Discovering Kiehl's

Kiehl's is a brand that I didn't knew too much about. So it was time for me to discover some  products!

I went to the store in Ghent and it's a smaller store, but it looks só cool. It has a vibe that is very different from other brands. I also like how the ladies in store wear white lab coats (as does the skeleton), because Kiehl's was founded by a pharmacist. It actually was a pharmacy back in 1851 in New Yorks East Village. The founder is still a big influence for the brand, for example: he rode an Harley Davidson, and there is an actual Harley in the Brussels store. Really cool!

Kiehl's is a pioneer in a lot of things: sampling, informative packaging, men's skincare, charitable products and they even are the first to launch a beauty product into space.

At the Kiehl's store you get a full skincare consultation. They measured the level of hydration of my skin and it was 32%. That's a bit low because it has to be between 40% and 50%. Time to step up my hydration game! And the ladies in the store prepared a Kiehl's program, all based on what my skin needs. 

I took three products home with me: a body cream (Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter), a serum (Hydro-Plumping, Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate) and an essence (Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence). I'm going to give you my first impressions and thoughts about these products.

Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence is an essence that delivers anti-aging and hydrating ingredients to the skin's surface. It should improve fine lines, dullness and rough textures. This essence is used to prepare the skin and can be used at morning and at night. It's best if you use it in this order: cleanser - toner - essence (!) - serum - eye treatment - facial cream. So after the toner or cleanser and before your moisturizer.

This bottle will last for a very long time, because two drops is enough for your whole face. It has a water like-gel texture that you should put in the palm of your hand and then gently press it onto your cheeks. The formula becomes more watery then, I prefer this anytime over oils! My first impression is that it's easy to apply and I like the texture and formula. At first I thought that this maybe could have been an unnecessary product, but it feels good on my skin, and if it has that much advantages it's definitely worth trying out for a while.

So. Much. Love.
I have so much love for this product! You should smell this one, it smells like one heavenly dessert! Soy milk, coconut, honey, if someone could make a dessert that tastes as good as this body butter smells, please call me.

I love the Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter. It smells amazing and has a very light, whipped texture that feels very pleasant on the skin. It also doesn't feel greasy. It's enriched with shea butter and squalane to help restore the skin, along with antioxident-enriched jojoba butter and beta carotene to protect and soften the skin. This is one of those products that everyone will like, and it would make a perfect gift too! (Even to yourself.)

I was very curious about this serum because I almost never use one, so that's something that was missing in my routine. The serum is called 'Hydro-Plumping, Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate'. Kiehl's products always have long names, but the name describes perfectly what the product does. So that's actually very handy. This one should moisturize and give a plumping effect. It also should reduce fine lines and make the skin look less dull and tired-looking. 

The serum has a very special texture, and that's the thing I like the most about it. At first it has a gelly, dry texture, but when you massage it in, it becomes more wet and there even appear some little water drops. You have to use this before your moisturizer on a clean face at morning and at night, and you can even use it around your eye contour.

This serum has a 15% glycerin concentration, which basically means that it hydrates very well. Shiso leaf extract is another leaf ingredient. My first impression is that it indeed hydrates well. I can see myself use this product on a daily base and I'm a big fan of the formula and texture.

Kiehl's - Hydro-Plumping, Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate (€49)

Kiehl's - Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence (€43)

Kiehl's - Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter (€36)

I said that Kiehl's was (and is) a pioneer in sampling, and you can see that by the amount of samples I took home. Not only are there some very cute samples, how great is it if you can first try out a product before you buy it? You can ask a sample at Kiehl's of literally everything, and they will explain all that you need to know and be happy to let you try the product out. I don't know any other store that let's you pick out samples of every product you want to try. It's one of the big plusses of Kiehl's.

Next to that, I really like the label. The body butter is simply great, and the other products speak to me as well (as far as I've tried them). I especially love the textures, they're not greasy but all very watery and they absorb quickly. In sum: I want more of this brand!

Have you ever tried a Kiehl's product?

Love, Rani