I Tried $462 Worth Of Kosas Makeup & These Products Impressed Me The Most

If you were to take a look inside any beauty editor’s makeup bag, you'd likely spot one brand in particular: Kosas Cosmetics.

The BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream is a favorite of our beauty director, Jacqueline Kilikita, while senior writer Karina Hoshikawa always finishes the Wet Lip Oil Gloss to the very last drop. (The product is often sold out at Sephora in multiple shades, which is a testament to its popularity.)

Don't just take our word for it, though. TikTok’s beauty enthusiasts and viral makeup artists like Katie Jane Hughes are equally as enamored by Kosas, which serves up “makeup for skincare freaks”. With ingredients like hydrating hyaluronic acid and skin-strengthening peptides, it’s not just about color cosmetics. Everything from the brand’s skin tints to blushes look after the integrity of skin, too.

Having heard incredible things, I was eager to test out the brand for myself, so I got my hands on Kosas’ makeup and skincare bestsellers. Read ahead to see which products are actually worth the investment — and what I would gladly purchase again and again.

My pores become extra congested around the start of summer, so this Kosas cleansing duo could not have come at a better time. This two-step system consists of the Plump + Juicy Cleansing Oil, $48, and the Plump + Juicy Gel Cleanser, $38 (you can buy them individually or as a set, which also comes with a limited-edition hair clip from Emi Jay, at the reduced price of $86). Both have a cushiony, slippery texture that melts right into the skin. I’m partial to the Plump + Juicy Cleansing Oil, which does an incredible job at lifting any remnants of SPF, dirt, and makeup from my skin; it melts and emulsifies like a cleansing balm, but without any of that oily residue that makes it harder to rinse off. I attribute its dreamy consistency to ceramides, a lightweight but moisturizing ingredient I always look for in my skincare; they leave my skin refreshed and supple, without stripping it of its natural moisture.

Meanwhile, the Plump + Juicy Gel Cleanser is a water-based product that lathers up beautifully but also helps the skin lock in moisture, thanks to hydrating panthenol (vitamin B5) and hyaluronic acid. My skin never feels tight after using this cleanser, even though it’s very effective at washing away the oily buildup from my pores. I’ve noticed fewer frequent breakouts since I’ve switched to this double cleansing system, making it an ideal skincare staple for the hot and sticky days ahead.

I’m not a huge fan of baking (the technique where you set your base makeup with a thick coating of powder), but when I heard that Kosas would be unveiling a loose setting powder, I was still intrigued. The brand’s sheer pressed powder tops my makeup rotation: I highly rate the product’s abilities to sweep away shine, thanks to the bamboo extract that helps absorb excess oil from the skin. The powder pretty much performs in exactly the same way, albeit in a loose format. I like how it gives my makeup a “soft focus” look, and it does a great job at blurring the texture on my skin (Ultra Sheer Yellow was my closest shade match). My only gripe is with the packaging design: the plastic lid covering the dispenser is quite tricky to open, and I often find myself digging my nails into the crevices to pry it open. Since I have to tip over the container and tap it many times to get enough powder to prime my brush, it’s simply too much effort. I much prefer the pressed powder version, which accomplishes the same thing and is much easier to use.

I wear lip liner almost every day and it takes a lot to impress me. The ideal lip liner should have the right amount of grip in my book — this bodes well for longer-lasting pigment without feathering — but it should never feel drying on the lips. I find that the Kosas Hot Liner measures pretty well to my standards. The silky formula features konjac root, which plumps the lips, while hyaluronic acid boosts hydration. I didn’t notice any creasing, and the shade I tried, Beyond, creates the perfect neutral pink base that enhanced the natural tone of my lips. (It’s worth noting that the actual color skews more beige than what is depicted on the website.)

I wore this with my favorite nude lip gloss (e.l.f.’s Lip Plumping Gloss in Mocha Twist, $7) and neither the color nor the shine budged for the whole morning. I did have to top up the gloss by lunchtime, but the lip liner was still very much intact. I also like that it comes with a mini sharpener and a flat brush, which is very helpful for cleaning up any overlined corners. I wish the cap for the brush end didn’t fall off quite so easily, but overall, this is a very solid product that I’ll get plenty of use out of.

In my experience, setting sprays typically achieve one of two things: they either help to lock in your makeup or prime your skin with a dewy, glowy finish. Kosas’ Cloud Set Mist, however, promises to deliver both with its array of sugar- and plant-based ingredients.. I will say that this lighter-than-air mist does cast a flattering, dewy veil over my skin and helps me look more awake and healthy, but I don’t notice any difference when it comes to extending the wear time of my makeup. I find myself achieving a longer-lasting makeup look when I buff the Kosas pressed powder onto my face before setting it with the mist. If you want an instant smoothing glow to your skin before heading out the door, especially in the heat, this mist is a winner.

This was what got Kosas on my radar in the first place. Our deputy beauty director Jacqueline Kilikita tested Kosas’ BB Burst for a roundup of the best skin tints and crowned it the champion. It only takes one swipe of the product to understand why: The souffle-like formula spreads so nicely on the skin, effortlessly blurring out my acne scars and dark spots while leaving no creases. It’s by far the most weightless complexion makeup product I’ve tried.

