Clean beauty often goes hand in hand with a certain lifestyle that includes yofa and meditation, as well as an aesthetic which is very natural, usually with imagery of plants, flowers and greenery and a similar muted color palette of white, green and nude shades. But what if you’re not into that kind of image but still want clean cruelty-free makeup products that feel cool and modern? If that is the case, look no further because Kosas’s got your back.
In this Kosas review, we are going to take a deep dive into the brand, its products, ingredients and perhaps most importantly some customer reviews, in order to help you decide whether Kosas is the makeup brand for you and whether it is worth investing in. Read on to find out.
About Kosas
Kosas is a Los Angeles-based beauty brand that labels itself as “clean”. The way Kosas defines this label, which is not fully regulated in the beauty industry, is by not testing on animals and banning over 2700 ingredients from its formulas including formaldehyde, sulfates, phthalates, aluminium, and petrolatum. Instead, its makeup products are infused with botanical ingredients that nourish and benefit the skin by hydrating, brightening, plumping and soothing it, rather than just covering it up. One could call it tinted skincare.
Kosas makeup promises high pigmentation that stays on the skin all day and is flattering for all skin tones. Founded in 2015 by LA-native Sheena Yaitanes from her kitchen table with just a range of four lipsticks, today Kosas is a global brand stocked by the likes of Sephora, Neiman Marcus and Net-A-Porter.
The name Kosas is derived from the concept of ‘5 koshas of self’ associated with yoga, meaning layers within our bodies:
- the physical layer
- energy layer
- sensory mental layer
- intellectual wisdom layer
- and bliss layer
The brand believes that beauty is part of each of these layers, not just the physical.
The branding and packaging of Kosas is something that stands out for its cool, modern and trendy look that is still stylish and not over the top and therefore appeals both to the young Gen Z generation, as well as more mature customers that want products that both work well and look good. Even Gwyneth Paltrow, the queen of clean beauty, swears by her favorite ‘Electra’ red lipstick from Kosas and stocks the brand at her lifestyle site Goop.
- Cruelty-free - Leaping Bunny certified
- Formulas free from potentially harmful ingredients
- Many vegan products available
- Stylish and modern packaging
- Long-lasting formulas
- Makeup with a lot of pigment
- Available globally through hundreds of retailers around the world
- Ships internationally and all across the US and its territories
- The brand sells sample sets of every product in all its shades for you to try on at home - for all the money you spend on the try-ons, you will receive store credit to spend on the ones you pick
- Free domestic shipping and returns
- Not cheap, definitely on the pricey side
- The brand doesn't ship to Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Russia
Kosas Revealer Concealer Review
Launched in February 2020, the Kosas concealer is a mix between a regular concealer, that covers the under-eye area, dark circles and any blemishes, and an eye cream. Due to the presence of caffeine and pink algae, the formula brightens the skin, vitamin B5 soothes it, arnica treats blemishes and hyaluronic acid along with peptides hydrate and as a result plump the skin. Clinical studies revealed that after 28 days of use, 100% of people that took part saw an improvement in their bare skin.
The $28 concealer is vegan, has a creamy texture and medium coverage which is buildable and is available in 28 shades. To figure out the right shade for you, the site includes a guide on how to figure out your undertone and a Complexion Shade Finder Quiz which will determine the right shade of Kosas concealer, foundation, bronzer and powder through a series of questions like:
- Which of these best describes your skin tone?
- What’s your undertone?
- Which bronzer look appeals to you?
Kosas Tinted Face Oil Foundation Review
The brand’s breakthrough product is undoubtedly the Tinted Face Oil Foundation, a cross between a light-coverage skin tint and a skin serum. The formula includes 6 different nourishing natural oils that are often used in skincare:
- Avocado oil hydrates and moisturizes
- Meadowfoam seed oil is an emollient that seals in moisture and keeps the skin soft and supple
- Raspberry oil has anti-inflammatory properties and soothes irritation and redness
- Jojoba oil also soothes, moisturizes, boosts skin’s glow and fades fine lines and wrinkles
- Camellia seed oil is rich in vitamin A, anti-oxidant and omega fatty acids and aids in fighting signs of ageing
- Rosehip oil reduces signs of hyperpigmentation and brightens
The foundation has a velvety finish that still looks like your skin, just more even and glowy, and feels super lightweight. However, as it is an oil-based foundation, people with oily skin might struggle with the formula as we’ve seen in some of the customer reviews.
The formula is vegan and fragrance-free and retails for a rather pricey $42 for 30ml. However, a little goes a long way as you only need 2-4 drops of the tint to cover the entire face. For higher coverage, you can apply 4-6 drops. Shake it before use to make sure the pigment and oils are properly mixed.
Kosas Chemistry Deodorant Review
Kosas’s range doesn’t stop at makeup. Launched in the summer of 2020, Kosas added a deodorant to its range that again works similarly to skincare. Applied with a roller ball, the formula comes in a serum form, infused with three different AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), namely lactic acid, mandelic acid and shikimic acid, which are chemical exfoliants often used in skincare. Rather than covering up the smell of body odor with a scent, the Chemistry Deodorant stops it from forming to begin with as the AHAs lower the pH level of the arm pits so bacteria that causes body odor can’t live there. The exfoliants also prevent ingrown hairs and brighten the skin.
Aloe vera then soothes the area and hyaluronic acid moisturizes and softens it. The formula doesn’t contain aluminum, baking soda or mineral oils. The serum doesn’t leave a sticky finish and doesn’t stain. It is also vegan and offers two options – scented and completely fragrance-free. A 70 ml tube retails for a fair price of $15.
