Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser

It’s no secret that I have been trying and loving Kiehl’s products lately. Another product I had yet to try and test was the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser. Another cult classic that has seen many people rave about it. I had no clue what to expect though and I received this full size tube as a gift, which means I pretty much went in blank. What do I think of this facial cleanser? Does it make a good addition to my skincare routine?

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser for all skin types

I started using this after my Ren Rosa Centifolia cleansing balm ran out, which was the first cleanser I had ever used that was non-foaming. Before that I swore by the foaming facial cleanser by Decubal. The difference between the Ren and Kiehl’s cleansers is that the Ren cleansing balm is a lot richer and thicker, which this has more of a gel type consistency. That definitely took some getting used to, which is why I didn’t write a review until I had given it a good shot. It is slightly cheaper. The Kiehl’s cleanser retails for €19 for 150 ml, while the Ren cleanser is 24 pounds for 100 ml.

The Packaging

The Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser comes in a handy squeezy tube. I love it when cleansing products come in this type of packaging! It is hygienic and easy to use. Moreover since I mostly use this type of product while I’m in the shower to take off the last bits of make up or to give my skin a more thorough cleanse, I find a tube the best as it also doesn’t allow the product to get wet. While I also love Lush’ Ultrabland, it is just too much of a hassle for me.

The Ingredients

This works very easily. It works best when your skin is already wet. As it has a fairly thick consistency, it needs water to become emollient enough to spread out and really work its magic. Just apply a small drop, spread it out, add more water and massage it into the face. Then just rinse or your a facial cloth to ensure your face is as clean as it can get without it feeling tight and dry.

The ingredient list made me a little apprehensive. SLS is high up on the list which is a foaming agent not exactly known for its skin benefits. To be quite honest most of the ingredient list doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me (I’m not a chemist by any means). Then again, this is a cleanser which is mostly used for taking off your make up and daily grime. As I rinse it off pretty much immediately I had high hopes this wouldn’t mess with my skin too much.

The Product

As you can see in the swatch, this product is quite thick and gel like. When I first squeezed this out it most definitely reminded me mostly of hair gel. When spread out, the product loosens up more and more and especially when water is added it becomes easier to spread. It doesn’t exactly suds up: it keeps its jelly type texture. It feels weird and oddly pleasant at the same time.

The smell isn’t too pleasant. It smells quite chemically if I’m very honest. That is mostly due to the type of ingredients I think. I find that a little goes a long way and it really does clean your skin very well. My skin is not left feeling taut and dry after using this, but rather feels fresh and clean. I have been using this for months and so far it has not irritated my otherwise quite sensitive skin.

The Demonstration

To show you how this product works, I decided to use it to take off some swatches. Especially the blue and green shadows on the left are intense and leave a gentle stain if left on for too long. When you apply the cleanser all the products will just blend together. Then all you need to do is wipe it clean and voilá!

Be careful when using this to take off mascara (it definitely takes off regular, non-waterproof mascara just fine), as it not only spreads it all over your face, but it can also get into your eyes if you’re not careful. And I can tell you from experience that wasn’t a very pleasant experience.

The Conclusion

All in all, this is a good cleanser that gets the job done. I do not know how my skin would fare with daily use, but I doubt my skin would like it much. Even though the packaging says ‘for all skin types’, the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser is definitely one that could be too much if you have already dry or very sensitive skin. If you have normal/ combination/ oily skin then I think this could be a marvelous product as an everyday cleanser.

What cleanser are you using?