Usually in the Save and Splurge edition, I show you one high end department store product and I tell you of a pharmacy/drugstore brand that might perform similarly.
In the night repair serum range, I found none in the drugstore category but that isn’t to say there aren’t any. I just found none that work as well as these two I will show you. But worry not! There is still a splurge and save element to it 😉 And I have a super potent skin glow boosting recipe to share too 😉
Splurge: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex RM290/50ml
The EL ANR serum (as its affectionately known) is an oldie and a goodie for me. It keeps my skin hydrated and I swear it does do some repair work. But there isn’t anything drastic to see in the skin. I like to call it the “maintenance serum”. One you use when you just want to start getting into anti-aging skincare but where you have no real concerns about sagging skin, deep lines, bad pigmentation etc. At RM290/50ml its a bit of a splurge. You can read my full review on the EL ANR serum here.
Save: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate RM200/30ml
At RM200/30ml I know you’re staring at the screen going “Is she stark raving bonkers? That’s a saving?! Can’t she do the math?!”
Yes I can do the math and yes, ml for ml this is more expensive, fiscally speaking. However, if you look at it from a dollar per use point of view, this is where the save element comes in. You only use a maximum of 2 drops of this elixir each time. For the EL ANR serum you use 1 pump. That is a marked difference.
I’ve owned the Kiehl’s serum far longer than I have the Advanced Night Repair serum and I’ve barely made a dent in the Kiehl’s one. I’m already halfway through ANR. So dollar for dollar, you do get better value with this Kiehl’s serum.
And coming back to how it performs, I personally find that it performs about as well as the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum. It keeps my skin hydrated and gives my skin a glow and is an all round good enough “maintenance serum” if you don’t have serious skin problems.You can read my full review here for a more well formed view.
Which serum should I get?
Here’s another suggestion. Try both. Get some samples and see which you prefer. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery smells much better than Estee Lauder ANR if you like the smell of lavender. Performance-wise I’d say they are both decent enough.
If you have both, here’s a super potent recipe I use when I feel my skin needs that extra boost in the morning:-
- mix 1 pump of Estee Lauder ANR serum with 1-2 drops of Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery concentrate
- Rub palms to mix and apply on skin.
- Go to sleep and wake up with super glowy skin
I swear I wake up the next morning with super glowy skin, like I’d gotten a vitamin injection or something… without the pain or side effects 🙂 I’ve done this a few times already but not on a regular basis. Just for a bit of oomph! and I do like the effects.
So yeah, that’s my save and splurge choices for night serums or anti-aging serums. Please feel free to share what you think or if you know of a drugstore serum that works as well.
Paris B
Save and Splurge is where I show you similar items by different brands that I have tried. They may not work quite the same way, but it’ll offer you options for your wallet for a similar effect/product. Do note however, that it is based on products I have tried, so whilst there are many save and splurge options out there, these are my views. You can find more under the category of Challenges.
Where can I get samples for them? Most of the time, they will say no samples!
You will have to check at the counters. Kiehl’s is generally quite generous with samples and while EL may give you grief, they should be able to provide a sample if they have stock. Not sure where you are, or what the sampling policy is, but this is generally the case I find. Good luck!
Hi Paris,
Thanks for this tip. I have both now, and will definitely try it tonight.
One q, you said you use this combo once a week or so, but, out of curiosity, can we use both on a daily basis?
Thanks, PB!