Kosas Good Body Skin Review
Much like the Chemistry Deodorant, the new Kosas body wash also utilizes a set of AHAs, specifically glycolic, lactic and mandelic acids for gentle exfoliation, unclogging pores and getting rid of blemishes, paired with fruit enzymes that brighten and give the skin a glow. Allantoin soothes and moisturizes the skin. Kosas put ingredients that are usually used in skincare products for the face into a body wash.
The vegan body wash retails for $18 for a 275ml bottle and is designed to be gentle so that it doesn’t cause irritation even for those with sensitive skin and it can be used daily. It doesn’t contain any microbeads or sulfates. However, this product is scented with a blend of jasmine, orange blossom, vanilla and sandalwood, it is a naturally derived fragrance though.
Kosas Air Brow Clear Review
Kosas’s eyebrow products are one of the brand’s latest launches but they are already among its bestsellers. Air Brow gel in Clear, along with the tinted brow gel and brow pencil, is one of them. This gel fluffs, lifts, gives a healthy sheen and sets brows in place for the rest of the day, giving them a laminated effect. At the same time, the gel includes hair care ingredients that condition, strengthen and support hair growth to achieve fuller brows such as panthenol, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 and hyaluronic acid.
This gel is another vegan formula from the brand, this is also a sustainable one as brow products often include nylon and other synthetics but Kosas replaced those with biodegradable plant-based microfibers which help with volume and fullness.
The $22 gel doesn’t include any alcohol, fragrance, synthetic waxes or silicone and it doesn’t stiffen or flake. To use, brush upwards to lift and set your brows in place.
Kosas Build-Your-Own Mini Wet Set Review
Now to the newest launch by Kosas – the Plumping Lip Glosses in three new neutral shades called the Undressed Collection released this month:
- Unzipped described as milky pink champagne
- Unbuttoned which is a soft warm blush color
- Unhooked, a beige shade with a rosy undertone
These shades join three existing colors of the collection:
- Jellyfish which is a clear gloss
- Malibu, a shade of pink
- Dip described as bikini nude
For now the new shades are launched only as mini sizes as part of the Build-Your-Own Mini Wet Set which is customizable as customers can choose any three colors from the six for $25, normally worth $35.
The vegan products give lips a wet, glossy but natural look without feeling sticky. Peptides visibly plump the lips, hyaluronic acid along with avocado oil hydrate, moisturize and seal in the moisture and shea butter softens them. A clinical study on 33 people over the period of four weeks showed that the gloss increased lip plumpness by 249%.
Kosas Customer Reviews
From what we’ve read on the brand’s website, Kosas is a hit with customers. Most products have a rating of between 4.5 and 4.7/5. Of course, there are customers for whom the products didn’t work. The customer service team replies to every negative review with an apology though and offers these customers help. It seams like a great customer service. Here are some examples of Kosas makeup customer reviews:
“This was a fail for me. Almost everything from the extremely strong smell to the shade limitations. It turned orange on dark skin and although I read it was ok for oily skin, for me personally it was uncomfortable to wear. I tried it for a few days and couldn’t wait to wash it off. Also, putting it on with my fingers gave no coverage at all.”
“This is my all time favorite concealer. I switched to clean beauty about a year ago and it is so hard to find products that are both effective and safe. I am quickly falling in love with the Kosas brand as their products are some of the few that are not only clean, but also work even better than my old makeup. This concealer is literally a miracle worker. Not only does it have great coverage, but it doesn’t fade during the day or come off my face. It also keeps my skin hydrated and doesn’t dry it out. I love it so much I started using it as both a foundation (in shade 3.2) and a concealer (in shade 2.0). It can be so hard to find shades for people with olive undertones as golden/warm are too orange, and cool/pink are too white. But 3.2 is a perfect blend for my face. Cannot express my love of this product enough!”
Sign Up for Kosas
Sign up for Kosas’s newsletter at the bottom part of the brand’s site and receive 10% off your first order.
Where to Buy Kosas
Kosas is sold through its own website, as well as hundreds other retailers around the world, both online and in physical stores. These include Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Goop, Net-A-Porter, Cult Beauty and Mecca.
To find your nearest physical store that stocks Kosas, use the Find a Store tool on the website.
Kosas Shipping and Return Policy
Kosas offers free shipping on all US orders. The brand ships across the US and all its territories. International shipping is also available to all countries around the world with the exception of Australia, New Zealand, Russia and Spain.
Returns
Kosas also offers complimentary returns on all US orders, as long as they are initiated within 30 days of purchase.
Contact Kosas
If you have any questions we haven’t answered in this Kosas review, feel free to get in touch with the brand directly via:
- Phone or text on 310-878-0712 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm PT
- Email on letschat@kosas.com
- Live chat on the website
- Schedule a free video consultation with a pro via Zoom
- TikTok
- YouTube
Kosas Cosmetics: Editors Verdict
We’re sure that it is clear that we here at Beauty Bets are fans of Kosas because it combines nourishing benefits of skincare and beautiful high-performing makeup, free from harmful ingredients while also being cruelty-free, largely vegan and beautifully packaged on top of that. We can’t recommend this brand enough and while some of the price points are on the pricier side, we do believe the products are worth it.
The post Our Review of Kosas – Makeup for Skincare Freaks appeared first on BeautyBets.
Our Review of Kosas – Makeup for Skincare Freaks posted first on http://constructiondumpstersaustinpage.blogspot.com/
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