Koh Gen Do Oriental Plants Essence and Skin Lotion

Koh Gen Do has the same approach to creating skin care as they do with makeup. Keep it light and give the skin exactly what it needs. Their Oriental Plants line is comprised of 6 products that cater to skin in the middle and not in the extremes- meaning mostly normal skin that can tend to be dry or oily but fairly typical overall.

Pictured above are my favorites from the line, their Essence and Skin Lotion. Essence is a clear, weightless boosting serum to balance, hydrate and firm up the skin using plant based technology and known skin soothers. It makes my sometimes oily skin feel balanced with a comfortable moisture level.

Skin Lotion is a hydrator that locks in moisture and refreshes the skin surprisingly well considering it's a clear fluid with a consistency slightly thicker than water. I love the idea of moisture in the absence of a heavy cream so the ingredients can absorb and treat the skin without being trapped on the surface wrapped in thick cream. This is usually why high-potency serums are in a liquid form, it's a cleaner delivery system. It seems counterintuitive, but these light-in-weight serums can actually deliver better and more complete moisture to the skin than their thick and creamy counterparts.

Koh Gen Do is also a line completely against animal testing and has formulated products without petroleum, fragrance, artificial colors, and parabens long before it was fashionable to do so. You'll also love the heavy glass bottles and beautiful packaging which to me are just a continuation of the product itself and the pride and work they've put into it all.

Read the Review on Hooked on Beauty

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2010

Set Your Foundation Like the Pros Do; Best Professional Setting Powders

Since the 90's powdery revolution, matte skin has been a thing of the past. Don't confuse those old powders with today's versions which invisibly set foundation and can even be used on dry skin. If you want your foundation to last hours longer, look into a setting powder that's used by Makeup Artists for a professional looking result. Here are a few I carry in my kit.

KohGenDo has a big celebrity following (I hear it's a favorite of Sarah Jessica Parker) and I like everything I've used from the line. In my kit, I have their Maifanshi Face Powder which lightly sets makeup, reduces shine, and matches all skin tones since it's invisible on the skin (an important thing for a setting powder to be). This loose formula even works with dry skin because it's infused with hyaluronic acid so it mattes and sets without creating dryness.