According to Sheena Zadeh, founder of Kosas, this skin-like gel is packed with a slew of ingredients that provide hydration on three levels. “Copper peptides, the star of BB Burst, are one of my favorite ingredients for their sheer power — they work to support collagen and overall improve the integrity of the skin,” she tells Refinery29. “It also contains saccharide isomerate to smooth and support the skin barrier, sodium PCA to hydrate and retain moisture, and zinc oxide to soothe sensitive skin and help with [reducing] redness.” The results? A dewy, healthy glow on my skin that lasts well into the evening, and keeps me reaching for it again and again.

I have standards when it comes to the perfect concealer: It needs to have decent coverage, but the formula has to be hydrating without creasing. The Revealer Concealer passes the test with flying colors. The product feels like a cooling smoothie; it melts into my skin seamlessly, instantly making me look more awake without emphasizing the texture of my blemishes. “[This concealer] is lightweight but substantial — it covers dark circles and red skin staining left behind by breakouts without any chalkiness,” Kilikita adds.

After checking the ingredients list, it was clear why I was so drawn to this concealer. It contains several names I always look for in my eye creams: hyaluronic acid and peptides (which top up moisture levels and improve elasticity), vitamin B5 (which is soothing and improves uneven texture), and caffeine (which brightens and depuffs). You’re essentially getting a concealer that doubles as an eye cream. An honorable mention goes to the Revealer Dual-Ended Makeup Blender, $14, which comes with a super-pointed end that reaches the inner corners of my hooded eyes.

In a world of understated liquid blushes and cheek tints, this shimmery, highly pigmented baked blush stands out in the best way. Each shade features a swirl of two colors to give that multi-dimensional look to your cheekbones, and is packed with a healthy dose of (talc-free) sparkle. I love how Hype, a warm poppy pink and what I’m wearing above, makes me look naturally flushed. Butterflies, a cool fuschia, is what I reach for when I want a more dramatic look. Just one swipe using the Angled Cheek Brush, $28, will generate tons of pigment and sparkle. I’ve been using this as a blush-meets-highlighter on top of my favorite mauve liquid blush, and it helps set the makeup underneath while casting a lovely glow on my cheekbones.

Let’s just say that as a long-time devotee of Glossier’s Boy Brow, $22, I’ve now made a permanent switch to this product. Kilikita also swears by Air Brow and has finished multiple tubes. “I love this product for beefing up scant patches and keeping my wiry hairs in place,” she says. It really delivers on that bushy brow look by not just tinting your brow hairs, but making them appear fuller and darker — without looking drawn in.

Ingredients like castor oil and amino acid peptides, both nourishing ingredients that moisturize the hair and support hair growth, are also present. The triangular applicator disperses the fine fibers, which firmly grip onto each brow hair, without any clumps attached. The staying power is impressive, as I never notice any product rubbing off by the end of the day. There is also a clear version if you prefer just to tidy up your bare brows.

This is one of Kosas’ most well-known creations. Hailey Bieber is famously a fan and has been using the setting powder in her GRWM videos. It’s a silky, super-fine powder that adequately takes away the shininess in my T-zone without making my pores look more prominent or changing the color of my foundation. This is due to hydrating ingredients like passion fruit extract, which hydrates the skin, and bamboo extract, which absorbs extra sebum (oil) production. I’ve been using Candy, one of the three brightening shades the brand recently released, and really enjoy how the product shields my makeup without settling into the fine lines. I will say that the plastic case looks a bit flimsy and juvenile for the price, and I’ve read accounts of the lid breaking off easily. That feels like something the brand should work on fine-tuning for future releases.

I don’t go anywhere without making sure this moisturizing lipstick is in my bag. It offers a beautiful satin-y sheen and makes my lips look so smooth and alluring. This product has helped my lips stay moisturized and soft — even better than some of the lip balms I own. With a formulation that includes ceramides (an ingredient that strengthens the skin barrier) and squalane (which locks in the moisture), the lipstick glides on like a dream. Island High, a toasted red shade, is my current favorite.

This gel eyeliner claims to be waterproof and smudge-resistant, and in my experience, this was about halfway true. While the product offers excellent color payoff and a creamy texture that blends out nicely, the wear time leaves something to be desired. I lined my upper lids with Allure, a dark brown, on a hot day out — and it all but disappeared in a couple of hours. Interestingly enough, it didn’t leave any smudging behind. Given how flighty the color was, I wouldn’t recommend using this on your lower lash line. The range of colors is so gorgeous though; I am particularly drawn to Mesmerize, a matte lavender, and Cosmic, a satin oceanic blue. Here’s hoping there will be more upgrades to the formula in the future.

Not to be dramatic, but I’ve got email alerts set up for every sold-out shade of this lip oil — I am just that obsessed and eager to collect the full set. The comfortable, totally non-sticky formula is reason enough for me to be impressed, but it also makes my lips look so luscious and shiny, like they’ve been Photoshopped for a Y2K lipstick commercial. Thanks to a star-studded roster of hydrating ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, peptides, avocado oil, and shea butter, my lips stay plump and smooth all day. I get so many compliments whenever I wear FruitJuice, a vibrant magenta shade (pictured above).

I notice a difference in the staying power of my makeup whenever I use this Kosas spray-on serum as a first step before my base makeup. It’s a very lightweight mist that instantly lifts and preps my skin, with firming vegan collagen, moisturizing hyaluronic acid, and plumping peptides. At $48, this doesn’t come cheap and does have a slightly off-putting plastic smell. If you’re looking for a more affordable alternative, I’d highly recommend the e.l.f. Cosmetics Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray, $10, which does a similar thing at a fraction of the cost.