Kiehl's Introduces Organic Açaí Skin Care Collection

WWD reported Friday that Kiehl's has harnessed the power of the antioxidant Brazilian Açaí berry in its first organic skin care collection. The four-product line, due at stores in mid-September, is Ecocert and Cradle-to-Cradle certified. This is more good news for gals who want their skin to live and breathe swaddled in pure ingredients.

WWD spoke with Chris Salgardo, president of Kiehl’s USA, who said, “Since our inception, we have always been known for our service and for creating efficacious products,” said Salgardo, noting that everyone asks for “green” products, but still demand high performance. “We heard that our customers wanted organics, that they wanted paraben-free, that they wanted natural — and they wanted to focus on the first signs of aging. We went to the lab to do all that. The result: our new Açaí line.”

Salgardo also said that Açaí was chosen as the focal ingredient because its “superior antioxidant properties” help combat environmental aggressors and stimulate the skin’s natural renewal process. Grown in Brazil, Açaí has served as a food source for hundreds of years. “Açaí is a powerful superberry, which means a fruit considered to have exceptionally high levels of nutrients, antioxidants, and potential health benefits when compared to other foods. It has high antioxidant levels to help reverse and prevent oxidizing free-radical damage to skin cells arising from environmental and lifestyle stress. It is among the highest in antioxidant capacity of any edible fruit, and it is a broad-spectrum antioxidant, especially effective against superoxides [yikes! toxins that can harm skin cells] and peroxyl free-radicals [implicated in the aging process], which produce oxidative damage on skin.”

In addition, WWD reported that in addition to Açaí, the ingredients include organic lavender and rosemary essential oils, organic orange fruit water, denatured botanical alcohol, and aloe vera juice, all intended to minimize fine lines and wrinkles and increase skin luminosity. I'll bet these products smell great!

The four products offered are: Açaí Damage-Minimizing Cleanser ($25), advertised to cleanse, while preserving the skin's natural moisture barrier; Damage-Protecting Toning Mist ($27), said to improve radiance and rejuvenation of the skin; Damage-Correcting Moisturizer ( $44) to repair oxidative damage to the skin and preserve hydration; and Damage-Repairing Serum ($46), intended to even skin texture and tighten. Although serums usually have the highest concentration of active ingredients, I think I'll try the cleanser.

Here's the rub for you post-40 beauty lovers. The line is targeted at customers who are in their early to mid-30s, who are noticing the first signs of aging. Remember my post about anti-aging being a growth industry? I'm not sure whether this is a clever marketing strategy (particularly given the cartoon advertisements they have prepared), or whether the company feels there are better, stronger products available for more "mature" women.

Nevertheless, if you love Kiehl's, as I do, and you want to give an organic product a whirl, you have another choice in the growing organic field. You can learn more about these new products and purchase them at Kiehl's Web site. If you register and sign in at Kiehl's, you can select three samples. I want a sample of the new Imperial Body Balm.

Photo courtesy of WWD Online, my daily source for beauty news.