My KORA skincare products

Recently I made a "5 out 1 in" rule for my beauty products, where for every 5 items I use up or throw out I'm allowed to buy 1 new product (it started off as 3 out 1 in but that wasn't getting through my stash fast enough). It's absolutely necessary as I have far too much stuff :P and here's one of the contributing reasons.

KORA Organics is an Australian line of organic skincare by one of the Victoria's Secret supermodels, Miranda Kerr. Miranda wanted to create a range of organic products with ingredients she loves and uses, so after 3 years of development KORA was born. The products contain "antioxidant rich noni juice, essential fatty acids, various herbal extracts, essential oils and vitamins A, C, and E" and are designed to "nourish, replenish and re-hydrate the skin."

Of course, all products are free from parabens, sulfates, synthetic colors & fragrances etc. There are also different products targeted at different skin types.

KORA's web store is in Australian Dollars, and international shipping costs AU $30. My order arrived in the UK very quickly via DHL complete with customs charges, though at least DHL's extra handling fees were far more reasonable than some other courier companies.

Anyway, this is what I picked up - I really like the turquoise packaging too!

From left to right
A sample size of Smoothing Day & Night Cream
Tinted Day Care Cream
Soothing Day & Night Cream
Balancing Rose Mist
Foaming Cleanser
Daily Hand Cream Treatment
Organic Rich Body Lotion

I've since used these products for more than a couple of months and therefore feel I can accurately review whether or not they have worked on me.

Foaming Cleanser

125ml (oily/combination skin)

My skin can sometimes get a little oily in the tzone area, though it's not so bad right now. This soap free cleanser smells wonderful but doesn't lather up too well whether I use fingers or my Clarisonic. It's not great at removing makeup but when used after Fancl Cleansing Oil it leaves my skin squeaky clean and comfortable.

A good cleanser overall but in my opinion it's nothing particularly special, and not worth its AU $44.95 price tag. I prefer boscia Clear Complexion Cleanser, which does a better job of calming my skin when I get the odd breakout.

I also don't like its pump as one full pump dispenses too much product, and you only need about 1/3 of the amount.

Balancing Rose Mist

100ml for all skin types

Currently one of my staple products! It contains organic rose, jasmine, noni and hibiscus to provide the skin with antioxidant protection and supports the skin's collagen production.

Its smell is a little similar to MAC Fix+ Rose, but in comparison MAC's mist smells a little synthetic/plastic. The MAC mist smell fades away very quickly (a good thing) but this KORA mist leaves behind a lovely rose jasmine scent that's not at all overpowering. It feels very soothing on my skin, and I like to spritz my face with it after cleansing (and before moisturizer) to feed my skin some extra nutrients, and sometimes during the day for a quick perk me up.

Soothing Day & Night Cream

60ml (sensitive/normal skin)

Like the other KORA products, I adore the natural fresh smell of this moisturizer. The texture is light & easy to spread but very hydrating. Used after the Balancing Rose Mist it leaves my skin soft, dewy, and nourished. Since I've been using this cream, the occasional dry patches I used to get on my cheeks have more or less disappeared, and it also made my skin tone look a little more even :D

As the name implies you can use this moisturizer either during the day or at night. It absorbs quickly and is not at all sticky unlike some moisturizers, so I don't have to wait for too long before applying sun cream or makeup. I most probably will repurchase this unless I find something better.

Tinted Day Care Cream

"Suitable for all skin types, effective light coverage & replaces the need for foundation."

While it may be suitable for all skin types, it is not suitable for all skin tones and definitely cannot replace the need for foundation if it is a complete mismatch. This is way too dark on me even if applied sparingly that I look unnaturally orange, and it also gives my skin a slight dull grey cast. It's also not waterproof and the color rinses away easily with water.

Actual product

Rubbed into my arm

The Tinted Day Care Cream contains UVA protection, but if I wanted to wear it I would need to mix about 90% moisturizer with 10% of this cream, which defeats the point because when used in such tiny amounts, I'm not convinced there will be any UVA protection at all.

