiser.  But I also think it was not meant for me.  I like thick, moisturising lotions, even though my skin could be oily.  This product is a non-oily gel.  It is completely clear.  It was not moisturising enough for me and it was sticky after application, which I think most non-oily gels are.

 

 

 

From the package:  Concentrated hydrating formula for all-day moisture for normal to oily skin types.

This oil-free gel-cream deeply hydrates and conditions skin while providing long-lasting moisture.  Our non-greasy hydrator, specifically formulated for normal to oily skin needs, traps moisture to visibly reduce the appearance of oil - leaving skin  looking more balanced.  With Imperetaca Cylindrica Root Extract, Antarcticine and Cucumber fruit extract, this unique preparation helps skin retain moisture and protect it from arid conditions.  The formula's high level of hydrating ingredients helps to restore skin's moisture barrier for a smoother, fresher and healthier appearance.

 

 

Alcohol is fairly high on the ingredient list.

 

This product was one of the reasons why it is a good idea to try the product before you buy.  I would have been so unhappy had I bought an expensive bottle of this. 

You can find some  reviews  here.

 



Kiehl's series Nr 12: Creme de Corps Soy Milk and Honey Whipped Body Butter

 

 

Wow, what a product. 

 

This is what it look.  A horrible iphone photo, sorry.

 

 

I received a fairly large tub (in the photo) in my Rubybox.  This is a thick, whipped product.  It is soft and smooth and easy to rub in, although it is very non-runny.  The smell is devine.  It smells like cookie dough.  My husband thought I was baking when he walked into the house after I used this.  So only use if you want to smell like something you can eat. 

 

This costs R454 for 226 g, which is WAY out of my price class.  If I was filthy rich, like celebrity rich, I would definitely always have a pot of this around.  Since I am a lot poorer than that, I will be sticking to Palmers.   

 

 

You can read the Rubybox review here.  And some other reviews here.  (This one is here for the lovely photo).



Kiehl's series Nr 11: Ultra Facial Cream

Of all the Kiehl's products I tried, this is the one I liked most.  It is a 24 hour moisturiser.  The moisturiser is a thin, white lotion.  I would describe it as thin, in a good way.  Thin, as in it really penetrates the skin.  It does not sit on top and make your skin oily or greasy, but penetrates and makes your skin feel soft and moisturised.  It does not come with an SPF, a major disadvantage.  Sometimes when I have not used the moisturiser for a while, nd then apply it there is a bit of stinging when applying it.  The same kind of sting you got as a child when you had really dry elbows and applied cream.  Does anyone know what I am talking about?  I interpret this as the cream really penetrating and hydrating.

Of all the Kiehl's products I tried, I think this one is the best value for money and this is actually the one I would consider buying a full size of. 

Here is a review that shows the thickness of the product quite well.  Here is another  review,  another and  one more and the Rubybox review.

Image from the blog linked to above - the photo is brilliant and show how easily the cream is absorbed.

All this reading and writing about beauty products has taught me a few things.  One is that you want to use a moisturiser that does not contain mineral oils.  Vegetable oils penetrates the skin and mineral oils stay on top.  If you have a product with mineral oils in it, it can keep the rest of the ingredients on top, therefore you are wasting your money of you buy a product containing both mineral and vegetable oils.  This moisturiser does not have any mineral oils in it.

It costs R265 for 50 ml, which is not really more expensive than moisturisers from other brands.

Kiehl's is marketed as a brand that is natural and wholesome.  However, this product is not 'natural' and contains parabens and other synthetic ingredients.  You can read rather negative reviews concerning all the 'unnatural' ingredients here , here  
and here. 

 

Kiehl's series Nr 10: Ultra facial oil-free cleanser

I have never been very keen to specifically use oil-free products.  I think I have a normal to oily skin, but I do not like the harsh products often sold as oil-free products. 

I liked using this cleanser.  It is an opaque, white, thick soapy lotion.  You only need to use a little and it foams very nicely.  It did not have much of a smell.  My face felt clean when I washed with this, but it did not feel overly drying.  It is hard to get excited about a cleanser, but this cleanser is just great. 

It is marketed as a lightweight formula that removes excess oil for normal to oily skins. 

If you are into that kind of thing; it is paraben free, silicon free, frangrance free, oil free and sulphate free. 

From the package:  This oil-free, quick-lathering cleansing foam thoroughly removes impurities and visibly reduces excess oil on skin's surface, while leaving skin looking more balances.  With Imperata Cylindrica Root and Lemon Fruit Extracts, our non-stripping, sulphate-free formula leave skin clean and refreshed without over-drying.  Gentle enough for sensitive skin types.

Here is one other review and another one.

Kiehl's series Nr 9: Cucumber herbal alcohol free toner

 

This toner is for all skin types.  I have to confess, until I started using the sample toner I received I have not been using a toner.  I simply cannot see how a toner makes any difference to my face, so I sometimes buy a toner, but do not use it every day and eventually stop using it altogether.

