Purchased by me (Affiliate links)
After having received six emails in just two days asking whether I purchased any new things from The Organic Pharmacy- it occurred to me that I needed to post a picture in advance of my reviews. I am so delighted to see that so many of you are smitten with this extraordinary line- it is a rarity to find a line that is at once so healthy and so effective! My overall first impressions are predictable: everything is amazing! Of course this comes as no surprise to me, or to any of you who have fallen down The Organic Pharmacy rabbit hole. Expect to see in-depth reviews as soon as I have used everything long enough to evaluate each one of them in a useful and meaningful way. Until then, all I can say is that I am completely wowed by every single item shown here!
1) Flower Petal Deep Cleanser & Mask (reviewed here): "For all skin types. A duo of deep cleansing and exfoliating mask that draws out impurities, removes dead cells and brightens the complexion. Oats and milk (rich in lactic acid) gently exfoliate without abrasion whilst Lavender and Chamomile soothe inflamed skin leaving it radiant." This is an astoundingly effective mask, and it draws gunk out of my pores better than any mask that I have ever tried. Seriously!
2) Rose Balm: "A rich multipurpose soothing balm that caresses and cares for dry skin, hair, nails, lips. Use it anywhere, anytime. Packed with seven super plant oils from argan, pomegranate, rose hip and calendula to nourish, repair and keep the skin and any part of the body looking fabulous. A rich multipurpose soothing balm that caresses and cares for dry skin, hair, nails, lips. Use it anywhere, anytime. Packed with seven super plant oils from argan, pomegranate, rose hip and calendula to nourish, repair and keep the skin and any part of the body looking fabulous."
3) Carrot Butter Cleanser: "Our ultimate best selling cleanser effortlessly removes grime, dirt and make-up including eye make-up. Infused with Rosemary, Carrot and Shea Butter, the skin is left comfortable, calm and incredibly soft. Chamomile and Lavender soothe and calm both skin and mind. Excellent for all skin types."
4) Rose Plus Marine Brightening Complex: "Lighten, lift and soothe with this enzyme packed skin serum that uses papaya to gently exfoliate dead cells and brighten the complexion. Nangka fruit extract and Glucosamine help reduce the formation of sun spots and fade existing ones. The result: Clearer, brighter complexion, age spots reduced, tone and condition of the skin improved."
5) Rose Plus Anti-Ageing Face Cream: "This synergistic blend of highly active natural extracts has strong free radical scavenging properties that helps protect epidermal elastin and collagen fibres. It helps reduce and reverse sun exposure damage and improves micro circulation, restoring hydration and elasticity. Blackcurrant Leaf contain flavinoids that have shown potent anti-ageing activity and proven to reduce wrinkle depth by 50% after 30 days use. Pine Bark Extract is a potent antioxidant with Red, Green and White Tea high in polyphenols, quercetin and rutin provide powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity as well as DNA protectors. Rose extract is high in purifying free radical scavenging antioxidants to help restore radiance to the skin. Kigelia Africana is rich in flavinoids and saponins to improve skin tone and elasticity. MSM, Ester C, Alphalipoic Acid even out the skin tone and improve the condition of the skin. Cucumber Seed Extract helps reduce pigmentation along with White Mulberry and Fermented Grape help inhibit tyrosine activity (helps reduce pigmentation). Hibiscus Extract to gently exfoliates and remove pigmented cells, lightening the skin."
6) Enzyme Peel Mask with Vitamin C and Papaya: "The enzymatic and peeling action gently removes dead skin cells, reduces blackheads, diminishes age spots, reduces fine lines and leaves the skin nourished, radiant, soft and renewed to its natural perfection."
All purchased by me at Barneys New York.
Copyright © 2013 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.
Oh no! Once again I want everything you have posted, particularly the balm and the papaya peel mask. My Christmas wishlist is huge and also grows skyward. I really need a new face cream for the cold weather which already settled here in the big apple. I bought a Dior Hydra something that didnt do anything for my dry and bumpy cheeks so back to Sephora it goes. I adore the cold but it destroys my skin in a matter of hours. I am going to wait for your review of the face cream first. I love the smell of roses on my skin care products yet in perfumes it bothers me terribly. I saw on your empties post you had a sample of TF's Jasmin Rouge which I actually like, not enough as to own a bottle, but I do like it :)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week in sunny LA!
xxxxx
Can you imagine the trouble we would get into if we went shopping together?!!!!!! Our tastes are so similar that it is frightening to imagine the type of enabling that would be going on!