On its own it is too sheer to be used as foundation, too dark as a standalone moisturizer for me and somewhat pointless to mix with a moisturizer - unnecessary effort when I'm just going to slap on sun block after. But since I have it, I may as well mix it with moisturizer to use it up...

If you find this to be a decent match for your skin you may like it, but it gets a thumbs down from me.

Daily Hand Cream Treatment

When I was little I was bit of a nail biter and, to make up for the years of bad hand treatment, I now try to use hand cream daily. However as I use the keyboard and my iPad a lot, it's important that hand creams cannot be too oily because I can't stand leaving a trail of oily marks.

This hand cream is rich, but it absorbs very quickly and I only need to use a pea sized amount for both hands to keep them soft. Like the rest of the KORA range the smell is divine ♥ and I'm always sniffing my hands after using the hand cream.

Definitely repurchase worthy but this big tube will last ages, so it won't be for a while!

Organic Rich Body Lotion

Unlike some body moisturizers I own, this is very rich, non sticky and absorbs very quickly. 200ml isn't a big size for a body cream but its rich consistency means I only need to spread out a small blob, otherwise it leaves streaky cream marks indicating it's not fully absorbed. Again the smell is gorgeous and this keeps my skin soft, smooth and lightly scented.

The only downside is it doesn't contain any SPF, therefore it doesn't quite top Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 20 Antioxidant Body Moisturizer which offers both UVA and UVB protection. It's more nourishing than Juice Beauty though, and better for drier areas.

Overall I really like most of the KORA products, they use great quality ingredients, look after my skin and smell great! Prices are reasonable but when importing from the UK you need to take into account the AU $30 shipping charge + 20% tax on top, which make the products a little more expensive.

Review of Josie Maran Earth Day Essentials Kit

Most people have probably heard of Josie Maran, or have seen photos of her at some point. She's the girl who used to be a regular feature on adverts for Maybelline (google for her if you don't know who I'm on about) and when she stopped modelling, she created Josie Maran Cosmetics - a range of toxin free, organic and "luxury with a conscience" makeup and skincare. These products are made of the purest earth friendly ingredients and the packagings are recyclable as well.

Unfortunately living in the UK means I don't have easy access to all these awesome stuff, and even if I did the prices would be quite ridiculous. For example a tinted moisturizer that retails for $42 in the States would sell for £34 in this country - how is that for currency conversion?? So when I do want to purchase from stores like Sephora I always use a parcel forwarding service.


This Earth Day Essentials Kit has a value of $98 if you add up the retail prices of each individual item, but for $48 you get full sizes of:
- Argan Oil (the only mini size item, 100% organic oil)
- Cream Blush in Sunrise
- Eye Liner
- Mascara
- Plumping Lip Gloss in Daring


While not exciting, it is a great way to get started and try some basic products. Besides one can never go wrong with some lipgloss, mascara and a bit of blush.

...Until now.

I will start with the things I didn't like so much/at all.

Plumping Lip Gloss
Daring is described as a "sheer shimmery rosy nude" and it is quite accurate (the lighting unfortunately makes it look a bit more orange in the photo) but the problem is the colour just does not suit me at all. Also, the actual brush applicator is so short that the plastic wand scraped against my lips when I applied it, not a nice feeling - I've never had this problem with other brands' lip brushes.


It is not supposed to sting like other lip plumpers, but it burns my lips like mad. At first I thought it was maybe because of what I had eaten or it was reacting with what I had on my lips before or whatever, so tried it again the following day on bare lips. It still stung... not like a minty tingle but more of an allergic reaction of some sort I guess.

It didn't stay on long enough for me to notice any plumping effects while I hunted for a cotton pad to wipe it off asap.

Cream Blush

Sephora's site says this is Sunrise, so does the box and the sticker on the back of the mirrored compact but no matter how I look at it, it just does not resemble its "soft pink" description and is more of a coral pink like Sunset.


