Kora Organics

Long over due is my review of my recent Kora Organics purchases, I got the cream cleanser, body wash, balancing rosewater mist, blemish gel, and the hydrated day and night cream. If my bank account allowed for it (and if I wasn't so obsessed with trying new brands), I would always have a nice supply of Kora in my bathroom. i love everything about this brand, from the purity of the ingredients, and the organic certification, to the amazing skin clearing benefits and the gorgeous packaging. I have to admit, it's the beautiful color that draws me to buying these, they just look so nice on any shelve. 

The Cream cleanser feels extremely luxurious  to apply and smells amazing! I love that a little goes a long way, which is good considering the price, I have had mine for roughly 3 months now and using once a day I still have a tiny bit left in the bottle. It's not so good at removing makeup (that's where my love, coconut oil comes into the picture), but it does an amazing job of cleaning the usual daily grime off your face, leaving it beautifully clean and soft. 

$44.95 - 90ml

Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile) Extract*, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil*, Stearic Acid, Dicaprylyl Ether, Morinda citrifolia (Noni Fruit) Extract*, Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Rosa eglantaria (Rose Hip) Oil*, d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Soyabean derived Natural Vitamin E), Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citrus aurantium ssp bergamia (Bergamot) Oil*, Santalum spicatum (Sandalwood) Oil*, Citrus reticulata (Mandarin) Oil*, Citrus paradisi (Grapefruit) Oil*, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) Oil*, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Lecithin (GMO free)*, Potassium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Sodium Chloride (Macrobiotic Sea Salt), Beta Carotene, Olea europea (Olive) Oil, Aqua (Water) & limonene**. **From essential oils. *Ingredient from Organic Farming. 

The body wash was a little hit and miss for me. Not because it isn't a great product...but because of the price, and the fact that it doesn't lather at all. While I understand that this product is organic and free of lathering substances, without any lather this product didn't seem to go as far and I didn't like how much I had to use everytime I showered just to wash my whole body. In saying that, I loved the smell and that it did feel very luxurious, so if the price and the non-lathering are not issues for you, then this product is worth a try.

$37.50 - 150ml

 
Camellia sinensis (Green Tea)*, Rosa centifolia (Rose) Extract*, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Morinda citrifolia (Noni Fruit) Extract*, Glyceryl Oleate, Dicapryl Ether, Lactic Acid, Sodium chloride (Macrobiotic Sea Salt), Benzyl Alcohol, Santalum spicatum (Sandalwood) Oil*, Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang) Oil*, Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli) Oil*, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lecithin (GMO free)*, Aqua (Water). **From essential oils. *Ingredient from Organic Farming.
PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE AND OWNED. NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS. VEGAN.

 In the past i'd tried the Citrus mist, which I loved, but as my skin was on the drier side this time I thought the Balancing Rosewater Mist would be more suited. I actually love spraying this, not even so much for the benefits, but just because it feels so refreshing having a soft mist land on your face like little butterfly kisses. It hydrates nicely and is also wonderful for setting powdered makeup. As far as the smell goes, i'm a little unsure. It has an almost...peppery? smell to it which is kind of off-putting. I can't quite put my finger on which ingredient gives it said smell, but regardless, it's not bad enough to stop me from drenching my face in it 10 times a day.

 $39.95 - 65ml

Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Water*, Rosa centifolia (Rose Petals Pink)*, Hibiscus sabdariffa (Hibiscus)*, Morinda citrifolia (Noni Fruit) Extract*, Aloe barbardensis (Aloe Vera)*, Alcohol*, Sodium PCA, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/ Radish Root Ferment, Malpighia glabra (Acerola Cherry Powder)*, Maltodextrin*, Sodium chloride (Macrobiotic Sea Salt), Potassium Hydroxide, Water (Aqua). *Ingredient from Organic Farming.

PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE AND OWNED. NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS.  VEGAN.

 The Hydrating Day and Night Cream is probably the best moisturiser i've ever purchased. The smell is to die for and the way it sinks into your skin leaving it feeling incredibly juicy and soft is like no other. Some moisturiser that i've tried left my skin with an odd feeling, almost like a powdery icky coating on my face but not this one. I will be repurchasing this for as long as they make it, or until I find a product that meets the same level of amazingness. 

