A few months ago I put the call out on Instagram stories for product review requests. Far and away, the most requested brand was Cocokind. You guys were dyinnggggg for a review. I think the main reason is that this brand is totally clean and also really, really affordable. Most of the products are under $20. It’s also gotten a LOT of hype. So you guys wanted to know the truth. (I wanted to know, too!) Is this brand too good to be true? Does it live up to the hype??
So I went to their site and bought a ton of stuff. I got their starter kit (I really love that the brand does this – a great way to try out everything for only $16) as well as a few of their best sellers.
I’m going to say it. I was hard on this brand.
And I really liked a lot of the products but was just medium on most of it, and hated a few of the products. I will say that maybe this brand is just not for me/I might not be their target customer. I have a few friends with oily skin who absolutely swear by the line (especially the chlorophyll mask).
With the exception of a few products, I mostly felt like they were akin to early days clean beauty products. Most of them have a very homemade vibe to them and reminded me of the organic products my mom would bring home from the health food store on Cape Cod when I was a kid. There’s nothing wrong with that, I just prefer my products a little more high-tech! For a lower price point, in most cases, I’d recommend Weleda over this brand.
(I also feel bad as the company seems really nice. They do a lot of good things and the owners seem like good people.) But I pride myself in honest, no bullshit skincare reviews, so here we go.
Cocokind Skincare Review
Cocokind: What I Loved…
Oil to Milk Cleanser
OH MAN I LOVE this cleanser. It’s really nice. It goes on like a cleansing balm (but it’s in a tube and not a jar and you know how I hate sticking my fingers in jars!). You massage it into dry skin to loosen up your makeup and then add a bit of water to emulsify it. It immediately turns into a milky lather and rinses off clean. Your skin is nice and soft but not at all greasy (I hate when oil cleansers leave you feeling grimy afterward).
All over Golden Elixir
This is a fantastic everyday oil. It’s suuuuper hydrating but sinks in immediately. I didn’t try it for body but I tried it for face and absolutely loved it.
Turmeric Spot Treatment
This is a great spot treatment to have on hand if you break out. I really like the formula. It simultaneously heels acne while soothing your skin. Loved this one!
Cocokind: What was just medium…
Vitamin C Serum with Sea Grape Caviar
This was a letdown as it was definitely the product I had been most excited to try. It has all my favorite ingredients (hyaluronic acid to plump and vitamin C to brighten). This is fine. It left my skin bright + soft but was otherwise unremarkable. If you do use it, I recommend using the golden elixir over it! I might be being a little harsh though – for $18, it’s a good deal.
Organic Chia Face Oil
This was fine. It’s not special but it does the job. I felt like it sat more on my face vs. sinking in (the golden elixir sinks right into your skin!). That being said, it’s only $12. So you get what you pay for. It’s good for the price. If you want a decent face oil to apply over your moisturizer and serum this would work nicely.
Rosewater Toner
This smells really nice, and feels good applying to your skin (it’s very soothing) but didn’t really do anything.
Cocokind: The bad…
Cleansing Oil
This is not for me. It does the job fine but did not take off all of my mascara; and my skin still felt oily afterward. The oil to milk cleanser (mentioned above) is MUCH better. No grimy finish. I prefer when a cleansing oil washes off in full afterward. I feel like it impacts the absorption of serums and everything else. So I ended up just using toner after and being fine but this is just not my preference. I did really like the scent… it smells great!
Raspberry Vinegar Toner
Oh my god, this smells terrible. I have put all sorts of smelly products on my face but this was just too much. Wayyy too vinegar-y! I smelled like salad in a bad way. I felt validated as a few of you said the same thing in DM’s. Yuck. If it did something magical for my skin I’d be more accepting of the smell but it didn’t really do anything. In reading the product reviews, I think it would be better for oily types BUT the smell is just so bad.
Chlorophyll Mask
Okay – I know a lot of you love this (it seems to be folks with oily/acne prone skin) so take this review (from a 38 year old person with dry skin) with a grain of salt. I hate this mask. It did nothing for me and was a huge mess. My skin didn’t feel any different after using it. I also really don’t like powder masks. If I’m doing face mask, I want self care and not a DIY project. Sorry… I did like being green for twenty minutes… it made for a great instagram photo?
Photography by Carter Fish.
Thank you for this review. I saw this brand at Whole Foods the other day and was wondering about it. I have skin similar to yours, so I’ll def pass on everything but the oil to milk cleanser. I think I really need to just shell out for a good cleansing balm this winter. Totally agree that Weleda for the price Is the best, skin food And their toner are my faves. Love love love your honesty!!
The Farmacy Cleansing Balm (green clean) is my FAVORITE (and it’s not a bad price!)
Grace, thanks for this review! I’m intrigued by the oil to milk cleanser! Also just generally wanted to say that I love your blog and am so impressed by it. Your posts are always thoughtfully composed, beautifully shot, and it’s clear that you put a ton of time, thought, and effort into this blog. Not to name names but there are so many bloggers who seem to be phoning it in, and yours is truly the real deal. Also I adore that it’s a mix of beauty and lifestyle and BOOKS. Keep it up, you have a real fan here. Best– Amanda
That is so nice! Thank you 🙂 xx
First off – I love your honesty. I will say this review made me think “wow we really all have such different skincare needs and preferences”. I love some of the things from this brand but it was funny for me to see you hated some of the things I love and to be honest i really don’t like some of the things that worked best for you! ( I can only speak to this because I regularly use and tried a lot of this brand myself).
