Editor’s Pick: An Ultra-Hydrating Balm for Dry Skin

The not-so-secret ingredient in Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm is sustainably-sourced edelweiss flower extract from the Swiss Alps. After observing the flower’s ability to thrive in a harsh, high-altitude environment, Kiehl’s chemists sought to learn more. Turns out, the flowers are rich in leontopodic acid, an antioxidant with plant DNA protective properties, also known as the “survivor molecule.” Further studies of the extract showed that it reduced trans-epidermal water loss and even strengthened the epidermal barrier. Layman’s terms? This means that the extract can help to lock in all that much-needed moisture and hydration the balm’s other ingredients provide.

The true test came during a week-long Alaskan motorcycle ride. Kiehl’s President Chris Salgardo and Discovery Channel’s Grant Reynolds both adventure-tested the balm in Alaska’s high altitudes, harsh winds, and long hours of sunlight. That was enough to get me to give it a shot on my own dry skin after an especially chilly winter.

While I simply use the balm at bedtime, as a final step in my nightly skin care routine—and not on an adventurous ride through harsh Alaskan conditions—I’m thrilled with the results. By morning my dry skin appears less dull and more dewy, a complexion that previously was impossible for me to achieve. Don’t take my word for it. Have dry skin? Try it out yourself! No motorcycle necessary.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Deep Moisture Balm, $27.50