Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil - The Other Dry Oil

I guess most of you know about the fantastic Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-usage Dry Oil? But if you've been ever so slightly intimidated by the price (S$40/50ml, S$68/100ml) or are a heavy user, maybe you should cast your sights on Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil~

The Nuxe Dry Oil I have is the OR version which is shimmery and I was hoping to get a bottle of straight up dry oil for my hair ends~ A chance romp through the Kiehl's store resulted in this purchase:

S$72 (236ml/8 oz bottle)

I bought this in Finland for about 35 euros, checked for the local (Singapore) retail price which turned out to be S$72.. >_<

A look at the ingredients list shows Argania Spinosa oil to be 7th (followed by a variety of other oils) and Apricot Kernel oil 3rd on the list. Since this is supposed to be Argan Oil, I was slightly disappointed but it's ok given Apricot Kernel oil's benefits~

Some benefits of Apricot Kernel Oil are:

• Vitamin-rich, especially Vitamin A & E and other essential acids that are good for the skin, especially prematurely aged or dehydrated skin
• Is absorbed completely with no greasy afterfeel
• Does not cause allergic reactions, therefore safe for sensitive skin (even baby skin!)
• Has soothing, moisturising, anti-inflammatory and revitalizing effects on the skin
• Can also be used to strengthen hair follicles and nourish the scalp

So you see why I have no objection to it being higher on the list?

Argan oil on the other hand....I have to concede that there's no way Argan oil will cost just 35 euros for more than 200ml given that it's not commonly found and its extraction is a very, very, (did I mention very?) very labourious and complex process even with the inclusion of machines.

Benefits of Argan Oil include:

• helps prevent or reduce signs of premature aging of the skin due to environmental stress
• is a non-cholesterol oil with a higher moisturising index compared to shea butter and olive oil
• has sebum-regulating properties
• with antimicrobial properies, it can also help in the treatment of acne, eczema and psoriasis
• helps strengthen hair and improve texture
• if used in massage, its anti-inflammatory properties are good for sore muscles and soothing arthritis

So how does it perform?

From left: Fresh out of the bottle >> massaged into skin (notice the decreased dry lines?)

Just a personal note: It was quite a learning curve figuring out how much to use for hair. Just a couple drops too much and my hair would end up looking greasy so it took some trial & error to get the portions just right. But all in all, I'm convinced that the Kiehl's Argan Dry Oil can be a pretty good substitute for Nuxe's Multi-Usage Dry Oil if you're not a fan of floral scents or are a tad price sensitive~

Revisiting: Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye~

I thought I might do a little update as to how the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye is performing for me. After all, I've been using it conscientiously for a little over 2 months now~ (Do bear in mind that I have not altered my lifestyle in any way this few months)

You can read my initial review --- 'A Little Spot of Kiehl's Midnight Magic!' for more info on ingredients, texture etc~

Fast forward 2 months and I believe a final verdict is due!

After 2 months, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye has:

• not made much difference in the fine lines and dark circles department =(
• but proven it's an effective solution for puffy eyes (yay!)

So if you're looking for a all-rounder product that'll depuff, lighten dark eye circles AND dewrinkle, I don't think Kiehl's will be it unless it's coupled with lifetyle changes like abit more sleep etc. BUT the depuffing is really pretty awesome. I keep late nights quite often and having this eye cream in my skincare arsenal makes me totally confident that I won't wake up with squid eyes~

I'm tempted to continue purchasing the Midnight Recovery Eye after this tube runs out 'cos the anti-puff factor is pretty big to me but if there's anything out there that's a good all-rounder I'd love a heads up! =)

A Little Spot of Kiehl's Midnight Magic!

I'm sure most people know of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery range by now. Well, I was in Europe a couple of weeks ago and wandered into the Kiehl's store out of curiosity. Between the Midnight Recovery Concentrate and the Midnight Recovery Eye, I picked the latter as I've been plagued by a puffy lower left eye for some time. At 28 euros, it was really quite affordable! ^_^

First, a look at my puffy eye! =_= See it? Fugly I know.