PRODUCT REVIEW: KORA ORGANICS TURMERIC GLOW MOISTURIZER - BEST ORGANIC FACE CREAM, BEST BRIGHTENING MOISTURIZER WITH TURMERIC
KORA ORGANICS | TURMERIC GLOW MOISTURIZER
This review was originally part of my blog article titled, Part 2: Three Super Light Moisturizers (and an Eye Cream!) for Spring that I'm Super into. You can catch the full piece here.
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As the pandemic has waned here in NYC, spring truly seems like a reawakening. Everything feels fresh, new, liberating. Just like spring in NYC should feel. And, as in years past, spring means new skin care! There are suddenly exciting, lighter textures; new, innovative face creams; and game-changing serums that light up a dull, winter-worn complexion.
Two weeks ago, I published the first part in my two-part series on lightweight moisturizers for spring. I had traditionally reviewed what I consider the best face creams for oily skin and all skin types in the warmer months during the early summer. (Psst…you can catch part one here.)
PART 1: THREE SUPER LIGHT MOISTURIZERS (AND AN EYE CREAM!) FOR SPRING THAT I'M SUPER INTO
That initial piece featured some of my favorite new face cream discoveries of the last few months, including the Paula’s Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer, The Inkey List’s Symbright Moisturizer and the Sobel Skin Rx Bio Hyaluronic Moisture Cream Extreme. I also included in my recommendations one of my favorite anti-aging eye creams right now, the vitamin- and peptide-powered SELF/ish Eye Cream.
Over the past week, the temps have literally hit 80 degrees. So, the spring switch-up couldn’t be more timely. I’ve got tons of new product discoveries coming in the weeks ahead including a few super cool probiotic skincare products.
But for now let’s take a look at the next selection in my lightweight moisturizer series…
KORA Organics | Turmeric Glow Moisturizer
I love anything with turmeric in it. The Inkey List’s Turmeric Cream is one of my favorite moisturizers ever — and one of the best brightening face creams. That’s what turmeric does in skincare: it brightens the skin. It’s also a fantastic antioxidant.
But at higher concentrations it does smell, something that can turn off a lot of people. It’s ugly sexy. Like a lot of sneakers and male actors.
PRODUCT REVIEW: THE INKEY LIST TURMERIC CREAM – ONE OF THE BEST ANTIOXIDANT MOISTURIZERS
The new KORA Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer is of course powered by turmeric, but not so much turmeric that it’s off-putting. While The Inkey List Turmeric Cream reeks of it, the KORA Organics option is more tolerable.
The brand’s Turmeric Glow Moisturizer is a treasure trove of natural ingredients, many of which are derived from organic farming or designated by the brand as “made using organic ingredients”.
To start, at ingredient number one is organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice. I love when a brand’s chemists are wise enough to replace useless water with aloe vera or a fermented extract. These are nourishing for the skin and, in the case of aloe, have a humectant benefit and even some antioxidant activity on the skin. Water delivers nothing more than a temporary humectant benefit and wastes precious resources. Bravo to KORA Organics for that!
There are numerous emollients in the form of non-fragrant plant oils in the Turmeric Glow Moisturizer including organic Avocado Oil, organic Rosehip Seed Oil and organic Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil — all in the top ten. I’d never heard of the latter. It’s perhaps better known as Desert Date Oil; though not better known to me.
There are also several skin brightening actives in KORA Organics’ Turmeric Glow Moisturizer. Among them Turmeric Root Extract, Licorice Root Extract, and Ascorbyl Glucoside — a stable, water-soluble form of Vitamin C.
According to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team:
Ascorbyl glucoside is a stable form of vitamin C combined with glucose. When properly formulated and absorbed into skin, it breaks down to ascorbic acid (pure vitamin C). It functions as an antioxidant and works well with other replenishing and antioxidant ingredients to preserve key substances skin needs to look smoother, brighter, and younger.
Research on ascorbyl glucoside’s ability to improve uneven skin tone or spots isn’t too exciting, at least compared with more studied types of vitamin C; however ascorbyl glucoside plus the B vitamin niacinamide is a viable combination to consider, and several skincare products pair these ingredients.
Ascorbyl glucoside is a good form of vitamin C to consider, though as with any ingredient, skin will reap greater benefits from a mix of great ingredients rather than focusing on just one, hoping it does it all.
What Are the Benefits of Turmeric for Skin?
Of course the star active in the formula is organic Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract — one of the most potent antioxidants used in skin care. What is turmeric and what makes it so valuable for the skin? Of course, I found all the insights I needed from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team.
Turmeric is a spice made from the dried, ground root of the Curcuma longa plant. It contains curcumin, a lipophilic, polyphenolic antioxidant pigment that gives turmeric its golden-yellow color.
In addition to being a food seasoning, turmeric has numerous health benefits whether consumed orally vis foods and supplements or applied topically. Ongoing research has shown turmeric and the curcumin it contains play a safe and compelling role in promoting healthier, normalized skin.
On skin, in vivo research has shown that turmeric and its derivatives interrupt signaling in surface cells that trigger signs of irritation. Turmeric helps calm skin and may even play a role in reducing the look of acne-related redness by modulating pathways to restore a healthier, more even appearance.