$59.95 - 50ml

Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Camellia sinensis (Green Tea)*, Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile)*, Rosa centifolia (Rose)*, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender)*, Olea europea (Olive) Leaf Extract*, Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil*, Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Morinda citrifolia (Noni Fruit) Extract*, Rosa eglantaria (Rose Hip) Oil*, d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Soyabean derived Natural Vitamin E), Punica granatum (Pomegranate) Sterols, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter)*, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carageenan, Bisabolol, Santalum spicatum (Sandalwood) Oil*, Citrus reticulata (Mandarin) Oil*, Citrus paradisi (Grapefruit) Oil*, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Lecithin (GMO free)*, Sodium Hyalonurate, Polyglutamic Acid (Natto Gum), Rosa damascena (Rose) Oil*, Citrus aurantium ssp bergamia (Bergamot) Oil*, Beta Carotene, Olea europea (Olive) Oil, Sodium chloride (Macrobiotic Sea Salt), Lactic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Aqua (Water), limonene**, linalool**, geraniol** & citronellol**. **From essential oils. *Ingredient from Organic Farming.
PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE AND OWNED. NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS.  VEGAN.

 The Blemish Gel is a product that you don't necessarily need, but is nice to have on hand anyway. Everynow and then I get a big cystic pimple on my chin, always in the same spot, and this helps it to go down quicker which I love, because let's face it, no one wants a giant red growth sticking out of their chin for everyone to see. The blemish gel doesn't sink into the skin, rather sits on top of it, and has a yellowish/brown colour to it which doesn't fade as it dries, so it's not practical to wear under makeup or if you are heading out. Best applied on days spent at home or before bed. Unless, of course, you don't mind having a patch of yellowish mess on your face while you're out. I purchased this product when it was still being sold in the little pump bottle, which I have to say is rather annoying as it kind of just shoots out and there's no possible way of getting just a little either, but they have recently changed the packaging to a much more practical one.

$39.50 - 10ml
 
Olea europea (Olive) Leaf Extract*, Aloe barbardensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Alcohol*, Glycerin, Cocoyl Proline, Malpighia glabra (Acerola Cherry Powder)*, Maltodextrin, Morinda citrifolia (Noni Fruit) Extract*, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle) Oil*, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium chloride (Macrobiotic Sea Salt), Lactic Acid, Aqua (Water,) citral**. **From essential oils. *Ingredient from Organic Farming.
PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE AND OWNED. NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS.  VEGAN.


All up, I think if you have the money and are looking for some luxurious, and great quality, Australian skincare products then these are absolutely worth trying. My skin has been really clear and my skin tone has been more even since using these products.  I am really looking forward to trying the Clay Purifying Mask and the Enriched Body Lotion next. 

Guest Review

I sent a few samples to a friend of mine, Victoria,  who is just making the transition to natural and organic so she could try them out and see the difference.

Here are the samples I sent...

(order of products as listed below)

Firstly, I had a blast experimenting with these products ~ I was literally like a kid on Christmas day when the parcel arrived! I am new to 'natural & organic', therefore I have only just started making the transition. After using most of these products in the last month, I have provided my opinion on what worked & didn't work for me below. (=

~ Kora Organics Tinted Day Cream by Miranda Kerr

I have light sensitive skin, therefore I only use a little bit of Kora Tinted Day Cream as it's darker than my natural skin colour. I've been applying it to my face after putting my usual moisturiser on (as it recommends on the Kora Organics Blog site... However I currently use Dr Lewinn's moisturiser (naughty!), as I haven't yet found a natural moisturiser I like...) to help it blend easier. I do like the little glow it gives me & I don't have to use foundation afterwards. It's also assuring that it has SPF 15+ in it too.

~ RMS Beauty 'Un' Cover Up

When I wear foundation, I put the 'Un' Cover Up on first, applying & sweeping underneath my eyes & down the side of the bridge of my nose. It's creamy & thick therefore not a lot of it is needed to do the job. I like it because it brightens & 'opens' up my eyes more, making them 'pop', if you like. I find if I put too much of this on however, the excess sits in the creases under my eyes but I think this is due to the hot weather here in Queensland. It does stay put when I use a mineral powder foundation over the top instead of liquid based. Overall, I do like this product because it does cover my dark circles & any red blotches on my face.

~ RMS Beauty Living Illuminiser

A great product! I love using the Illuminiser along my brow line, across the top of my cheek bones & along the bridge of my nose. It doesn't look 'sweaty', instead give you a nice healthy shine & accentuate these features. I definitely will keep this product in stock.

~ RMS Beauty Lip 2 Cheek 'Muse'

I love this colour! It's very neutral which is what I always usually go for when wearing makeup. Just simple but give a nice shadow - I apply this to my cheeks. It's not empowering to the face but just give a little tint & definition to the cheek bone. I apply the Illuminiser above this to make it stand out a little more (= I'm keen to buy & try out the other Lip 2 Cheek colours RMS Beauty has, as I really like this cream.

