Did you know that the Kirkland Signature Borghese skin care line recently got a make-over?  They have made some tweaks to the existing products, added some new ones, and completely revamped the packaging.  I’ve been trying out the new skincare products for about a month now, so I thought it was time for a review post.  The new lineup includes a face serum, an intensive eye serum, a protective moisturizer with SPF 15 for daytime, and a replenishing night cream (surprisingly, for night).

New Airless Containers

Kirkland Signature Borghese Skin Care

The first thing you’ll notice is the new packaging.  The last time I bought the KS Borghese moisturizer it was in a lightly frosted glass bottle with a pump and I have to admit I really liked the packaging.  But the new products are in much fancier packaging that they have obviously put a lot of thought into.  The biggest change is that they now use airless packaging for the  serums and daytime moisturizer.  All of these have pumps, but not just any pumps, these use a piston system that means you can get just about 100% of the product dispensed!  That in and of itself is a small miracle with skincare, I think.  But of course, the other good thing is that the less air in the package means that you aren’t exposing your skin products to air which could degrade the quality or effectiveness of the products.  Plus, with the pump action you are not going to have your hands in the products exposing them to bacteria from your fingers and face (if you double-dip).  I like the pumps because it is a good way to regulate how much you are using without really thinking about it too much.  The night cream does not get the airless pump container, it is in the more traditional tub.  The one thing I’m not thrilled about is that all of the new packages are opaque white plastic.  I don’t mind the white or the plastic part, in fact I’m glad they switched away from the glass because that was not only heavy but I never wanted to take it when I traveled for fear that it would somehow break.  It’s the opaque part that bothers me because that means that you have no idea how much is left in the container until one day you pump and it just sputters at you.  This is  something that I feel is a problem for a lot of skin care companies.  I wish they’d at least have either a smidge of transparency to the product containers, just enough so that you could hold them up to the light and see the level of the product inside. Or, they could have a little sliver of transparency along the bottle so that you could check the level.  Or, they need to come up with a clever way of letting you know that you are almost out.  Altogether, the new containers are very nice looking and for the most part I like the changes with the small exception of not being able to see the amount left.

Revitalizing Face Serum, 1.7 fluid ounces

KS Borghese Revitalizing Face Serum

This is my favourite product amongst the new lineup.  It glides on and leaves your face feeling silky smooth, plus it does seem to have actually improved the look of my skin, I think.  As with all of the new serums that skin care companies have come out with in the last few years, the serums contain things that help make your moisturizer work more effectively, moisturize even better.  This face serum acts as the perfect base for any type of moisturizer you might put over it, day or night.  Seriously, once you try it you will totally be hooked, like I am.  It comes out with a soft gel-like appearance and then because of the olive extract, it glides on effortlessly even without feeling heavy or like something that will clog your pores.  If you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to wear a bunch of skin care, trust me, you won’t even notice this on your face except for the fact that everything you put over it will work and look better.  The main key ingredients are Vitamins E and C which work to prevent premature aging and soften the texture of skin, as well as help diminish daily damage by fighting against free radicals and the damaging effects of pollution.  There’s also wheat bran extract to keep your skin from losing moisture, which means that your skin will feel better all day or night long.  As I mentioned, there’s also olive extract for moisture.  I tend to be the first person to complain about having too much stuff on my face when it is hot, and I was amazed the first time I applied this under my moisturizer that it wasn’t noticeable at all because of its very light texture.  But my skin does look nicer, smoother perhaps, and it definitely feels better when I use this.  And all you need is one pump in the morning and one at night, then just smooth it onto your face and neck, it  will hardly takes any time and is certainly worth that little bit of effort.  Before you follow it up with your moisturizer, be sure to let it dry or set.  I have been using that time to apply the eye serum.  Also, this works great under something like a BB Cream or a tinted moisturizer because it kind of serves double duty then as a nice, lightweight primer for your makeup.  Quality-wise, I think this is definitely comparable to the Lancome Genifique which I also have tried.  However, I actually like the KS Borghese serum better.  The one way in which they don’t compare is in price.  The 1.7 fl oz bottle of Genifique will cost about $59.00 through Amazon, whereas the 1.7 fl oz bottle of KS Borghese serum will only cost $18.99 at Costco.  It is hard to believe but that is a difference of $40.00!  When you take it all into account it is impossible to not think that the KS Borghese face serum is the best in this category.  1.7 fluid ounces for $18.99.  Item #: 576267.

