As you know, Style hates ugly people, so we're doing our part to point you hideous mofos in the right direction and to make sure those who are doing well don't regress. Just kidding ... kind of. Either way, a skin care mecca is in our own Rittenhouse Square and Style visited Kiehl's and got lotions, love and leads on staying oil-free.
It's a bleak Thursday afternoon and I'm standing on the blustery corner of 17th and Walnut looking into an imposing Kiehl's store. I walk in, and become painfully aware of my less than perfect appearance, as I look around the pristine showcases of lotions, cleansers and toners. I wait for one of the three very busy salespersons to help me, and soon realize that this place is pretty damn cool. Reason number one: the salespeople are awesome.
Not only do they really know their stuff (everything from cell regeneration to the beautifying properties of soy protein) but they are truly warm and helpful. Their white lab coats and extensive knowledge of their products make me believe that these skin care specialists may actually hold the answer to making me happier with my skin. I met with Tom Gibboney, the assistant store manager for the Kiehl's located here in Philly, and he stocked me up with all the free samples and advice a girl could ask for. What in particular did he have to say? That brings me to reason number two: they have the best oil-free moisturizer I have ever tried. Hands down.
This is the most amazing moisturizer ever. It's called Sodium PCA oil-free moisturizer, a humectant -- which means that instead of adding artificial moisturizers to your skin, it helps your skin hold on to the water it already has. It retails for $14.50 for 2 oz., which may seem a little steep, but 2 oz. goes a long way. Not only did this stuff moisturize my skin to a silky smoothness, but it did so without any hint of oil. My skin gets really dry after I wash it in the morning but then really oily in the afternoon, so I was amazed that when I used this product my skin stayed totally oil free all day long. Which leads me to the third reason why Kiehl's is my new favorite skin care line: Kiehl's makes me feel special.
Kiehl's has so many products that are specifically designed for any number of skin types that you soon realize that your skin is special, and there are things made specifically for your special skin -- even for you men out there! Although a majority of Kiehl's products are unisex, they do have different lines. Kiehl's designs a shaving line for men, a make-up line for women, a baby line for babies and a horse line for, well, horses.
So by now you might be asking how much are they paying her to say all these nice things about them? Nothing actually. In fact, Kiehl's doesn't do much advertising at all. Instead, they invest their money in the actual products and rely on word-of-mouth, which, seeing as the company has been in business since 1851, means that people have definitely been talking. Personally, I feel it is important to open up the world of Kiehl's to Penn's campus. Go down there, talk to Tom, get some samples and see for yourself why this stuff is so great. And P.S.: I highly recommend their new product "Abyassine Serum" which protects delicate facial skin from the harsh rigors of changing temperatures and erratic weather. Also check out their gift packs for the holidays -- they have some really cool ones for men and women, but also do the "special" personalized thing.