~ RMS Beauty 'Magnetic' & 'Seduce'

Again, these two are gorgeous colours; I apply one or the other to my eyelids & despite looking dark in the containers, They are actually a nice medium chocolate brown. 'Magnetic' is a bit of a metallic shimmer when on my eyes whereas 'Seduce' is a lighter, base colour with less shimmer to it. My suggestion would be that 'Magnetic' is good for going out & 'Seduce' for the office/casual day (=.

~ RMS Beauty Lip Shine 'Moment'

This one isn't really going to have a big review on it as I haven't used it enough; for someone who doesn't usually wear colour on her lips (as I have big lips & lip colour just makes them REALLY take over my whole face - 'Oh, there is actually a face behind those lips!')... But it is a nice, neutral colour, I can give it that. I envy women who can wear lip colour, especially the siren red! =/ If there is anyone out there with big lips like me & pull it off, tell me your secret!

~ MSB Eyeshadows 'Mermaid', 'Redcurrant' & 'Persian Pink'

These powder eyeshadows hold very well when applied. I didn't have any problems with any excess powder dropping on my cheeks & when I say 'hold very well' on the eyelids, it really does stay there! It is totally up to you how light or heavy you want the colour to be, I found that 'Persian Pink' applied to the inner - middle of my eyelids & then the 'Redcurrant' applied to the outer of my eyelids a quite nice, fun & refreshing look. I never usually wear other colours than neutral so I stepped out of my comfort zone when trying these eyeshadows. I surprised myself with the pinks as I really liked the colours on my skin, the 'Mermaid' however, didn't suit me =( I have blue eyes & it looked too much on my face. I think it certainly would look great on someone with darker skin & brown eyes.

And below is a makeup look using some of these products aswell as some of her own:

Kora Organics Tinted Day Cream ~ I applied my usual moisturiser on (which isn't featured because it is not a natural product; I am yet to find a moisturiser I like) & then lightly dabbed the Tinted Day Cream over my face for a bit of a glow & sun protection.

RMS Beauty 'Un' Cover Up ~ I swept the cream underneath my eyes & down alongside the bridge of my nose for a full coverage & 'light up'.

Couleur Caramel Anti-Red Blotch Cream ~ This is a fantastic product! Despite the colour (green!), you don't need to use much & it DOES blend in to your skin quite well, doing it's job of covering up red blotches & spots. I use it around the outer sides of my nostrils & my chin. I also have red skin on my cheeks but I don't worry too much as I like to have a bit of colour there.

Natural Ground Minerals by Designer Brand (Light Foundation) ~ I discovered this foundation at a reduced price from our local Chemist Warehouse... & I really like it! Organic, it is talc free & has SPF 15+. It doesn't feel heavy & thick on my skin & blends quite nicely. My skin feels smooth with this powder foundation (= I'm not a fan of thick foundation where it completely covers everything... I'm one girl who likes her sunkisses, so this foundation is quite light & suits me perfectly (=.

RMS Beauty Lip 2 Cheek 'Muse' ~ Used along & blended on my cheek bone to give a bit of shadow.

RMS Beauty Eyeshadow 'Magnetic' ~ I applied this quite lightly on my eyelids to give a natural look. I love the cream eyeshadows that RMS Beauty stocks & when removing makeup at the end of the day, it's easy to wipe off.

Couleur Caramel Eyebrow Pencil, Dark Brown ~ I'm a big fan of neat eyebrows when doing makeup, it makes all the difference. As I have light eyebrows (being naturally mouse brown/blonde), I use this pencil to match my dyed hair colour. The pencil also has an eyebrow brush on the other end for a quick blend & groom.

RMS Beauty Living Illuminiser ~ The Illuminiser was lightly dabbed along the top of my cheekbones, above the 'Muse' cheek colour to give it more 'pop'. I've applied it along my brow line above the eyeshadow.

Couleur Caramel Mascara, Brown & for Long Eyelashes ~ When it comes to clumping Mascara, this is NOT one. When I buy mascara, usually I have to scrape the excess off back in to the bottle but with this gem, I don't & I was literally excited by this! My eyelashes didn't stick together either, it was just wonderful! This will be one of my must have in my makeup bag. The ONLY downside is that depending on what I'm doing through the day, I find that it does drop tiny crumbly bits on to my cheeks. But I had this problem with some other mascaras I have used too.

Essentially Avocado Lip Balm ~ This is actually a new product that's recently been produced in Childers on an Avocado Farm. This lip balm has been made with 100% natural pure avocado oil, beeswax, honey & coconut. It doesn't have any colour, just clear but it really plumps up & moisturise my lips. It doesn't taste bad & I only have to apply it about 2-3 times a day so it does wear well compared to other lip balms I've used.

