Krave Beauty

Founded in 2017, creator Liah Yoo strived to create a simplified and streamlined skincare routine, staying away from the “more is more” track YouTube and many beauty bloggers supported. In place of huge skincare cabinets, Yoo offered a simple replacement: Krave Beauty. The line now has only seven products, a small yet effective bundle of ethically sourced, simple ingredients. 

Liah Yoo onstage at Beautycon 2019; Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Beautycon

Core Series

Beet The Sun SPF 40 PA+++ ($20)

This sunscreen is the newest addition to the Krave Beauty line, but it had made an earlier appearance in 2018. In the first drop in 2018, it quickly became a fan favorite but was pulled from the website in 2021. Krave Beauty posted on their Instagram page that “a number of manufacturers and independent testing labs have produced faulty results that do not match the product SPF claims.” 

The Krave Beauty team immediately returned to working on the sunscreen, and, after two years of production, the new Beet The Sun sunscreen is back on the website. This sunscreen was popular for its lightweight texture and the fact that it did not leave a white cast on darker skin tones.

Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser ($16)

This is one of my favorite products, and I have used it since coming to Northwestern. The texture of this cleanser is unmatched, and you only need the smallest amount. It thickly lathers and it is great at taking off makeup without stripping your skin or leaving you feeling dry. It also has ingredients like Hemp Seed Oil that soothe the skin, which is great during Chicago winters. 

Oat So Simple Water Cream ($28)

This moisturizer is marketed as a lightweight, soothing yet hydrating moisturizer. The Oat Extract is the powerhouse ingredient that is said to deeply soothe the skin. This moisturizer is also super simple and has basic ingredients, so it will not irritate your skin or pill under sunscreen or makeup. 

Supplement Series

Makeup Re-Wined ($25)

This jelly oil cleanser is the perfect first step to a double cleanse. A double cleanse is when you use an oil-based cleanser to break down oil and makeup and rinse while a traditional cleanser then washes this oil and makeup away. This is the best way to get a thorough cleanse and remove everything from your face. If you have acne-prone skin and are scared of applying oil to your skin, this cleanser does not have a greasy texture and feels more like a smooth gel. 

Great Barrier Relief ($28)

This is the almighty, holy grail, God on earth product. This was my introduction to the Krave Beauty brand and never ceases to amaze me. It manages to soothe acne and get rid of dry spots at the same time. Its main claim to fame is its restoration of the skin barrier with Tamanu Oil, Safflower Oil, and Rosehip Oil, but it also has Niacinamide, which reduces dark spots and helps curb the production of sebum, which is a natural face oil. 

Great Body Relief ($25)

I have never gotten my hands on this product, but if it is anything like its older sister, Great Barrier Relief, then it is a winner. Krave Beauty says that the difference between this product and the face serum is that it is lighter with less of a smell, but still has the Tamanu Oil to soothe the body's skin barrier and moisturize dry spots. 

Kale-Lalu-yAHA ($25)

I have also not tried this product because I have super dry skin, but Krave Beauty says this exfoliator should be used 2-3 times a week (depending on skin type) to even texture and soothe breakouts. Its star ingredient is Glycolic Acid, at 5.25%, which serves to fade discoloration and reveal more radiant skin. This product is a more gentle option than other chemical exfoliants because of the greens, such as kale, spinach, and parsley, to give your skin vitamins. 

Even though Krave Beauty has amazing products, the best part about this small but mighty company is its dedication to sustainability and diversity. It has a wide representation of skin types and models and is a part of the 1% For The Planet, which dedicates at least 1% of all yearly sales to environmental conservation projects. They are Climate Neutral Certified and Plastic Neutral Certified, meaning they have almost completely recyclable packaging and are a part of a plastic offsetting program, and they are vegan and are animal test-free. They are transparent about their sustainability, and they publish a yearly Impact Report, while also clearly outlining their future sustainability goals, such as establishing 100% traceability for the key ingredient of each product. 

Another amazing program Krave Beauty has is the Waste Me Not shopping option. This tab has a rotating stock because Krave Beauty puts products with faulty or retired packaging and faulty (but not dangerous) formulas on their site to buy at a discounted price. This allows shoppers to buy these products for cheaper and decrease waste from the company. For example, a slightly more fluid version of the Makeup Re-Wined made for Korean sales is available for $12.50 instead of $25 on the Waste Me Not shopping option.

Although Krave, just like many other beauty companies, has work to do to be more sustainable, their transparency and amazing efforts to provide clean, non-luxury skincare while debunking the expectation of excess in the beauty industry.