Intensive Eye Serum,  2 – 0.5 fluid ounces each (1 fluid ounce total)

KS Borghese Intensive Eye Serum

I like the eye serum almost as much as I like the face serum, I think.  This is also a super smooth product that will help your under eye area look fresh and awake, even if you don’t feel like it.  The first nice thing is that the very smooth texture and the way it glides on means that it will never tug or pull on the delicate under eye tissue when you put it on.  The eye serum has much the same purpose as the face serum: to help prevent moisture loss and keep free radicals, and the damage they cause, at bay.  The other big plus that it has though is that it can help to prevent the dark circles under your eyes.  So that right there will naturally just makes you look younger and more refreshed.  I really like the texture of it and I appreciate that it doesn’t irritate my eyes and contact lenses.  If you wear contacts you will probably know how hard it can be to find under eye creams that do not cause irritation or redness to your eyes.  Smartly, the KS Borghese eye serum was ophthalmologist tested and approved.  The active ingredients are antioxidants Vitamin E and Green Tea Extract.  The Vitamin E will help delay the signs of ageing, while the Green Tea Extract will neutralize UV light and fight free radicals.  The other interesting ingredient is Lemon Peel Oil that acts as an anti-inflammatory, with aromatherapy benefits and antimicrobial abilities.  As with the face serum, you just need a pump in the morning and night to complement the rest of your skin care routine.  A single pump should dispense enough serum for you to gently pat (don’t rub, just pat it into place) it under each eye and then glide a bit across your brow bone.  And be careful that you do not get too enthusiastic when applying to your brow bone area and start putting it down by your eye lid.  Dermatologists always recommend that you never put this kind of stuff or even moisturizers on your eye lids because that can lead to lots of eye irritation and also cause problems for the very thin skin that makes up your eye lid, like chaffing.  Since the KS Borghese line does not include a specific eye cream, I am of the belief that they intend for this to be the final, and only, under eye product that you use.  However, I have found that it works best for me if I use a little bit of eye cream over it.  I do  notice that I need a bit less eye cream though because the eye serum does such a good job at keeping the area hydrated.  2, 0.5 fluid ounce containers for $16.99.  Item #: 576270.

Replenishing Night Cream, 1.7 ounces

KS Borghese Replenishing Night Cream

The night cream is a key step in the KS Borghese skin care line, it is what will do the hard work all night so that the next day, your skin looks lovely and refreshed.  I like that it is fragrance free and absorbs well without leaving a hint of greasiness or that horrible clingy feeling that you can sometimes get from night creams.  So often night creams are heavy, heavy, heavy and almost feel like you have a mask on.  But all of that heaviness often isn’t that beneficial because it can clog your pores and leave your skin looking that much worse.  The KS Borghese cream has a pretty light texture, though it is definitely heavier than a good day time moisturizer, but it is the fact that it absorbs so nicely that leaves it from feeling heavy on your skin.  It has a really lovely texture that leaves my skin feeling soft without any trace of greasiness and I am all for that.  The active ingredients include Grape Seed Extract  and Shea Butter which will help moisturize.  The other key ingredient is Lycopene to prevent irritation, but it also acts as an anti-oxidant to help protect your skin.  I would say that this is fairly comparable to the Lancome night cream that I use but probably doesn’t leave my skin feeling quite as moisturized and nice overall.  However, the Lancome High Resolution night cream is far, far more pricey I am sure.  Unfortunately, my mom wasn’t able to find a price for this one at her local Costco in Kansas City, but I’m thinking it is probably somewhere near $20.00 for the 1.7 ounce tub.  In actuality, it turns out that the price is $15.99 for the tub, as I’ve been told by someone else that was able to find it.  Speaking of the tub, I do wonder why it needs to be so large.  The outer base part is considerably larger than the inner pot that contains the actual cream.  It just seems like they could slim it down a little bit, which would make it much easier to store.  Also, just a quick word of warning:  somehow I managed to get the lid and inner cream filled pot to connect in such a way that trying to unscrew the lid made both the inner container and the lid come out of the outer white tub when I tried to take the lid off.  This could lead to a real mess because the container holding the cream isn’t really attached very well to the lid and will fall.  I’m not sure how I did it but it has happened more than once.  Also, I wish that they would have included one of those cute little spatulas that you get at the department store makeup counters when you buy the other brands.  Since this comes in a tub instead of their new airless pump-type containers, you are going to have to put your fingers in there and that contaminates your cream with anything you have on your hands including bacteria, but if you use the little spatula thing you can avoid that.  I guess you should just make sure to only dip into your cream with freshly washed hands.  I keep hoping some skin care company will come up with a package for their thick night creams that has a handy place to store your little spatula that keeps it out of the air and germs, maybe Costco could be that company!   It turns out I’m just clueless, and this is actually a pump too.  It’s really quite an ingenious design, and certainly something that all other skin care companies should emulate immediately.  If fact you do NOT screw off the top like a regular tub of moisturizer at all, instead you take off the clear plastic “bubble” lid (looks like you shouldn’t but really you just kind of turn it a bit and it comes off), and then the white part of the lid is the pump and the moisturizer will come out around that little rubbery disc in the middle of the white portion of the lid.  So, no need to unscrew the whole top and make a mess or get your fingers all in the pot of cream at all.  It’s brilliant.  Plus, this way you get a nice metered amount instead of a different amount every night.  So cool! 1.7 ounces for $15.99 (had this confirmed by a reader) $19.99 (maybe, not sure on this price though).  Item #: 576264.  **I updated this section (on 1 August) to reflect new information on price and a description of how the pump really works and to no longer mention all my non-valid complaints about having to stick my fingers in the tub of moisturizer.

