Kiehl's Facial Fuel No-Shine-Hydrator + UV Guard SPF50+

          Getting men to wear sunscreen and moisturizer can be a battle. One trick that seems to work is purchasing products with 'for men' labels. They appeal both in name and in functionality. Men do, after all, have some different skin-care needs. Kiehl's has been catering skincare products to men for decades now and their latest line 'Facial Fuel' is cleverly designed, packaged, and named to appeal to men. With a name like 'Facial Fuel', one might imagine men raring to get their skincare on at the start of a day. Not to mention, the cobalt bottles with the retro biplane motif would look manly-chic on any countertop. Kiehl's Facial Fuel line flies high on presentation marks, however, seasoned beauty lovers know that it's what's inside the bottle that counts. So let's get on to the review!

 
          Kiehl's Facial Fuel No-Shine Hydrator is a fragrance-free, oil-free moisture gel for men. Men's skin tends to be thicker and produce more sweat and sebum, so this moisturizer is geared to reduce the effects of oil and shine. I think a gel moisturizer formulation for men is brilliant.  Prior to this, I've been successful asking Mr. Lovey to wear one of my gel formula lotions. I think that he's just more likely to use a lighter formula as opposed to a thick lotion-y one.  He was quite willing to pick up and test Kiehl's No Shine Hydrator for  me. Getting him to use a moisturizer is most of the battle won, so I'm already a fan of the product. The texture of Kiehl's No-Shine Hydrator is light and it sinks into the skin very quickly. The effect a brightened complexion (I can see the difference when he wears it). Although I cannot attest to the oil control since Mr. L has dry skin, the lotion does impart a matte feel, which I imagine will help to a certain extent.

          While convincing your man to use lotion may be a challenge, getting them to use sunscreen is another one all together. However, it's an important issue since men (over fifty years of age) are more than twice as likely as women to develop skin cancer. This is probably due to an increase in exposure in addition to a reluctance to use sunscreen. Mr. L is quite fair, so I'm always trying to get him to sunscreen, if only during extended outings. Kiehl's Facial Fuel UV Guard SPF 50+ has powerful sun-blocking capacity along with a light waterproof, oil-free, and fragrance-free formula. The bottle is actually a squeeze bottle with a nozzle tip. The sunscreen inside has a light liquid feel. It's a bit bizarre; I've never encountered one this liquid-y. It  spreads easily and dries fairly quickly (though slower than the hydrator). The finish is matte and doesn't have a colored cast and there is only a faint sunscreen scent. This will be a great facial sunblock to use on top of the hydrator for a day at the beach or on the golf course. I'm happy since I know I'll be able to convince Mr. Lovey to wear it!

         Overall, I'm happy with both Kiehl's Facial Fuel No Shine Hydrator and UV-Guard. With the light feel, nice packaging, and 'Facial Fuel' name, Kiehl's is trying their darndest to appeal to men and I appreciate that. I'm sure we'll run both of these bottles down to the last drop. Thanks for reading! Have you tried Kiehl's skincare? What are your favorite Kiehl's products? What kind of skincare do the men in your life use (if any)?

Love, Dovey.


Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own. 
 Ingredients (No Shine Hydrator): Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Isoproply Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Isotridecyl Isononanoate, Allyl  Methacrylates Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Sodium Polyacrylate, Diacaprylyl Carbonate, Inululin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Acrylates, Polyethylene, Magnesium PCA, Zinc PCA, Sodium PCA, Fmla 685560 7 Code F.I.L D50597/4
Ingredients (UV Gaurd): Active: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 15%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Oxybenzone 6%. Inactive: water, cyclopentasiloxane, alcohol denat., silica, dicaprylyl ehter, styrene/acrylates, copolymer, PEG-30, dipolyhydroxystearate, dimethicone, cyclohexasiloxane, polymethylsilsesquioxane, nylon-12, dicaprylyl carbonate, phenoxyethanol, lauryl PEG/PPG-18/19 methicone, sodium chloride, caprylyl glycol, PEG-8 laurate, methylparaben, tocopherol, poly c10-30 alkyl acrylate, disteardimonium hectorite, isostearyl alcohol, caffeine, ascorbyl glucoside, disodium EDTA, dodecane, poloxamer407.

Kiehl's Activated Sun Protector Sunscreen, a luxury sunscreen?

          When it's time to get out my beach towel, I head to the nearest drugstore or superstore to pick up a bottle of sunscreen. Usually I end up getting what's on sale; I'm pretty equal opportunity about brands. Recently I had the chance to try Kiehl's Activated Sun Protector Sunscreen - Broad Spectrum SPF50 which just hit the shelves this June 2012. At twenty-three dollars a 5 oz. bottle, it begs the question: what are the merits of this high end sunscreen?

          First, Kiehl's Activated Sun Protector offers broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays. You can see from the active ingredient list I've typed below that there are quite a number of different chemical sunscreens present in the formula. It is worth noting that there is no Titanium dioxide, a physical sunblock agent. The actual sunscreen ingredients in the formula are typically found in other sunscreens, however Kiehl's claims that the specific levels they've used increase the photostability of the formula. I can't attest to the veracity of that statement, so I'm neutral as to whether this is a merit since generally most sunscreen formulas tend to work anyway.

          Second, Kiehl's included three antioxidants thought to provide protective effects against sun-related aging: Goji Berry (traditional Chinese medicine), Vitamin E, and Einkorn wheat (trivia: one of the earliest cultivated forms of wheat ~7500BC). The introduction of antioxidants does seem like cool idea, and is part of what adds to the 'higher end' nature of this sunscreen.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 15%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Oxybenzone 6% Ingredients: water, dimethicone, isododecane, styrene/acrylates coplymer, propanediol, silica, isononyl osononanoate, inulin lauryl carbamate, nylon-12, caprylyl methicone, sucrose tristearate, lycium barbarum fruit extract, tocopherol, hydrolyzed triticum monococcum seed extract, phenoxyethanol, stearyl alcohol, PEG-8 laurate, triethanolamine, polymethyl methacrylate, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/steareth-25 methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethiconol, xantham gum, disodium EDTA, glycerin

          Third, the formula is supposed to be non-comedogenic and safe for sensitive skin. The formula is described as ultra lightweight, oil-free, and paraben free. This is where we can observe an actual (instead of theoretical as above) difference. The sunscreen has a lighter lotion-like feel when compared to your average sunscreen. It's very comfortable going on and lacks a lot of the greasy shininess that typical formulas might have. It is indeed lightweight as claimed, and is a big practical plus. I was curious as to the 'safe for sensitive skin' and 'dermatologist and allergy tested' statement, since I am someone who is sensitive to most sunscreens, particularly chemical sunscreen. I wore Kiehl's Activated Sun Protector Sunscreen on my arms and legs for a day of shopping. Most of the day passed without notable events (which is typical for me when using sunscreen on my body), however toward the end, I did notice some irritation. This is unsurprising considering the high levels (SPF50) of chemical sunscreen. Those with known chemical sunscreen sensitivities like me may still have to pass. That said, the majority of people shouldn't encounter that problem if you regularly wear sunscreens without issue.

          Overall, I think Kiehl's Activated Sun Protection Sunscreen SPF50 is a nice sunscreen. The addition of known skin antioxidants and the very light lotion-like formula makes it a bit more luxurious than your typical sunscreen. It's worth a peek if you're looking to upgrade your skincare this summer. Have you tried a higher end sunscreen? What are your thoughts? Do you have any favorite Kiehl's products on your vanity?

Love, Dovey.

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.