When Kahina announced several months ago that it was releasing a night cream, my ears perked immediately. Truth be told, I had long since given up on green moisturizers, finding (what I consider to be) their over-reliance on waxes and butters undesirable for a girl like me who could break out for the slightest of reasons. The moment this night cream was released, I read the ingredients list like a hawk – lo and behold not a single wax in sight and the only butter was a breathable shea butter located further down the ingredients list than any green moisturizer I had seen.
Real talk: I put the Kahina Giving Beauty Night Cream through it’s paces. As a beauty junkie who has been let down by too many green moisturizers in the past (Pai, Tata Harper – casting some shifty glances your way), it’s important for me to write a review from true real-world experience which I believe requires extensive use and not just first use/impressions that many editors and bloggers tend to give.
This following paragraph should tell you how the rest of the review is going to do: I originally wanted to write this review closer to winter when many are looking for a good moisturizer to add into their routine, but here we are in the middle of September. Why? Because I find it nearly impossible to not use up my jar of this delicious cream. It’s seriously a race at this point to write this post before I finish out the jar and end up taking pictures of an empty container. And I’m not the only one to blame, my mom virtually stole it from me when she visited for 2 weeks and I had to ask for it back! That is how good this stuff is!
Now let’s actually talk about this wonderful Night Cream! Like all Kahina products, it’s scented with a careful hand attuned to sensitivities which means it’s delicate, balanced, and beautiful in a very sophisticated and subtle way. I’m not fantastic at describing fragrance components but I can say that it smells fresh with soft notes that are an homage to the moisturizers roots in the wine country.
The texture is something many people have asked about because while this is a very nourishing cream, it’s deceptively light and silky. This is not one that you’ll need to warm in your hands, it’s a buttery fluid texture that is just right. That is very important because many people assume moisturizing = heavy and this is just not the case. I’d say any skin type can use this moisturizer and see good results because of the superb ingredients used.
Now let’s discuss results: first of all – this is moisturizing, let’s just get that out of the way. It does what it’s supposed to do which is moisturize skin and it does it beautifully, easily replacing any mainstream luxury lotion on the market in this regard. This seemingly simple task is actually quite an accomplishment for a product to comply with strict green standards, so I want to make everyone aware of how truly in awe I am that Kahina has managed this feat. Oh and also with all its bells and whistles, it just feels so damn good that I pretty much consider this the Bentley of moisturizers.
To achieve such excellent results, Kahina Giving Beauty uses their signature argan oil and the anti-aging red wine grapes which also makes this a very global product that incorporates two places very important to it’s founder: Morocco and Napa Valley. Argan Oil as we know is high in Vitamin E which smooths skin while Red Wine Grapes contain clinically proven concentrations of antioxidants resveratrol and polyphenols which address signs of aging. In this regard, it isn’t just a luxury moisturizer but rather an anti-aging moisturizing powerhouse. I also want to call out Aloe Vera Juice the first ingredient which is probably why this is such a soothing cream as well as Blue Tansy, one of the “hit” ingredients from summer known as a particularly effective anti-inflammation ingredient.
A jar of Night Cream retails for $105 (50ml) which I understand can be a bit intimidating. But listen: this IS the Bentley of moisturizers after all. I think it’s solid enough for people hesitant about green beauty to use and those of you making the switch from your La Mer and La Prairie moisturizers should make this your first stop as it delivers better long term results in a similarly elegant package. For those of you on the more economic side, I will just say this: you can still get good moisturizers at lower price points but if you ask me for my absolute favorite regardless of price, it would be this.
So in short: this is THE moisturizer to have in my book and in fact when people ask for recommendations on a good, clean moisturizer, this is the one I’ve been recommending. If you’re on the fence, the great news is that Kahina now has samples of their products and many of their retailers including Spirit Beauty Lounge offer custom sample services so you’ll be able to try this in some way. Not only do I think this is one of the best products in the green beauty world, I would consider it to be one of my favorite products in general. Clean, proven ingredients and wonderful results make this a winner.
All Kahina Giving Beauty products have impressed me, and this beautiful, rich cream should be perfect for winter time. Thanks for sharing!
Author
Thanks for leaving a comment! I’ve been in love with multiple Kahina products as well, just so luxurious!
Thanks for the great review! I like that you take your time with the products you review too; it is amazing how wrong first impressions of a product can be, no?
Author
Exactly! Sometimes we get swept away with the packaging or a scent and think the product is magic only to figure out 2 weeks later that it didn’t do anything or actually was not a good fit!
Thanks for the love! I really appreciate the time you put in to testing products and am so honored that Kahina meets your discriminating standards. Love “the Bentley of moisturizers”!
Author
So well deserved! Very excited to see what comes next!
I agree, this is a lovely cream! It feels like silk going on and makes my skin feel baby soft, which is hard to do considering I have oily/acne prone skin with bumps and scars. I have not experienced any new breakouts with this lotion, so a win for me!
Author
Yes! Me neither 0 breakouts which makes this a superstar. I really think all skin types can use it.
Yes! This moisturizer is amazing! After getting into oils, I felt like a lot of moisturizers were actually too drying and left me with a tight feeling…not this one! And I love how even though it has such a light texture, it is so moisturizing.
Author
I know how you feel, it is especially true for body lotions which seemingly make me DRIER!? I just love the texture and moisturizing properties of this cream as well.
As a balm and oil addict, I too was impressed with this Bentley of a moisturizer! Katharine nailed it with the texture of the formulation … silky, silky, silky! I’m glad it worked for you, too.
Author
I haven’t seen any reviews saying it didn’t work which is pretty amazing. I know us green beauties can be pretty discerning (me) so that says something!
Lovely review, I like that you tested it for a while and give your honest opinion/experience. I also like the texture of the cream, but I am not too convinced by the jar packaging, particularily as there are so many light and air sensitive ingredients in the cream. For the price, I would expect more clever packaging that keeps the antioxidants more stable.
Author
Fair point. I’m not sure how much (if at all) the jar packaging will compromise the moisturizer but I can say it feels just as good as when I started using it. I know for serums, definitely don’t do jar but moisturizers really depend on the formula (moisturizing ingredients versus active ingredients).
Good point. But does the resveratrol (one of the star ingredients) not function as an antioxidant/anti-ager rather than simple moisturiser? So same applies. (There is lot of research out on this; check for example Dermatologic Therapy 09/10 07 pg. 314-321; colipa the eu agency for the governing of cosmetics also advised against jars as does the ctfa on its guidelines on cosmetic stability). I still think the creme itself and its texture is lovely; but the packaging is poor.
How does this compare to the La Potion Infinie cream? Would love a review of that!
Author
Oh good idea!