So last week saw me bonding rather wonderfully with the lovely Origins assistant at my local John Lewis - if she is in any way representative of what Origins assistants are like as a whole they should be very proud of themselves.
I helped myself to three of the products I was most interested in, and was given some samples of their other products to try as well as a free facial and loyalty card. I was freakin' lovin' it, let me tell you.
Here's a mini breakdown of what I got and my first thoughts of each:
Origins VitaZing SPF 15 - Energy-boosting moisturiser with Mangosteen (£28 for 50ml)
I've heard a lot of rave about this product (and have since heard from several blogs that Garnier's Miracle Skin Cream is a pinkier dupe) and I am actually really liking it. It's one of those products that starts as a greyish goo and then turns more flesh toned when rubbed into the skin and if you are very pale, I suspect you will find this too dark for you as on me it is somewhat pushing it. It's a very subtle effect, just a slight tint and maybe a fraction of a mattifying effect, but I like it as there are no tinted moisturisers I can wear regularly without breaking out and this offers a completely weightless, barely there alternative. It's basically no coverage but I really like it.
Origins Checks and Balances - Frothy face wash (£18 for 150ml)
This was one of my little samples and you are instructed to put a small amount in your palm, add water, rub to a lather, apply to the face and then rinse off. My frothy cleanser days are very, very much behind me, and this guy has sadly done nothing to convince me otherwise. Its minty, foaming texture is really not for me as I washed this off and felt my skin had been stripped somewhat - I'll be sticking with my mate Liz Earle and her lovely Cleanse and Polish for the foreseeable.
Origins Clear Improvement - Active charcoal mask to clear pores (£22 for 100ml)
Probably tied as my favourite product along with my VitaZing, Clear Improvement is your classic gross looking mask that you slap on, leave to dry and set, then wash off. According to my mate on the Origins counter, the brand is currently no. 1 for masks in the UK, and this was a must and was the original reason for my visit as I heard such good things from my idol, ViviannaDoesMakeup. According to the back of the tube, "active charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling pore cloggers, White China Clay absorbs environmental toxins, Lecithin dissolves impurities. Without all that 'stuff' down there, skin 'breathes a sigh of relief'."
This mask really does feel like it's pulling at your skin when applied - in a good way I swear - and I was particularly impressed that it managed to halve the size of a spot that had broken out on my chin. It's going to be a weekly staple in my routine for sure.
Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye cream - To brighten and depuff (£23 for 15ml)
Another of Origin's most famous products, and apparently even used as a highlighter by some of their clients, this little shimmering salmon coloured cream promises an 86% brighter appearance and an 80% reduction in puffiness. Bold claims indeed!
Puffiness isn't usually a concern of mine but I have been rather bothered by my under eye dark circles, and hoped this product would make good on its brightening claims.
I've used this three times and so far never been particularly wowed by it. I will keep you posted if this changes, but so far I am not mad keen.
Origins Modern Friction - Nature's gentle dermabrasion (£33 for 125ml)
The second of my little samples, this exfoliator uses rice starch to buff away dead skin cells. It's a nice creamy little exfoliator (I only use cream ones, rather than gel based versions which are always aggressively harsh) but my mum reckons it made my broken capillaries look even redder than usual, so maybe I'll be looking more at chemical exfoliating options from now on. A shame as I did like this product.
And these are all my bits from Origins, a brand I'd never tried before and was generally a success. I will definitely be giving more of their stuff a good go: I am jonesing for a good moisturiser and I am also keen to test out their spot treatment offerings.
If you have any recommendations of what to try, I would absolutely love to hear them!
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