Research has conclusively shown that turmeric is a potent antioxidant, largely due to its curcumin content (although turmeric also contains other antioxidants). Applying turmeric to skin can help offset signs of environmental damage and, to some extent, thwart the skin-damaging effects from UVB light.
As with many antioxidants, turmeric requires protection from air and light, as routine exposure causes it to break down and limits its availability to skin.
Beyond being an antioxidant, some research has shown the curcumin portion of turmeric boosts skin’s hyaluronic acid content, meaning turmeric can also be considered hydrating.
With its deep yellow hue and brightening oomph, the KORA Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer is a brilliant formula — literally and figuratively. But what makes it so special, and sets it apart from just about everything else in the marketplace, is the refill pod component. It’s also super cool!
How exactly does it work?
Well, you start by purchasing your first KORA Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer for $58. That includes the kinda elegant, super durable plastic pot and a single refill pod. The jar’s lid is a bit too blingy for me, but it’s all good.
Then, when you’re running low on your face cream, you just need to purchase a new pod at $46 — a savings of $12.
Of course the whole thing only works if you love it enough to replace it. (And if you’re really, really into the gaudy lid!)
I gotta say, I think you may just love Turmeric Glow Moisturizer enough to keep using it again and again. It’s a perfectly well formulated antioxidant, emollient, and brightening face cream made with all-natural ingredients, many of which are organic or fermented actives.
Turmeric Glow Moisturizer has a soft, velvety texture that’s ideal for all skin types except oily and blemish prone. (There’s an option for you guys below!)
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the KORA Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer for $58 here.
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THE YEAR’S BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS WITH PAULA'S CHOICE, SUNDAY RILEY, THE INKEY LIST AND MORE!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
The Ingredient List of the KORA Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer:
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Glycerin^, Coconut Alkanes, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil*, Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil*, Water/Aqua/Eau, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cetearyl Olivate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Fruit Oil*, Passiflora Edulis (Maracuja) Seed Oil*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract*, Lactobacillus, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Lactobacillus/Arundinaria Gigantea Leaf Ferment Filtrate, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Seed Oil, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Lactic Acid, Phospholipids, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint Indian) Leaf Oil*, Sclerotium Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract*, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract*, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract*, Yeast (Faex) Powder, Sodium Phytate, Cylindrotheca Fusiformis Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Juniperus Virginiana (Cedarwood) Oil, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol , Bisabolol, Soybean Peroxidase, Superoxide Dismutase, Alcohol, Citral**, Geraniol**, Limonene**, Linalool**.
*Ingredients from Organic Farming
**From essential oils
^Made using organic ingredients
The Ingredient List of the Tata Harper Repairative Anti-Aging Moisturizer:
so|h, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter emo, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes emo, Aqua/Water/Eau solv, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract so, Caprylic/Capric/Triglyceride emo, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil aox|emo|perf 0 0-2, Glycerin 
sii|h 0 0, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emo 0 0-2, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Cetearyl Olivate emu, Mel/Honey/Miel so|h|amic, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate amic|pres, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa Seed) Butter emo 0 4, Sorbitan Olivate emu, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Leaf Extract aox, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract so|aox|perf, Arnica Montana (Arnica) Extract 
, Propanediol solv|h, Sodium Phytate chel, Galactoarabinan aox, Sclerotium Gum vc, Cetyl Palmitate emo 0 0, Sorbitan Palmitate emu, Lavandula Stoechas (Spanish Lavender) Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Menyanthes Trifoliata (Buckbean) Flower Extract, Tilia Europaea (Linden) Leaf/Flower Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria (Meadowsweet) Extract so, Aroma**, Citral perf, Citronellol perf, Eugenol perf, Geraniol perf, Limonene perf|solv, Linalool perfThe Ingredient List of the Youth To The People Superfood Air-Whip Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid:
Water/Aqua/Eau (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phenoxyethanol, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Hydroxyethylcellulose, Brassica Oleracea Capitata (Kale) Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Leaf Extract, Spinacia Oleracea (Spinach) Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Natural Fragrance, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Ci 75810 (Chlorophyll), Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool.
The Ingredient List of the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream:
Water/Aqua/Eau*, Butylene Glycol*, Glyceryl Stearate*, Octyldodecanol*, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables*, Cetyl Alcohol*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Silica*, Tribehenin*, Beeswax/Cera Alba/Cire d’abeille*, Benzyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, C9-12 Alkane*, Octyldodecyl PCA*, Dunaliella Salina (Pink Algae) Extract*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beta-Carotene*, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract*, Caffeine*, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil*, Biosaccharide Gum-1*, Sodium Hyaluronate*, Quercetin*, Physalis Alkekengi Calyx Extract*, Squalene*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax*, Fructose*, Cetearyl Alcohol*, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate*, Oleic Acid*, Sorbitan Caprylate*, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin*, Xanthan Gum*, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate*, Sucrose Palmitate*, Sodium Phytate*, Dehydroacetic Acid, Maltodextrin*, Lecithin*, Glyceryl Linoleate*, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride*, Citric Acid*, Tin Oxide, Tocopherol*, Ascorbyl Palmitate*, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)*, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77499)*.
*Naturally derived.
