Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Review – The Raw Truth About This Popular Moisturiser

Following on from my experience with Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser (which, spoiler alert, was a positive experience), I decided to give the sibling product, the facial cream, a run around the block. So, after a couple of months of using it twice a day, here is my Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Review!

My chance meeting with the Facial Cleanser was as a last-minute panic purchase in Gatwick duty-free. With the Facial Cream, I could spend a little more time researching it pre-purchase, however, I didn’t do a huge amount as I knew from the Facial Cleanser that these are products I could trust.

If you’re in the market for a new all-rounder moisturiser then keep reading – this Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream review may tell you everything you need to know!

Related posts:
– KIEHL’S ULTRA FACIAL CLEANSER REVIEW: HOW TO ACHIEVE FRESH, CLEAN SKIN

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Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Review: The Overview

This is Kiehl’s no.1 best-selling facial cream that they say has a lightweight texture with up to “24 hour hydration”.

I love Kiehl’s as a brand, I really do, but the next few descriptions do leave me chuckling. They describe it as an “ultra-hydrator” that is formulated with, and this is my favourite, Glacial Glycoprotein. Not just any old Glycoprotein, but Glycoprotein that has come from a glacier somewhere! I’d love to know which one!!

As it happens one of my favourite countries is Switzerland – I’d love to know I was shoving a little bit of the Eiger on my face every day! I digress…..

They say that it’s a lightweight, non-greasy moisturizing cream that “recovers the skin barrier function 55% faster, and immediately leaves skin up to 2.3X more hydrated“

Other notable points Kiehl’s mentions are:

• Absorbs into the skin easily with an ultra-lightweight texture
• Tested in everyday and extreme environments
• Formulated without fragrances
• For all skin types, including sensitive skin

This Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Review aims to see if these claims stack up…..

The Star Ingredients

Salicylic Acid – A great anti-acne, exfoliant and soother. Great for oily skin, large pores, blackheads or whiteheads. Unlike AHAs, Salicylic Acid is a lipid-soluble BHA that can go into the pores and clear dead skin cells.

Avocado Oil – An antioxidant and emollient oil that comes from the avocado fruit. It contains different moisturising fatty acids, vitamins A, E and D and some further minerals including potassium. It is a highly moisturising and rich emollient that can penetrate multiple skin layers and gets its antioxidant abilities from its Vitamin E content.

Rice Bran Oil – An antioxidant and emollient oil that comes from the bran of rice. It contains nourishing and moisturising fatty acids.

Olive Fruit Oil – An antioxidant and emollient that’s the skincare version of the culinary olive oil. It’s full of nourishing fatty acids, antioxidant polyphenols and tocopherols, and the best plant source of the emollient squalene. A great and healthy option to moisturise and nourish dry skin.

Tocopherol – A strong antioxidant with Vitamin E activity that also has some emollient properties. One of the best at protecting our collagen from free radicals and due to being fat soluble is very easily absorbed by our skin. It also protects our skin from UVB damage. 

Rosemary Leaf Extract – An antioxidant and antibacterial/antimicrobial that comes from the herb rosemary. The main active ingredient is rosmarinic acid, which is a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which also has astringent and toning properties.

Glycerin – A natural humectant moisturiser that’s in the outer layer of our skin. It is effective for moisturising dry skin but also protects against irritation and damage to the skin barrier (very helpful when it’s being used as a cleanser)

Squalane – An emollient and natural moisturiser that is found in fish, plant oils and human sebum. A great moisturiser that leaves skin smooth, but not greasy or heavy as it is absorbed easily.

Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine – A skin-identical ingredient that is a type of ceramide. It helps maintain a healthy skin barrier by keeping water in and external threats out. When applied, it helps skin produce more ceramides, improving skin hydration, reducing water loss, and increasing ceramides in people with conditions like atopic dermatitis.

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract – A moisturiser/humectant and absorber/mattifier that’s created by Antarctic bacteria fermentation. It protects skin from dryness and ageing while smoothing the skin surface by stimulating collagen and elastin proteins. It also controls oil and shine by decreasing sebum production, active follicles, pore size, and skin gloss, with studies showing wrinkle reduction and long-term decreases in oily skin markers.

Other Ingredients

Aqua/water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Squalane, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether DimethylSilane, Sucrose Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil/Apricot Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil/Avocado Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil/Rice Bran Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil/Olive Fruit Oil, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil/Sweet Almond Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil/Soybean Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Myristic Acid, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Salicylic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil/Sunflower Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract/Rosemary Leaf Extract, Citric Acid

Its Scent

• The good news is it’s fragrance free just like the Kiehl’s Facial Cleanser. Fragrance is a pointless addition to skincare that serves no purpose other than the potential to cause irritation and sensitivity! 
  
