Origins: Brand Review and 13 of the Best Products
Founded in the early ’90s with nature, the environment, and a commitment to performance skincare in mind, Origins made a name for itself as a beauty industry pioneer. Rachel Lockett, vice president of marketing and consumer engagement for Origins North America, says that mission still rings true. “Origins combines high-quality plant, earth, and sea-based ingredients with non-toxic-to-skin alternatives and advanced science to create safe, high-performance products that deliver transformative results.”
The Origins brand mantra is “never stop discovering,” which Lockett says drives Origins to continue fusing the power of nature with the potency of science to bring the brand’s vision to life. As the brand continues to move forward, its commitment to the environment remains. “For over a decade, Origins has partnered with various environmental non-profit organizations to ‘Green The Planet,’ planting one tree at a time to aid global reforestation initiatives and help combat the effects of climate change,” Lockett tells us.
ORIGINS
FOUNDED BY: William P. Lauder, 1990
BASED IN: United States
BEST KNOWN FOR: Natural skincare
MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS: Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask To Clear Pores and Plantscription Multi-Powered Youth Serum
OTHER BRANDS YOU’LL LOVE: Tata Harper, Pai, True Botanical
FUN FACT: Origins was one of the first companies to create a cosmetics recycling program.
To further this commitment, in April 2021 Origins launched the Green The Planet Fund, which Lockett says is an extension of the brand’s commitment to the environment. “This fund continues growing Origins commitment to helping restore ecosystems through tree-planting initiatives and supporting the work of environmental justice organizations around the world to trigger real, meaningful change for the lives of present and future generations to come. By 2023, Origins is committed to planting more than 750,000 trees in partnership with One Tree Planted.”
In addition to this dedication to the environment, Origins keeps well-being at the center of its product development. The brand’s formulations are made without parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, diethanolamine (DEA), polyethylene beads, and animal ingredients (except cruelty-free honey and beeswax). Plus, all formulas are 100 percent vegetarian.
Read on for our favorite Origins products.
Plantscription Multi-Powered Youth Serum
Fifteen Plantscription serums are sold every hour around the world—which is no surprise, considering the serum is formulated with six peptides that help smooth the appearance of expression lines and support natural collagen; niacinamide to reduce the appearance of pores and to hydrate; and Anogeissus derived from the tree bark of the genus of trees in the family Combretaceae to protect against degradation of fibrillin.
Super Spot Remover Acne Treatment Gel
Pimples are often associated with teenage angst and hormones, but they don’t seem to ever truly disappear (hello, adult hormonal acne). Keeping a blemish-fighting formula on deck, made with ingredients that don’t irritate adult skin, is key. Origins fills that void with a spot remover made with saw palmetto and 1.5 percent salicylic acid. The blemish-busting formula helps eliminate excess oil that can lead to breakouts while helping visibly correct discoloration.
Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion
Formulated with reishi, fermented Chaga, Coprinus mushrooms, and sea buckthorn, this formula can boost the hydration of the skin up to 83 percent. If you’re experiencing redness or skin irritation, apply this to damp, cleansed skin to ensure the skin absorbs all of the calming, comforting benefits.
GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff
Adding an undereye cream is a step dermatologists recommend as early as our 20s. Even if you’re new to the eye cream game, finding a cream that energizes and brightens is as easy as dropping this Panax ginseng and coffee-based formula into your literal or digital cart. This eye cream brightens tired-looking eyes, visible dark circles, and under-eye bags, and smoothes puffiness.
Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream
Body care is self-care. No matter the climate or the elements, this whipped body cream does its thing in any situation. Formulated with ginger and collections of oils—olive, grape seed, rice bran, and apricot kernel—you can guarantee more hydrated, supple skin. At the same time, the scent of citrus, lemon, lime, and bergamot energizes the soul.
Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask
Formulated with bamboo charcoal, this mask draws out impurities—but don’t worry about overdrying, because the golden wildflower and fermented honey keep the skin balanced and hydrated.
United State Balancing Tonic
This refreshing, dermatologist-tested tonic is excellent for those with dry and oily skin alike. The tonic exfoliates away flakes and pore-clogging debris and smoothes dry patches. Made with laminaria that helps knock the shine off the t-zone without disrupting the skin barrier, the scent features calming essential oils bergamot, spearmint, and lavender to illuminate the senses.
Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
A frothy face wash might seem like a moisture zapper, but not this one. This broadleaf kelp extract, wheat protein, and tourmaline-infused wash is gentle enough for daily use. Made for balanced, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin types, this face wash cleanses and purifies, while the mint essential oils wake up the senses. We imagine using this with a warm cloth could make for a mini spa treatment right in the comfort of your bathroom.
Ginzing Into The Glow Brightening Serum
Adding a chemical exfoliator to your skincare routine can be a gamechanger for discoloration, hormonal breakouts, and the skin’s overall texture. Origins’ 5% Retexturizing Complex—made with green coffee seed, an AHA/BHA blend, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid—encourages cell turnover and visibly brightens and plumps the skin.
Hello, Calm Relaxing & Hydrating Face Mask With Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Masks aren’t just for clarifying. Having a good, hydrating mask on hand to calm stressed and irritated skin is a must. This hydrating mask isn’t just formulated with your typical moisturizers. The formula is infused with omega-6 and omega-3 rich Cannabis Sativa seed oil that can aid in quickly calming the skin as it visibly reduces redness.
Ginger Float Cream Bubble Bath
Whether you’re tense from a long, stressful day or sore from trying a new yoga pose that challenged you, a bubble bath is in order. This bubble bath elixir is formulated with ginger alongside citrus-scented essential oils lemon, lime, and bergamot that simultaneously uplift and calm.
Ginger Body Scrub Smoothing Body Buffer
Formulated with Dead Sea salts, ginger zest, and emollient-rich macadamia, soybean, Kukui nut, and sweet almond oils, this scrub will reveal smoother, hydrated skin with a side of relaxation.
Reinventing The Heel Mega-Moisture For Dry, Cracked Feet
This heavy cream soothes and softens the sensitive areas on the feet. Made with rose fruit and jojoba oils in tandem with salicylic acid, you can say goodbye to rough, dry feet.
