Kiehl’s Relaunches Ultra Facial Cream
Kiehl’s has relaunched its Ultra Facial Cream which now claims to be ultra clean with improved hydration testing. The Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream is said to have become an instant cult product when it first launched in 2006. Inspired by the adventure-testing heritage of Kiehl’s, the “ultra hydrator” claims to provide needed replenishment throughout the day by absorbing moisture from the air for continuous comfort and moisture-balanced skin.
The product is said to provide 24-hour hydration in a lightweight and non-greasy texture that is perfect for everyday use. It has won over 70 international beauty awards and claims to garner over 200,000 online reviews from Kiehl’s customers with 10 jars sold globally per minute. The revamped, ultra clean version of Ultra Facial Cream is said to be formulated without parabens, carbamides and T.E.A. Kiehl’s chemists also took the opportunity to improve hydration testing on the new formula – after just one application, facial skin is expected to be 2.3x more hydrated — even in the driest areas — leaving it softer, smoother, and visibly healthier looking. The new formula was tested on panels of multiple ethnicities and sensitive skins and was clinically demonstrated to hydrate all skin types.
“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.”
Since the original Ultra Facial Cream launched over 13 years ago, customer preferences around certain ingredients have changed. Based on the growing demand for products that do not include parabens, in the mid-2000s, Kiehl’s entire portfolio is expected to be paraben-free by the end of 2019. The new formula for Ultra Facial Cream is said to be made with:
Glacial Glycoprotein — a protein derived from sea glaciers to protect and deeply hydrate while preventing water loss from the skin.
Olive-Derived Squalane — a highly refined moisturizing oil that strengthens and restores skin’s moisture barrier.
Kiehl’s also introduces a new customer-centric testing platform — a comprehensive hydration test that demonstrates improved quality of hydration across every zone of the face.