I have road-tested extensively most Forest Essentials’ products over a 240 day period. For Kama Ayurveda, my enterprise was shorter-lived (30 days) and limited to products recommended by Kama’s expert sales assistant.
General observations about both brands
- Ignoring packaging, Kama Ayurveda make superior better quality products
- Kama Ayurveda’s sales assistants are more competent and concerned with identifying underlying skin issues. There is less “hard-sale” at Kama Ayurveda
- As Forest Essential’s have revamped much of their packaging, its products do come in better quality packaging.
- Finally, Forest Essentials’ make:
- a broader range of products: there is no Kama Ayurveda equivalent of Tejasvi Emulsion or Ojas Replenishing Night Balm. Also, Kama Ayurveda do not make Korean style sheet masks
- have diversified into kajals (eyeliners), lip balms (called lip serums) and foundations (the brand calls skin tints). These are pretty awful products in terms of performance.
- have fragrances.
- generally, better smelling products. Some Forest Essentials’ products do smell terrible, but for the most part, the brand has commendably nailed the sensory appeal aspect of its products.
- Both brands make terrible sunscreens (see Kama Ayurveda SPF 21 and Forest Essentials sun fluid SPF 50)
- For international purchases, there is a massive dichotomy between both brands. Kama Ayurveda double their prices in US$ (but currently, are not shipping internationally because of COVID-19). This is my workaround:
- Buy products on Nykaa and use Shop & Ship services for local delivery in India and then onward delivery to my home country
- While Forest Essentials do keep prices pretty much the same as in India, they have a propensity to increase prices every six months (by say Rs 100 or so). Also, their delivery services charges a premium factored into import taxes. My solution (again!) is to use Shop & Ship
Which product?
- Cleanser: Kama Ayurveda’s Rose Jasmine Face cleanser (₹ 850 for 100ml) is a superior to most face washes and while I like Forest Essential’s Mashobra Honey (₹1,250 for 200ml), I would always choose the Kama product, as it is gentler on the skin. A gentle face wash is not going to disrupt your skin barrier. Neither face washes will take off make-up!
- Toner: Kama Ayurveda’s Rosewater (₹1,150 for 100ml) is just so much better than the Facial tonic mist Panchpushp by Forest Essentials ((₹975 for 130ml), that to compare both is a joke.
- Serums: Both serums smell awful, but the Kumkumadi serum’s smell is negated by a moisturizer. The Soundarya serum’s smell is exacerbated by the Soundarya day cream. Also, based on my experience the Soundarya serum does not work as well as the Kumkumadi beauty fluid. (Retail prices: Kumkumadi (₹ 2,550 for 12ml) and Soundarya serum is (₹ 4,595 for 30ml).
- Face cream: I loved Forest Essential’s date & litchi face cream (₹4,200 for 50g) and it certainly smells a thousand times better than Kama’s Eladi hydrating cream. However, in the cold light of day, Kama’s eladi hydrating cream is a better product because its more hydrating and you need less of it. And the less, said about Forest Essentials’ Soundarya cream (₹ 4,800 for 50g) the better.
- Exfoliating scrub: Both the Kama’s Kumkumadi face exfoliator (₹1,450 for 50g) and Forest Essentia’s almond & pistachio cleanser (₹2,950 for 50g), are good physical exfoliators that you can add to your routine. Kama has the slight edge in that Kumkumadi is less harsh on the skin (and therefore won’t damage your skin barrier). It is the superior product.
- Thankfully, Forest Essentials’ Kashmiri Walnut Scrub has been discontinued (see this link), although you can buy it at retailers such as Nykaa.
- Face mask: Kama’s Survana face mask (₹1,595 for 40g) delivers brightening, but there is not enough money in the world to make buy it again. The smell is awful. Forest Essentials’ produce an excellent read-to-use clay mask (₹1,795 for 50g), which is no mean feat. More expensive Ayurvedic brands, such as Uma Oils fail to do this. Kudos to Forest Essentials for this.
See also:
Kama Ayurveda 30 day product road test
Forest Essentials’ 240 day product review – part 1
Forest Essentials’ 240 day product review – part 2
Clinique 60 day product review
My top 3 micellar water products
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Extra-curricular writing
Threats to Democracy: Why Democrats need to start planning for 2024 now
Strategies other than lockdowns for dealing with coronavirus
The problem with Kamala Harris being “first”
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Note: Prices are accurate at the time of publishing (29.09.2020) and will not be updated.