I also am not really sure how to evaluate a toner, since I cannot see what it does.  But I will give this one a try.

 

 

The toner is called a cucumber toner, but cucumber extract is almost the last ingredient on the ingredients list.  There are a lot of other herbal ingredients higher up in the list, such as witch hazel extract, aloe leaf juice, camphor, chamomile  and kiwi fruit extract.  It makes you wonder why this is a cucumber toner and not a kiwi fruit toner?  This is an alcohol free toner.

Kiehl's calls it the mildest of their toners and says it is non-drying and alcohol free.  It is meant for all skin types, particularly dry or sensitive skins.  It had a mildly astringent effect, but did not irritate my skin at all.  I guess that is exactly what you want a toner to do.

 

I noticed some dirt on the cotton wool after using this, but not much.  Kiehl's says it is balancing, and "Leaves skin soft, clean and toned with a beautiful elegant after feel." 

A nice toner, but I am not sure I would be buying it soon.  (But then again, I do not buy toner!)  I liked the smell. 

Here is a review by someone else.

Kiehl's series Nr 8: Eastgate

 

Last week Friday I was walking around in Edgars in Eastgate.  (I do not live in Johannesburg, so this does not happen often.)  I turned a corner, and literally stumbled into a Kiehl's shop.  It was a big surprise.  There was so much buzz about the shop opening in Sandton, but I have not heard anything, anywhere about a shop opening in Eastgate.  The sales lady said they were open for only 3 weeks and that they did not launch this store so nobody knew about it.  The sales lady was absolutely lovely, allowed me to touch literally everything in the shop and gave me a bunch of samples.  (Which means that my Kiehl's series just got a lot longer!).

The shop is a lot larger and in my opinion nicer than the one in Sandton.  I did not think to take a photo of the shop.  Sorry.

People in Johannesburg, please head to Eastgate and treat yourself to something nice.

And people in Durban, she said they were also opening in Durban.  She did not know where.  Something to look forward to.

Kiehl's series Nr 7: Superbly smoothing argan conditioner

 

I liked the conditioner.  I am a much bigger fan of Kiehl's conditioners than I am of Kiehl's shampoos.  The conditioners are just perfect.  I use a tiny bit, it slides onto my hair and just immediately make my hair feel coated and manageable without feeling oily.  Definitely a keeper.

 

From the package:  This conditioner is formulated to effectively detangle and provide intensive smoothing for a long lasting frizz free finish, our rich formula is entirely silicone free. Blended with Fairly-Traded Argan oil plus Safflower Seed Oil this conditioner thoroughly smoothes hair without weighing it down, while helping to prevent fly-aways.  Combined with Cocoa Butter this formula provides effective levels of moisture and shine.  Out smoothing preparation effectively tames your mane to impart a marvellously manageable sleek appearance. 

 The list of ingredients included: Argan oil, safflower seed oil, caster oil, sesame seed oil, candelilla wax, cocoa seed butter, orange peel oil, eucalyptus leaf oil.

 

There is a review here.  You can also read several reviews here.

Kiehl's Series Nr 6: Superbly smoothing argan shampoo

My review should be read with the caveat that I only used this shampoo for about 4 washes.  I did not have a full size product, but only a few samples. 

It must be so easy to market this since you can use all the right buzz words that seem so popular with consumers.  It contains fairly traded argan oil, is silicon free, sulphate free and paraben free. 

The product is intended for coarse and unruly hair.  I do not think my hair is coarse, but it is thick and in Durban all hair is unruly. 

The shampoo smells really bad.  It has a strong medicinal smell to it, my guess would be  the eucalyptus.   I tended to use a lot more shampoo than I normally do, since it felt like the shampoo was not doing anything, just disappearing into my hair.  That said:  my hair was clean (so it was obviously just me) and felt really soft afterwards.  I was touching my hair constantly, it was so soft.   There are several oils in the ingredient list:  cedrus atlantica, orange peel oil, eucalyptus , sesame seed oils and cocoa seed butter. 

From the package:  Formulated to provide intensive smoothing for a long-lasting frizz free finish our shine enhancing formula is entirely silicone free.  Blended with fairly traded argan oil, high in anti-oxidants and essential oils plus safflower seed oil, a naturally derived emollient this shampoo helps tame fly-aways without weighing hair down.  Superbly smoothing argan shampoo is luxuriously smooth , sulphate free and gently cleanses without stripping color or over-drying hair.  Our preparation helps to reveal hair’s natural radiance for ultra-smooth more manageable appearance. 

The shampoo is very expensive and I have a hard time convincing myself it is better than my much cheaper alternative.  It costs R235 for 250 ml.    A colleague who has very long lovely hair and always buys very expensive shampoo loved this shampoo.  She thought it was perfect and was much more impressed than me by the sulphate free claim, since she uses only shampoos that are sulphate free. 

