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Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate 12.5% Vitamin C Serum review

My dad is a proponent of the formula and thinks that it may live up to its claims, at least based on its list. If you read Vitamin C guide, you know that a good Vitamin C serum should:

not mix ascorbic acid with water (ascorbic acid is not stable in water-based formulas, so it won’t be as effective and do what it claims to do if it’s mixed with water)
be packaged in a dark/opaque container to reduce potential light exposure
not contain colors or dyes that help mask potential oxidation

Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate 12.5% Vitamin C Serum performs well against these three criteria, and it’s very lightweight and doesn’t feel oily when applied to your skin. It also didn’t irritate my skin very much, although it did cause slight redness on those winter days when my face felt particularly dry, which is to be expected. I think it also helped make my skin feel smoother temporarily because of the silicones in the formula. The bottle was small, but it lasted me about a month and a half of nightly usage. I only applied a small amount to my face each time. If you take that into consideration, maybe it isn’t quite as expensive as it seems at first glance.

Now onto the things I didn’t like so much about this serum. I can’t say that I’ve ever been impressed with the “brightening” qualities of any Vitamin C serum I’ve tried, but I’ve also never tried the really expensive one that everyone recommends (Skinceuticals). I don’t think it made my skin any worse, but I didn’t really notice it brightening my skin or reducing my hyperpigmentation. It did, however, deliver some psychological benefits—I felt like I was pampering my skin every night as I patted it in. It was nice, but I wouldn’t say that it’s enough of a reason to go out and buy it at full price.

This formula contains a few ingredients that don’t strike me as necessary, including several types of citrus oils that are probably in there to help lend a nice fragrance to the product. It’s like skin care manufacturers think that—since consumers automatically associate Vitamin C with oranges—it has to smell like oranges or people won’t believe that it actually contains Vitamin C. Unfortunately, these types of citrusy oils can often be irritating for those with sensitivities. It also contains limonene and citral, two fragrance ingredients that may contribute to irritation as well. Last but not least, it contains propylene glycol as the first ingredient, which probably helps lend a silky texture, but is also known to be irritating for sensitive skin (it was even named the American Contact Dermatitis Society’s Allergen of the Year in 2018). This product is actually pretty similar to Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate in that both contain essential oils and fragrance components, though this serum contains fewer culprits than that one.

This formula reminds me of L’Oreal Paris Skincare Revitalift Derm Intensives 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum, which has a slightly lower concentration of active ingredients (10% vs. the 12.5% in this Kiehl’s product), but doesn’t contain any unnecessary fragrances or fragrance components. Give that one a try if you’re looking for a less expensive, water-free Vitamin C serum.

All in all, I think if you’re truly looking for a powerful, line-reducing product, you should just use sunscreen. If you’re looking for a lightweight, water-free Vitamin C formula that combines two forms of Vitamin C and you’re not sensitive to citrus oils or fragrances, this may be the right choice for you—but for the majority of people, I don’t think I’d recommend buying it, though I wouldn’t dissuade you from trying it if you obtained a free sample.

About Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate

Other than Kiehl’s vitamin C product, I’d also explored vitamin C from other brands such as Obagi Vitamin C serum (10%) and Glo-Therapeutics Cyto-Luxe Vitamin C+ (20%) .

Must-read: Get firmer skin in 3 days with Glo-Therapeutics Cyto-Luxe Vitamin C+ (20%)

So far, only the 20% strength seems to work for me, allowing me to notice visible results in the quickest possible time. Let’s see if Kiehl’s 10.5% vitamin C serum would match or beat that!

A little about Vitamin C

Other than reducing lines, people who use Vitamin C serum generally want brighter and firmer skin. They may also be looking for ways to reduce pigmentation or dark spots. If you like to read more about my take of Vitamin C serum and its effectiveness, you can jump over to this link.

The Warm Sensation

When you apply this thick cream on your face, you will feel a warm sensation, almost convincing you of how POWERFUL this cream really is.

I can’t help but feel that the warm sensation is all but a marketing gimmick. As a newbie to Vitamin C serum a decade ago, I can’t deny that I was super impressed with the heat-emitting cream. It sure felt “Powerful” like an iron that could flatten out lines. However, after using pure vitamin C serum (up to 20%) that produced real results, I have to say that I am a bit skeptical now. None of the high-strength vitamin C serum I’ve tried emitted any heat. What they did produce was a tingling and minimally stingy sensation.