  
• Saying that there is officially a small amount of fragrance from the ingredient Rosemary leaf extract. These leaves contain 1-2% of essential oil even if it is a tiny amount. Honestly, I wouldn’t have known it was there if I hadn’t looked deeper into the ingredients!

Its Texture

• A really soft and light white cream that spreads around your face easily.
  
  
• A little goes a long way, even though it’s tempting to use more.
  
  
• Sinks easily and quickly into the skin with no tacky finish.
  
  
• Resolved my dry patches present due to using strong retinol, but did not leave me with an annoying shine which I tend to get from having naturally oily skin.

Its Packaging and Use-By-Date

• This item has a simple white jar with the classic Kiehl’s theming of a black font with instructions etc
  
  
• Comes in 4 sizes: 28mls, 50mls, 125mls and 150mls (which is a refill)
  
  
• The use-by-date is 12 months from the point it has been opened.

Its Purchase Locations

• Buy this product from Amazon here.
• Other stockists include Boots, Sephora and Cult Beauty

The Directions

• Use as the last step in your routine, after cleansing and other treatments
  
  
• Can be used as both am and pm moisturiser, which is what I was able to do: it was light enough for under makeup and heavy duty enough for my night routine.

Who is it for?

• The website says it’s suitable for all skin types including sensitive skins.
  
  
• I’d say it’s certainly suitable for dry, normal and possibly combination skin, but as I say, I do have oily skin and had no struggles with it.
  
  
• The avocado oil, glycerin and olive fruit oil certainly do make it a good match for dry skins.
  
  
• The glycerin is good for sensitive skin.
  
  
• The squalane use means it works well for combination skins.
  
  

Who is it Not For?

• Those who think they’ll have a problem with the rosemary essential oil
  
  
• It contains an emollient ingredient called Myristyl Myristate which is high on the comedogenicity index. If you are prone to acne, it might be something to think about, but bear in mind it also contains salicylic acid which is great for acne……trial and error!
  
  
• There are a lot of ingredients that are great for dry and very dry skin so if you have oily skin you may struggle with this. The website says that if this is your concern you could try their Ultra Facial Moisturiser which has a thinner formula and absorbs instantly.
  
  
• Those who want a cruelty-free moisturiser. If that’s you, have a look at this review about the Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Night Cream

Related posts:
– CAUDALIE RESVERATROL LIFT REVIEW – POWERFUL NIGHT CREAM OF YOUR DREAMS?

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Review…….And the Results Are In

• The reviews on Kiehl’s website show an average of 4.7 stars out of 5 from 8680 reviews. You can see why they say it’s their best seller. That also reflects what you will find on other sites like Boots, Sephora and Look Fantastic.

• As for me, yes, this is certainly another winner by the brand Kiehl’s! It’s typical Kiehl’s prices, which is to say an initial outlay, especially per ounce, but I do feel it has been worth it especially as it’s lasted so long.

• My face always felt soft after I used it and it made light work of the dry patches I occasionally got from my retinol. But, as I mentioned earlier I didn’t have a problem with an oily shine I can sometimes struggle with.

• Being on retinol I do occasionally experience a bit of stinging with skin moisturizers, but with this, I had not one moment of that. I’ve never struggled with sensitive skin, but they do say that you can class your skin as sensitive if using Tretinoin – which I do.
  
  I would say that their claim it is suitable for sensitive skin does stack up It certainly is soothing……

• My concealer and foundation worked well over this product – always a bonus!
  
  
• I’m disappointed with their sustainability and cruelty-free status. There’s no mention on their website of them being cruelty-free, which means you have to assume they’re not, and no mention of their packaging being recycable

Related posts:
– HOW TO APPLY RETINOL FOR BEGINNERS – THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

Pros and Cons

Let’s Wrap This Up…….

I hope this Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream review has been helpful for you – if you feel it ticks all the boxes for you go ahead and click the links to the product pages.

This product has been a joy to use, as are all Kiehl’s products for me. Sadly it is tinged with the upset of not knowing if it’s cruelty-free, as I’m sure it is for most of you too.

Cost wise it’s not cheap, but I wouldn’t say it’s too expensive either…..not compared to other products out there that won’t do much better than what you get with this product.

The rosemary fragrance wasn’t a problem for me at all, and like I said you wouldn’t know about it unless you delve into the ingredients like I do. It’s not an added ingredient for the fragrance anyway but for the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

Overall, a lovely soft moisturising cream that made my skin feel very soft and hydrated, with the bonus of helping my makeup to look great!

If you want to get a new moisturiser you could also have a look at this review about Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Night Cream

Related Posts:
– CAUDALIE RESVERATROL LIFT REVIEW – POWERFUL NIGHT CREAM OF YOUR DREAMS?

Incidentally, I found out where the glacier is from – the Antarctic! Phew, we can all rest easy tonight now……

Please do let me know your experiences with this product if you’ve tried it, or do ask if you have any questions. I’m here to answer to all!