First impressions of KOSAS makeup

If, like me, you regularly stalk the 'new in' pages of Cult Beauty, you will have seen that KOSAS has been recently added to their list of brands. This is a U.S. brand whose products are described as makeup meeting skincare. I was unfamiliar with the term 'kosas' but they state that there are five kosas of self, which are five connected layers that communicate with each other. They are: a physical layer, a sensory mental layer, a discerning intellectual layer, a layer of energy and a layer of truthful bliss. KOSAS say that their products honour each layer. Now this may sound like hogwash to you or it may speak to you. Either way, you want to know what the products are like, right?

At the moment, there are only a small number of products available and Cult Beauty kindly sent me some, which I have been trialling. The product that I was most excited to try when I received them is their Tinted Face Oil.  There are 16 shades available and they look pretty inclusive although I haven't seen all shades in the flesh.  This is described as offering deep hydration, medium coverage and all day wear with a lightweight finish.  The reason I was so excited about try this is I had seen Nicola Chapman talk about an oil foundation sometime last year and it sounded right u my dry-skinned street! This contains a blend of six active botanical oils, which aim to hydrate, brighten, protect and soothe the skin. It's important to shake well before applying to make sure that the pigment and oils are blended. It is best applied with fingers and I found that using 2/3 drops gave very light coverage but it was buildable to medium with around 5 drops and layers well. Although the description says that full coverage can be achieved, I haven't found that. My skin is like the Sahara so it loves this foundation but I think on oily, combination or possibly even normal skin, this may be too oily, although it may pair well with a mattifying primer and powder. When blended into the skin, it looks very natural and skin-like. It looks fresh and skin is glowing. I find that it glides over pores and fine lines without highlighting them. I think it's the sort of base product that Jennifer Lopez would love because the glow is real! My issue with it is that unless I powder (which with other foundations, I don't always have to do), it will break down around my nose within a few hours - something that rarely happens with other base products, and it really just kind of disappears at around the 5 hour mark. Maybe in winter when my skin is even drier, it will last longer and I will report back at that stage. Because it looks so natural on the skin, I'm not left with very obvious tide marks or even an oily look, it just disappears. When I pair it with a gripping primer, it does last longer but, again, not as long as my other foundations. I really like it when it's first applied and the bottle is very lightweight and compact, plus it's very easy to apply with fingers so it would be possible to top up on the go. I will try it again in the colder months and see if it can last a little longer.

The Color + Light Crème duo is my kind of product because I just find that cream products are more flattering on my dry skin. There are three shades available and I have Velvet Melon, which has a very beautiful light peach blush and a shimmering peachy/champagne highlight. Both of these products are formulated with oils - marula, jojoba and apricot kernel seed to name some. The texture is beautifully creamy and I find that they are best applied with fingers for a natural flush of colour. The blend very easily and although they contain oils, they don't disappear or sink into any textured or porous areas. The highlight shade really complements the peachy blush and the overall look is very natural. If you think about days where you don't want to look very made up but still don't want to be completely bare faced - this duo and the foundation will be ideal as the finished look is very natural, yet still put together. If cream cheek products aren't your thing, they also have a powder formula here.

There are eight shades of Weightless Lipstick available and I have Undone, which is a medium rose pink. These lipsticks are ultra moisturising, again infused with oils and shea and cocoa butter. As a result, they do transfer onto glasses/mugs etc but I don't find that they smear on my face, which is the main thing! As with all moisturising lipsticks, I find that I need to re-apply at around the 2/3 hour mark but I don't mind this as I love how comfortable it is on the lips.

For those with very dry skin or who like a very natural makeup look, KOSAS will be a hit. For those with oily skin, I really think it's best to skip this brand and those in between (normal and combination), try to get a sample of the foundation before buying, if possible to see if t will work on your skin.

All available from Cult Beauty.

Thanks for reading! 

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All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated.  These products were kindly sent to me. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.