Hands up if you’ve got a weakness for big jars of incredibly serious looking moisturizer. A good, non-comedogenic option is a nice mainstay, but the thick, creamy stuff in sturdy containers can never be surpassed in luxury by a moisturizing milk or lotion in a pump. Nighttime cleansing is always a bit more fun, because moisturizers for night are often much more luxe, creamy, soothing- everything you want in a treat-yourself face cream.

Kiehl’s also has a knack for products that feel like the best quality staples. Unpretentious but not earthy, uncluttered but not humdrum packaging- their vast line is a favorite of beauty junkie women and product-aficionado men due to their timeless feel and strong core products. So I was quite excited to see a new addition, in an apothecary style, retro green jar hyped on my Facebook page.

Kiehl’s Rosa Arctica Youth Regenerating Cream appeals on many levels. A fancy new ingredient- Rosa Arctica, more on that below- takes center stage with some very bold claims. Squalane is a great water binding ingredient that doesn’t encourage breakouts, trapping moisture in skin without encouraging sebum production. (Read: breakouts.) And Vitamin E is one of the few popular skincare ingredients with a truly proven track record of skin repair.

As for the Rosa Arctica, Kiehl’s explains the ingredient as such:

Rosa Arctica (Haberlea rhodopensis) Known as a regeneration flower, it is able to survive up to 31 months in a dry-out cycle, by falling into anabiosis. When proper moisture conditions are restored, it returns to life within hours. On skin, it works to jolt cellular vitality, stimulating skin’s own collagen and elastin production.

Launching this month, Kiehl’s Rosa Arctica Youth Regenerating Cream is currently in limited distribution- it’s available at the Kiehl’s website, and counters have testers, if not product. Neiman Marcus is also carrying the cream online, but it won’t ship if you order from the site until around March 22nd. Initial user reviews report Kiehl’s Rosa Arctica Cream has a thick texture (requiring you warm it up in your fingers before smoothing it on) that hydrates skin thoroughly but doesn’t alienate non-dry skin types. Product scent is described as faintly cucumber and floral note-y, with a faint medicinal smell.

Have you tried Kiehl’s Rosa Arctica Youth Regenerating Cream at a Kiehl’s store or at home? What were your first impressions of the product?