Josie Maran expands its argan oil-infused cosmetics line with two face products, Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee and Argan Color Stick. Is the pigmentation and wear-time worth a look?
By Roxana Hadadi
Have you tried anything from Josie Maran yet? I’ve reviewed the cosmetics line a few times so far on About Face—the brand’s Argan Color Stick and their potted lip balms—and as the brand expands, I’ve remained intrigued by their “luxury with a conscience” ideology. It’s nice to see a very concerted effort by a brand to market itself in such an environmental way, and so far I haven’t experienced anything by Josie Maran that I haven’t liked.
So how about a couple of the brand’s more recent products, like Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee and new shades of the Argan Color Stick? I was provided with these items for review, and have tested them on and off for the past few months.
Are they worth checking out at your local Sephora? For my thoughts, read on!
Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee and Argan Color Stick
First photo, top row, left to right: Josie Maran Argan Color Stick in Coral, Red; second row, left to right: Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Coral Oasis, Getaway Red, Honeymoon Honey, Pink Escape
Second photo, left to right: Swatches of Josie Maran Argan Color Stick in Coral, Red; Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Coral Oasis, Getaway Red, Honeymoon Honey, Pink Escape
Let’s start with the most recent product first. Josie Maran launched Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee last year, and describes it as “an innovative coconut water-infused cheek gelee with up to 14 hours of color and hydration.” It’s supposed to buildable and easy to blend, with 50 percent pure coconut water to really pamper your skin as well as argan oil, the miracle ingredient you’ve seen popping up practically everywhere. The Cheek Gelee is available in six shades: Coral Oasis, Poppy Paradise, Pink Escape, Getaway Red, Berry Bliss, and Honeymoon Honey. I received the following four for review: Coral Oasis, a “tangerine orange”; Getaway Red, a “true red”; Honeymoon Honey, a “neutral brown”; and Pink Escape, a “cool-toned pink.”
As you can tell from the photo, these blushes come in small glass pots with screw-top lids, and the consistency is slightly squishy to the touch, almost like potted lip gloss but more like very firm Jell-O. The colors are very vibrant in the pots, but they don’t exactly translate that way onto the skin, and instead are more in line with the descriptions provided; for example, Honeymoon Honey looks very purple in its pot, but it translates into a very light brown on the skin.
Honestly, all of these ended up looking very light on my skintone; the swatches on my arm are with about six or seven swipes of product each, and I still didn’t build up a huge amount of color. That was a little frustrating, but if you’re looking for a really natural finish, these will definitely work for you. Also nice is that they really do last forever; I found these easy to blend and with a consistent wear-time of at least eight hours. They didn’t fade on me but operated exactly as a stain should. The downside for me, though, was that although these have that gel-like consistency and are supposedly packed with moisture, I didn’t feel a real discernible difference in my skin while wearing them. They don’t seem to do any moisturizing during wear, so I’m not sure I buy the “instantly hydrates” claim. Nevertheless, the colors can be muted enough for everyday wear, are nicely buildable, and last a long time. I can’t complain about any of that.
Also new to Josie Maran was expanded shades to the Argan Color Stick range, which I previously reviewed in the shade Rosy; this time around, I tried the colors Coral and Red (the range is now five shades, including Pink and Spice, which I haven’t tried yet). According to Josie Maran, the Argan Color Stick is an “argan oil-infused, sheer color stick that grants a lasting, natural flush to cheeks and lips,” leaving a “natural and long-lasting dewy finish that complements any skintone while repairing and replenishing the skin.”
Coral is supposed to be a “peach coral” and Red a “warm brick red,” and as you can tell from the photo, they both have a matte finish and look somewhat unremarkable in the plastic tubes, like giant flat lipsticks. But like Rosy, these start out creamy and sheer and then grow in opacity based on how many layers you swipe on. And also like Rosy, I think these are best used on otherwise makeup-free skin (and are far better on lips than on cheeks, where I found it to be drying), because they can be a bit difficult to blend out if you also have concealer, foundation, or whatever else on; you can get a bit of a gunky effect. Finally, these also share the same herbal scent as Rosy, and unfortunately—like the Cheek Gelee—I don’t really experience a particularly moisturizing effect after wearing the Argan Color Stick. Argan oil is nice and everything, but it’s not immediately repairing my skin, as the brand consistently claims.
Nevertheless, these are both solid additions to Josie Maran’s cosmetics range, and nice options if you’re into largely effortless, natural-looking makeup. Go ahead and check them out, but be aware of their limitations, too.
VERDICT: B+ for Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee; B for Argan Color Stick. I had rated the latter an A- in my initial review of the Rosy shade, but in hindsight, I think the fact that the product really only works for cheeks rather than lips drops the rating.
AVAILABILITY: $22 for Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee, $22 for Argan Color Stick, both at JosieMaranCosmetics.com.
EDITORIAL NOTE: The products featured in this post were provided to Chesapeake Family’s About Face blog by the manufacturer or their public relations company for review. Chesapeake Family’s About Face blog posts are inspired by personal experience and opinion, and are not paid for or influenced by the manufacturer, PR company, or any other organization unless mentioned.
Photos by Roxana Hadadi.
In middle school, Roxana Hadadi was a cosmetics-scorning tomboy; in high school, a glitter eye shadow- and black nail polish-loving trend kid; in college, obsessively committed to dying her hair unruly colors that upset her mom. Now a bit older and a bit more mature, she’s trying to figure out what hair, body and cosmetics products will work for her, you and your family in About Face, Chesapeake Family’s new beauty blog — and she’ll leave the sparkle makeup and neon highlights in the past. Roxana also writes movie reviews for Chesapeake Family’s Popcorn Parents blog.
