The best Origins products show exactly why this brand has been taking over bathroom-shelf real estate since the ’90s. By pairing botanicals like ginseng and ginger with proven actives like retinoids and acids, Origins was proving that nature and science make a pretty powerful team before it was cool. That plant-meets-lab balance is what makes the brand so enduring: The products smell amazing without synthetic fragrances, feel great to use, and (most importantly) deliver the game-changing results your skin craves.
Over the years, Origins has built a roster of skin-care staples that have earned a loyal following and plenty of editor love, like nourishing cleansing balms, hardworking chemical peels, and deliciously scented body lotions. From everyday essentials to targeted treatments, the brand has something for just about every skin need. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best Origins products that beauty editors reach for again and again.
Our Top Origins Products
- Butter Believe It: Youthtopia Apple Butter Cleansing Balm, $39
- In the Clear: Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores, $39
- Strike a Balance: Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash, $29
- Glow to the Core: Youthtopia Refining Apple Peel, $44
- Whip, Whip, Hooray: Ginger Soufflé Whipped Body Cream, $43
- Flip the Script: Plantscription Active Wrinkle Correction Serum With Retinoid, $75
- Ama-Zing Moisture: GinZing Glow-Boosting Moisturizer, $39
- A Pore-Fect World: A Perfect World Age-Defense Moisturizer with SPF 40, $48
Frequently Asked Questions
Butter Believe It: Youthtopia Apple Butter Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: The Youthtopia Apple Butter Cleansing Balm is a triple-phase formula that makes the chore of taking off your makeup feel luxurious. Those three phases? It squeezes out as a soft, buttery cream, melts into a silky oil as you work it in, and with a splash of water, transforms into a featherlight milk that sweeps away every trace of the day. Long-wear makeup? Sunscreen? Gone in seconds, without leaving behind a heavy film. Plus, it smells like crisp apples (thanks to natural fruit oils), so your nightly cleanse doubles as a little sensory treat. With nourishing shea butter, glycerin, and coconut oil, it not only cleans but also leaves skin feeling soft, replenished, and comforted.
“This cleansing balm’s delicious apple scent alone makes me excited to wash my face. The gel-like texture is a little more liquidy than balms that come in jars, but it melted away my waterproof mascara like a pro (with just a touch of micellar water needed for leftover smudges). My dry skin felt refreshed and rejuvenated afterward—definitely a new fave in my skin care routine.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
- Key ingredients: cold-pressed apple seed oil, shea butter, glycerin, coconut oil
- Fragrance-free: yes
In the Clear: Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores
Origins
Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores
Why it’s worth it: Charcoal and clay masks used to have a bad rap for leaving skin tight and bone dry, but Origins’ Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores changed our minds. This creamy formula blends kaolin and bentonite with bamboo charcoal powder to attract and remove pore-clogging impurities, excess oil, and buildup. Glycerin helps maintain balance, so skin feels clarified, not stripped, while lecithin aids in dissolving debris, and myrtle leaf water provides an antioxidant boost. It smooths on easily, dries down without that uncomfortable “can’t-move-your-face” feeling, and rinses off to reveal a fresh, soft, and noticeably smoother complexion. Use it once a week whenever your skin needs a detox.
- Key ingredients: kaolin, glycerin, charcoal powder, myrtle leaf water
- Fragrance-free: yes
Strike a Balance: Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
Origins
Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
Why it’s worth it: If your skin concerns shift with the seasons—slick and shiny come summer, dryness in winter, and unpredictable in between—Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash was practically made for you. This creamy cleanser whips into a rich, frothy lather, doing exactly what you expect: sweeping away dirt, oil, and impurities. The twist, however, is that it’s infused with tourmaline, a naturally energizing crystal said to boost circulation and revive radiance, plus laminaria saccharina extract, a kelp that helps absorb excess oil, so skin feels fresh and balanced. With the help of glycerin and wheat protein, your skin stays soft instead of squeaky, and the hit of spearmint, bergamot, lavender, and geranium essential oils wakes up your skin as you wash.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I’ve loved this formula for a long time—like, since it came in a white bottle. It decongests my acne-prone, combination skin, but doesn’t leave it feeling tight. It also smells delicious and lathers really nicely, so it feels like true TLC for my skin at the end of the day. Heads up, though, that if I’m wearing makeup, I have to pair it with an oil cleanser or micellar water to fully remove my mascara.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
- Key ingredients: spearmint leaf oil, tourmaline, glycerin, laminaria saccharina extract
- Fragrance-free: yes
Glow to the Core: Youthtopia Refining Apple Peel
Origins
Youthtopia Refining Apple Peel
Why it’s worth it: An apple a day takes on a whole new meaning with Origins Youthtopia Refining Apple Peel. This liquid exfoliating treatment is powered by extracts from 100,000 apple stem cells to visibly refine pores and smooth skin texture, achieving a radiant, just-polished look. At its core (sorry, we couldn’t help it) is antioxidant-rich apple peel ferment, made from 100% upcycled apple peels and processed to double their antioxidant power, which helps neutralize environmental aggressors and target the first signs of aging. And if that wasn’t enough fruity goodness, a brightening blend of apple cider vinegar, plus alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic, lactic, and tartaric acids works to resurface and refine. The lightweight formula glides on with a refreshing tingle, then rinses away to reveal skin that feels softer, smoother, and more luminous.
