Krave Beauty

The time has come! I’ve been eager to try Krave Beauty since founder Liah Yoo first launched the company. Yoo is one of my OG Korean Skincare Gurus that taught me a lot of what I know. She has always been about focusing on products that get to the point, and get down to your main skin concern without any frills.

Cue her baby, Krave Beauty: an online eco-conscious, vegan, cruelty-free brand that offers simple, minimalist and effective skincare. This mantra translates to the minimalist packaging with a splash of vibrant color as well. The motto #PressReset, makes me think about those times when you over did it with heavy moisturizers, over-exfoliation, or mixing ingredients you weren’t supposed to. Krave Beauty is a brand that reminds us how necessary it is to go back to basics.

The brand is very conscious of the environment which I really admire. They have donated proceeds to help protect the rainforest, and other initiatives . I always take note of brands that go above and beyond simply selling skincare. I was able to get my hands on every product, besides the newest moisturizer (which launched after my purchase… of course.) So let’s satisfy our KRAVING, shall we?

Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser

$16

This highly-raved-about cleanser was the first products added to the “Core Series.” This category is described as “a simple yet purposeful range of products that help your skin function at its best. Nothing more, nothing less.” I’m always on the prowl for gentle cleansers that give me that squeaky clean feeling, while nourishing the skin and NOT stripping me dry. I’ve read that this product hits all these marks, so I had high expectations.

The antioxidant cleanser works to deeply clean the skin, while keeping your skin barrier in tact without causing irritation. The brand claims that it is gentle enough to use morning and night. Important ingredients include green tea leaf water, coco-betaine, matcha powder, quillaja saponaria bark extract, sweet almond and hemp seed oil, oat kernel extract and vitamin B5. I love that the matcha content is 40% in this product! All of these ingredients are great for calming and purifying the skin, with nourishing benefits. The texture is gel or gummy-like; it reminds me a lot of the Then I Met You water cleanser. When it lathers up there is a very light, white foam and it feels quite creamy on the skin; it’s perfect for a little ASMR moment. The scent is very earthy, which we all know is my fave! The matcha aroma combines well with the oat, hemp and almond ingredients. It’s almost as if you’re serving yourself a healthy breakfast on your face.

I have to say this cleanser definitely lived up to the hype! It’s so gentle, yet effective. Once I massaged it into my skin with water, it was a lovely sensory experience. The gel-like texture wrapped my skin in moisture and felt so luxurious. When washed away, there were no traces of dirt left behind–just clean, supple skin. Not to mention, this is THE most affordable cleanser I’ve tried that I love in every respect. $16 for 4 oz. of product is honestly a steal! I’m putting this water cleanser in my TOP 3…that’s right, I said it! Just go try it for yourself.

Kale-Lalu-yAHA

$25

I’ve noticed more and more exfoliating toners popping up the past couple of years. I’m all for them, as long as they’re not too harsh on the skin. So you can imagine how intrigued I was by this fan favorite. This exfoliating toner aims to remove dead skin cells, reduce skin damage, fine lines and discoloration, while adding antioxidants back into the skin. Krave Beauty claim’s that this product is great for de-clogging congested skin, and should only be used 2 to 3 times a week. It’s also part of the “Supplement Series,” which includes products that aren’t always necessary, but offer a boost of improvement for your skin.

Key ingredients include aloe leaf water, kale, spinach, and parsley extract, 5.25% glycolic acid (AHA derived from sugar cane), green apple extract, vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid, allanotin, green tea seed oil, and more! The texture is watery with a beautiful green tint, due to the natural ingredients. It smells very much like acid, with a hint of the leafy greens.

I have read that some people use this product every night. As someone who is experienced with chemical exfoliants, I thought that I’d at least be able to use it 2-3 times a week as recommended. Upon application, I was shocked at how much of a tingle there was. It wasn’t bad enough for me to wash it off, but was definitely uncomfortable for a couple of minutes. This toner is a tad more intense than I imagined. The first time I applied I made the mistake of over exfoliating with the DECEIM AHA/BHA peel–which has a high percentage of AHA–AND this product… NO BUENO! Please do as I say, never as I do: DO NOT OVER-EXFOLIATE! Do not combine this with other AHAs that have a high percentage. You’ll deeply regret it! My skin broke out terribly the next day after doing this, and was very irritated and itchy.

