Kiehl's Sunflower Color Preserving Deep Recovery Pak
Works for
1 of 1 advertised claim delivered
MoisturizingPanthenol, Glycerin + 6 moreStrong evidence
“Moisturizes and detangles hair .”
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, caprylyl glycol.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: helianthus annuus seed oil, cetearyl alcohol.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: panthenol
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy1 strong irritant: ParfumMedium risk
Comedogenic1 ingredient rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale1 flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Cetearyl alcohol~6.2–9.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
More about Cetearyl alcoholHelianthus annuus seed oil~3.8–5.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function
More about Helianthus annuus seed oilBehentrimonium chloride~0.05–0.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Cetyl esters~2.1–3.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps soften upper layer of the skin and can enhance penetration of other ingredients into the upper layer of the skin
More about Cetyl estersStearamidopropyl dimethylamine~1.7–2.5%
Glycerin~1.5–2.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinQuaternium-87~1.3–1.9%
Phenoxyethanol~0.5–1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolCaprylyl glycol~0.9–1.35%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolParfum~0.5–1.2%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumCandelilla cera~0.5–1.15%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Hydroxyethylcellulose~0.4–0.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to thicken product formulations and create gel-like textures
More about HydroxyethylcellulosePanthenol~0.3–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
More about PanthenolPrunus armeniaca kernel oil~0.35–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An emollient that helps soften the skin
More about Prunus armeniaca kernel oilBenzoic acid~0.25–0.5%
Citric acid~0.1–0.45%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
More about Citric acidNiacinamide~0.1–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
More about NiacinamidePyridoxine hcl~0.05–0.3%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Might help neutralize free radicals in skin
More about Pyridoxine hclEthylhexyl methoxycinnamate~0.1–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- High
Octinoxate. When used in higher concentrations, works as a sunscreen protecting the skin from UVB rays. When used in lower concentration, helps to preserve the product formulation. Is shown to be harmful to coral reefs - consider avoiding bathing in coral reef areas when wearing a product with this ingredient. It can be irritating
More about Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamateTriethanolamine~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Used to adjust pH of the product and can help improve the product's smell
More about TriethanolamineIngredient list view
Water, Cetearyl alcohol, Helianthus annuus seed oil, Behentrimonium chloride, Cetyl esters, Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, Glycerin, Quaternium-87, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl glycol, Parfum, Candelilla cera, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol, Prunus armeniaca kernel oil, Benzoic acid, Citric acid, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine hcl, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, Triethanolamine
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| Kiehl'sSunflower Color Preserving Deep Recovery PakYOUR PRODUCT | CetaphilAdvanced Radiance Lotion | EpicurenHydro Plus Moisturizer | Nø CosmeticsALL-IN Barrier Cream celebrate tøday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 58% | 56% | 56% |
| Price | — | $27.09 | $67.10 | $18.97 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Key difference | — | Niacinamide | Anhydroxylitol | Ceramide Eop |
| Irritancy | Medium | Low | Low | Low |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
Product summary
"Kiehl's - Sunflower Color Preserving Deep Recovery Pak" has a good moisturizing formula. To work well, any moisturizer needs to include a combination of water-binding and emollient ingredients. Kiehl's - Sunflower Color Preserving Deep Recovery Pak ticks this box. Humectants in this product (panthenol, glycerin and caprylyl glycol) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Helianthus annuus seed oil, cetearyl alcohol, cetyl esters and caprylyl glycol in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.
This product contains ingredients that could be beneficial, but their concentrations are too low in this formulation: apricot kernel oil and niacinamideIrritation risk
This moisturizer contains some common irritants, including those without a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 11 studies and safety reviews.
- 1
- 2
- 3Effect of topically applied lipids on surfactant-irritated skinonlinelibrary.wiley.com
- 4
- 5
- 6
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