Who we are

Cold gel,
warm opinions.

KOEL (koel — Afrikaans for cool) is a small South African publication about the skincare that is actually on the shelf here. Not the cult product with a six-week import wait: the thing you can add to a Takealot basket tonight and have in your fridge tomorrow.

What we do

We pick one product at a time and write it up properly. That means reading the label rather than the landing page, working out the real cost per use, checking what the retailer's return terms actually say, and being specific about what a product cannot do. A gel eye patch is a hydrating, cooling cosmetic — it is not a treatment, and you should be suspicious of anyone who implies otherwise.

How we choose

It has to be buyable in South Africa, from a retailer that delivers nationally.
It has to be cheap enough that a reader can try it without regret, or good enough to justify the price.
The listing has to be clear about pack size, ingredients and seller. Vague listings get skipped.

How we make money

Through affiliate links. When you open a retailer from one of our buttons and buy something, we may be paid a commission by that retailer. You pay exactly what you would have paid anyway. No brand pays us for coverage, no brand sees a draft before it publishes, and no brand can buy a better verdict. The full version of this is on our advertising disclosure page.

What we are not

We are not a shop, a pharmacy or a clinic. We hold no stock, process no payments and ship nothing. We are also not medical professionals: everything on this site is general consumer information, and anything involving your eyes, a skin condition, a pregnancy or a prescription belongs with a doctor or pharmacist.

Corrections