The humble beginnings as an apothecary in New York City, Kiehl’s, has clearly taken giant strides to open 250 stores worldwide and 13 in India, the latest one in the City of Nizams. Unveiled this week, the brand that has a few cult favourites — like Midnight Recovery Concentrate — stocks mostly nature-inspired products. “We want to offer a balance between nature and science and have made sure that the product is tested on India skin,” says Santosh Kumar, deputy general manager.
The small private preview we attended had actress, Lakshmi Manchu in attendance, who admits that she has been a Kiehl’s loyalist for a while. “Before it was available in the city, I would get their masques and serums shipped from Phoenix Mall in Mumbai,” she shares.
Their exposed brick walls and the warm glow of chandeliers is reminiscent of that 19th Century heritage that the brand is known for. The skeleton in a white lab coat, which greets you at the door is Mr Bones — their mascot. It is a tribute to the human skeleton displayed at their flagship store in New York City. This skeleton —unlike what you might imagine — is not scary in the least but has a wide smile. The store attempts to be state-of-art while keeping the vintage apothecary feel alive.
On entering, you can consult Kiehl’s Customer Representative, who conducts a patch test which tell you what will suit your skin type. They have a testing table sitting at the centre of the store lined with their bestsellers. We like the ‘try before you buy policy’ of the brand where you are encouraged to try samples before investing in it. You can also get your customised routine from them.
On the other side, you can spot the men’s range called Facial Fuel. There are several moisturisers, face washes and scrubs in this section. But the counter you would want to explore, if you are a first time customer, is their Dermatologist Solutions corner comprising targeted treatments for all kinds of skin concerns — from blemishes to anti-ageing. We notice the much-talked about Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution in this range. Stealing the show at the store right now are their brightly packaged Diwali hampers, (from `3,500), which include Ultra Facial Cleanser and Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream.
In case you are looking for something outside your daily skincare regime, you might be tempted to try the Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energising Radiance Masque and Calendula and Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque.
Rs 750 onwards.