Nothing Else Has Come Close

Once upon a time, I walked into a Kiehl's store here in Philadelphia, and bought this face balm:

I'd read about it in a magazine.  The article said it was great for really cold weather, because though it was a balm (aka "greasy") it absorbed into your skin and didn't sit on top.  Plus it had sunscreen in it.  I was skeptical, but figured it was worth a try, since I could return it if I didn't like it.

Let me tell you, it was amazing.  It really did protect my skin from extreme cold and wind, and even kept it from turning as red in that kind of weather.  You didn't need to use much, so one container easily lasted an entire winter of extreme weather.  During the week, I could even wear foundation over it without any problems.  It was one of the few products I'd ever tried that lived up to its hype, and that I continued purchasing whenever the container would be empty.

Then, Kiehl's decided to discontinue it.  I have no idea why, and though they have since claimed other products were similar, they are not.  I have tried in vain to find something similar in other brands, without anything even coming close.  The product is either too heavy and thick like Vaseline, or doesn't contain any sunscreen (or worse SPF 8 which might as well be zero as far as I'm concerned), or you can't wear makeup over it.

The last time I was at a Kiehl's store, I asked a clerk if they had any idea why it had been discontinued, and he said no, but so many people ask for it, he wished they would bring it back.  I don't really think they will, but I guess I can always hope.

In the meantime, please let me know if you have any suggestions.  My poor face has really suffered this past week, and it's only the beginning of winter!