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As a beauty writer, I keep a rotation of skin-care and beauty products at my desk for the sake of reviews and maintaining a knowledge of what’s on the market, but if I’m being honest, I’ve always been a stickler for routine. I know what type of products I like, and which brands satisfy my needs, so it's tough for me to change it up when I’m not sure of how my skin will react.
Because of my dry skin and keratosis pilaris, I’ve been more willing to test new products on my body, but when it comes to my face I tend to keep it at lightweight moisturizers, hyaluronic acid serums, and sunscreen, unless I’m convinced otherwise. Which is what happened when I met Gigi Farah Goldman, cofounder of Kopari, a line of sustainable coconut-based skin-care products made from oil sourced in small batches in the Philippines—her coconut deodorant was a winner in our Best Natural Skin-care and Makeup category for the SELF Healthy Beauty Awards this year.
I had just run out of moisturizer, so Kopari’s Coconut Face Cream, $38, came at just the right time. I loved the simple packaging immediately—what 20-something can resist a pink and white color palette?—and decided to give the coconut oil-based moisturizer a week in my routine before deciding whether or not to make it a permanent fixture. I incorporated it into my usual skin-care routine, directly after cleansing at night. It was lightweight, and my skin absorbed it quickly. The smell is lovely too, like toasted coconuts, and was not overpowering.
I repeated this process for the next few days, morning and night, before I noticed the cream’s effects: My skin looked smooth and hydrated, and the lingering KP plugs on the bottoms of my cheeks were becoming smoother by the day. It’s a total game-changer for me since I’ve tried every cult French pharmacy product under the sun to help calm the little bumps and nothing’s been as effective.
One of my favorite features of Kopari’s Coconut Face Cream is the consistency: It’s lightweight but still incredibly hydrating. You’d think that with dry skin I’d prefer a thicker or richer cream but those tend to cause breakouts for me. The coconut oil-based moisturizer also works well mixed in with others: I like to blend mine in the morning with D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, $36, for a healthy glow that’ll last all day.
It’s been a month so far and I'm still going strong with this face cream. I’m curious to see how it will perform during fall and winter, but so far I don't miss the ones I've swapped out because the results are even better. Score one for trying something new.