Thanks Victoria xo

Beauty start's within...

Today I felt like doing a post on beauty from the inside, because we all know that if you don't eat well and look after yourself, you won't look so healthy on the outside. This is especially true for me. I have really begun to notice that if I go even one day where I don't get my two litres of water, my skin is so dry, my lips crack and my skin just looks completely dull and blemished.

I used to think that I looked fine when I was drinking everyday and eating crap but now that I have started looking after myself, I realize I didn't look so good at all.

Anyways...I just wanted to share a few tips that most people would probably know, some may not, but they are tips that have helped me tremendously.

For starters, warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning is amazing. Not only does it  help with your morning bowel movements, which you may not beleive, actually has a lot to do with how your skin looks, it helps with bloating, and is a great morning detox. The fibre in lemon's mops up fat in the digestive tract, helps you fell full and reduces the amount of fat your body absorbs. So put it on your food also.

The most obvious is get your 2 litres of water per day. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you may not need as much, or may not feel as thirsty for it, but your body needs the right amount of water to function properly as it is around 60 - 70% water. If you don't get enough water you could suffer from headaches, loss of concentration, tiredness, and dry skin, which is not a good look. It also makes your eyes look dull.

Water is great, I know it taste's boring but I recently came accross a recipe on pinterest that is AMAZING! It is like drinking a salad and actually makes me feel as if I had just eaten one.

Fill a jug or jar with 2 litres of water, add 1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced, 1 lemon sliced and a handful of mint leaves. Let it sit stand in the fridge overnight and voila! you have you delicious and incredibly refreshing, 2 litres of water ready for when you wake up.

Everyone knows about the fruit and veg so I won't go on about that but it is something I really struggle with, well the veg part anyway. I do love vegetables but they just don't taste as good unless prepared in some way, so I just juice them. I'm not getting the fibre I need from them in juice form but at least I am getting the vitamins and minerals so that's something. I also make sure I eat some form of lean protein everyday, usually salmon or tuna, your body needs that a lot as well.

I have already done a post on coconut oil so I don't think I need to go there again but if you struggle finding ways to incorporate coconut oil into your diet, try putting it into green tea.

I aim for 3 cups of green tea daily as that is what is recommended, and I add a teaspoon of coconut oil into each cup which I read on a post on the Kora Organics Blog. It is basically like drinking oil for the first few sips but you get used to it. It's to in one, can't complain with that.

Another thing is Dry Body Brushing. I absolutely love doing this. You really can start to notice the changes after a week or two and each time I do it, I fell energised instantly. The skin is actually the largest organ in the body so you need to look after it, because it does a lot more for you that you may think :) Dry body brushing helps get rid of dead skin cells making the skin look refreshed, it helps improve circulation with helps with the metabolic process' so that is why it is beneficial to weight loss and cellulite. I love buying my Dry body brushing products from Bodecare, because it is an  Australian brand and the products are great quality.

Exercise. Something I think about constantly but really dislike doing. I am a very lazy person when it comes to exercise, I do walk everyday, I don't have my license so I guess I have to, and I am one of these people who cannot sit still and do nothing. I do spend a lot of time at the computer for my study but I try to always sit with good posture as this burns 10% more calories than when doing nothing, and I try to stand when I can as this burns more calories too but as far as actual exercise goes, I generally say tomorrow every day. I have started making more of an effort lately as summer is here and I want to feel comfortable in a bikini this year so I have been doing the workout on the Nike Training app. I am honestly so surprised this app is free, it is incredible and the workouts give me better results than I got from the gym. I also love doing yoga and pilates, when I am motivated. Yoga helps alot as I fractured my spine when I was younger and it helps strengthen my core so my back doesn't ache so much. I do try to do cardio and weight's each week as they are both essential in my opinion. It helps that I have a partner who is obssessed with working out :)

That is all I can think of for now, they are the main things I concern myself with everyday in terms of  my body and looking good, all these products I try and review are just bonus'.

For fitness inspiration and motivation I always go to pinterest. The best motivation I have found so far. Fitness Inspiration

For health reads and other similar things I go to the Kora Organics Blog.

And for interesting articles on health and nutrition I love to visit these sites:

Natural News This website has everything from cancer breakthrough's to truth's about immunisation, to health foods.

Stumble Upon Just type nutrition or health or whatever else in the search box and click stumble. I have found some amazing articles doing this.

Any questions, please ask and I will try to answer them as much as possible.

