The world is seized by a global clean beauty/grooming movement. Companies are recognising the importance of product safety, slanting their focus towards cleaner and greener formulations as consumers of today are better-informed and are more conscientious about what they put in and on their bodies. The resultant change in consumer habits led Kiehl’s to pledge in the mid-2000s for a completely paraben-free lineup before the end of 2020. As subsequent launches from the brand were free from the preservative, many of the original Kiehl’s formulas were still unchanged.
As 2018 comes to an end, Kiehl's is launching the reformulation of their original best-selling moisturiser, Ultra Facial Cream. Formulated without parabens (a common preservative said to be associated with breast cancer), carbamides (more commonly referred to as urea) and T.E.A (or triethylamine, a pH balancer with sensitisation potential), Version 2.0 is now even better and more skin-type inclusive.
The new and improved UFC retains its light creamy texture, soaks quickly into the skin and feels even more comfortable without suffocating your pores. Not forgetting their key ingredients: squalane—derived from olives—to strengthen the lipid barrier and glacial glycoproteins—harvested from bacteria thriving in the North Pole—to shields skin from free radical damage and protects the skin from extreme cold. Cosmetically elegant, the cream is perfect as the last step of any grooming regime to help seal in all the moisture.
Launched back in 2006, the Ultra Facial Cream sent waves in the industry with its unbelievable 24-hour long hydration claims. The reception was phenomenal; Ultra Facial Cream was well-loved by the press and the people, clinching over 70 international beauty awards and becoming one of the brand’s best seller globally. Even before they were available on the shelves, Kiehl’s sponsored a six-man expedition up Greenland, Denmark in 2005, sending jars of Ultra Face Creams to test as they scaled the ice-covered peaks for the first time. Needless to say, despite the harsh climate, they conquered the heights with healthy and moisturised skin.
“Reformulating a product that is already incredibly beloved by Kiehl’s customers worldwide is one of the hardest things we do in Product Innovation,” shares Roberta Weiss, Head of Product Innovation for Kiehl’s. “It’s an enormous challenge to match the customer’s experience when reformulating an existing product. To achieve this, it took 114 formulations over 5 years to achieve parity in texture, application, experience, and performance.”
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream v2.0 will retail at $52 for 50ml and $95 for a limited edition 125ml at all Kiehl's counters and stores from 1 January 2019. Not sure if you should shell out for the whole jar? Kiehl's is giving out samples for their new Ultra Facial Cream. All you need to do is to sign up here.
