Kiehl's

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

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About this product

A lightweight oil concentrate designed for nighttime use to hydrate and improve skin's appearance while supporting a smoother complexion.

Full ingredients

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Squalane, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil/Evening Primrose Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Oil/Jojoba Seed Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Oil, Coriander Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil/Lavender Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Linalool, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil / Rosemary Leaf Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Cucumis Sativus Extract/Cucumber Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Extract/Turmeric Root Extract, Limonene, Citral, Sclareolide, Rosa Spp/Rose Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale Extract/Jasmine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil/Sunflower Seed Oil

Guru Score

59%

Mixed

4 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

This lightweight oil splits experts sharply. One finds it genuinely hydrating and flexible enough to layer before or after creams, but three others see mainly fragrant oils with minimal active benefit, one notes it delivers only temporary glow, another flags the high price for what amounts to essential oils, and a third suggests retinoids or vitamin C would do far more for fine lines and breakouts. Those with very dry, dehydrated skin may find it soothing; anyone targeting acne, texture, or real rejuvenation should look elsewhere.

Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take September 2024

What they liked

Brightens skin

What they flagged

Heavily fragranced
Doesn't live up to claims
Irritating for acne-prone skin

Best for

Dry skin

Type

Oil

Key actives

Vitamin ESqualane

Formula notes

No drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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Scan it in the shopFree iPhone app. Scores in the aisle.

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Nipun Kapur

412k subs

~Yay

"This is a product which is great, like a serum you can even use it over your creams because this is a very lightweight oil. Anytime and every time I have used it I have always used it either after all my serums before a cream or I've used it after my cream, mostly I have used it after my cream. And if your skin gets dehydrated, if your skin feels super stretchy, you know hydration levels and skin dryness control, it does it for you."

Kelly Driscoll

91k subs

~Nay

"It's not even as effective as an AHA quite frankly, but it can help to improve the complexion just a little bit and it can help if you are prone to breakouts. It is one of those oils that has some secondary benefits for acne-prone skin. I just don't see the ingredients here holding up to that claim. You're going to be better off using a retinoid or vitamin C or even a five percent niacinamide serum in your nighttime routine to get that rejuvenated appearance on your skin."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Nay

"Here's the Midnight Recovery Concentrate, it's just a bunch of scented oils. It's super popular, but it doesn't do anything, it just kind of gives you a temporary glowy look."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

~Mixed

"If you want to use that then fine, but this is not something that I would get behind. For me it's more irritating. This is a more sensorial product and for Ricky this is probably perfect because he loves skincare being self-care, [...] but for me who is acne prone or wants to work on acne blemishes, scars, fine lines, wrinkles, or hyperpigmentation, this is not going to be for my skincare tastes. [...] Why are you paying fifty-two dollars for a bottle of essential oils?"

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate?

A lightweight oil concentrate designed for nighttime use to hydrate and improve skin's appearance while supporting a smoother complexion.

Is Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate worth it?

The gurus are split. 1 of the 4 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 59%.

What is Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate's Guru Score?

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate holds a Guru Score of 59%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.