Tester feedback from Allure commerce editor Sarah Han
“I’m always down for a leave-on exfoliant and skipping the wash-off step. Youthtopia Refining Apple Peel is packed with AHAs but doesn’t feel like it in the best way possible. I love how milky the texture is, but more importantly, it’s gentle on my combination skin, leaves me glowing, and my pores look a little less obnoxious. My only gripe is that I wish the bottle had a smaller opening because it’s very easy to pour out too much on the cotton pad (I’ve already done this, oops), and I’d hate to waste product!” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: apple cider vinegar, glycolic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, apple peel ferment
- Fragrance-free: yes
Whip, Whip, Hooray: Ginger Soufflé Whipped Body Cream
Origins
Ginger Soufflé Whipped Body Cream
Why it’s worth it: Care for the neck down with Origins Ginger Soufflé Whipped Body Cream, a rich yet airy hydrator that makes moisturizing feel indulgent. Apricot kernel, olive, grape seed, and rice bran oils team up with squalane to deeply nourish and lock in moisture, leaving skin soft and supple without a greasy after-feel. The star, of course, is ginger root oil—its warm, spicy aroma is blended with cardamom, clove, and coriander, plus a hit of citrus oils (lime, orange, bergamot, grapefruit) and eucalyptus for an energizing, feel-good scent. The texture is as fluffy as a soufflé (think light, airy, and cushiony), so it practically melts into your skin the second you smooth it on.
- Key ingredients: ginger, olive oil, grape seed oil, rice bran oil
- Fragrance-free: yes
Flip the Script: Plantscription Active Wrinkle Correction Serum With Retinoid
Origins
Plantscription Active Wrinkle Correction Serum With Retinoid
Why it’s worth it: Wrinkles and fine lines are part of life, but that doesn’t mean you can’t smooth things over with the help of Plantscription Active Wrinkle Correction Serum with Retinoid. Unlike traditional retinols that often leave sensitive skin red or flaky, this gentle retinoid is formulated for everyday use—and according to the brand, it’s even mild enough for morning application (just don’t forget your SPF). Anogeissus bark extract helps restore a youthful-looking bounce, while nutrient-rich algae help your skin barrier feel strong and supported. The silky, featherlight texture melts in so quickly you’ll forget you applied it—until you catch how much firmer, fresher, and glowier your skin looks.
- Key ingredients: hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HPR), acetyl cexapeptide-8 (peptide), anogeissus bark extract, laminaria digitata
- Fragrance-free: yes
Ama-Zing Moisture: GinZing Glow-Boosting Moisturizer
Origins
GinZing Glow-Boosting Moisturizer
Why it’s worth it: If dullness is dimming your skin’s vibe, Origins GinZing Glow-Boosting Moisturizer—with its super-sheer wash of tint (more glow enhancer than tinted moisturizer)—brings the zing right back. Powered by coffee beans and ginseng, it perks up a tired-looking complexion and leaves behind an instant, healthy-looking glow. The lightweight gel-cream sinks in fast, while niacinamide brightens and smooths over time. Choose Go for Bronze for a warm, just-back-from-vacation look or Pearl for fresh, lit-from-within luminosity. Either way, you’ll look way more awake than you feel.
- Key ingredients: caffeine, ginseng, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, squalane
- Fragrance-free: yes
A Pore-Fect World: A Perfect World Age-Defense Moisturizer with SPF 40
Origins
A Perfect World Age-Defense Moisturizer with SPF 40
Why it’s worth it: We’re always talking about SPF as your best armor against UV rays, and Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Moisturizer with SPF 40 makes it easy to suit up every day. This lightweight, silky formula pairs broad-spectrum sun protection with antioxidant-rich white tea to help fend off free radicals and environmental stressors that can accelerate visible aging. It blends in seamlessly—no chalky cast or greasy feel—and wears nicely under makeup or on bare skin. With added moisturizers like glycerin to keep skin soft and balanced, it’s the kind of multitasker you’ll actually want to reach for daily.
- Key ingredients: 3% avobenzone, 8% homosalate, 7.5% octinoxate, 4.5% octisalate, 5% octocrylene, white tea, cranberry blend, glycerin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best Origins products, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance (or lack thereof), texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.