Maybe I was unfortunate enough to get a bad batch? Either way, as soft and creamy as this blush is, it's way too dark for me so I won't be using it. That's a shame because had I received the actual Sunrise (swatch on official site) I think it would look rather pretty.

Mascara - Black
Average, average, average. I like its sleek packaging, and the fact that it's free of synthetic ingredients, but nothing else really stands out about it unfortunately. Then again compared to my absolute fave mascara Majolica Majorca Lash Glamour Neo, only Le 2 De Guerlain measured very favourably against it so far. This is not as bad as my Illamasqua mascara faux pas - nothing is - but doesn't make me want to repurchase.


Holds a curl ok, lengthens a bit but no thickening effects really. Looks nice in the morning but a mere few hours (around 2-3) later I start seeing signs of racoon eyes when the mascara begins to smudge and smear at the bottom. For a non waterproof mascara it's tricky to remove, because it tends to burrow into the roots of my lashes and just sits there, as well as sticks to my eyelids in the process. Really stupid formula imo....

Eye Liner - Black

Hands down the softest pencil liner I've used (doesn't drag the skin around my eyes at all), but also the most useless. The shade of black isn't too harsh which is great, except if I accidentally rub it, it goes everywhere. Would be great for a smokey eye look if its lasting power isn't so non existent.


I also need to go over the same line several times, otherwise the colour is a dark charcoal grey.

It retails for $18 but no way I would pay that for a liner that does so little.

Argan Oil

Now for the item that I *do* like (wait 1 product out of 5, that's just dire) - the Argan Oil comes in a tiny sample size bottle which I think is quite cute and portable. I also purchased the full size 1.7oz (48ml) bottle as well.

Don't be put off by the word "oil" as this is lightweight, non greasy and does not clog my pores. I use it on my face before moisturizer if I happen to have a dry cheek day, rub it into my cuticles & nails, and the ends of my hair to give them that extra bit of moisture. I even massage it into my navel scar (unfortunately my piercing became infected on holiday few years ago so I had to take it out) to make it softer so I can have it repierced next year.

I only need to use 1 drop of oil per cheek and its restorative properties make my face seriously soft, especially if I use it at night before bed. It is a 100% natural fabulous multi-purpose product and can literally be used anywhere.

Here's a pic of the back of the box with a list of possible uses

I'm glad I at least found one thing I really like, but as a whole I think Earth Day Essentials is a waste of money. The fact all products are made from organic & natural ingredients with fully recyclable packaging is a welcome change, but most products I tried in the kit simply didn't deliver.

The Argan Oil is now also available in Stick (want!) and Bronzing versions.

I also purchased Josie Maran Finger Paints in Sweet because it looked so pretty; I will be using and reviewing it at a later date.

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream, Emulsion, Essence, Facial Freshener & Eye Cream

I only planned on getting 3 things from EH's new Moistfull Collagen range (cream, eye cream and that SPF36 balm), but in my Gmarket order I received a freebie Moistfull Collagen Special Kit which contains a full set travel sizes of Facial Freshener, Emulsion, Essence and Cream - I'm going to review the lot ^^

I did consider trying the original Moistfull range but 1) I get slightly excited at the sight of new releases and 2) collagen is one of the most powerful proteins in the human body, gives tissues firmness and strength, and is basically what makes skin plump. Who doesn't want soft skin like a baby's behind? Exactly.


Moistfull Collagen Facial Freshener (toner)
Most of the time I don't bother with toners because I'm not convinced that they're necessary; I have used them in the past but haven't really found them to be particularly beneficial. This Facial Freshener feels refreshing, but it does contain alcohol, which is okay on my t-zone but if I don't follow up with a moisturizer it makes my skin feel tight after a while. I don't approve of skincare products that contain alcohol anyway, so won't be using this again.

Moistfull Collagen Essence (serum)
When I first used this I thought it was an exfoliator, as it contains tiny beads amongst the somewhat watery fluid. However the beads disappeared after a few rubs but I still found them a bit odd since all the essences/serums I've used so far have had smooth consistencies.