Also the mask for me ( dry skin, not oily or acne prone) seems to work well as a good “maintenance” mask , gentle enough to use a few days a week. My skin just looks brighter when I’m regularly using it.
It’s so interesting. That’s why I try to always say, “what works for me might not work for you,” and vice versa because it’s SO different for everyone!
I’ve never heard of Cocokind before – thanks for the honest review! ❤️✨
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
You’re welcome!
I have super oily, cystic acne prone skin. I should try the mask. The DIY type actually help my skin to pull the oil out. Thanks
It might be perfect for you! Also you should follow my friend Kali (she loves the green mask!) https://www.instagram.com/myfacestory/
Love when you are honest!!! It’s so refreshing, obviously everything can’t all be amazing!
Thanks Jess!
Nothing to do with this post, but I must ask, what do you mean, when you say a product didn’t do much for you? I understand something doesn’t clean your face when it should, but how you determine if a vit C serum etc works, when they need weeks to feel/see a difference. I know you use them for longer periods, when you test something, but you must use other products in that period? (As one would expect). Your skin is already perfection, so how will it get any better at first look? I get how it might feel better.
I am asking, because, here in Europe, we have quite a few clean brands, some cheaper, and I honestly don’t know what is something I should be amased by and what not. Weleda is everywhere here, and I love it, but it doesn’t work wonders. But by using a cheap vit C for example, in a couple of weeks I have seen a big difference. Same with Vichy. But the difference I see is because beforehand skin was in a bad condition.
Hey Andrea -I have been testing products for so long that I can get a sense pretty quickly. It’s hard to say exactly but I can tell the difference – in how my skin looks, feels, etc. With most vitamin c serums I notice an immediate glow, and smoothness over time. This just didn’t do anything. Hope that clarifies.
I feel meh about the turmeric stick! I rarely break out, but when I do I want it gone ASAP. A dab of tea tree oil directly on the spot before moisturizer usually does more.
I may have to try the oil to milk cleanser. I have been looking for a cleanser that wouldn’t dry me out or leave a bunch of gunk on my face to use in the evenings!
Thanks for putting out quality content with honest opinions!!
That’s so interesting. Really goes to show you how different skincare can be from person to person!
I’m just going to say it–I’m always suspect when a product, especially a “clean” one, is this inexpensive. Even if they are not loaded with toxic ingredients, I can’t help but wonder what good stuff they’ve skimped on in order to make something more affordable.
I have such complex skin issues, from cystic acne, combination oily and dry, and extreme sensitivity, that I’ve resigned myself to the fact that not only do I want, I also need products with quality ingredients to care for my skin. I recently tested several Biossance and Naturopathica products and have been really happy with the results. These products are a little pricey, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay.
Honestly, I feel the same but try to keep an open mind when I test things, as you never know! Weleda is an example of a brand that has GREAT products, and they’re pretty affordable. This one did not really live up to the hype.
I definitely agree that some of the products are hit or miss but I would like to add one pro tip as I’ve been a few cocokind products consistently for a few years…
Pair the chlorophyll mask with the chia face oil and voila- wonderful (wallet- friendly) mask combo as long as you’re okay with a little DIY!
Oh that’s such an interesting idea. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the review. I love reading your feedback on products but I also know we have suuuuuper different skin types. Do you have any trusted sources you’d recommend for someone with more oily and acne-prone skin? Thank you!
Hey! Maybe check out @myfacestory on instagram! She’s great // acne positivity and tons of recs.
I am truly glad you were honest. Truly natural skin care does speak to very specific people. I am one of them. I am 30 with combination skin and coco kind has been the best I have ever had for my skin when it comes to clean, natural products. I have friends who want the more chemical stuff with retinol. I get it. It’s just not really me and it’s not good for our bodies and that’s coco’s beautiful approach.
I agree the vinegar toner isn’t awesome but the rose one is! I feel the same about the oil to milk cleanser, it’s bomb! But I will say you should try the chlorophyll mask a little more. When I first got it, I used water and it didn’t work as great as the hype. Then I used their rose toner and it seemed a bit better so I stuck it out like that for a month. But once I thought to try and used the golden elixir with it to create the mask, amazing. My skin was super nourished. It’s the only way I use the mask now and it’s really really wonderful. The matcha stick is my go to all winter. I have one in my bag and one in my bathroom. That’s hydration on the go without greasiness! Truthfully I love that it’s cost effective and all natural! I can buy 5 products for under $100! And my skin looks better than it ever has! I get so many compliments.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!!
Thanks for your honest review. I have been using the vitamin c serum for 3 weeks and not loving it. Won’t be reordering but may go with your recommendation for the golden elixir.
I am really getting positive vibes from the turmeric spot treatment. I do face skin problems. I wish to see this brand in India soon 🙂
” It left my skin bright + soft but was otherwise unremarkable” What else would a facial serum do? i am interested in trying this- and not at all sure what to do with this review! If it does those 2 things- I call that a win.
SO happy to read this article!! I bought the turmeric spot treatment today & look forward to trying it! I was going to try & find the chlorophyll mask, but I don’t think it will be best for me. Thank you ♥️