Custom Skin Solutions From Kiehl’s Apothecary Preparations

By Jennifer Ryan Jones Published December 27, 2016

Shopping for skincare products can be a daunting task for a dude.

With so many potions to choose from, how can you be sure that what you’re buying will work for your skin type? If you’re afraid of getting stuck with a product that doesn’t deliver, Kiehl’s Since 1851 can help dial in your grooming routine with Apothecary Preparations. These new tailor-made serums will target your problem skin issues with just the right ingredients. Consider these custom Apothecary Preparations your personal bespoke skin savers.

apothecary_preparations_bottle-1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Here’s how it works. You’ll sit down for a diagnosis at the Kiehl’s counter and chat about your skin? Do you have trouble with redness, wrinkles, patchy dryness, dullness or large pores? We all do. After addressing your skin concerns, you’ll rank them with the help of a dermatologist-inspired “Skin Atlas” which is basically a picture book of skin types in various conditions. A consultant will work with you to pinpoint which two skin problems should be considered top priority for treating.

ap_stills15-1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The base solution starts with Kiehl’s Skin-Strengthening Concentrate. It’s made from Squalene, a botanical lipid that fortifies, hydrates and protects your skin. And Skin Lipid Complex that is chock full of rich, nourishing botanical oils like apricot, coriander, black currant and echium.

apothecary_preparations_boostertubes-1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Depending on your goals, super-potent Target Complexes are then added to the Skin-Strengthening Concentrate. For example, if you want to get rid of redness you would add a Redness Neutralizing Complex of Sunflower Seed Extract and Vitamin E. Do you want to shrink your pores? Add Samphira Extract and Salicyclic Acid. In about four weeks, this complex works to reduce the appearance of pore clogging sebum on the skin. Got wrinkles? Retinol Concentrate and Pro-Retinol will join forces to reduce fine lines in just two weeks. Stay religious with this formula and you look even better in two months.

apothecary_preparations_carton_open-1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

You’ll go home with your personalized facial concentrate and two Targeted Complexes. Squeeze each one into the skin-strengthening base and shake to activate. Presto! You’re customized with Kiehl’s Apothecary Preparations, $95.

Jennifer Ryan Jones

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Jennifer Ryan Jones is a fashion and grooming expert who contributed regularly to The Manual and AskMen.com. Her past…

Grooming

GUESS releases iconic new men’s cologne

GUESS ICONIC's new men's cologne is all about brand imaging

GUESS ICONIC

In the world of men’s fragrances, some brands niche down to appeal to a specific “type” and demographic, while others try to be all things to all people. The latter is especially true when they include the word “ICONIC” in their brand name, which is the case for this release from GUESS.
It's called GUESS ICONIC for Men, but GUESS isn't a company that's gender-specific when it comes to its scents. Its counterpart, GUESS Woman, was launched last April, and GUESS also designs, markets, distributes, and licenses a large collection of lifestyle products, including apparel, handbags, watches, footwear, and other consumer goods.

GUESS the iconic scent

Grooming

Mushrooms for men’s skincare? Verdoie adds new shroom-based supplement

These two products harness the healing power of mushrooms

Verdoie skincare product

Mushrooms are everywhere. They surround us in the woods when we go for a walk after a heavy spring rain. They’re omnipresent in recipes, both around the world and across the internet. They’ve even turned up in our coffee lately, so it was probably just a matter of time before they appeared in skincare products.
The company to thank for this latest development is a French firm called Verdoie, which just added a supplement called Le Complement Alimentaire to its existing line of mushroom-based moisturizers.

The science behind the shrooms

Grooming

Is too much shower time bad for your skin? What a new study says

This study was conducted on eczema patients, and its good news for them

Relaxed young African-American man takes shower standing under hot water jets in contemporary unit in bathroom close side view

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last couple of years, you’ve probably read or heard a few things about the importance of our skin biome. It’s being compared in importance to our gut bacteria, which many researchers and scientists believe determines the strength of our immune system.
However, the rise of the skin biome has come with several unintended consequences. One is the idea that bathing too frequently or spending too much time in the shower weakens or damages the skin biome, but a recent study suggests that this might not be true at all.

This in-depth study was conducted on eczema patients

The fact that this study was conducted exclusively using eczema patients might seem like a good way to produce idiosyncratic results, but if you look at the details of the study, the struggles these people experience suggests a weaker skin biome that makes them ideal for this kind of test.
The Eczema Bathing Study was designed by people with eczema, together with researchers and healthcare professionals. Subjects were divided into two groups: Those who bathed or showered at least six times a week were classified as “daily bathing,” while those who showered or bathed once or twice a week were designated “weekly bathing.”
These people followed the same routine for four weeks, and they made no changes in their eczema routine, i.e., they used the same moisturizers and other skincare products to counter their condition. The amount of bathing is a vital variable for those struggling with eczema, and there were 438 people in the study, including both adults and children.