Discovering our Origins

When I was studying in the States in the ’90s, I became a fan of a new brand called Origins. Going “green” wasn’t a thing yet back then, so Origins was one of the first brands to offer all-natural, plant-based products like Peace of Mind, a therapeutic balm I would rub on my temples whenever I’d feel a headache coming on, and Mint Wash, a facial cleanser I was addicted to because of its refreshing peppermint scent.

Twenty-five years after Estee Lauder’s grandson William Lauder founded the brand in a Park Avenue loft, Origins is finally here. The first worldwide popup store is now open in SM Makati, and it’s the ideal playground for discovering the brand. Every single product has a tester labeled “Try Me,” helpful staff offers free 15-minute facials to customers, and there’s a whole wall of jars filled with sample packets that are absolutely free to take home — no commitment or purchase required. That’s how confident Origins is that you will love their products and come back for more.

“Our scientists go all over the globe to bring the best, most efficacious ingredients we inject in our formulas so you see amazing results on your skin,” says Jean-Alexandre Havard, vice president and international general manager of The Estee Lauder Companies/Origins. “As a great example, the two trees (in our logo) represent the power of nature and science combined.”

Looking around the new store I couldn’t find my beloved Mint Wash anymore, but was happy to see Peace of Mind still being offered, as well as other heritage products from way back when like Clear Improvement, an active charcoal mask that clears pores, and Ginger Soufflé, a whipped body cream I was partial to because of its lightweight texture and delicious smell.

The store design has also been updated, from predominantly green tones and lots of wood to what looks like vintage maps on the walls.

“It was inspired by an explorer’s studio,” explains Gustaf Torling, vice president of Global Creative at The Estee Lauder Companies/Origins. “The essence of Origins is travel, journey, science and nature. Basically it’s about an explorer traveling the world, and finding extraordinary ingredients that he’s bringing back. The goal is to have people come in and touch, play, try different products and take a journey through our brand. They feel warm and invited, not stressed.”

Over the last quarter century Origins has stayed true to its philosophy of providing pure, natural and sustainable products made with 100-percent-organic ingredients, but has evolved into a high-efficacy daily-skincare brand famous for its masks. “We’re the leader in the mask,” notes Havard. “We’re No. 1 in US, the UK, Scandinavia and Thailand.”

Masks are huge in Asia so it’s fortunate that Origins has 14 different kinds to suit all skin types, but another product has emerged as a must-have for Asian women: Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion. Weil is a Harvard PhD in integrative medicine whose approach involves combating aging with powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. He helped Origins choose all the ingredients that would have the most dramatic effect on the skin.

“This is our No. 1 products now in the world,” beams Havard. “In Asia and many cities there are issues with air and water pollution, and it’s a big, big success because it’s part of an anti-pollution regimen.”

Another section of the store that caught my eye was the Quarter Life Skincare. Havard says that for this line, called Original Skin, Origins actively collaborated with millennials from the US, Germany and China, gathering information on their lifestyles and skincare needs.

“In terms of skincare, nobody was addressing the way they lived, so we worked on finding out what was happening physiologically with their skin at that age,” he says. “We found that starting 17-25, a process called carbonylation affects the pores and the dermis, so in our formula, we put a lot of actives like willow herb from Canada to prevent carbonylation, improve texture and impart glow and radiance to the skin.”

A millennial illustrator even designed an ad campaign that would resonate with her age group. By addressing all the doubts and questions of the quarter-life crisis, Origins found a grateful and potentially loyal new demographic. “Oh, my God, this is really for us?” was the reaction Origins got when it introduced Original Skin. “This is what we’ve expected for so long in our regimen.”

Chalk it up to the wisdom of a skincare brand that’s stayed true to its principles while managing to successfully evolve with the times. While I’ll always go back to my first loves at Origins, I’m developing new crushes that I fully plan to explore.

* * *

Origins is located on the ground-floor concourse area of SM Makati Department Store.

* * *

Follow me on Facebook (Therese Jamora-Garceau), Twitter @tjgarceau and Instagram @tj108_drummergirl.