Kiehl’s

Whether it’s at the gym, in a boyfriend’s apartment or on your roommate’s bathroom shelf, everyone knows there’s nothing better than finding a couple Kiehl’s products next to the sink. The skincare brand’s face washes and moisturizers have been a favorite of gays for years—maybe even since the company was founded in 1851. And it’s probably safe to say that, after this week, a lot more bathrooms in Hell’s Kitchen are going to be stocked with their fair share of Facial Fuel.

After opening outposts uptown and in the Meatpacking District, the company is opening a brand new, fully stocked Kiehl’s (678 Ninth Ave., Kiehls.com) in the Midtown West neighborhood.

“New York is our hometown, so any new store naturally has to offer the same products and level of customer services our customers have come to expect in our 162 years,” say Kiehl’s president Chris Salgardo. “Our new Hell’s Kitchen store has all of those services, with two major additions to Kiehl’s: our very first, full-service Barber Shop and our new Kiehl’s Skin Profile Diagnostic device”

The barbershop at the new store, a first for the brand, will have its own entrance and be fully stocked with Kiehl’s products. The other big addition, the Skin Profile Diagnostic device, is a smartphone-like tool that uses cutting-edge technology to measure the state of someone’s skin and recommend the best products to fit their needs.

If having your skin robotically analyzed peaks your interest as much as it does ours, you can check it out for yourself at the store’s grand opening celebration on December 9. The party, from 7:30pm to 9pm, will feature karaoke, caroling, surprise performances, gift card giveaways and a costume contest with a grand prize of a year’s worth of Kiehl’s products. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Ali Forney Center, too.

“Whenever we open a new store, we try to give back to the neighborhood or community that’s welcoming us,” says Salgardo. “The Ali Forney Center is itself a member of the Hell’s Kitchen community and a longtime partner of Kiehl’s.”

And if you decide to stop by the new store for the first time over the next few weeks, Salgardo recommends the Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash, White Eagle Shave Cream and the Facial Fuel SPF 15 for first timers.