The Origins Masks

The Origins Masks are well-known and well-loved in the blogging world and it's easy to get sucked into the hype, but are they really worth the money?

This blog post has been sitting in my drafts folder for ages. It took me a long time to actually write this post because I feel that I'm really in the minority of opinions when it comes to these particular masks. Then again, this is my blog and the purpose of this blog is to share what I think, so I'm just going to dive right into this and say that I'm not a big fan.

I've probably made it quite clear that I'm a big face mask girl. The Origins masks seem to be recommended by almost every beauty blogger when they talk about their top face mask picks, but these masks and I just don't seem to get along. There is one stand out product for me out of these four masks though, and that is the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. This is a typical bentonite+kaolin combination deep cleansing clay mask, and I think those two ingredients probably play more of a role than the charcoal powder, which is much more far down the ingredients list. I find that it really is deep cleansing and does help to clear out my pores (blackheads) as well as help shrink blemishes. I also like that while it is deep cleansing, it's not stripping, so my skin doesn't feel tight at all after I wash it off. I wouldn't say that it's better than the other clay mask options in my skincare drawer, but it is a good one, though I do think there are cheaper alternatives out there.

The two hydrating mask offerings from Origins are the Drink Up 10 Minute Mask and the Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. These two are very similar products. They are both cream masks that hydrate with emollient oils. While the sort of peaches and cream scent is pleasant, these masks really are incredibly fragranced, which can cause irritation to the skin. In addition, they contain other irritants such as lavender oil and camphor oil. For me personally, I could really see the irritation on my skin after using these products, and it's rare that a product is so irritating I see immediate consequences. After I use these two masks, my skin is always visibly red and just feels uncomfortable, which usually results in breakouts later on. I don't find the 10 Minute Mask to be any more hydrating than the Intensive Overnight Mask, because I don't find either of them to be hydrating really. They kind of just feel like a creamy moisturizer that I put on and wash off, with no results. Frankly, I would not even bother with these products, as there are much more effective hydrating mask options on the market.

The Mega Mushroom Skin Relief Mask is one that I really had high hopes for. The sales associate that sold me this product was extremely convincing, and promised me that her sister - who also has sensitive, acne prone skin - saw fantastic results with this range. I actually quite like the serum from the same range, but not so much this mask. Again, another cream mask, but this one is supposed to reduce redness and reactivity. My skin is easily sensitized and irritated, so this would have been perfect for me, if only it worked. For me, this mask doesn't do anything for redness or irritation. Like the hydrating masks, there are some problematic ingredients in here that are actually irritants, so I suffered the same uncomfortable feeling and broke out shortly afterwards. It really is quite frustrating when a product that's supposed to calm my skin actually does the opposite.

It's easy to get sucked into blogger hype for certain products, but it's also important to admit to ourselves when those products just don't work out for us. I sometimes find myself trying to persuade myself that I like a product just because everyone else loves it, even though I really don't. That being said, these masks may work fantastically for you, in which case, you should continue to use them by all means. For those who haven't tried these masks yet, you should still give them a go if you really are curious, but my advice would be to look for better options. Keep a lookout on my blog as I post about my favourite face masks all the time.

What do you think about the Origins masks?