Last time I checked in about my journey into the expensive and overwhelming world of skincare, I discussed how my Lush routine was working and what I changed after using it for most of the summer. Well, Autumn came and went, taking with it my Lush routine. By November, I was just plain fed up.

At that point, it had been almost 10 months since I started this crazy ride, and my skin honestly wasn't looking any better! Sure, with each new product I'd go through a period of adjustment that felt like it was making a difference, but then after a month or two my skin would get angry again. I'm turning 24 in January, and I feel like I have the skin of a middle school outcast

The Lush routine did last the longest, partly due to the fact that it was gentler than the other methods I tried, so I had less side effects. Also, I felt super guilty for how much money I spent on them and didn't want to throw in the towel too soon... However, after 6 whole months of consistent use with no true change in my issues (acne, oiliness..etc), I knew it was time to change things up.

During the summer, I heard good things about a place called Kiehl's. They take a more dermatological approach to skin care and even do little swatch skin tests in store. Now, I'm a sucker for little gimmicks that tell me more about myself so this felt like it was right up my alley. Even better was that my closest Kiehl's was right across from the Lush store in my local mall, Metropolis at Metrotown (I just imagine the shopkeepers, one in a black apron and the other in a white lab coat, walking out into the atrium to shake their fists at each other). When I walked in and mentioned the little skin test, I was seated and tested within in seconds. It didn't seem as cool as it looked in the video I watched previously, but it was neat nonetheless. The little test papers told me I was "normal-to-oily". Honestly, I think it lied because I had done a face mask earlier in the day which skewed the results, but whatever. After about 10 minutes of chatting, I walked out of Kiehl's with a two-step, twice daily routine and a once a week face mask.

The products include Blue Herbal Acne Cleanser Treatment, Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, and Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask. Now, I only bought three things, and only in the smaller sizes, because the sticker shock was a bit painful. Even with the smaller products, I still racked up a $65 bill. Lower than the bill I got from Lush the first time, but still a decent assault on my wallet.

It's been a month since I purchased the Kiehl's routine, and so far I'm enjoying it. This is much simpler than the initial Lush routine. I don't feel like I have to cut things out or rearrange any steps to make it easier. Also, the toner doesn't dry out my skin nearly as much as some of the Lush products. (We also won't talk about the month of April after I tried out OXY and Nivea.) I've been feeling cleaner, and fresher than before. The redness hasn't really changed, but my pores aren't pumping out oil like before. I'm optimistic about this routine, and I'm fond of how it feels.

I'll give it another couple months before I make my final decision, so for now the Kiehl's routine receive's a 7.5/10.

Before the new year starts, I have a couple ideas as to how I can supplement my skincare regimen. This will of course get it's own post, but it'll be a few days before I have everything set up. For now, Happy Holidays and I wish you the cleanest, freshest skin possible.

Dana~

What do you think about Kiehl's? Do you like their products? How do you feel about the price of skincare? Have you learned any easy or cheap hacks to beautiful skin? Let me know in the comments!