What is burgundy, velvety and heavenly fragrant at the same time? Not wine, you silly billy. The Kiehl’s Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence may not be of the color of wine, but it is liquid crystal material, lemme tell ya.

In Essence: A Facial Spa Treatment Water

Packaging

The plastic bottle containing the product though is a semi-see-through oxblood, complete with a big cap of the same color that you can screw on and off. The drip nozzle dispenses 1 to 2 generous drops each time you tilt it down your palm.

Fragrance

Pure sweet floral fragrance. Utter, utter, bliss.

Texture & Consistency

Unlike most essences that usually feel like water, this one feels thicker (it doesn’t drip thick, it just feels so when you rub it between your fingers or palm) and super-velvety. As you slap it on your skin it feels smooth and gives slip. On drying it does give stickiness to the skin.

Size & Price

Retailing at SGD$68.00 for 200 ml (6.8 fl. oz) at Kiehl’s stores in Singapore.

How it Works – Key Ingredients

Iris Florentina Root Extract

Known for boosting skin’s metabolism, this ingredient targets at increasing skin cell turnover, helping the skin to achieve the radiance and glow it once had. It is a rich source of isoflavones that are vital in improving skin’s elasticity and helps collagen to replenish, as well as allowing other skincare ingredients to work better on it as a whole.

Lipo Hydroxy Acid (LHA)

Apart from its acne treatment properties, LHA’s chemical peeling ability also results in smoother, brighter looking skin. Age spots, hyper pigmentation and freckles can also be lightened and rid of over time.

Sodium Hyaluronate

Penetrates deeper into the epidermis than Hyaluronic acid as it is the sodium salt derived from it. It is excellent in plumping and restoring moisture for the skin. It is an important ingredient in anti-aging skincare as well as treating of dry, parched skin.

Other noteworthy points to take:

This essence is suitable for all skin types and is paraben-free and oil-free.

How to Apply the Kiehl’s Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence

Kiehl’s recommends 3 to 4 drops each time but I personally feel that 1 to 2 drops is enough. The consistency is pretty thick to the feel, so I’d go easy on it. Slap the product gently all over your face, cheeks, forehead, nose and chin, till the product is evenly distributed.

Apply this after any other product concentrates, such as age spot correctors or serums, and before moisturizer. Apply morning and night.

Verdict: An Anti-Wrinkle Skin Radiance Booster

Love this stuff! The scent is to-die-for. To be honest I’m not entirely certain if this is the only product that brightens my skin as I’m also concurrently using another Kiehl’s product – the Corrective Dark Spot Solution. My skin does appear more radiant and skin tone more even, especially the next morning having after applied it the night before. This one has no pore-tightening effect for those who think most essences do that.

The nozzle though is a little too large imo, if only the droplet size could be a tad smaller, 2 drops of the product on the skin will be just nice. Another thing is, the skin tend to be quite sticky even after some time, so be careful with your pillowcase if you’re a side-sleeper.

The biggest pro of this product is that it makes a good foundation for makeup. It makes even powder makeup appears less settled in my fine lines, which means it does a great job in reducing my facial wrinkles as well.