*this post contains press samples*
You probably already know this, as it’s been talked about quite a lot over the last few weeks. Kylie skin has finally launched in the UK.
It’s been talked about quite a lot since it launched back in 2019. I think with any Kardashian launch, there is a bit of a frenzy, a lot of talk and people very quick to dismiss it. I feel like that was the case with Kylie skin….as we have our opinions about people in the limelight, when they launch product, we are often very quick to judge without trying it or having a balanced view.
I’m impartial to the Kardashians, I have never watched the show, I’ve never tried any of their products so I am talking about this with an open mind and no pre-judgements. So let’s talk about Kylie skin, the products and what I think about the products that I have tried from the range.
First up, I LOVE the packaging. I’m a sucker for a pretty box, tube, tub, pot…what can I say?! It’s millenial pink, it’s appealing to it’s target audience, it’s instantly recognisable and possibly very ‘Kylie’. I’m suckered in.
The Kylie Skin range consists of a foaming face wash , a hydrating face mask, a walnut face scrub, vanilla toner, vitamin C serum, eye cream and face moisturiser. There is also some body products and accessories.
A bit more about the target audience before I touch on the products. This isn’t for me…..a nearing 40 year old, who’s worked in beauty for 15 years using some of the most premium and advanced brands over this time. This is for the teens through until the 20’s. It’s not a scientific, ingredient-heavy, anti-ageing focused line of products. It’s for the first-time skincare-ers, people wanting to dip their toe in and simply people who want in on that Kylie empire.
For the reason above, I only tried a few of the products, mainly the Foaming Face wash, *that* infamous Walnut Scrub and the Vanilla toner.
The Foaming Face Wash: It’s a basic foaming wash. It has a super creamy and lovely texture, almost like a shaving foam, it smells very ‘clean’, like a typical, classic soapy/clean washing kind of smell. I quite liked using it, it was nice, it left my skin feeling clean and fresh. I used it as an AM cleanser as it’s not suitable for eye makeup removal (I tried!). Although it doesn’t contain sulphates (they are using a coconut-derived surfactant) it did leave my skin feeling quite tight after-use. Is it ok for a basic cleanser? Yeah it’s fine. If something like this will kick-start a teen into a skincare regime then I don’t see the problem. I also think back to the kind of products I used as a teen and hell, this is a VAST improvement!
*THAT* Walnut Scrub.
I refer to it like this because this has possibly had the most attention from the range and for all the wrong reasons. Walnut shell is very abrasive and can be overly harsh on the skin. Again, I’ve used that St Ives scrub honey, my skin can take it, so I took a deep breath, opened that bad boy up and tried it for a week. It felt quite nice, you can feel the particles exfoliating your skin and on first use i was like ‘hey this is pretty darn good ya know’….then I got out of the shower and realised my skin felt pretty sore. It was also very pink.
The thing with these types of scrubs, they feel absolutely fine when you are using them then afterwards it can bite you in the bum. I needed to go in with a calming mask/moisturiser afterwards as it just wasn’t good. I used it a couple more times, this time masking sure I was SUPER gently with the application and my skin felt ok after but again, it’s just too harsh and abrasive. I wouldn’t recommend it, particularly in younger teens etc, they may not realised how their skin should feel and may be very vigorous with applying it, so it’s simply not going to be great for the skin.
The Vanilla Toner. I like the idea of a rich, essence-like toner, particularly after getting so into my Hado Labo of recent months as a pre-skincare booster and treat. The toner is a little-thicker-than-water in texture and a bit lighter than a typical serum. You apply this onto the face with a cotton pad and sweep all over as a first skincare step.
What this will do is hydrate the skin with sodium hyaluronate and squalene. There is also avocado oil to soften the skin, and apple fruit extract which I am assuming will brighten the skin. I like the idea of it, for me, I don’t want my skincare smelling sweet or sickly. I’m not adverse to fragrance in skincare by any means, it just has to be…..not sweet! Particularly for a first step as this is what your skin is absorbing first, I’d rather it be a little less fragrant. I hope that makes sense.
Then the products that I haven’t tried, but wanted to mention them and what they are about:
Eye Cream : Contains caffeine, green tea, vitamin E and pomegranate extracts. Quite a decent yet simple formula for an eye cream. Shea butter is quite high up in the INCI so some people may find this a little rich but it reads as a pretty decent eye cream. I don’t think I even used an eye cream until I was maybe 25 so if this kick starts the process then it’s all good.
Vitamin C Serum : Vitamin C + glycerine. A lightweight hydrating and brightening serum. The vitamin C isn’t very strong. Fine for a younger skin. Contains oils. Glycerine is an effective hydrator.
Face Moisturiser : Sodium Hyaluronate will plump and hydrate the skin. Glycerine is a humectant and draws moisture the the skin and is an effective hydrator. It also contains shea butter which gives a nice feel to products but some people may not like this. Also contains various fruit extracts and aloe vera. I would say this would be a fine basic moisturiser for normal skin and would probably sit well under makeup due to the silicone.
Hydrating Face Mask : Contains Vitamin B3, Shea Butter, Vitamin E and fruit and flower oils. Not bad for a deeply hydrating treat. I’m sure this will feel nice and leave skin soft and nourished.
In summary, this range isn’t for me. It’s a simple range, I don’t find it overly offensive (except for the scrub) and I think if this will get younger people to garner an interest in skincare and regime then that’s great! It’s a simple line, it’s easy to use, it has a nice textures and it’s pleasant to use. I think it’s definitely a little overpriced for what the products are and contain but hey, we aren’t paying for ingredients here are we.
Kylie skin is now launched into the UK. They have their own dedicated website www.kylieskin.co.uk and they are also retailing in Harrods and Selfridges. Prices start from £22.
I would love to know your thoughts! Let’s chat.
