Kosas Helios High Intensity Color and Light Palette Review & Swatches
Helios (High Intensity)
Kosas Helios (High Intensity) Color and Light Palette ($34.00 for 0.32 oz.) is the more pigmented version of the duo, which includes a bright, orange blush paired with a golden copper highlighter. Both shades delivered on being “double” the pigment of the lower intensity duo; they were pigmented, blendable, and easy to work with and lasted well on my skin.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Formula Overview
$34.00/0.32 oz. - $106.25 Per Ounce
Each shade in the range has two levels of color intensity; each shade has a "High Intensity" version, which offers "double the pigment" compared to the regular shade (which has less intense, more "buildable" coverage). The formula is supposed to offer "easy-to-apply, blendable" blush that is paired with a "complementary" highlighter with.
In my experience, the High Intensity version offered greater pigmentation but also offered a more saturated take on the color scheme; it felt more like making a certain color combination work for both lighter and deeper complexions rather than just doubling up on the pigment. The regular shades were semi-sheer to medium coverage and were buildable. The High Intensity shades were definitely higher coverage and typically ran semi-opaque to opaque.
The consistency was creamy with moderate slip and felt like a traditional cream brush (wet to the touch, emollient, and thin). They applied well to bare skin as well as over foundation for the most part, though a few shades could have been more foolproof to work with over base products. The more shimmery shades (like highlighters) felt slightly more emollient compared to more cream-finish shades (like blushes).
As they're a creamier product, they sheer out and blend quite well during application, so one often needs to pat on a second layer to amp up the coverage (rather than applying more heavily) if higher coverage is desired (less necessary with High Intensity shades).
The formula dried down for the most part but didn't look totally flat or matte. As a result, they didn't slide around too easily during wear on my skin. Most shades started to show signs of fading after seven to eight hours of wear, which is average most cheek colors for me.
Browse all of our Kosas Color and Light Palette swatches.
Ingredients
Helios (High Intensity)
PPermanent. $34.00.
Helios (High Intensity) (Blush)
Helios (High Intensity) (Blush) is a rich, medium orange with moderate, warm undertones and a satin sheen. It had nearly opaque color coverage in a single layer, though it could be diffused and blended out easily for less coverage if desired.
The consistency was lightweight, thin, and emollient with moderate slip–definitely felt like a traditional cream blush–that applied evenly and dried down to a mostly dried down finish that didn’t feel tacky. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Coloured Raine Spicy (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Glossier Dawn (P, $18.00) is less shimmery, less glossy (90% similar).
- Dior Autumn Mood (332) (P, $48.00) is less shimmery, lighter, less glossy (90% similar).
- elf Bahamas (P, $7.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- LYS Beauty Epic (P, $16.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Underclassman (LE, $8.00) is less shimmery, more muted, less glossy (85% similar).
- Benefit Butterfly (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Tower 28 Golden Hour (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- NARS Ambition (LE, $30.00) (80% similar).
- NARS Intensely (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Formula Overview
-
Each shade in the range has two levels of color intensity; each shade has a "High Intensity" version, which offers "double the pigment" compared to the regular shade (which has less intense, more "buildable" coverage). The formula is supposed to offer "easy-to-apply, blendable" blush that is paired with a "complementary" highlighter with.
In my experience, the High Intensity version offered greater pigmentation but also offered a more saturated take on the color scheme; it felt more like making a certain color combination work for both lighter and deeper complexions rather than just doubling up on the pigment. The regular shades were semi-sheer to medium coverage and were buildable. The High Intensity shades were definitely higher coverage and typically ran semi-opaque to opaque.
The consistency was creamy with moderate slip and felt like a traditional cream brush (wet to the touch, emollient, and thin). They applied well to bare skin as well as over foundation for the most part, though a few shades could have been more foolproof to work with over base products. The more shimmery shades (like highlighters) felt slightly more emollient compared to more cream-finish shades (like blushes).
As they're a creamier product, they sheer out and blend quite well during application, so one often needs to pat on a second layer to amp up the coverage (rather than applying more heavily) if higher coverage is desired (less necessary with High Intensity shades).
The formula dried down for the most part but didn't look totally flat or matte. As a result, they didn't slide around too easily during wear on my skin. Most shades started to show signs of fading after seven to eight hours of wear, which is average most cheek colors for me.
Browse all of our Kosas Cream Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax, C10-18 Triglycerides, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax; Caprylyl Glycol, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, [+/ -: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Yellow 5 (CI 19140)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Helios (High Intensity) (Blush)
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Helios (High Intensity) (Highlighter)
Helios (High Intensity) (Highlighter) is a light-medium copper with warm, reddish undertones and lighter, warmer gold pearl throughout. It had a lightly metallic, lightly dewy finish after it dried down on my skin. The highlighter yielded opaque color coverage in single layer, which was blendable and easy to work with over bare skin as well as foundation as it wasn’t prone to lifting it up.
The texture was creamy, a smidgen tacky but seemed less so than other shades in the range, and moderately emollient. This shade stayed on well for eight hours before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Giorgio Armani No. 14 (P, $62.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Phytosurgence Astral Ablaze (P, $26.01) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Rose Inc Lustrous (P, $36.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Persona Del Mar (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Gold Deposit (P, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Awesome Blossom (P, ) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Celestial Fire (P, $38.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Kosas Tropic Equinox (High Intensity) (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Kaja Stardust (P, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Milani Glowing (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
Each shade in the range has two levels of color intensity; each shade has a "High Intensity" version, which offers "double the pigment" compared to the regular shade (which has less intense, more "buildable" coverage). The formula is supposed to offer "easy-to-apply, blendable" blush that is paired with a "complementary" highlighter with.
In my experience, the High Intensity version offered greater pigmentation but also offered a more saturated take on the color scheme; it felt more like making a certain color combination work for both lighter and deeper complexions rather than just doubling up on the pigment. The regular shades were semi-sheer to medium coverage and were buildable. The High Intensity shades were definitely higher coverage and typically ran semi-opaque to opaque.
The consistency was creamy with moderate slip and felt like a traditional cream brush (wet to the touch, emollient, and thin). They applied well to bare skin as well as over foundation for the most part, though a few shades could have been more foolproof to work with over base products. The more shimmery shades (like highlighters) felt slightly more emollient compared to more cream-finish shades (like blushes).
As they're a creamier product, they sheer out and blend quite well during application, so one often needs to pat on a second layer to amp up the coverage (rather than applying more heavily) if higher coverage is desired (less necessary with High Intensity shades).
The formula dried down for the most part but didn't look totally flat or matte. As a result, they didn't slide around too easily during wear on my skin. Most shades started to show signs of fading after seven to eight hours of wear, which is average most cheek colors for me.
Browse all of our Kosas Cream Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, C10-18 Triglycerides, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax; Caprylyl Glycol, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, [+/ -: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Because the orange shade in this duo runs more of a clear, clean tone of orange, I much prefer it over the Intense Tropic Equinox duo’s orange blush. This is a beautiful duo of cheek shades for summer!
Wow, that’s a serious orange. I feel like it’d be fun to pair with a cool-toned highlighter over the top!