My Sensitive Skin-Friendly Favorites from Origins

If you’re a regular here, you know that I can’t settle for boring skincare just because I have sensitive skin. I need the sensory experience, the scent, the pleasant feel, and the instant glow that makes me keep using the product. That’s why I’ve been a fan of Origins since day 1 and even witnessed the birth of some of their best-selling skincare lines such as Mega-Mushroom and GinZing.

They focus on naturally derived skincare and their products contain essential oils that add to the experience. They smell heavenly! But that’s also why people with sensitive skin might shy away from trying their products. Well, as I always say, you can’t judge a product based on a single aspect. A good example of this is the Origins Mega Mushroom line formulated to calm the skin. Almost all of them contain essential oils but they are incredibly soothing and they work fast!

So if you’re like me and enjoy skincare that works but also tickles your instant gratification, I’m here to share some of my Origins favorites that I’ve used and loved over the years.

This is a foaming face cleanser I love to use to manage my oily skin. It’s infused with anti-bacterial tourmaline and peppermint oil. I find it especially helpful in summer weather when I need that minty fresh face to layer my morning skincare routine. It lathers up really nicely, cleans up my skin thoroughly, and even removes light makeup.

It leaves my skin matte, and grease-free, and calms my acne. It’s SLS-free so it works without drying or sensitizing my skin. If you’re dealing with sensitive skin and acne, which doesn’t allow you to experiment much, you can use this as your daily cleanser.

Related: Full Review of Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash

First of all, the whole Mega Mushroom line is perfect for redness-prone, easily irritated skin. But this versatile alcohol-free toner is my favorite from the line. It’s a soothing toner that sets the tone of your routine! It’s made with Reishi mushroom and Chaga mushroom which work by comforting the skin. Sometimes, no matter how gentle I am when washing my face, I deal with post-cleanse red bumps.

So I love that its redness-reducing benefits are instantly visible! This also comes in handy to soothe post-shower redness. It’s equally hydrating because it also has hyaluronic acid. It’s incredibly light and watery. I only need a few drops for my whole face and I apply it by pouring some into the palm of my hand and pressing it onto my skin. It absorbs and dries super fast and leaves my skin silky soft. It smells like a forest, which is incredibly relaxing. And it has no residual sticky feeling whatsoever.

I love every single face mask from Origins. And I can’t single out anything. But when sensitivity is concerned, which is sometimes accompanied by dry, flaky skin, this is unrivaled. This is an overnight face mask with a cream texture. It blankets the skin with its moisturizing base made with avocado oil and mango seed butter. It also has niacinamide to support the skin barrier. It applies like a super hydrating night cream and leaves the skin looking dewy.

I use it as the last step in my skincare routine and it takes about 15 minutes for it to absorb. In the morning, my skin looks more even, radiant, and unmistakably plump. Again, the scent is heavenly! If your treatment products are overdrying your skin or sensitizing it, this is going to help your skin bounce back in no time! I even sometimes use it as a night cream days in a row when my skin is extra thirsty. The mask does live up to its 72-hour hydration claims.

I wrote several times about the challenge of following an anti-aging skincare routine and using retinol when you have sensitive skin. And I mentioned several times that one of the best workarounds is to use a gentle derivative like Granactive retinoid. It’s as potent as retinol but the irritation potential is significantly lower. That’s why this retinoid serum is a must-have for fellow 30-somethings dealing with signs of aging but can’t be bothered with irritating skincare.

My favorite part is that it also contains Argireline. It’s the peptide touted to have Botox-like effects and works by softening the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles. The potent serum has a light, creamy texture that leaves my skin radiant and plump. In case you’ve never used a retinol product, know that most of them require an adjustment period which can be too much of a hassle for most people. But this is so sensitive-skin-friendly that you don’t need a whole agenda to try and incorporate it into your routine.

On the flip side, if you’re hesitant to try retinoids but are on the lookout for an effective anti-aging serum, I can swear by this one. It’s a peptide serum that helps firm the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

It also packs a rich blend of botanical extracts including bamboo extract and contains niacinamide for maximum moisture. Its texture is even lighter than the retinoid serum and simply disappears into the skin.

Speaking of peptides, this is an anti-aging cream from the same line that also contains Argireline as well as signal peptides to boost collagen. Contrary to a typical heavy face-firming cream, this has a milky consistency with a satisfyingly creamy texture. It’s surprisingly lightweight and it thins out and spreads out nicely.

It has light moisture boosters like squalane and hyaluronic acid and makes my skin feel firmer. But the best part is that it leaves my skin visibly radiant like an illuminating moisturizer. That’s what makes the anti-aging cream so easy to use during the day under makeup too. It layers easily and doesn’t pill.

If firming is not a concern, then you can try this daily antioxidant moisturizer if you haven’t already! It’s made with a gentle form of vitamin C because let’s face it, not all of us can handle pure vitamin C! It protects the skin against free radicals and boosts radiance with niacinamide. It also has caffeine and ginseng to energize the skin.

The gel texture makes it very easy to use for all skin types and it works great under makeup too. Plus, it literally and quite visibly leaves your skin radiant and glowy! For me, it’s very easy to over-use this because of that sweet citrusy, orangey smell. But actually, you only need a tiny amount! I swear if they sold that smell as perfume, I would stock up!

So these are some of my favorite Origins products that I can comfortably use on my sensitive skin. None of them broke me out or irritated my face. If your skin is particularly sensitive and prone to redness, simply try any product from the Mega Mushroom line!