DeleteThe balm is glorious, albeit expensive-- but glorious nonetheless! I have not tried the papaya peel mask yet, but it came very very highly recommended by a friend who is an aesthetician. The face cream is amazingly nourishing, and a pleasure to use. However, I haven't used to long enough to give you any useful information. That said, if you find yourself near Barneys any time soon I would recommend getting a sample of the mask and the face cream. Sorry to hear that the Dior Hydra didn't do a thing. Have you seen a derm yet about your cheeks? NYC kind of cold definitely wreaks havoc on the skin! Interesting that Rose in skincare works, but not in perfume! I definitely like Jasmine Rouge and have a few more samples to use up to determine whether it is special enough to commit to the bottle-- not really sure that it is. Not so sunny here today, and it is actually supposed to start raining this afternoon through tomorrow. It feels nice to be reminded of the different seasons periodically! Have a lovely NYC day! xoxox
Enabling is the perfect word indeed! Our wallets will tremble in fear and anxiety while we have so much fun that it becomes illegal :)
DeleteI checked the price of the balm and I guess it is going to my Santa's list ;) my husband is another enabler, luckily for me.
Have a wonderful day!
xxxx
Agreed! The balm is definitely good to go on your Santa's list! It's so nice that your husband is another enabler!! Then at least you don't have to feel inclined to fetishize (and purchase) in silence! Mine is good about these things as well :-)
DeleteHave a lovely day as well! xoxox
I just ordered the Ko Gen Do face cream from Sephora. I hope it works for my skin! I'll let you know how my dry cheeks are going. Did you try it? I know you like the line a lot :) I also got a cheap cream to put on my legs on top of my oils, Gold bond Medicated. I hope it works too!
DeletePoor Santa! He is going to have a wallet attack this Christmas :D
Talk soon and happy Wednesday!
xxxx
Could we possibly be more in sync?! I actually had an hour-long Koh Gen Do facial yesterday at Barneys New York! The aesthetician did deep massage (including lymphatic drainage). The effects were so profound that I was sort of out-of-body for quite a while afterward. She used their Cleansing Cream, Oriental Plants Moisture Veil Balm, their Lip Treatment, a clay mask that she warmed up and applied to the skin (AMAZING), their face cream and a few other things that I didn't really take note of because I was so relaxed that I couldn't bother keeping track. My skin looks and feels amazing! Afterward she applied their new Maifanshi Aqua Foundation (AMAZING) and a touch of blush. I will have to write about the experience in more detail, but it was GLORIOUS!
DeleteI hope that their cream works wonders on your cheeks! Good call on the Gold Bond Medicated for your legs!
Poor Santa, indeed! On my last birthday my poor husband had no idea what to get for me- so my sister told him to get me a Barneys gift certificate! It was PERFECT!
Have a lovely Wednesday as well! xoxox
How wonderful Helen; the synchronicity of beauty! Your experience sounds divine. You take so much good care of you and I find it inspiring, in particular in the academic world, where my tastes appear a bit superficial.
DeleteI did well then ordering this cream. I only use oils at night for my troublesome skin. I bought a new sun protection, the Dior snow spf 50 and it is really good but not as great as my Chanel UV Essentiel. I definitely cannot wear oils under the Dior one so I am counting on this new Koh Gen Do to release me from my facial misery. I am currently adoring my Armani Lasting silk but I have been eyeing Koh Gen Do base products for a while already. Your experience, once again, tempts me. I cannot have enough foundations!
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Exactly!!!!!!!! It was truly an amazing experience. You should check to see if/when they will be having the KGD facial at your Barneys-- I cannot recommend it enough! You and I are in the same boat-- I do not share my proclivities for skincare and makeup in my academic world for that very reason.
DeleteI hope that the KGD cream works for you! As for the newly reformulated Aqua Foundation- I would get a sample before purchasing it to see whether you like it. I likes it, but as it turns out I prefer the old formula. I wore the new one yesterday and it had quite a few more High Def particles than the original formula, and is more full coverage. The older formula looked like a second skin on me (but buildable to conceal any redness or imperfections), but the new one looks like I am wearing foundation-- I didn't notice it on the day of my facial, but my husband made the comment that he could tell that I was wearing foundation. Yesterday I noticed that he was right, and I have to say that it is far less flattering on me than the original formula (I wish that they hadn't discontinued it because it is amazing, but you can still find it at Sephora stores (not online). Also Hautelook has offered it twice!
xoxox
I used to love their carrot butter cleanser way back when (gosh it must be almost 10 years ago!) but I don't see any of my other old products on the current site. You have me seriously curious about the rose balm!
ReplyDeleteAlso I'm v much enjoying your lovely oil reviews -- reading through all of them with a cuppa in my hand in preparation for winter shopping :D Have you ever tried the Organic Pharmacy Skin Rescue Oil, my dearest?
Hi Kate!! Yes, their carrot butter cleanser is wonderful!! I wonder if they discontinued the products that you used before? :/ The rose balm is quite lovely! Thank you so much for your very kind remarks-- I am flattered that you are reading my reviews with a cuppa in your hand!!!!! I haven't yet tried their Skin Rescue Oil, but it has been on my short list of things to try from them. They don't sell it at Barneys-- so I have to make a special trip to The Organic Pharmacy store in Beverly Hills. I must confess that I am a touch scared to go there for fear of what all of that temptation will do to my wallet! Do you recommend the Skin Rescue Oil?
