The Kora Organics brand has been generating a lot of buzz recently. People say that they are one of the few “clean” brands that actually works. I have extremely sensitive skin that reacts negatively to chemicals that most people are fine with. Yes, this makes it much harder for me to find quality skincare.
I’ve experimented with a few other Kora Organics skincare products with success, so I was eager to give the Organics Noni Bright Vitamin C Serum a shot. Any time I can find something that works that doesn’t cause a negative skin reaction, I’m pumped. It was also the winner for 2019 Allure Best of Beauty Awards.
I was nervous though because there are number of mixed reviews online. Without anything definitive out there, I had no idea what to expect. Read on to see if this one was a win or a dud!
Kora Organics Vitamin C Serum Review
Why did I purchase the Kora Organics Vitamin C Serum?
I recently went to a dermatologist (my first time seeing one) and he told me that there were only two products really worth investing in that work. One was a vitamin C serum.
My goal was to look younger and improve the quality of my skin. The doctor said that a vitamin c serum could help with the overall “brightness” and “youthfulness” of my skin.
What does Vitamin C Serum do & why does it work?
According to Harvard “Topical vitamin C is a science-backed, dermatologist-favorite ingredient that may help slow early skin aging, prevent sun damage, and improve the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and acne.” Yes, please!
Ingredient list:
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycerin^, Water/Aqua/Eau, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment, Potassium Hydroxide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Capsicum Annuum (Capsicum) Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) Fruit Extract*, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Zinc PCA, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ascorbic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Euterpe Oleracea (Açai) Juice*, Tocopherol, Silica, Maltodextrin, Alcohol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Quartz, Citral**, Limonene**, Linalool**.
Certified Organic by COSMOS, Non-Toxic, No Artificial Fragrance, No GMO’S, Powerful Certified Organic Ingredients, Cruelty Free / Not Tested on Animals, and Fragrance Free (Contains no artificial or synthetic fragrance.)
How to use it
Apply 1 to 2 pumps of our certified organic Vitamin C serum daily onto clean skin in the morning after your cleanser. If you use a moisturizer you add it after applying the serum. If you use a toner apply that before the serum.
Kora Organics Vitamin C Serum Review – my experience
First Impression: How The Product Felt
Straight out of the container I was a little bit nervous. The serum felt sticky and I hate when I put sticky serums on my face. Even though it’s not a real thing, I worry that with a sticky face that random lint, bugs, and other crap will get stuck to my face during the day. THANKFULLY, once you lather the serum on the stickiness quickly goes away.
The Scent
Some people describe the scent as overpowering. I DEFINITELY would NOT describe it that way. The scent is a very mild citrus smell that quickly fades after application. There is no artificial fragrance added.
How It Feels On Your Face
Once on your face it doesn’t sit heavy or sticky. It is very light and ultimately feels like a moisturizer, which I really like.
The Results
NO NEGATIVE REACTIONS! My skin is pretty sensitive and usually turns super red with vitamin C products but I had no reactions whatsoever!
The Kora Organics clean and negative chemical free brand came through. It has an EWG rating of 1, which is really, really hard to do. Read about what an EWG rating is and why it matters here.
I loved that I had no redness and no inflammation. Now, just because I didn’t have a negative reaction to the product doesn’t mean that it will necessarily produce the hoped for positive reaction.
I’m generally on top of my skincare, so I can’t say I saw an overwhelming improvement over the first month that I used it. On some days I felt like my face was more bright and glowy, but I’m generally prone to ups and downs so I can’t definitively say it was due to the serum.
That being said, I made my husband give it a shot. His results were phenomenal!
I could literally see his face get brighter and more youthful looking within the first month. I wasn’t the only one; he’s not really one to normally care, but he said that he even had a random coworker comment on his face looking “healthier.” If something can make his office full of men actually notice, it has to be working.
The Negatives
This produce is pricey. If you pay full price it will cost you $73. Clean beauty often comes with an extra cost, but this serum pushes even beyond that. For someone like me that has extremely sensitive skin, I have to invest a little bit more to not have negative reactions.
Kora Organics Sales
This product is pricey; if this is out of your budget I totally get it. There are still options for you. Kora Organics actually has shockingly good sales.
Shop their current sales here.
- Koraorganics.com has sales often – the routinely sell the Vitamin C Serum for $10 – 70% off!!! I bought 3 the last time I found a good sale. My husband’s mom purchased one for $20 during a sale. (See photo below of my receipt)
- Typically, they offer 15% off for new customers after signing up to their email list.
- During the holidays you can almost always count on a good sale of at least 25% off.
If you don’t want to invest in a full size bottle to start they do offer travel size at a much cheaper price. Check out the travel size here.
Where to shop for Kora Organics
I have always bought directly from koraorganics.com since I have found the best deals there, but there are now multiple retailers I recommend as well.
- Koraorganics.com – great sales and cheaper pricing if you purchase product bundles.
- Sephora now sells Kora Organics. The benefit to this is if you don’t like the product after using a small amount (in the US) you can return it.
- Revolve – free shipping, but no returns if bottle is opened.
The Conclusion: Is Kora Organics Vitamin C Serum Worth Purchasing?
This product is pricey, which may cause many to keep looking for another product that works at a cheaper cost. However, if you have extremely sensitive skin or value clean, gluten free, and vegan beauty then you might want to invest in the Kora Organics Noni Bright Vitamin C Serum. My husband and I both use it and have been through 5 bottles of it already! Let’s just say, I stand by this review. ;)
My Top 4 Kora Organics Products:
- TURMERIC BRIGHTENING & EXFOLIATING MASK – OMG, this stuff is like heaven on my face. I often find my husband sneaking into my bathroom to use it. lol Just trust me on this one, its worth paying full price for!
- NONI GLOW FACE OIL – On my third bottle.
- TURMERIC BODY SCRUB – Okay, so this one I was not expecting to like but it is my newest obsession. I have circulation issues and not only does this make my skin feel so soft, it also helps blood flow! You can rub it on with your hands in the shower or I like to use a Korean body scrubber for maximum results.
- NONI BRIGHT VITAMIN C SERUM – Obvs
They also just launched a new Plant Stem Retinol Alternative Serum that I am super curious to try but I am waiting for a sale. Let me know in the comments if you like it!
