ORIGINS! SOUTH COAST PLAZA !
Desertdoll is bringing you the last, but not least retail shop of our incredible day at South Coast Plaza...
It was bound to happen. Running a few minutes late at each location on our SCP tour equals quite a few minutes late at our last stop, Origins. We felt terrible about it, especially when we saw the scrumptious tray of Brie, organic chocolates, terra chips and lemon water they put out for us. But after a quick refueling (which we really needed) we were fresh and ready to learn and shop! Thanks to Sonya, the glowing manager for being so gracious and understanding.
I was excited to be at Origins, a line I’ve always liked. I appreciate that they have not only stand-alone stores, but locations within department stores so that even if you’re not near a luxury mall like SCP, you can experience the line. I especially appreciate the amazing holiday gifts they have every year. Packaging their best selling products in gorgeous baskets or totes and selling them at below retail value is smart. I don’t think a year has gone by in the last 5 that I haven’t picked up at least one present there. They’re always a welcome gift too. I think all Origins products are really a sensory treat. I dare you to open one of their body souffles or washes and not say “mmm”. With scents like ginger, cocoa, white tea and my favorite-something they call Paradise Found, with the aroma of fresh-cut Pineapple and Orange, how could you not?
I feel I’m moving in on Green Chi territory with this post, because Origins is definitely a company that thinks beyond themselves, but I’m honored to be highlighting one with such a conscious position. I can’t help but guess that it’s companies like Origins that have made it easier for more lines to follow suite. And learning more about the company has made me think about how the choices we make (even in something as simple as buying a lipstick) matter to this planet.
Everything they do stems from this simple yet powerful statement, “the well-being of our planet is vital to the well-being of the people who populate it”. So they do whatever they can to protect the earth and its re-sources, including its inhabitants. The list of things Origins does to make this world a better place is long and humbling. Read more about how they help the environment, and their many charitable causes. But from purchasing wind generated power to offset the electricity used in its North American stores to the plush stuffed animal that they create every holiday who’s sales have helped donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to recipients such as The World Wildlife Fund, Sera Wildlife Conservancy and the Gorilla Conservation Programs, one thing is clear-Origins cares about the world we live in.
2 more unique things to note for you nature lovers. Origins collaborated with Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard Dr. and expert in integrative health, to develop a line with a proactive approach to health, wellness and beauty using health-promoting plants and herbs and alternative healing techniques. Want to sleep better? Eat better? De-stress your skin? Boost your natural defenses against the changes of time? This is the line for you. And if you only (or try to) buy organic, Origins has recently released the first full line of prestige skin, body and hair care products to be certified under the USDA National Organic Program. Read more about each of these lines here.
We received an amazing array of samples from the store, plus a small coated canvas tote that is the perfect lunch bag (and I’ve been using every day since we got it). We got:
• Youthtopia cream and eye cream- One of their newest products. Containing a flowering herb that grows in the remote polar mountains of Siberia. It’s called Rhodiola rosea, and is known as "Golden Root" Noted as dating back to Jason the Argonauts and the Vikings. Chinese emperors sent expeditions to Siberia to bring back the prized plant. It helps to “empower skin to rebound from damaging stress, retrieve its youthful buoyancy and reduce the look of lines and wrinkles.”
• Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash- A wonder for combination skin, this clever cleanser contains ingredients to balance both dry and oily places on your face. Gentle and bubbles galore!
• Modern Friction- Age-erasing exfoliation without irritation. More of a paste than a scrub, the main ingredient is Rice Starch cushioned in a lush cream. Applied dry, water is added at the end to produce a rich foam. A gentle yet effective way to glowing skin in one application!
• Peace of Mind On-the-spot relief-This product is pure genius. Just a few dabs on the temples, earlobes and back of your neck literally melts tension away. The photo is of Blus Lee Lee getting a little well needed Peace of Mind after a long day of shopping! This is also comes in a variety of products, including a vapor bath and a massage oil.
So let's hear it from the Origins fans out there. And good for you for doing something good for the earth through your beauty purchases!