Delete:-)
I need the extra caffeine to fuel my online ordering, before the "HOW much for how many oz??" reaction kicks in! ;D
DeleteHaven't tried the Skin Rescue Oil, but I'm thinking it may suit me more than the Antioxidant serum you love -- my skin doesn't cope that well with Vit C.
Isn't the "How much for how many oz??" a dangerous game to play?! It can be quite frightening! Of course that never stops me from buying-LOL!
DeleteI am very curious about the Skin Rescue Oil as well. If you get it I will be very interested to her your thoughts and read your review. A sensitivity to Vit. C definitely means you should keep away from their Antioxidant serum! xoxo
OMG!!! You def have great products here. I wanna have them all for they all seem like great products to try out. I'll start with the first one.
ReplyDeleteHi Jules, They really are amazing products-- I am just thrilled with my purchases! The Flower Petal Mask is so effective, but lovely to use at the same time. I have found that it cleans out my pores more effectively than anything else that I have tried! I love it!
DeleteI am torn between buy or not to buy. Couple of products I really want include rye alcohol. I was struggling to confirm if this was a SD alcohol/ethanol type of alcohol or a fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol... So about a month ago I sent an email to the customer service. They initially responded to confirm the name of the products (Rose Plus Marine Collagen Complex and Collagen Boost Mask) and since then silence... despite my follow up emails. Rather disappointing for the premium priced brand...
ReplyDeleteHi Magdalena,
DeleteI'm sorry to hear that you haven't received a response to your last email. I wish that I knew someone at the company to whom I could direct you. My interactions have always been wonderful and very helpful at Barneys. I always carefully check the ingredients to make sure that there is nothing included that I either don't want, or that I am sensitive to, but have never contacted them directly. I love their products and find them very effective and lovely to use. For me, I don't think that I would let an unresponsive employee who doesn't respond to follow up emails taint the brand for me. That said, it would definitely bother me, and I would probably be inclined to find a customer service phone number to not just try to get an answer to my initial question, but also to let them know that I have sent several follow up emails no no avail. They need to know that they have a potential customer who is becoming frustrated, and who still needs would like additional information.
Hi again :-) I just went to their website, and under the ingredients this is what they say about the rye alcohol:
DeleteName:Rye Alcohol
Properties: Our alcohol is pure, organic and made from Rye. It is used in very small quantities and does not irritate or dry the skin.
It is toward the bottom of the list of ingredients for the Rose Plus Marine Collagen Complex (the 6th from the bottom), and the 8th from the bottom for the Collagen Boost Mask.
Hi, its really encouraging to hear about your experience with the products.. it gives me hope. I will be in London next month and I just might visit one of the flagship stores to get some answers and play with the products. The most curious thing though, I have been eying couple of serums and a mask for some time but my alcohol or not to alcohol dilemma stated after purchasing their herbal toner. I thought I checked the ingredients, but no... only when I got it silly me noticed rye alcohol listed at a very top as a second ingredient. I then checked the mask and here it was again, 5th from the top. After looking at your post I went to their website again, ingredients list seems to be different. Either I am going Organic Pharmacy mad or they re-formulated, maybe changed listing.... I have no idea. Some web retailers still list different ingredients.... Ah never ending quest ;-)
DeleteHi Magdalena! I have had tremendous luck with their products, but I am not sensitive to Rye Alcohol, and I haven't found any of their products that I have been using to be at all drying. Interestingly if you check my review of the Rose Plus Marine Collagen Complex the Rye Alcohol is the 4th ingredient, and I just double checked it against the box-- which is the same.
Deletehttp://www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com/2013/08/the-organic-pharmacy-rose-plus-marine.html
However, it looks as though the US website it lists different ingredients (it seems to be for a different product- because they differ considerably):
http://www.theorganicpharmacy.com/health-beauty/rose-plus-marine-collagen-complex/63
I have no idea what this means, but I suspect this is a mistake or whether they have reformulated-- I am as confused as you! I think that your idea is a good one to go check it out when you are in London. There has to be a logical answer. Either way, I couldn't be happier with their products, but if there are ingredients that you are sensitive to, or opposed to using it would be useful for you to know so that you can decide accordingly. Keep me posted! ;-)
Hi Helen
ReplyDeleteI just ordered the rose balm because I thought it may be a handy item to have on my ski trips. Now that there is a 20% off sale, I am also tempted to try the skin rescue oil! Have you tried it yet?
Veronica
Hi Veronica! I LOVE their rose balm!! It is just amazing! No, I have not yet tried their Skin Rescue Oil, but it has been on my radar for a while, and is definitely on my must-try list! If you get it, let me know what you think! :-)
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