Do Philosophy Beauty
Products Really Work?

How the Philosophy Line of Beauty Products Began:
The history of Philosophy began with the medically-based skincare company BioMedic, a skincare line founded by Cristina Carlino and specifically designed for distribution by leading dermatologists and plastic surgeons to heal and restore the severely sensitive, cosmetically damaged skin of their patients. Through BioMedic, Cristina pioneered the use of in-office medical peels and helped develop breakthroughs in topical skincare formulas.

According to a Philosophy website, “Cristina then turned her focus to delivering these incredible breakthroughs to the public. She formed Philosophy with the same labs and research teams that had made BioMedic so successful.” After years of research and fine-tuning, Cristina was able to release the Philosophy line of beauty products to the general public.

Today, the Philosophy brand is sold in upscale department stores and smaller specialty boutiques, as well as on the web at SkinStore.com, LovelySkin.com, and Beauty.com. The product line not only includes serious skin care products such as serums and facial peels, but also fun, colorful hand and body lotions, shower gels, hair care products, fragrances, and makeup. One major plus that Philosophy has which separates it from its competitors is fragrance variety. Philosophy has taken a unique spin on ordinary bath products and turned it up a notch by offering unique fragrance varieties like pumpkin pie, carrot cake, gingerbread, butter cream frosting, and cinnamon buns.

Philosophy’s Product Packaging:

While many beauty product manufacturers invest heavily in marketing schemes and over-the-top packaging, the Philosophy line of beauty products packaging is minimalist, yet stylish. Small glass bottles hold the fragrances, while clear or frosted plastic bottles hold the colorful shower gels, cleansers, scrubs and skincare items. It seems that simple and effective is the idea behind the Philosophy product packaging as well as the brand.

The "philosophy" behind each product is printed on the container and is intended to inspire and make you feel good every time you read it. For example, the message found on their popular facial moisturizer Hope in a Jar reads, "Philosophy: Where there is hope, there can be faith. Where there is faith, miracles can occur." This company appears to have a fresh attitude and seems dedicated to making their customers' skin and lives better.

Philosophy’s Product Lines:

1. Philosophy Skincare

• Philosophy believes that having beautiful, healthy skin should be simple. Using proven scientific procedures and extensive medical knowledge, the Philosophy skincare line has been designed to give you healthy, radiant looking skin.

• One of their best selling skincare products is the “Hope” line of facial moisturizers. The original Philosophy Hope in a Jar facial moisturizer is formulated for all skin types and is designed to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, skin discoloration, and rough texture while hydrating and giving the skin a natural rosy, youthful glow. Hope in a Jar is 99.9% oil-free and loaded with antioxidants in a unique soufflé texture. There is also the Philosophy Hope in a Bottle oil-free moisturizer that contains salicylic acid (an exfoliating agent that helps to clear clogged pores, soothe irritation caused by acne, and soften fine lines) and the restorative and protective Philosophy When Hope is not Enough Firming and Lifting Serum that helps tone and firm skin. It minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by using a unique blend of antioxidants that help to restore skin cells.

• Another highly recommended and best selling skincare product is Philosophy's Purity Made Simple, a 4-in-1 liquid crystal facial cleanser that effectively removes makeup, dirt and oil, while gently cleansing, toning and lightly hydrating the skin all in one easy step.

2. Philosophy's Bath and Body Shower Gels

• The brightly colored and deliciously fragranced Philosophy shower gels clean and condition both hair and skin, while delighting your senses with the delicious scents of your favorite comfort foods. Designed as a guilt-free way to indulge in treats we've been told not to, the 3-in-1 gels work as a shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath, and come in scents such as Pumpkin Pie, Coconut Frosting, Mimosa, Strawberry Milkshake, Melon Daiquiri, and Powdered Sugar Cookie. As an added bonus, each bottle is printed with a recipe for the treat the shower gel is named for…yummy : )

3. Philosophy’s Hair Care

• Philosophy’s hair care products are designed to restore the shine, body and moisture that your hair loses everyday to the harsh realities of stress and styling. Their shampoos, conditioners and styling products are formulated to nourish and restore your hair’s strength, encouraging volume so your hair can become as shiny and healthy as when you remember it best.

4. Philosophy's Fragrances

• In line with their simple and clean branding, Philosophy offers three smell good, feel good fragrances: Amazing Grace (their best-seller), Inner Grace and Pure Grace. Each fragrance is designed to be soft, feminine, and clean-smelling, and best of all to never overwhelm.

5. Philosophy's Makeup

• While one of the concepts behind Philosophy's skincare line is that the best makeup is no makeup, Philosophy understands that women sometimes need to look better than their best. For this reason, Philosophy has created a line of makeup called The Supernatural which does what makeup should do - simply enhance great skin and boost confidence. They offer Air Brushed Canvas with SPF 15, a powdered mineral foundation that provides sheer, natural coverage and leaves the skin with a smooth, airbrushed appearance; Airbrushed Color Corrector Concealer (winner of the 2005 SELF healthy beauty awards for best concealer), which blends with virtually any foundation, provides full coverage for under eye circles, blemishes, discoloration and minor flaws and is available in three different tri-colored color-palettes (light, medium and dark) that allow you to mix shades for a customized match to help achieve a flawless looking complexion; Mineral Blush Compact Duo, soft colored blushes with universally flattering shades that give your cheeks sheer, natural looking color and makes attaining beautiful cheek color virtually fool-proof; The Supernatural Lip Gloss, a richly tinted moisturizing gloss that looks soft and natural and has a minty fresh flavor; their best-selling lip plumper Big Mouth “for that bee stung look”; as well as various other beauty enhancing products.

6. Philosophy’s Charity Line

• The ethics division of the Philosophy company has partnered with various health and social organizations to raise awareness and significant funds that support educational programs and cutting-edge medical research that includes breakthrough early detection methods for breast, ovarian and colon cancers. 100% of the gross profit from the sale of Philosophy’s Charity line products is donated to their respective charities. Charities include the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the Women's Cancer Research Fund, the Rainforest Foundation, the Joyful Heart Foundation, and PBS and PBS KIDS.

Do Philosophy Beauty Products Really Work?
Being promoted and endorsed by the likes of Amy Grant and Oprah Winfrey is definitely a plus for the Philosophy line of beauty products. Of all the reviews I have read their products all seem to live up to the company’s claims. Even though beauty products from the Philosophy line are some of Oprah Winfrey’s personal favorites, she likes them so much that she has featured and recommended Philosophy beauty products on her television show and even endorses them in O Magazine, the question remains: Do Philosophy Beauty Products Really Work? If they are good enough for Oprah are they good enough for you? Read user reviews of Philosophy beauty product here.

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