Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate for dry skin
Squalane
Lavender Essential Oil
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Rosa Canina Oil Fruit
Curcuma Longa Root ExtractAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate moisturizing and skin barrier enhancement for your dry skin, as squalane and rosa canina oil provide emollient and hydrating effects.
- While the formula is generally safe and suitable for dry skin, the benefits are primarily supportive rather than directly addressing significant dryness or flakiness.
- The product has a good safety profile with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and work your way up to daily use.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. At night, use it as the final step after your serum.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra hydration. This is great for soothing dry and flaky areas .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use .
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsThis facial oil is widely praised as a holy grail for dry or tired skin, with users consistently reporting a noticeable morning glow and improved plumpness after overnight use. Results are polarized for acne-prone users; while some find it balances oil production, a significant minority experience breakouts or cystic acne due to the essential oils. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Restores radiance Mostly Mentioned
- “woke up glowing”
- “skin looks rested”
- “banished dullness”
- “noticeable morning radiance”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin drinks it up”
- “erased dry patches”
- “soft and supple”
- “plumped fine lines”
Relaxing scent Often Mentioned
- “calming lavender smell”
- “helps me sleep”
- “soothing aromatherapy”
- “smells like a spa”
Lightweight absorption Sometimes Noted
- “not greasy at all”
- “absorbs instantly”
- “light texture”
- “doesn't stain pillow”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “tiny white bumps”
- “clogged my pores”
- “worst breakout ever”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for the size”
- “not worth the money”
- “overpriced oil”
Fragrance irritation Rarely Noted
- “smell is overpowering”
- “irritated my eyes”
- “too much essential oil”
- “scent caused headache”
Sits on skin Rarely Noted
- “felt oily all night”
- “didn't sink in”
- “greasy residue”
- “just sat on top”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, kiehls.com, makeupalley.com, skincare.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate work for dry skin?
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate works moderately well for dry skin by offering basic moisture and barrier support through squalane and evening primrose oil. While it is generally safe and unlikely to cause irritation, its benefits are mostly supportive rather than deeply addressing significant dryness. A product for this skin needs rich moisturizing agents and soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica and Sodium Hyaluronate to deliver excellent hydration, smooth texture, and optimal nourishment.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Squalane and rosa canina oil help make this treatment a fit by providing moderate moisture and helping your skin barrier. To truly thrive, dry skin needs products with powerful hydrating ingredients and soothing extracts like Centella Asiatica and Sodium Hyaluronate that deliver deep nourishment and tackle flakiness.
What does Squalane do for dry skin?
Squalane helps keep dry skin soft and smooth by acting as a hydrating agent that locks in moisture and prevents water loss. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect the skin from damage while improving overall hydration.
Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, 2012Molecules, 2009
What does Lavender Essential Oil do for dry skin?
Lavender essential oil helps hydrate dry skin and keeps it soft while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may help calm dry, stressed skin.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2022
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
Apply this treatment in the evening after cleansing and before moisturizing. This timing offers simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure for your dry skin. To truly transform very dry skin, a product of this type needs richer oils and heavy sealing ingredients that lock in deep moisture and stop flakiness.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying the treatment first and following it with your retinol to keep your skin comfortable. This type of routine helps support your skin barrier while managing dryness, though a product of this type needs richer hydrators and barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides to truly transform very dry skin.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine for dry skin. This product provides moderate moisture and supports your skin barrier, but a product for this skin needs richer ingredients and deeper hydration to target significant dryness or flakiness.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This treatment may cause breakouts, as reviewers moderately complain about this issue. However, it is unlikely to irritate your dry skin since it lacks harsh ingredients, though a product of this type needs richer oils and deep hydrators to truly comfort very dry skin.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, though dry skin needs a richer product with heavier oils and butters to fully relieve severe flakiness.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool, citronellol, geraniol, limonene, and citral).
What the research says
Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Electrospun poly (vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) patches loaded with evening primrose oil applied to the forearm of volunteers for 6 hours increased skin moisture, with pore size, shape, and fiber diameter influencing oil transport.
Biomaterials Advances, 2022Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016A nanoemulsion cream containing lavender essential oil and licorice extract significantly reduced wound area, increased TGF-beta1 and collagen gene expression, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and promoted faster tissue healing in rats compared to untreated and vehicle controls.
Journal of Tissue Viability, 2020A topical preparation containing urea, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, and sodium pyruvate led to clinical improvement after a month in diverse hyperkeratotic skin conditions except pityriasis lichenoides.
Medicina Cutanea Ibero-latino-americana, 1986Topical application of linseed, evening primrose, and olive oil emulsions accelerated wound closure in rats with excision wounds compared to untreated controls, though via different mechanisms.
Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2019Topical application of 10% evening primrose oil (EPO) and Lioxasol creams resulted in increased cell proliferative activity in the skin of female pigs compared to untreated skin, with EPO producing a more pronounced increase in basal layer labelling index and Lioxasol causing a more immediate increase in papillary dermis labelled cells.
Cell Proliferation, 1997Topical treatments containing rosehip extract may reduce the size and erythema of postsurgical scars through macrophage polarization and inflammatory cytokine inhibition, though current clinical evidence remains insufficient to recommend its routine use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Sunflower and rosehip oil nanoemulsions prepared with a mix of phospholipids and synthetic emulsifiers permeated intact skin to the dermis and showed a more prominent healing effect in a human organotypic skin explant culture wound model compared to nanoemulsions prepared only with phospholipids.
Pharmaceutics, 2023A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Topical application of curcumin or turmeric treats various skin conditions by leveraging antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2023Topical formulations of curcumin target oxidative damage and inflammation to improve wound healing in animal models.
Drug Discovery Today, 2017A curcumin-loaded spanlastic anti-aging gel utilizing formula F5 incorporated into 2% HPMC E50 demonstrated sustained release action, compatibility, and the ability to penetrate skin layers to a depth of about 112.5 um without signs of irritation.
Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2024
Why other moisturizers fit dry skin better
Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017Combining oral and topical astaxanthin in 30 healthy females improved skin wrinkles, age spots, elasticity, texture, and moisture, while 6 mg daily oral supplementation in 36 healthy males improved crow's feet wrinkles, elasticity, and transepidermal water loss.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2012
Ingredients
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Squalane, Rosa Canina Oil Fruit, Oenothera Biennis Evening Primrose Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Jojoba Seed Oil Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Coriander Seed Oil Oil, Tocopherol, Lavandula Angustifolia Lavender Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil Flower, Linalool, Rosmarinus Officinalis Rosemary Oil Leaf, Citronellol, Geraniol, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Cucumis Sativus Cucumber Fruit Extract Extract, Curcuma Longa Turmeric Root Extract Extract, Limonene, Citral, Sclareolide, Rosa Spp Rose Oil Flower, Jasminum Officinale Jasmine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sunflower Seed Oil
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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