- meg's blog
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Reviews
I've gone through hundreds of lipsticks and the only lipstick I've used over and over again for years (since college10 years ago) is Origins Matte Stick in Eggplant. Its the only lipstick that I can say this about. Imay not use it for months, but I always have one - in my bathroom, in my purse - close to me, and whenever I'm at a losswith my lipstick I grab for my Eggplant stick and have never been disappointed. Its something I will use forever. Also, something that I haven't used before but my mother and sister are addicted to is their Underwear for Lashes. Theyclaim it works miracles in getting your lashes looking longer and fuller with your mascara.
It was the end of the day, my dogs were barking and we were running late for Origins. Anyone that knows me knows I have serious heart palatations when I'm not on time. Seriously its OCD at its worst. So imagine my stress level when we allwalked in late to Origins. Luckily, Origins is a feel good, mellow, stress-free zone and has the ability to even chillout a neurotic spaz like me. Sonya was so smart to have the food out! Origins was absolutely perfect to be our laststop. The piece of mind, on the spot stress relief was fantastic. Blus Lee Lee's picture totally cracks me up a picture says a thousand words! About a week ago I went tumbling off a swing and did a nice face plant. I know, so elegant.Anyhow, I needed a very gentle cleanser for a scratched up face and I have to rave over how gentle, foaming andclean the Checks and Balances Frothy Face worked on my tender skin! Youthtopia felt smooth and awesome on my eyes. Origins beauty and wellness goes hand in hand and the care they put into making sure everything is earth friendly (before it wastrendy) shows what a great conscience they have.
okay, so i went in for my "free" facial, and ended up spending $200. that didn't even cover half of the stuff she wanted me to buy. however, i must say that it was a great facial, and i would do it again next time the lady's in the phx area. i ended up getting: the Organic Toner to use at night, she said it had too much salicylic acid to use during the day. Youthtopia Eye Cream, Dr. Weil Face Serum, Modern Friction and the Out of Trouble Mask. so far, i've only used the toner, serum and modern friction, i'll be using the mask tonight. i'm happy w/ the toner and modern friction, but the jury's still out when it comes dr' weil's face serum. i don't think it's sinking into my skin very well, because my face has been feeling rather oily since trying it. does anyone else have this problem??? also, like kryssanthe said, modern friction is best used when it gets to sit on the face for a few minutes according to the esthetician.
I just returned from looking at all the Origin’s products I have in my bathroom, hall closets and bedroom.. I knew I had a surmountable amount of this fine line, but frankly, I just shocked myself. I have so many of “have to have” products all over my domain! I bet I have tried 99% of everything ever placed on their shelves! -that says a lot. I have had different items come and go over the years. Yet, I find I have too many to account for without writing a novel akin to War and Peace. Thinking back, my first purchase from Origins was Peace of Mind. It must’ve really made an impression on me then because I have never been without it. I have given it year after year to all my family and friends as a stocking stuffer.. I think they thought I was a bit fanatical about it for a while there! However, I wasn’t’ only sold on Peace of Mind; I was sold on most every product they have graced our world with.I like Modern Friction just as much as Desertdoll writes. It is really a great product. Cleans so well, it’s unbelievable! Modern Friction- Nature's gentle dermabrasion. I have always been a bit leery of the idea of irritating your skin to the point of pain, so it can get better.. yikes! Here’s an economical way to defy age without turning fire engine red with irritation. They use rice starch bathed in cream that has shown to quickly rid you of dead skin and discolorations. The lemon oil assists in brightening your skin. Aloe calms, fine lines, pores and redness appear to be minimized. Skin looks polished and smooth. Check out what I read off their site relating to this product:Origins tested Modern Friction™ on a panel of 54 women. After just one try, of those who had undergone clinical micro-dermabrasion, 94% said they would now consider using Modern Friction™ instead. I almost forgot to mention how much I like the Ginger line. It’s really lovely . I have a gorgeous looking Ginger candle burning presently in the guest bathroom (AKA my throne room).
All of my cosmetics are from Origins. I spent all of my Christmas money there.This is the only prestige makeup line that you can pick up at the mall that isparaben-free, very important to me since I'm allergic. I was there last week and they said that everything on their shelves will be paraben-free within a month or so. They have a wide range of colorsand their powders and foundation blend in to my skin so well, the color match is perfect. My favorite cosmetic product is the sheer stick, I don't usually like lipstick pencils, but this is really creamy and the pink lemonade shade is perfect for my fair skin. I tried the Modern Friction last week and really like it,they suggested to apply it wet if you have sensitive skin so as not to abrade the skin. The Dr. Weil Plantidote Face Serum is good and now that everything is going paraben-free I'm looking forward to finally being able to try out some of their skin care products for oily skin. I thought about their Organics line, but was afraid it wouldn't work on my oily face and since they don't have a starter set decided to forgo the purchases. I highly recommend their cosmetics for those with sensitive or allergic skin, I've been reaction free since starting to use their products.