It is available through the Edgars fashion hot line.

I found some reviews:  This one from South Africa and another from someone who used a sample.  This review is from further afield. 

Kiehls series Nr 5: Kiehl’s olive fruit oil nourishing shampoo and conditioner

 

 

After washing my hair with this shampoo, I have been touching my hair all day long, because it was so soft.  The smell was also nice and soft.  It is meant for dry, damaged and under nourished hair.  It includes avocado oils, lemon juice and olive fruit oil. 

 

 

There are few things I like as much as a good conditioner. A nice moisturising conditioner makes a large difference to the look and feel of your hair. And then it matters less whether you use a good shampoo. This conditioner is great, not heavy or oily, but left my hair nourished and shiny and very manageable. I would definitely place this on my list of things to replace.

I tried hard to find reviews from South Africa. You can read lots of reviews from users on the Kiehl's website and another American website here. You can find some South African reviews here and here.
I do not have the exact price, but I think it was around R195 for 200 ml for the conditioner and R209 for 250 ml of the shampoo.  I like the idea that they sell the conditioner in a smaller size than the shampoo.

Kiehls series Nr 4: Kiehl's Amino Acid shampoo

I remember reading somewhere that coconut oil is the only natural ingredient that can penetrate hair and therefore make a real difference to a shampoo.  This shampoo contains pure coconut oil.  It also has a lovely smell of coconut oil, soft and summery, not overpowering like the coconut in sunscreens.  It reminded me of the smell of coconut you would actually eat. 

 

This shampoo is definitely different from ‘normal drugstore’ shampoos.  First off, it is really expensive.  It is a bit difficult to get accurate South African prices for Kiehl's products, but it sells for $18 for 250 ml in the US, which translates to R144.

This shampoo left my hair silky smooth and soft.  I loved it, and kept touching my hair because it was so nice.  I even tried using it without conditioner and it was fine and still soft, which has never happened with other shampoo.  I prefer to follow the shampoo with just a tiny bit of conditioner, though.

Now the bad stuff.  Although I loved the way my hair felt, I did not like to wash with it.  There was no lathering (yes, I know the lathering is bad for my hair) and sometimes it felt like my hair was not getting clean.  I often ended up repeating the lathering twice, thus washing my hair three times, because it did not feel clean.  When I tried to use the last little bit in the bottle, I added water to the bottle and shook before I put it on my hair and it lathered beautifully.  I wished I had tried this earlier.  I usually justify expensive products by saying “A little goes a long way”, but in this instance I used a lot more shampoo than I normally do before it felt like it worked.

I swim a lot and have stopped using the shampoo when I wash my hair directly after swimming in chlorinated water, because it lathered even less and made my hair feel even less like it was getting clean.  Please note:  My hair were perfectly clean when dry.  It was just while I was washing that I did not like it.

My hair was soft and perfect with this, for one day.  On day two it started getting greasy and definitely needed a wash every second day.  I often go three days between washes with ‘normal cheap drugstore shampoo’.

I do not think I will replace the bottle, mostly because of the price.  But if you do not care what it cost to have soft, silky hair you should give this a try.  It is meant for all hair types.

I could not find a single South African review, this was the closest I came. Some international reviews can be found here,  here, here, here (from a dude) and here.

Kiehl's series Nr 3: Kiehl's Rubybox

 

I am really intrigued by Kiehl's.  I think it is such a pretty brand, with an interesting ethos and story and some different products.  It also has a bit of a cult brand image.  So I was keen to investigate and see whether their products are cool or not. 

I received the Rubybox Kiehl's box, which was my first introduction to the brand.  Rubybox had a Kiehl's box at the same time the brand launched in South Africa.  The box came with 6 products.  You can see a review and description of the Kiehl's box here.  and a review here. 

I received a few samples at the small shop at the Dubai Airport and I also bought a travel sized shampoo and the midnight recovery oil. 

I thought I would do a short series with a post every second day reviewing the Kiehls samples I received, both in the Rubybox and in Dubai.  The reviews will be short, since they are based on small samples and not long term use.  This is basically what you can expect to see reviewed.

Kiehl's series Nr 2: Shops

South Africa has one Kiehl's shop inside the Edgars in Sandton City.  And a second (temporary?) one in Cape Town.  You can however order Kiehl's products from anywhere by contacting the Edgars Fashion Hot line.  It will then be delivered to a shop close to you. 

I was lucky enough to also bump into one on the Dubai airport.  I had a fairly long layover in Dubai and perused every single item in the shop to pass the time.  The shop assistant was very friendly and also gave me a few samples to try.  I also bought something small.

This is what the shop in Dubai looked like.  It was small.

 

And I think this is what the one in Johannesburg looks like.  Photo not by me, but I lost the source, apologies.

 

 

 

And some photos showing their pretty shops all over the world

 

 

I have no idea why their aesthetic appeals so much to me.  But it does.