Nourishing Protective Moisturizer SPF 15, 3.4 fluid ounces

KS Borghese Nourishing Protective Moisturizer

This is my least favorite product in the KS Borghese skin care line.  I like that it has SPF 15 but I hate the sunscreen like smell of it.  It does do a good job of keeping me from getting a sunburn though, which is a plus.  This seems much thicker than the old version of the daytime moisturizer from KS Borghese, at least to me.  Despite the initial heavy and seemingly oily feel, it does absorb into the skin and doesn’t take that long.  Once it has absorbed it doesn’t feel as heavy and oily as it seems like it will when you first pump it out of the container.  It leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. However, you are still left with the smell.  And it is the smell that I find really off-putting.  It smells like sunscreen, rather strongly, even after it has fully absorbed and you’ve had it on for a while.  And as I learned the hard (and painful) way, if you sweat and it runs into your eyes, your eyes will be very, very irritated and unhappy.  You know, like if you were wearing sunscreen.  Since part of what I need a nice daytime moisturizer to do is protect me when I go for my morning walk/run, it is imperative that my moisturizer not irritate my eyes.  Maybe my eyes would respond differently to it if I didn’t wear contacts, but I’m not sure.  This does compare with the Benefit b.right moisturizer with SPF 15  that I use in the mornings before my workout (Triple Performing Moisturising Facial Emulsion SPF 15, if you were wondering).  They both have about the same texture and feel when they come out of their bottles and seem to absorb and leave my skin feeling nice.  However, the Benefit moisturizer has a floral scent that doesn’t smell at all like sunscreen and  it doesn’t sting my eyes when I wear it running.  I will say that if you have oily skin, this might be the SPF moisturizer for you because they say it is for all skin types and I believe it is oil-free.  I sound pretty negative about this moisturizer but I think I would like it much better if they could tone down the sunscreen smell somehow because it does feel nice once it has absorbed into the skin.  3.4 fluid ounces for $15.99.  Item #: 576263.

Overall, I really like the new Kirkland Signature Borghese skin care line.  The face serum is divine and absolutely outstanding; I love it.  Really, everyone should try it because no matter what you use for a moisturizer or a night cream, this serum will help it work better and keep your skin looking better. I was a bit surprised that there isn’t an eye cream amongst the line up but perhaps the eye serum is supposed to cover the need for a separate cream; that’s how I use it when I travel so I can avoid dragging along another product.  I think that for the most part, the KS Borghese line compares to much more expensive skin care products and easily holds its own, but at a fraction of the price.   I could just about buy the whole KS Borghese line for what the Lancome Genifique facial serum alone would cost me!  If you are unable to find the new skin care products in your local warehouse, you can order the Kirkland Signature Borghese Essentials set through Costco.com for $69.99 (including shipping of course).   I had my mom check prices for me at her Costco location in Kansas City and she was unable to find the night cream, but maybe they have just sold out of it temporarily.  Also, the packaging indicates that there is a facial cleanser but it isn’t mentioned online as part of the set and my mom said it was definitely not available in her local Costco with all of the other products.  Where’s the facial cleanser??

If you are interested in trying the new face and eye serums, Costco currently has an offer for a free sample package available through Costco.com.  You can request a sample and they will send you little 0.05 fluid ounce samples of the two serums.  This is a great way to try them and see how they feel on your skin before you rush over to Costco and buy the full sized products.  Because I know that once you try them, you will most certainly want to buy both of them.  All you have to do is request your free sample at Costco.com.

I should mention that sadly it does not look like the new Kirkland Signature Borghese skin care line is available outside of the US yet.  I know it is not being sold in the UK at this point and I wasn’t able to find any mention of it at all on the Costco Canada website either.  I’m hoping that they start stocking it in the UK before I run out of the awesome face serum.

Since they don’t sell the KS Borghese line here in the UK, you might be wondering how I got my hands on the new products.  I was sent complimentary packages of each of the new skin care products by a marketing firm to try out and review for my blog.  Despite getting the products for free I do believe I still maintained my objectivity and gave each product a fair review; neither better nor worse than I would have if I had bought them myself.