This essence feels a tiny bit sticky after it's rubbed in, but leave it a while and the stickiness disappears. I don't always use a serum type product before moisturizer, and when I do it's usually at night before I go to bed. This does add a bit of extra moisture though and makes my skin extra plump the next day.

Moistfull Collagen Emulsion
A lightweight, milky moisturizing lotion. Provides a little moisture but depending on your skin type this may or may not be enough on its own. I used the emulsion on my t-zone and the cream on my cheeks. You can also use this under the cream and I find that I need less cream if I use the emulsion first.

A nice thing to have but not essential in my opinion.

Moistfull Collagen Cream
I bought this cream on its own as well, and it came in a set of 50ml cream in a heavy jar plus 5ml sizes of the essence and another cream; there should have been a spatula too but for some reason I didn't get one. It has a light, fresh pleasant smell like the emulsion and the consistency is inbetween a gel and cream moisturizer. Non sticky, feels lightweight and very moisturizing, I like to use it before I go to bed and on my cheeks, which makes them feel plump and very strokable in the morning.

I have been using this pretty much daily ever since I received it (about two weeks ago) and I'm getting through it quite fast since I'm using it day and night, but at 15,000KRW (around $13) for a full size, it's not expensive at all.

Moistfull Collagen Eye Cream
Added review for the Eye Cream thanks to a reminder from the lovely raspy

When it comes to eye creams my requirements are pretty simple - moisturizing, lightweight, not too sticky, preferably with a cooling effect so it soothes my eyes when they feel tired. This doesn't give a cooling sensation but is very nourishing without being heavy so I can use it both morning and evening. Its semi gel like texture spreads easily which is important for me as I don't want to drag the skin around my eyes too much.

What's also nice is that it comes in a 25ml squeezy tube as opposed to most 15ml eye creams; I use it rather generously around my eyes, especially at night, to keep the skin soft and moist. I don't have super dry skin around my eyes, but surely using more product can't hurt.

It doesn't claim to reduce wrinkles or dark circles (I don't have either), just improves the elasticity and look around the eye area - I think it does the job well and is a great basic eye care product.

Eye Cream ingredients

Overall this is a pretty nice skincare range and I'm glad I tried it, but I'm not sure if I'll repurchase - I already have enough products lined up waiting for me to try!

Review - MAC Moisturelush Cream

Very rarely do I repurchase the same product; I mean a lot of the times I say I would, but end up reaching for something else. The fact that this is my second jar of MAC Moisturelush Cream surely has to mean that it's awesome?

According to MAC this is:

A richly hydrating face cream that helps moisturize and protect facial skin. Provides instant, long-lasting moisture. Leaves skin soft while lush formula helps balance skin's natural barrier and alleviate dry skin. Silky to apply, glides on easily. Helps create an even surface for a smooth, more perfect makeup application.

And it certainly lives up to its claim! Although rich and hydrating, this moisturizer is not oily or greasy, spreads easily and sinks into your skin super fast. Initially it may feel like there's a film on your face but this soon disappears after a few seconds.

I have combination skin so I use this mostly on my cheeks which can get a bit dry sometimes, also as a night cream and it works wonders on any flaky & dry patches. If you have extreme oily skin this may not be suitable, so either use very sparingly or try MAC Studio Moisture Fix which is more lightweight. Moisturelush Cream has a nice, fresh smell, but if you prefer fragrance free moisturizers this smell goes away after a short while leaving it baby soft, especially after Chocoable EpiPack.



Packaging wise it comes in a white plastic jar with a black lid containing 50ml of awesomeness. I actually like the jar in this case because with tube moisturzers it's a pain getting the last bits out, and with a pump bottle there's always a lot left wasted at the bottom. I just make sure my fingers are clean before scooping out any cream. You don't need to use a lot of product at all and a little goes a long way.

Will I repurchase (again)? Hell yes. It is already on the list of my next MAC haul :D