Review: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream

Today’s post is a review of the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, one of the brand’s best-selling skincare products. I’ve been using this moisturizer every single day since I bought it during Black Friday last year. It’s been a few months of testing it out, so I’m finally ready to give it a review!

I bought this face cream at a Kiehl’s store, but Canadians can also get their hands on this brand at The Bay, Nordstrom. It comes in a tub form, so this might be a negative for those that see tubs as being unsanitary. I bought the 125 mL tub of the cream, which is the larger version that retails at $62. Kiehl’s also offers a 50mL tub for $36. It’s going to take me forever to use up! The Ultra Facial Cream is made in the USA.

To give some background on my skin type for comparative reasons, I have normal to dry skin, with some episodes of very dry skin. My main skin issues are having dry, red flaky spots, particularly on my cheek area. As a side note, the SA helping me said that Kiehl’s also offers a Ultra Facial Moisturizer, which is a much thicker version than this cream. I had originally meant to buy that one instead, but I was advised to try the cream first because the Ultra Facial Moisturizer is so thick and not really right for everyone.

First, let’s look at the claims of this moisturizer: It’s “a 24-hour moisturizer that helps reduce moisture loss while drawing and absorbing moisture from the air. With continuous moisture replenishment throughout the day, the cream leaves skin smooth, soft and healthy-looking.’ The label on the tub says that it’s supposed to keep your skin moisturized even in the harshest conditions. According to the brand, this cream was used on an expedition called “Greenland First Ascent” to protect the explorers from the elements. Well, I have very dry skin, and I also live in a very cold and dry climate, so this cream was really put to the test throughout the winter!

The label also claims that the cream contains two “special” ingredients from exotic locales: “Antarcticine, a Glycoprotein extracted from microorganisms sourced from sea glaciers in Antarctica. Antarcticine has the ability to protect skin from extreme cold temperatures. The second is Imperata Cylindrica, a plant indigenous to the Australian desert which possesses superb water retention properties in dry conditions.” Whaaaa? I don’t know, man. Every time I hear about exotic ingredients, I’m skeptical. Regardless, it does not stop me from using a product if it performs well.

This moisturizer is unscented. Most of the face creams I use actually have a slight scent, so I wasn’t really used to this at first. Since using it, I haven’t been able to go back to using fragranced creams! Despite its claims of being a very hydrating moisturizer, the texture of the Ultra Facial Cream is very lightweight – more gel-like than most moisturizers I use, but definitely still considered a cream. There isn’t any stickiness after I apply it on my face, and I am able to wear foundation and other makeup over it with no issues.

 

I’m used to using heavier creams, especially during the winter as well as at night, so I was worried that this would not be hydrating enough. However, I found it to be very moisturizing, even on my very dry skin, in the dead of winter. There were many brutall cold (aka -30+ degree Celsius) days this year, and my skin came out it all in one piece. I never wear the same day and night cream, so I was surprised when I was able to use this as a universal cream for day or night. I’m interested to see if it can carry me through the summer, too. Although, there is no SPF in this cream, so you will have to use sunscreen if you want to use it as a day cream.

Although I find this cream moisturizing, I would say that I don’t think it keeps your face moisturized for a full 24 hours. I definitely have to apply it once in the morning and once in the evening; when I wake up in the morning, my face doesn’t feel like it can go a full day without me putting any cream on.

Excuse my grandma hands – I had just come out of the shower so my fingers are pruned!

 

One thing I really like about this cream is that it has kept my skin very balanced. I’ve had two bad skin issues since November. The first was right before I bought the cream. I was having dry skin that was really red and flaky, to the point where it stung when I put moisturizer on it. The second time was two weeks ago, when I reacted negatively to a face mask I was using, and my face more or less broke out into a rash with small red bumps all over. Both times, I continued to use the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream diligently without adding any new products to my routine, and both times, my skin went back to normal within 5 days.

Since I don’t have oily skin, I’m not entirely sure if this cream is appropriate for those who do have that type of skin. However, if you have normal to very dry skin, I would definitely say that this is worth a try.

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Squalane, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Sucrose Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, PEG-8 Stearate, Urea, Myristyl Myristate, Pentaerithrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice Bran) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Methylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, PEG-8, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sweet Almond Oil, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycine Soja (Soybean)Oil, Tocopherol, Collagen, Hydroxypalmitoyl, Sphinganine, Chitosan, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate

 

Pros:

-Unscented
-Lightweight formula
-Good for normal to dry skin

Cons:

-Tub packaging may be unappealing to some
-May not be suitable for oily skin

I started off using this cream a little skeptical of how well it would work with my dry skin, but since using it all winter in a cold and dry climate, I’m sold on it! Have you tried the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, and what did you think?