Some of you might have gotten this in your goody bag at the awards last week and I've had a sample of it for a while too. Kiehl's Rosa Arctica, €52, is definitely not to be overlooked. Which, incidentally, I have a bad habit of doing with Kiehl's skincare sometimes. It arrives from the brand, I put it on the pile, file the release and eh, sort of forget about it.
I think it's cos the packaging can often be so restrained and hey, I'm a magpie. BLING and SPARKLE will nearly always win out but you'd think I'd know better at this stage. The exact same thing happened with the Ultra Facial Micro Serum (which is the best hydrating serum I've used, bar none) and I was kicking myself I'd left it so long to discover it.
Rosa Arctica's equally good, and get this ladies: the product it most reminded me of was Creme de la Mer. So thick and unctuous you have to fight it out of the pot, you absolutely have to warm it so that it'll spread and a tiny bit goes a long way. So far in fact that the 7ml tester I got to trial still has loads left after a couple of weeks of regular morning use. With 50ml for €52, I think you'd get a lot of use out of a pot.
So what does it do? There's an anti-ageing claim here - it's proven to revtalize cell activity apparently - but if you've ever used La Mer and found it did a number on your skin then you'll appreciate what it is that I liked about this: it quickly and simply hydrates, plumps and smooths skin, makes a fantastic base for makeup and is basically a fuss-free addition to your skincare. Plain and simple.
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Unscented, the big ingredient is the resurrection flower, a plant which is used for its exceptional abilities to retain water. Origins use this ingredient too in Make a Difference (which I also really love) and it seems to do the trick. There's lots of other nourishing goodies too like vitamin e, cocoa and shea butters, essential fatty acids and hydrators like glycerin and squalane.
The upshot of that is this is for you if you're over 30 or if you've dry skin. Equally, if you've suddenly found your complexion has changed and crepey lines have appeared around your eyes - often the first telltale sign you need to dial up your skincare - then this is a goer. It's not for you if you're oily, acne-prone, a teenager or of a normal skintype - you just won't need its dense, supercharged ways.
And if you do have a serious La Mer habit you can't afford to feed right now, then Rose Arctica's a very adequate substitute. I'm begging a big pot off the brand and putting it aside for winter; I can pretty much guarantee this is gonna save me come the next bout of Arctic weather. Loving your work, Kiehl's.
