Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and the products featured were provided for review.Created by musician Alicia Keys in collaboration with dermatologist Dr. Renée Snyder,
Keys Soulcare is a relatively new beauty brand offering a range of skincare products inspired by Alicia's skincare journey. Formulated with clean, cruelty-free ingredients that promise to nourish the skin (and the soul), Keys Soulcare is available exclusively at Sephora in Canada. I recently had the pleasure to try out a handful of products from the brand so today I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts......
Keys Soulcare | Golden Cleanser (C$35 for 170 ml):Housed in a luxurious glass bottle topped with a pump dispenser, the Golden Cleanser is a gentle gel cleanser formulated with hydrating manuka honey, purifying turmeric, and calming chamomile. With a subtle sweet scent of sage and oat milk, the Golden Cleanser creates a nice lather that leaves the skin feeling clean but not stripped. The formulation will not tackle waterproof makeup so you will definitely need to double cleanse on heavy-makeup days but as an everyday cleanser, it will definitely get the job done.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Laurate, PEG-150 Distearate, Honey, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, PEG-150 Stearate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Triisostearate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-4, Polysorbate 20, Coceth-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG-150, Propanediol, Caramel, Citric acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance (Parfum).It's been a while since I've used a powder cleanser so I'm glad to see its inclusion in the Keys collection. Formulated with kaolin, corn starch, and perlite, the Be Luminous Exfoliator has a powder consistency that partially dissolves in water to form a rich lather. The formulation provides a fine exfoliating action but it's not a full-on face scrub. Also containing hojicha powder, mung bean powder, and lactic acid, the cleanser leaves the skin feeling clean and smooth. The product comes in a glass bottle with a fairly large opening at the top so do be careful not to pour out too much at a time. I personally find the Be Luminous Exfoliator formulation to be slightly drying so I would not recommend using it more than a few times a week. If you are a fan of powder cleansers like Tatcha's Polished Rice Powder (reviewed
here) or just a cleanser that doubles as a light exfoliator, then definitely give this a try!
Ingredients: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Kaolin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Betaine, Corn Starch Modified, Perlite, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Potassium Olivate, Water, Sodium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Powder, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour.
Keys Soulcare | Nourishing Cleansing Balm (C$48 for 80 g):Another cleanser? Clearly, Alicia Keys takes her cleansing ritual very seriously! Packaged in a sturdy glass jar and formulated with sunflower seed oil, shea butter, honey extract, and charcoal powder, the Nourishing Cleansing Balm has a melty, balmy consistency that spreads like butter on the skin. With an intoxicating sage and oat milk scent, the formulation removes all traces of makeup (waterproof included) and washes off nicely without leaving too much of a residue. You can use it on its own but I personally would double cleanse with a gel cleanser. Overall, this is a great cleansing balm but I do feel that because there are already so many great cleansing balms on the market, it will be hard for this one to stand out.
Ingredients: Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Synthetic Wax, PEG-10 Isostearate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Honey Extract, Charcoal Powder, Water (Aqua), Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Fragrance (Parfum), Ethylhexylglycerin.Keys Soulcare | Harmony Mask (C$48 for 50 g): Formulated with activated charcoal, manuka honey, and just a touch of gold foil, the Harmony Mask comes in a small glass jar. I do wish that it came with a little spatula (neither does the cleansing balm) but I guess for environmental reasons, none are included. With a light cream consistency that applies smoothly onto the skin, the mask also contains some kaolin clay so it does dry down slightly. The formulation feels very gentle so it's not as deeply cleansing as your traditional charcoal or clay mask. If you are looking for a middle ground between a nourishing cream mask and a clarifying charcoal mask, then this is a great pick. The formulation also has a light sage and oat milk scent and it washes off cleanly without leaving behind any residue.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Illite, Hectorite, Honey, Jojoba Esters, Trehalose, Glycerin, Bamboo Charcoal, PEG-150 Distearate, Gold, Tocopherol, Kaolin, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Mica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, PEG-150, PEG-150 Stearate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow Iron Oxide (CI 77492).Keys Soulcare | Skin Transformation Cream (C$51 for 50 g):Available in a scent-free version, the Skin Transformation Cream is formulated with pore-tightening niacinamide, smoothing bakuchiol, and moisture-locking ceramides. With a very subtle sage and oat milk scent, the moisturizer has a lightweight texture that quickly absorbs into the skin. There's no palpable residue and due to the relatively low dimethicone content, I did not experience any pilling or patching. If you are looking for a light day or night moisturizer that hydrates and nourishes the skin, then definitely check this out!
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Isohexadecane, Stearyl Heptanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isopropyl Isostearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Trehalose, Bakuchiol, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide EOP, Honey, Sodium Hyaluronate, Malachite Extract, Phytosphingosine, Panthenol (Vb5), Cholesterol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylate-13, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyisobutene, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Fragrance (Parfum).
Formulated with jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil, and peptides, this is an anti-aging eye cream with a rich but lightweight formulation. The eye cream consistency is definitely thicker than that of the Skin Transformation Cream but it does not feel greasy or heavy. If you are looking for a mild, everyday eye cream that instantly hydrates and nourishes the undereye area, then this is a good one to try out.
Ingredients: Water(Aqua), Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Silica, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Gold, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Mica, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891).As an absolute sucker for a good scented candle, I love the fact that Keys Soulcare offers a candle version of the sage and oat milk scent used in the skincare products. Hand-poured with vegan soy wax, the candle radiates a super calming oat milk scent that's slightly sweet. There is just a hint of sage so this is not a very herbal scent. The packaging is not super fancy but it falls right in line with the aesthetic of the other products. I've not used this just yet so I can't comment on the burn quality but I would assume it's on par with other luxury scented candles on the market.
Availability:Keys Soulcare is available in stores and online at
Sephora.