Xan- I bet your dog smells delish! Their ginger products are really yummy. Kinda spicy and like you said, super fragrant. Their scents really do go a long way and last a long time. For all you tropical lovers, the paradise found line is so insanely good. So summery, so Hawaii. I love it. I loved all the samples we got to try, but 2 really stood out to me. The Modern Friction is a great product. The paste like quality of it makes it kind of half mask, half scrub. Since you put it on dry it really covers your skin well, exfoliating every inch. Then you add the water and it gets super creamy. My skin looked amazing afterwards. And it's way more gentle than all the other micros on the market. And the Peace of Mind On the Spot relief, I meant it when I called it genius. Last Sat I spend the morning hopping around town-farmer's market, thrift store, blueberry pancakes with LilyKane, when I finally got home I had the verge of a headache. And I couldn't have a headache, I had a ton of stuff to do. So I busted this out, rubbed on the places that were tense (temples and neck) and laid down for 15 mins massaging my head and neck. Boom-headache gone and I'm ready to clean the garage. (Hmm, maybe I shoulda kept the headache?) This would be a great thing to keep at your desk at work, and I think I heard at least 2 of the ladies mention that on this day. Lastly, I had no idea this company was so nature conscious. If this is something important to you, check out the links above. And with products this great, it's very easy to do something good for someone/something other than just yourself.
it's been years since i've purchased anything from origins, until tonight that is. i was looking for a new mascara. i've been using too faced lash injection for a while, but i think it's been too harsh on my lashes. i picked up the fringe benefits mascara in black, even though i really wanted to replace my brown lancome definicils, which i hate, but as i mentioned i was also looking to replace the lash injection. i haven't had a chance to try it yet, but i'll let you know when i do. also, their esthetician is going to be in the store on v-day, so i booked a mini-facial w/ her.
Origins = WOW. What a revelation that place was for me (and no girls, not because of the brie and the chocolate!) The funny part is that I've been using the Peace of Mind on the spot relief for more than a year now and I have never noticed it was made by Origins. In my defense, that product is so good that I was sure it was bought from some new age store in Venice Beach that's owned by a homeopathic therapy guru with secret recipes. I never even bothered to look at the label, I just called it "the tingly cream". Opening my gift bag at home, I went like, hey, HEY that shop sells my tingly cream! Wait, that shop MAKES my tingly cream! The rest of the products I tried were equally wonderful and tingly, which is a great sign of quality ingredients - or allergies. Thankfully, I think we fell into the first category.
My husband used to always give me Origins for different occasions. He would go into the Origins store and not have a clue what to get me, but the sweet sales ladies would always send him out with something great. Sadly, he stopped gifting me with Origins stuff. I'll have to give him a friendly reminder that he needs to start doing that again. I've used the modern friction and loved it. I also love their ginger line, the salt rub soap and their yummy gumballs!
Good grief, I look like my eyeballs have rolled into the back of my head, but that’s the effect Peace of Mind has on me. If you read all our reviews there is one common thread, we all love our Peace of Mind. I have a bottle of this in my purse at all times. Before I rub it into my temples I always inhale the calming scent, this seems to work the best for me. This was a real educational time for me, I really didn’t know too much about Origin’s and how natural their products are. I have enjoyed trying all the different samples we received and I think the one I like the best is the Checks & Balances Frothy Face Wash. They couldn’t have used a better word to describe this face wash, frothy it is and a little goes a long way. My face felt so clean after I rinsed it and I did not experience any tightness to my skin when it was dry. I’m looking forward to going to the Origins store at my local mall to try out some more products. Sonya thank you so much for your hospitality and for taking time to speak with us all.
