Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

Yeah I know. I am late to this party. I bet most of you have already tried this haven't you? If ever there was a moment to use the word "amazeballs"...

I love a product that actually works.

As obvious as this may seem I often get disappointed in skincare. I remain iffy about La Mer and I am still on the fence about Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair for example but there is no doubt that this - Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate - works for me.

I don't know why it has taken me so long to incorporate this into my routine:

a) I love oil blends - I love the earnest scent and the fact that they seem to restore moisture levels in one night; and
b) I have a bit of a soft spot for Kiehl's having discovered it pre-L'oreal buy out in the 90's. Although the brand has changed/evolved since that time that old-school apothecary interior and packaging style still "gets me".

I actually think the barrier to adoption was in knowing where this fits. I don't have a complex night time routine by any means - I cleanse, skip toning because I think it's a load of baloney and can't be arsed...and then slap on a serum and moisturiser before crashing into bed - but how does an oil integrate itself within that line-up? Is this really a serum as it claims or does it substitute a moisturiser? #confused

I read conflicting statements online but I think the general trend is to either use this on it's own, or if you suffer with dryness, pair it with your usual moisturiser. Either way, after a few hours kip you will wake up with a fresh, radiant, even textured face. And I'm not overstating that - I can actually tell the difference between a morning after a night of Midnight Recovery and a morning after a night without. The redness around my nose has subsided, the flakies have gone and I look well rested...which is almost always a TOTAL lie.

The oil itself is quite thin - okay so your face definitely looks shiny after application but it's not something that will ruin a good hair day if you get a whisper of it near your hairline. The lavender, geranium, evening primrose oil and squalane (whatever the hell that is) blend is light and quickly absorbed.

For me this is 100% worth the price tag. Having said that we can be certain that a cheaper product, containing a similar nourishing blend of essential oils, would have the same positive impact. Heck, some reviews on Make Up Alley strongly assert that you could just as easily concoct your own version - sans preservatives.

As much as I like the idea of perusing the shelves of an organic supermarket and picking up my own oil blends that will not be happening any time soon. For one, this 30ml bottle is probably going to last me a very long time - I have used this consistently and we are still only a teeny bit down in the bottle.

Now before I sign off with a "you should totally get this guyssss" ending I will say that I have read some negative reviews: not every skin type invented gets on with this so if you are considering a purchase get a sample from a store or counter. This is something that Kiehl's will happily do - unlike other brands - and once you do I would love to know what you think!

PS. This is £36 for the 30ml bottle in the UK....and next up for me will be to try the eye cream!