The Weekly’s Editor-in- Chief Barbara Koh takes a trip to New York City, the birthplace of a skincare brand that’s fun yet serious, familiar yet quirky… a brand proud of its many contradictions
The Weekly’s Editor-in- Chief Barbara Koh takes a trip to New York City, the birthplace of a skincare brand that’s fun yet serious, familiar yet quirky… a brand proud of its many contradictions
Many a time, marketing and PR work hard to spin a story – to make a brand relatable, current, trusted. Kiehl’s is a marketeer’s dream come true. It’s a brand steeped in history and 167 years after its birth, it still remains true to its roots as it continues to woo customers with its philosophy and beliefs.
I got the opportunity for a brand immersion, flying to New York City, the birthplace of the skincare brand, for the World of Kiehl’s 2018 event. Through the various activities and visits planned for us over three days, it became even clearer to me what this world of Kiehl’s really stands for.
ITS HISTORY IS LEGIT
We got to step into the very same space that Kiehl’s founder John Kiehl used to dispense concoctions in his familyrun apothecary. Now a landmark of sorts, the New York flagship stands at the corner of 105 Third Avenue and 13th Street, offering the same level of personal service, customer care, and effective apothecary skincare, as when it opened its doors in 1851. When once a chemist used to formulate personalised concoctions to treat different skin and health woes, Kiehl’s continues to offer that customisation through its wide range of products, and recently, almost as an ode to its history, created the Apothecary Preparations range for a more precise and concentrated serum for each person’s skin needs.
Truly New York born and bred, Kiehl’s was founded to serve the needs of the neighbourhood. Now it’s found all over the world, with five bottles of the skin-caring Calendula Herbal- Extract Toner sold every minute globally. Yet its sense of community still resonates in 2018. Today, it’s the trained customer representatives who provide consultations to understand your skin concerns, and then recommend the products suitable for you. For example, to get your Apothecary Preparations Personalised Facial Concentrate, they will run through a series of questions with you to derive the best complexes (be it for wrinkles, texture, clarity, enlarged pores or redness) to best treat your skin.
When you step into a Kiehl’s store, you’ll see icons that are significant to the brand’s history. The chandelier pays homage to the ones that are in the New York flagship; beakers and jars represent the scientific methods used to create the formulas; and dear Mr Bones, a lifesized human skeleton, is a tribute to the original teaching skeleton that founding family members used to help customers learn how remedies would help them (you’ll find one in every store).
1 & 2. Then & Now: The original Kiehl’s Pharmacy in New York City. 3. Having worked for over 20 years with Kiehl’s, Global Education Head Cammie Cannella was the perfect person to show us around the NYC flagship store known for its apothecary care.
IT’S NATURE POWERED
Ask Kiehl’s users what they love about the brand’s products and they’ll likely say its effective-yet-gentle-on-skin formulas, which combine science with the best of nature and quality botanicals. Kiehl’s scientists draw on the benefits of lavender, cilantro, cucumber to turmeric and ginger leaves, formulating skincare that’s calming, revitalising and rejuvenating. The Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Mask, for example, has 150 handpicked calendula flower petals. Combined with aloe vera, the mask provides a refreshing boost as it instantly hydrates and soothes tired, dry skin. Another bestseller, the Ultra Facial Cream, which sold over 4 million jars in 2017, is a much-loved hydrator as the squalene from olives helps soften and repair the skin’s natural moisture balance.
Kiehl’s is not about trends or aesthetics, and it’s not going to rush out a product with short-cut formulations. Dr Geoff Genesky, Kiehl’s Head Chemist, shares, “We take our time to develop our products – trial after trial to ensure that it will stand the test of time.”
1, 3 & 4. Lavender, aloe and calendula flowers are some of the key ingredients in Kiehl’s skincare. 2. Part of Kiehl’s K+ Made Better platform includes giving back to the community, including farmers like the ones in Vietnam who picked the ginger leaves for the new Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Mask. 5. Editor-in-Chief Barbara with (from left) Theresa Chia, Oon Shu An, Clarence Lee and Mr Bones.
IT’S GOT HEART
Autism awareness, Aids research and improving the well-being of children are three pillar causes that the Kiehl’s Gives initiative supports. Celebrities like Matthew McConaughey have partnered with the brand to raise autism awareness, and in Singapore, Kiehl’s has worked with stars like Paige Chua and Jaime Teo to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Foundation.
Besides having a heart for the community, Kiehl’s has a heart for the planet. It has an active Recycle & Be Rewarded programme, where you can recycle your empty Kiehl’s full-sized bottles and jars for stamps. Collect four stamps and you get a travel-sized product; seven stamps for a Lipbalm #1, and 10 stamps for a Kiehl’s totebag made with 100 per cent recycled plastic.
Sustainability is also a part of the Kiehl’s DNA and the K+ Made Better platform is proof of its commitment to a future “made better”. For the new Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Mask, Kiehl’s worked with 14 women, in the Bac Giang province in Vietnam, to collect the sustainably-sourced ginger leaves which are usually discarded. And to give back to the community, Kiehl’s taught the women farmers environmentally-friendly farming methods, provided them with tools, and identified new crops to help them diversify and boost their income.
It’s refreshing to see a brand that’s genuine; that’s proud of its history yet strives to propel itself forward with new innovations. The Kiehl’s world is at once authentic and eclectic, old world yet new world, neighbourly yet worldly… and for three days, I revelled in it.
Kiehl’s Global Consulting Make-up Artist Nina Park preps Negin Mirsalehi’s skin with the Calendula toner before applying makeup.
Recyle & Be Rewarded.
Editorin- Chief Barbara with Kiehl’s Brand General Manager Zling Ng.
