Magnificent Bastard

Monday, March 18, 2024



kiehls

Ask the MB: Kiehl's Facial Fuel New Formula

Top: Greatness. Bottom: Crap.
Top: Greatness. Bottom: Crap.

Q: Hi, I was wondering why the post about the reformulated Kiehl's Facial Fuel SPF 15 from last year is no longer on the site... Have they changed it back to the previous version? Asking hopefully...
—Ben

A: No, last year's post about Kiehl's Facial Fuel is still here, and no, Kiehl's has ignored the angry mob and defiantly stuck with their version of New Coke. Meanwhile, fans have resorted to trying an online petition to bring back the old formula:

Date: May 3, 2016
Stars: 1
Reviewer: olddays

Review: how many negative reviews of this new formula will it take for a response from the company? should i start a change.org campaign? the new spf facial fuel is thick and disgusting! it smells and feels like cr*p!

We have long since pivoted to Neutrogena's sunscreen + Retinol Age Fighter Face Moisturizer with sunscreen SPF 15. In spite of the burn, at just $8.92 an ounce this is the best value in a sunscreen + age-fighting combo. (Not counting a bottle of Bulleit, of course.)

But when we're flush our horse is still Verso Skincare Day Cream. It's 15 SPF + Retinol 8, which is the Retinol equivalent of the US Women's Basketball team, while regular Retinol approximates a less-good Senegal. The going rate for a 1.69 oz. bottle of this stuff is $100 ($59.17/oz.), but we've unearthed a rare discount for $80. Yes, $47.33/oz. is more than Hermès Eau de Toilette Bel Objet but it's worth it. Try it and let us know what you think.

MB Endorses: Verso Day Cream

Verso Day Cream with SPF 15. And Nic Cage in <em>Outcast</em>.
Verso Day Cream with SPF 15. And Nic Cage in Outcast.

We thought our search for a daily face moisturizer with sunscreen ended way back in March 2009, when we endorsed Kiehl's Facial Fuel Moisturizer with SFP 15. This stuff was indeed facial fuel, until Kiehl's messed with the formula in about October 2013, replacing the subtle cologne-esqe fragrance and eye-opening skin energization with the weight and grease of a cheap sunscreen.

In short, this new Kiehl's product is an unmitigated disaster. Check the feedback on kiehls.com. We haven't seen this many 1-star reviews since the release of Nic Cage's latest movie.

A few deadstock tubes of the Kiehl's Facial Fuel OF from eBay got us through until we discovered Neutrogena's Age Fighter Face Moisturizer with Sunscreen SPF. (If you don't have a few wrinkles and lines yet, you will, and Retinol is effective at fighting them.) Cheap, and well reviewed, this is not a bad product, although it burns like a MFer and if you get it in your eyes you temporarily go blind.

Enter Verso Day Cream. Invented in Sweden by Lars Fredriksson, it is formulated with a kinder, gentler Retinol (Retinol 8) that claims to be eight times more effective than Retinol in the same dosage, and yet paradoxically, doesn't feel like you're applying a flamethrower to your face. It smells great, has SPF 15, and has made our faces glow brighter than Rudolph's nose while he's banging Vixen. The only downside: you'll have to hide this from your SO, because once they try it, they steal it. You have been warned.

Ask the MB: Crocs as Gift?!

Kielh's 'Ultimate Man' Collection via Saks Fifth Avenue, $55.00
Kielh's 'Ultimate Man' Collection via Saks Fifth Avenue. $55.00.
Q: My boyfriend recently discovered your site and now it's his dogma. The problem: I was going to get him Crocs for his birthday next month, thinking he would like a comfortable, lazy-day alternative to real shoes like I do, but now he's all against them because of you. So what should I get a newly minted MB-wannabe for his b-day? It doesn't have to be shoes, but it has to be cheap. Like probably any clothing recommendations you would make would be too much for me.
--Breda


A: How about a pair of Uggs? Kidding!

Clothing or footwear is such a dicey proposition in the first place. In the Crocs price range we recommend the Kiehl's "Ultimate Man" Collection. It's 55 bucks and he'll smell nice, be clean, have soft hands, and kiss-worthy lips. In fact, this gift is more for you than it is him, and those are always the best kind.

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