So yeah, I’m a bit doubtful. That’s ok. Let’s dig in further in the next few sections below to find out the goods and bads of Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, and see if it’s worth buying.

Powerful Duo!

But here’s the deal. I found that it delivered even better results when paired with 1 and maybe 2 other products I actually use this product like a sandwich – a Kiehl’s sandwich, if I may. It has worked very well for me, and it is one of those concoctions that I stumble upon that work, and which potentially will hurt my wallet

Here’s how I like to use it – from right to left (error in product arrangement LOL!) I start with cleansing and toning, then I go on to a pre-serum and then I apply the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution (review to come), then the PSLRC and then Midnight Recovery Concentrate. The recommended method by Kiehl’s is the PSLRC – Clearly Corrective – MRC but I prefer my way

Why I first started doing this was because I had been using the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution in the hope to brighten my dull skin tone (its a problem I’ve been battling for a while since a botched experiment and am only now starting to see results). I figured that the PSLRC was doing a different job so I layered that on. Little did I realise that what PSLRC did was to work with the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution to deliver even better results! You see, I never noticed it earlier, but both products contain Vitamin C as one of their key ingredients.

When I combined the two, I realised that my skin now looked smoother and brighter and better overall. The MRC, I included because I liked the smell and because I found that sometimes, it helped boost how other serums work. I like how it smells and everything but I didn’t think it added anything extra so its something that can be skipped if you are thinking of trying my concoction

I was using it twice a day, but I’ve since cut back to once a day as I’m using a different Vitamin C serum as well. I really do think that this is a great product and one to check out, if your skin can handle it. I have read about people reacting adversely to this serum, which is likely to happen (we all have different skins) but in the main, I think most people have seen good results from this.

Here is the ingredient list for anyone interested.

I like this one. It does what it says it does, and my skin looks better because of it. Sometimes, you just don’t get better that that I hesitate to say that I will never stray. Never is a very long time. But I do know that it is something I will continue to use as long as I see the results until something better comes along

Have you tried this serum? Did you like it?

If you have picked up any samples from the store to try, I’d love to know what you thought about it

Paris B

Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate Price: RM240/50ml and RM310/75ml Availability: Kiehl’s stores

What’s Bad?

1. No visible improvements

Nothing happened. I’d finished 70% of the bottle and see no significant results. Then it went into my fridge for years before I recently took it out to write this review. =)

2. Thick cream that felt like a primer

Although it allows you to skip your moisturizer when you are lazy, it may be too rich for some. Unlike a normal rich cream, Kiehl’s vitamin C cream felt artificially smooth like a primer. It wasn’t easy washing it off with water too.

3. Cosmetically reduces fine lines

I believe the texture of this product, which cosmetically sinks into and fade fine lines, may have caused some to think that their lines have improved for good. In my opinion, it could probably be just a cosmetic effect, lasting as long as the product is still on the face.

Look at the photo below and see how my left hand appears smoother than my right hand, because it was covered with a layer of Kiehl’s powerful “primer”.

Cosmetically fade fine lines

I’m not saying that it won’t work in the long run. But if you see your lines fade within seconds of applying this cream, it’s without a doubt a cosmetic effect.

5. Occasional pimples

I couldn’t say for certain that this product is safe for pimple-prone skin because I was never completely pimple-free when using this cream.

What’s Good?

1. Rich and moisturizing

Unlike other Vitamin C serum I’ve used, Kiehl’s version offers a thick and whitish cream that felt more like a moisturizer than a serum. It leaves a layer of slight stickiness just like how you feel when you slap on a rich cream. I didn’t feel the need to apply moisturizer over it as it felt hydrating enough. And the face stayed hydrated for hours.

Rich and whitish cream

For those who have dry skin or who are too lazy to apply multiple layers of product, Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate may appeal to you. Though I think some may hate it too, especially for those who dislike having heavy stuff on their face.

3. Stable Vitamin C

Vitamin C products can contain either the pure form of vitamin C (i.e. Ascorbic Acid) or its derivatives. The pure form tends to be less stable and can oxidize easily (turning yellow, orange, then brown). Once it has oxidized, it is no longer effective. In fact, it may even be harmful to the skin.

What’s great about Kiehl’s vitamin C cream is its stability. After being opened and kept in the fridge for at least two to three years, the whitish cream had only turned mildly yellow.

The photo below shows a side-by-side comparison of a fresh product (recently-received sample) vs the one I’ve kept for years. See the mild color difference.