My Skin Care Consultation with Kiehl's!

Hi, everyone! If you haven't noticed, I've been on quite the skin care kick over the past several weeks. Whilst (semi-successfully) paring down my makeup purchases, I've been aiming more at investing in products that will keep my skin healthy, address first signs of aging, and help my complexion adapt to this ever-changing Toronto weather. My recent love affair with Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye really re-sparked my interest in the brand, one that I have been using on and off for a decade, but had much ignored lately. This past weekend, the Kiehl's counter at The Bay was having a skin care consultation event, in which you could sit down for a 5-minute consultation and walk home with 5 free samples. The Bay also had a "Spend $75, save $10" special at the time, so perhaps an ideal time to fully reacquaint myself with what Kiehl's has to offer my skin and maybe (definitely) bring a couple goodies home with me. 

For the consultation, I sat down with the uber friendly and knowledgeable Hektor, who had been working with the brand for several years. He asked me to describe my skin, then proceeded to procure two dime-sized stickers that acted as "oil gauges" on my skin. He adhered one to my forehead (assessing my t-zone) and one to my cheek, and let them sit for about 30 seconds. After removing them, the saturation of the sticker (portions darkened by oil; gross, but cool!) determined just how oily my skin was. 

This was about 3 hours post-morning face wash, and the stickers deemed my t-zone to be Normal to Oily and my cheeks to be Normal to Dry. It all sounded about right, though I know my cheeks definitely lead towards the more normal/oily side by later in the day. He also prompted me to identify my main skin care concerns, which  are to Diminish Acne and Minimize Dark Spots and Uneven Skin Tone. After discussing other factors like age and skin sensitivity, he generated the following recommendations: 

Cleanser- Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash
Toner- Calendula Herbal Extract Toner
Moisturizer (Day)- Ultra Facial Oil Free Lotion
Moisturizer (Night)- Midnight Recovery Concentrate
Targeted Treatments- Blue Herbal Spot Treatment and Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
Eye Cream (Day)- Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Eye Cream
Eye Cream (Night)- continue with my Midnight Recovery Eye

I have to say that his recommendations seemed quite accurate and were very helpful! He didn't push any products that would be harsh for my sensitive skin, nor did he stress an unnecessarily aggressive anti-aging routine. Everything really did feel like a proper match! He wrote all of his recommendations down on this handy form and promised to call in two weeks' time to check in on my experience with the products. 

At the end of the day, I took home the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and the Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Eye Cream. I selected the face wash because I'd sampled it recently and totally fell in love. I'd been on the market for a new morning cleanser and the Calendula Face Wash creates a rich lather without leaving my skin feeling tight or squeaky clean. A foaming face wash miracle! I opted for the eye cream because I'd been forever on the hunt for an eye cream that I can wear underneath makeup without causing my mascara to smudge and travel. He convinced me that this was rich, yet very lightweight and perfect for use under makeup. I was sold! Hektor also gave me samples of the Calendula Herbal Extract Toner (which I used to use, but hadn't repurchased because of the price), the Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner (another gentle option on my radar), the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution (to tackle my post-acne marks), the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream (for lightweight daytime oil control and hydration), and a little vial of the Midnight Recovery Concentrate (always a treat!). The sampling is already underway, so look out for reviews shortly!

I had a really great experience with this consultation, as it produced some fitting recommendations and really reignited my interest in the brand. Three cheers for Kiehl's!

Do you have any favourites from Kiehl's? What have been your recent skin care purchases?

Cheers! xo