I’ve been controlling my makeup splurges and focusing more on my skincare lately. Over the past couple year, my collection of Origins skincare products have been slowly growing. What I like about is Origins is that it uses natural ingredients and is not as expensive (especially if you get them from the airport! I love duty free shopping.)
First off; my skin is most oily on the nose and is most dry around my cheeks and the area around my nose. Usually I look for skincare products that cleans the pores and hydrates the skin. 
My first Origins product is the Origins Active Charcoal Mask ($28CAD for 3.4 ox, review here.) I bought this in June 2012, and I still have ample product left. However, for the past couple months, it was neglected in my stash of stuff. And due to my less use of it, the blackheads and pores of my nose definitely seem more amplified. I used this twice a week and I noticed a great difference in the cleanliness of my nose.
My second product is also a mask- Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask to Rescue Problem Skin ($28CAD for 3.4oz). This mask is used for cleaning up the oil and removing dead skin cells; for ten minutes. I prefer to use this product while travelling rather than using it at home in Richmond/Vancouver. The mask contains zinc oxide, sulfur, and camphor (calms the skin but has a very herby smell)- and the goal of the mask is very similar to the Active Charcoal Mask. I use it when I get breakouts (namely around my forehead) and on my nose.
However, I don’t notice any short term excruciating changes, like a diminished pimple or anything. I guess the point of the mask is to sooth the skin and not expect a miracle worker. Although it didn’t heal any quick breakouts, it does soften the skin, reduce redness(!!a big one for me!!) and moisturize my face.
Out of the two masks, I prefer the charcoal mask. One notable difference, if you leave the Out of Trouble mask on too long, it’s ok and my skin seems to benefit if its on for around 15- 20 minutes. If I leave the charcoal mask on too long, my skin actually gets dried up and itchy the day after. One common thing, they’re both hard to scrub off. =_=”
The next skincare category is moisturizer!
You can see I already got my backup of Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer ($32CAD for 1.7oz). I got this for the first time when Sephora had a 20% discount for VIBs last year. I was looking for a something that wasn’t too expensive, such as Dior (I’ve tried their moisturizer and loved it, but wasn’t up for paying that much again.) When I was at YVR during Christmas before going to Hong Kong, I bought a backup from the duty free shop, less than $30.
I have tried the Origins White Tea moisturizer and it worked well for me, so I wanted to continue trying other Origin products. The GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer is very “wet,” almost gel like, it feels like you’re touching solidified water (but not ice..if you know what I’m mean.) It’s hydrating and cool to the touch; I can feel why it’s an “energy boosting” facial cream. It has a light orange scent to it. Normally I don’t like orange flavoured things, except for tic tacs and the fruit, but this one isn’t strong, like Ole Henriksen’s Truth Creme Vitamin C Advanced Hydration, which I tried a long time ago.
The moisturizer also absorbs very quickly and it makes putting concealer on my face a much easier job. I use this in the morning to get that radiance I want when I wake up in the morning.
- “This lightweight, oil-free facial cream is fortified with legendary skin-boosters like panax ginseng and coffee bean to jumpstart hydration levels. Lackluster-looking skin is rapidly refreshed and revitalized to create a healthy, vibrant glow.”
Moving on, I picked this Origins Make A Difference + Rejuvenating Moisturizer ($49CAD for 1.7oz) when I was shopping in the states. I wanted another moisturizer for night time use. This one is a bit thicker and heavier than the GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer. I find that this one takes a while longer for my skin to absorb, but since I’m using this at night, I’ll let that pass. It has a bit of slick in it, so I avoided using it on my nose and forehead. I started using this before winter time and it also does superbly in providing the dry areas of my face, mainly the cheeks, a dose of moisture. I felt that this product is about average and I prefer the Ginzing moisturizer over this.
I did a long post on my toners half a year ago, and since then I have depleted most of them. I wanted to try Origins as I heard some good things about it so I purchased the Origins United State Balancing Tonic ($25CAD, 5oz.) It contains products such as bergamot and lavender which calms, balances, and sooth the skin. My main insecurity when it comes to my skin is my T-Zone area, particularly the nose, because I swear I can see that the size of my pores and blackheads are the size of the moon.
This toner is amazing in declogging that and making it look more matte and not oily! It’s consistency is like water though, so if you use a cotton ball, a lot of it gets absorbed and wasted. Either
a) dab it with your hands and try not to spill any out
b) use a cotton ball, soak it in water, wring it out, then put the toner on it
c) put the toner in an atomizer so you can spray it on
I use methods a and b depending on my laziness. It’s a very refreshing toner when applied. It does have a heavy alcohol sent; if I closed my eyes I’d think it was listerine or something. However, its effects is anything but drying. No negative effects reported except for a dent in my wallet.
Skincare products can be a hit or miss for everyone, so I hope this provides a slight insight to what benefits Origins could offer. Also, my cleansers/serums used in conjunction with these products would also affect how the quality of my skin, but that’s a whole other post. 🙂 If you have any other Origins products you would recommend, leave me a shout below!
PS: Has anyone seen the movie Frozen? I’ve been making the costume for Queen Elsa so I’ve been super busy, I apologize if my blogging frequency is slower!
