Just because we’re deep in the middle of summer does not excuse HCG from our obsessive daily moisturizing regimen. In fact, weekends spent lounging on the beach tend to leave our skin needing more hydration than usual. We’ve dutifully kept up with daily applications of our longtime Kiehl’s staple Creme de Corps even though it was starting to feel a little heavy in the oppressive Philadelphia summer heat. When our one-liter pump of the CDC finally ran out, we ransacked our arsenal of Kiehl’s samples and decided to go nuts and try something new.
The lucky little Kiehl’s sample packet we tore open was the Imperial Body Balm, a recently-released body moisturizer promising to revive and soften lackluster skin. It took only two consecutive uses of the IBB to realize that the product was worth giving the CDC the boot, at least for the summer. Although the IBB is much thicker than a typical body lotion (it is a body balm, after all), it’s not at all greasy. At least 8 hours after initial application, the skin still feels hydrated. This stuff is A-MA-ZING.
And, unbelievably, the best part about the IBB isn’t the way it makes your skin feel – the best part is the scent. The first time I applied this body balm before coming to work in the morning, MR chased me down to ask what scent I was wearing. The mixture of cocoa butter and honey is muy delicioso!
There’s just one downside to the IBB: the product is available in only one 8-ounce size, which is pretty large for an initial purchase and too big for practical travel (unless you’re going to Hawaii for two weeks at the end of the summer and relish the slow application of luxury body products while on vacation. In that case, take the large size with you). HCG recommends grabbing a few samples to ensure you like it before diving into the large size.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
As an avid reader I of course purchased Creme de Corps– and I found it a bit heavy too, so I switched to the Light Weigth version, which smells like the beach! I use it way too much, but the cost is pretty reasonable since it’s lighter, and bonus — SPF 30!
http://www.kiehls.com/_us/_en/body/collection/Creme-de-Corps-Light-Weight-Body-Lotion-SPF-30.htm
I accompanied HCG to purchase the IBB and got some samples of it–I am also now in love with it. IT SMELLS SO GOOD. Just waiting for the heatwave to pass so I can pop up to Kiehl’s during lunchtime to get the big tub…
Ski: Great tip on the Lightweight CDC! I’ve been a longtime user of the Lightweight version as a post-shaving lotion on my legs, and I’ve accidentally bought the SPF version a couple of times (it’s about $5 more than the non-SPF version). The smell is delightful :)
MR: You will not regret this purchase.