After realizing my mistake, and how potent Kale-Lalu-yAHA was for my skin, I used it as my ONLY AHA combined with another BHA product I’m trying out. These work together marvelously, and yield beautiful results! My skin is always very clear the next day. Dark spots appear brighter and they weren’t joking about decongesting the skin. I’ve only been using it once a week since it’s so potent for me. I’m still not quite sure why because I am used to using a higher percentage, but for now I’ll respect my skin and use it sparingly. After a month of use, I still get a tingle after application, but it dissipates once I add the rest of my routine.

I also made sure my skin was completely dry before applying to avoid irritation. Overall, I think this is an effective product. I think it will last a long time since you only need a few drops on a cotton pad or in your palms. There’s 6.7 oz. of product here which is a decent amount that matches the price. I think this is a good place to start for chemical exfoliant beginners. Just be sure to use it sparingly at nighttime, and ALWAYS wear that SPF during the day.

Great Barrier Relief

$28

I was especially excited to try this serum not only for it’s benefits, but also because 2% of all sales go towards the Great Barrier Reef Foundation! This product is part of the Supplement Series as well. The goal of this serum is to soothe, feed and nurse a damaged skin barrier back to health. It also helps even out the complexion and protect the skin. Incredible ingredients include 10% tamanu seed oil, niacinamide, safflower seed oil, rosehip oil, hyaluronic acid, squalane, oat kernel flower, NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factor), ceramides and lactic acid. The texture is creamy and light-weight, and the gorgeous light green color can be attributed to the tamanu oil. It blends into the skin so easily, and really provides that moisturizing, dewy and protective layer. The scent has an herbal/medicinal vibe and it’s very relaxing too.

I’ve been applying this product mostly in the morning and occasionally at night depending on what other products I’m using. It’s been SO nourishing and moisturizing for my skin! I’ve also noticed that it really has been healing my breakouts, really shrinking them at a rapid pace. My skin overall has been brighter, more even toned, very firm and plump. I can see how this would be great for everyone, but especially those with a compromised skin barrier. From sun damage to breakouts to sensitive skin, this product is truly a game changer! There is 1.4 oz. of product in the pump bottle. It’s not a lot, but you only need 1-2 pumps at a time. It lasts a while and honestly I’ve tried serums with this amount of product that don’t work as hard as this one. This serum is a must try!

The Beet Shield

$20

I reviewed this product a few months back, but I wanted to revisit it now that I’ve had some time to marinate on how I feel about it. This Core Series SPF includes organic chemical filters. There is beetroot extract, allantoin, vitamin C, resveratrol and EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). It’s fairly hydrating and provides that dewy sheen that’s on trend. I can definitely smell the beet root and vitamin C in this product, and I’m not mad at it, however there is an overwhelming chemical smell as well. The texture is creamy and smooths into the skin nicely with no white cast.

There has been some speculation about the alcohol (“bad” alcohol) that is included in the formula, but Krave Beauty provides more detail about why it is included on their site. It states that during testing there were no signs of irritation from the alcohol however, those with rosacea or severe skin conditions should consult a doctor. I did not experience irritation from this product at first, but after extended use, I noticed some stinging around my mouth and nose area–where my skin is most sensitive. I felt that sensation could only be because of the alcohol included.

I did love that there was vitamin C to help lighten my complexion, while protecting me from the sun. Overall, I’m not sure that I would use it again because of that slight irritation and the chemical-y smell. If you’d like to try it out, I think it really depends on how sensitive your skin is and how you feel about using products formulated with alcohol. The bottle is slightly smaller than I envisioned as well, so it did not last as long as I’m used to.

I’ve been using the first 3 products I mentioned for over a month and I really am loving all of them! I can see myself repurchasing all of them in the future, except maybe Kale-Lalu-yAHA because I do have other chemical exfoliants that I feel very attached to. Of course, I still believe it’s a great product.

Shout out to Liah Yoo and her team for creating products that get down to the basics of effective skincare, without break the bank! I’m looking forward to trying their new moisturizer, Oat So Simple Water Cream next. I’d love to hear about your experience with Krave Beauty too!