Natural Beauty Breakdown

I saw this on The Flaxen Owl and I wanted to do it aswell as it is such a cool idea, especially to see what undiscovered (to me), natural products others are using.
The Natural Beauty Breakdown is where you post all of the products you use everyday, and the dental catagory is something I just added in, only because i'm a little OCD when it comes to my teeth.


Products used in the shower

1. Organic Care Dry Moist Conditioner

2. Organic Care Dry Moist Shampoo

3. Natural Instinct Natural Cream Cleanser

4. Natural Instinct Natural Body Wash

5. Natural Instinct Natural facial Scrub

Body products used out of the shower

6. Avalon Organics coQ10 Ultimate Firming Body Lotion

7. Niugini Raw Organic Coconut Oil

8. Kora Organics Daily Hand Cream

Skincare

9. Kora Organics Soothing day & Night Cream

10. Kora Organics Recovery Eye Gel Treatment

11. Kora Organics Energizing Cirtus Mist

12. Sunspirit Rosehip Seed Oil

Makeup

13. Kora Organics Tinted Day Care Cream

14. rms beauty "un" cover-up - 11

15. Couleur Caramel Mascara for Long Lashes in Brown

16. Vapour Organics Aura Shimmer Stick - Intrigue

17. Burt's bees Tinted Lip Balm - Red Dahlia

Dental Hygiene

18. The Environmental Toothbrush

19. Macro Herbal Toothpaste (from Woolworths)

20. Perio Wash Mouthwash - Cool Mint

21. Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Dental Tape

So, all up I use around 21 products per day, which is alot. I didn't even realise I used that many but I don't wear makeup EVERY day so that's something I guess.

Please follow along and post your list as I would love to see it.

Beauty Look 1

 This is an everyday casual look, although a bit more dressed up than usual for me :)

Kora Organics Tinted Day care Cream all over my face.

RMS Beauty "un" cover-up under my eyes.

 Mineral Fusion Eyeshadow Trio in Diversity. The skin tone all over my lid up to the brow bone, the light pink over my lid to the crease, then the deep colour in the crease.

Couleur Caramel Mascara for Long Lashes in Brown.

RMS Beauty lip2cheek in Smile on my cheeks.

RMS Beauty Lip Shine in Bloom on my lips.

I'm generally a tinted moisturiser and lip gloss kind of girl but I really liked this look. Not too done up but some nice colour. Im thinking I might do something a bit more extravagent next???



Kora Organics Tinted Day Care Cream

I absolutely LOVE this product. It doesn't dry out my skin at all which I love because I have very dry skin normally, and it stays on and looking great all day. I do have to mix it with moisturiser though, as it's too dark for my fair skin but I would mix it either way because it is fairly thick and does tend to stick to the skin before you get to spread it evenly. It makes my skin look even-toned and flawless, and since buying this I have not worn foundation once because this does the job perfectly. If you don't mind spending $60 on tinted moisturiser I would recommend trying this. You can buy the range, which consists of 21 products, from the website koraorganics.com, from David Jones stores and now from Terry White Chemists.

Cost: $59.95 (50ml)

Pros: It is moisturising and makes skin look amazing, it doesn't cake over spots, and, it is certified organic.

Cons: I've found that it needs to be mixed with moisturizer to spread well and it is on the pricier side.

Ingrediants: Aqueous Extract of Camellia sinensis (Green Tea*), Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile)*, Rosa centifolia (Rose)*, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender)*, Olea europea (Olive) Leaf*, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera)*, Morinda citrifolia (Noni Fruit)*, Glycerin, Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil*, Zinc Oxide, Stearic Acid, Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, CI 77891, Silica, Hydrated Silica, Glyceryl Caprylate, CI 77491, CI77492, CI 77499, Rosa eglanteria (Rose Hip) Oil*, d-alpha Tocopherol (Soyabean derived Natural Vitamin E), Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, CI 77288, Santalum spicatum (Sandalwood) Oil*, Cedrus atlantica (Cedarwood) Oil*, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Lecithin (GMO free)*, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hyalonurate, Beta Carotene (Vitamin A), Olea europea (Olive) Oil, Sodium chloride (Macrobiotic Sea Salt), Lactic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Aqua (Water). **From essential oils. *Ingredient from Organic Farming.


*EDIT*: I recently read on the Kora Organics blog that the reason for the change in size of this product is because it has been reformulated to a more moussey type product which goes on easier so you need less. This makes a lot of sense and is a good change I think. In saying that though, I still use the original version and as I do have to mix mine with moisturiser to get the right colour, it seem's to be lasting forever. I have had mine for four months now and the tube still feel's full. I'm worried it will go off before I use it all .