Years ago my mom got the Ginger souffle body lotion, I loved it then and I always forget about it until I happen to wonder into an Origins store. Love the scent, but sometimes a little can go a long way. The Ginger Gloss body oil spray is great! Really helps the winter dry skin and rashes. It will also help your dog's skin too. Yep you read that right. Our German Shepherd has chewing issues, as in he chews on himself creating sores on his legs. One night as a joke we put it on him-- I mean it worked so well on our skin why not? Miraculously we saw improvement, and kept at it. His sores that had been there for weeks soon healed up! So there you go, maybe a little posh for a dog, but he's worth it and more importantly it worked when nothing else did. Only draw back, he likes the taste so we have to spray extra on another paw so he can lick it off.
Ohmygod I love Origins.They finally opened a boutique in Athens and sell their stuff in pharmacies-great for a pick me up when you are off to buy aspirin or so.I also like the calm to your senses bath milk.It is non foaming,so you add some to your bath before you go to bed and relax for about twenty minutes-you're guaranteed to get a blissful sleep.Ginger Essence is a great winter fragrance,and there is a roll-on mini version available for your purse.For summer the Clear Head shampoo has a yummy mint scent,lathers well and is mild enough for everyday use,not to mention the cooling effect it has on your scalp.As for moisturiser,I adore the Have a good day moisturiser,it sinks in and smells of grapefruit, did not irritate my sensitive skin.The smell is so heavenly,you picture yourself in a garden!
Ddoll, I’m happy to have you infringe on my territory! Origins is one of those lines that its eco mindedness is almost an afterthought. Meaning, I would still have a houseful of Origins products even if they weren’t so green. It’s a win - win situation. This was a relaxing (and delicious) place to end our tour of the SCP. Thanks again to the sweet Sonya for graciously accepting our apologies for being tardy and showing the ladies of MegsMU all that Origins has to offer, and offering a much-appreciated snack! Not that we needed too much guidance in this well-known favorite bath and beauty store. As soon as we entered everyone had a word or two to say about their already favorite items from Origins. Mine include the Out of Trouble mask for sopping up oil and shine; Jump Start Stimulation body wash for morning sunshine in a tube (hurray a tube, not a jar) and a luxurious but efficient shower; and (I believe the first eye cream I ever purchased), Eye Doctor eye cream - which eases fine lines and dark circles. Of course, that made me super happy to get a sample of the new eye cream from Origins, Youthopia. So far, so great - this eye cream does all that Eye Doctor does and seems to make the skin around my eyes a little plumper and smoother. Can’t wait to see what this does with continued use. I also really like the Checks and Balances face wash. It is the perfect nighttime wash for me, gives a thorough cleansing and leaves skin soft - no tight feelings. I also wanted to ditto what Ddoll said about gifts - origins always has nicely packaged gift sets in a variety of choices. You can find a gift for almost anyone that you can be sure will be used and appreciated!
I freaking love Origins. My favorite items are the Modern Friction and Never a Dull Moment. Instead of just using them as scrubs, though, I find that I get more use by leaving them on for a few minutes like a mask. Modern Friction as a mask is fantastic for clearing up breakouts like the speed of light and the Never a Dull Moment is good to give dull, winter skin a nice glow. Seriously, though, I have sensitive skin and I have no adverse reactions from leaving them on for 5-10 minutes. Just wash your face with a gentle cleanser before you use these as masks that way everything is getting deep into your pores. *The more you knowwwww*******
I am newly obsessed with this brand
-Miss Yaya
http://myownjudge.blogspot.com/
This may be a silly question...where is South Coast Plaza? It sounds like a really great mall. My favorite mall will always be Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. Maybe it's the flying Santa at Christmas and the delight of children watching it. Or the fact that I can always watch the runway while chowing on pizza. Anyways. Origins is a wonderful store, one that actually isn't even in Fashion Show Mall. Why was I mentioning that?! It's located in the shops at the new Planet Hollywood...down near the Urban Outfitters and Sephora. So maybe in fact Fashion Show isn't my favorite mall. Maybe I just like to feel like a model in there.
I love origins! I had this amazing lotion that smelled like grapefruit the other day but i dont know if i can use it in the winter.
YAYYY , LOVEORIGINS ! <3
Nice! the review was great!
I have always found their scents too strong for my allergies, so I am having a really jealous moment here- the way you describe the products- I am definitely missing out, aren't I?!
Wow that looks really good.
i love this
I cant wait to try this brand!!