Beauty

Black Cadillac In My Bathroom

Beauty | 5.8.2014 | Katja Kokko

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A new color has made its way into my bathroom cupboard as well as my beach tote – black.

Not just any black, though, but a sophisticated and shiny black. I’m not sure how well it goes with my current summer beach bum style (denim shorts with a white top, day in and day out), but the current heatwave has made this face mist, which comes in a sleek black glass bottle, my go-to item number one.

Behind the stylish packaging is New York based natural cosmetics brand Kahina; featured in Vogue, Elle, and some of the world’s top beauty blogs, the brand has made a name for itself in the States and Europe alike.

Kahina’s main ingredient is Moroccan argan oil, and the percent of organic ingredients in the products is astoundingly high. The face mist, for example, is 90 percent organic, no small feat for a product containing water.

I’m not won over by mere packaging and organic ingredients, however – the products must also be effective. A glance at Kahina’s INCI tells me that the products are carefully crafted.

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I love the face mist: it is very moisturizing, minimizes pores, brightens the skin and combats impurities. Willow and aspen bark extracts contain naturally occurring salicylic acid, which helps to renew the skin, as well as combating impurities (that is to say, it is brightening). White tea extract and alfalfa extract are both potent antioxidants, working in tandem with other exfoliating ingredients. Sodium hyaluronate helps to bind moisture.

I spritz myself with the face mist several times a day – a light spray over newly applied makeup gives the perfect surfer look. The freshness of the mist keeps one from nodding off on a park bench, and instead of reapplying powder and blush before a date, one spritz of this magical water is enough to freshen up a casual summer look.

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The brightening serum is among the most potent products I’ve ever tried. It really does even out and brighten the skin tone. I have nothing against freckles myself (on the contrary, I wish I had more), but I’m certain that people suffering from depigmentation or hyperpigmentation will love this product. With the current heat, I’ve only needed the face mist and serum in the morning, though I sometimes apply a dollop of cooling moisturizer. In the evenings I let the serum sit and absorb before applying a moisturizer, or oil, if I’ve spent the day lying in the sun.

The INCI of the serum is made up of a very potent cocktail of antioxidants and impurity-combating ingredients. Aloe Vera, argan oil and sodium hyaluronate provide moisture. It is worth noting that the serum also contains lactobacillus ferment, which not only works as a natural preservative, but also brightens and evens skin tone, as well as stabilizing the skin’s hydrolipid film – in other words, supporting the skin’s natural immunity.

Kahina’s selection is very simple, and I believe the other products in the range are of an equally high quality. The black glass bottles are the black cadillacs of the bathroom cupboard – too beautiful to hide away, and much better left out on the dresser, on full display.

DSC_0121 Products provided for testing by the importer.

Photos  Katja Kokko

Translation Katja Nikula

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