Fragrance Free K-beauty Kick!

I found two sensitive skin products that don’t irritate my face AND are part of a K-beauty trend!

They are both from Kiehl’s.

• Centella Facial Cleanser: This is good cleanser. Gentle and cool to the skin, no tight feeling when you’re done. They say it’s no-rinse, I disagree, I rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. By a hair I still prefer the La Roche Posay cleanser that I have used for years and the Kiehl’s is more expensive, so I’ll probably continue to buy the LRP once my bottle of this is through.  That could take a long time, as you don’t need very much at all to wash your face, and if you use too much I actually don’t think it works as well.

• Centella Cica Cream: This thick cream is great, and very versatile. Very concentrated, thick and rich. I use it on my face, I use it on my cuticles, I use it instead of Cortaid on an itchy patch. On your face you have to be very gentle, apply it in a thin layer, and avoid the eye area. As it is very thick you could end up tugging. And we don’t want to tug! 

The trend is “Cica” which you’ll see as a prefix on creams. The key herb is Centella Asiatica and is nothing new. It’s been used for thousands of years all over the world for various medicinal purposes. The creams that have become all the rage are what Marie Claire dubbed “a magic wand for dry, itchy, red, and sensitive skin.” I am allergic to fricken EVERYTHING and my skin is not happy when I experiment. Still, I’m always on the lookout for products that don’t irritate my face.

Kiehl’s, around since 1851, is a well-respected brand I’ve avoided, frankly, since their stuff is loaded with natural ingredients, essential oils etc. Newsflash: sensitive skin can be allergic to nature, peeps. Flowers make folks with “regular” allergies sneeze, why would skin contact allergies be any different?

And yet I found myself in a Kiehl’s shop not long ago. My Mom is really into their products, and an actress I love, Shen Yue, is a spokesperson for them. Her skin is flawless. Granted, she has the built-in advantage of being 22, so definitely Kiehl’s can’t take all the credit on that one. Mom? Mom is, well, not 22 and looks awesome. I will be delighted to follow in her footsteps. So here’s to Kiehl’s coming up with some stuff for the fragile flowers among us. Now if we could get them to bring those prices down…..

Kiehl’s is better than I am at describing their products, and it’s fun to explore their website, so take a peek!  As with most beauty emporiums, it makes me wish I wasn’t so allergic. Let me know if you find anything great- scented or not! Happy shopping!

-Dinah

Disclaimer: I make no claims to be a doctor or aesthetician, if you have dermatological health issues, consult your physician before using any new product.  I’m passing on the best fragrance/dye free products I've tried or seen reviewed- this is purely unscientific testing. The FDA has no regulations as to the term ‘fragrance free.’ These products may contain small amounts of natural or chemical fragrance, and/or masking fragrance- scents used to neutralize a “chemical” smell. Caveat Emptor.

Transparency: I have not received any compensation from Kiehl’s, I’m sharing information about products I’ve used. However, I am an Amazon affiliate, see information in the page footer.