How did Juice Organics measure up? Well, if this photo is a representation of how I feel about it, I'd say it deserves a spot at the top of the class.

About a month ago, in my search for a new skin regimen, I started using Juice Organics as my first foray into organic skin care. My criteria for choosing new products were: anti-aging ingredients like glycolic acid and alpha hydroxy acid, antioxidants, affordable, gentle so it wouldn't cause breakouts, and effective enough to make a positive difference in my skin. Yes, I'm very demanding.

Juice Organics, a drugstore offering from the creators of Juice Beauty, delivers a lot for the price point. I had been obsessing over Juice Beauty but wasn't ready to shell out cash money for the pricier brand. After poring over different websites, I found Juice Organics and discovered the link to its mama brand.

Get the Goods

I went through a phase where I ate an apple every morning at breakfast, five days a week. My skin was noticeably brighter, so I can see why a juice-based cleanser is effective. Here are some more things that were working for me:

• It's certified organic and vegetarian...and at $9.99 for the Brightening Cleanser, it's affordable!
• It didn't make me break out! I was very concerned because I have fickle, sensitive, oily skin. Plus, the cleanser's texture is light and not greasy.
• I commented on the strong smell in my previous post, but that was based on smelling it straight from the bottle. One pump's worth of product is not bad in terms of the scent.
• The size is generous and a little goes a long way, which contributes to the cost effectiveness.
• You can get a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer for about $50.
• Skin tone showed noticeable improvement.

Hold Up, Wait a Minute

This isn't a complete lovefest. I read that Juice Organics was created in part to prevent other companies from taking their ideas and selling them at drugstore prices. So for Juice Beauty, are they just playing defense with this brand or are they committed to making their products accessible to a broader audience? Here are some things that could use some improvement:

• The Brightening Facial Serum, $19.99, hasn't really delivered. No age spots were diminished, and it doesn't even feel like a serum. It's a bit sticky and there wasn't much about it in terms of info or texture that assured me it was doing anything.
• The Brightening Moisturizer, $14.99, doesn't contain SPF, so it is appropriate for a night lotion but I had to supplement my morning routine. I chose Aveeno's Positively Radiant Moisturizer, which works nicely.
• The packaging makes the product look cheap. Yes, it's shallow to ding something because of the ginormous sticker on the bottle, but let's face it - packaging matters in cosmetics. The moisturizer bottle is too long and the design looks dated. Like 1970s dated, but not in a good way.

Bottom Line

The product is very good, especially considering you can have your Organic and your Drugstore prices too. Despite some shortcomings, the cleanser shines and is the best of the brand. And maybe the serum and moisturizer contribute to the entire effect - which is likely considering cleansers are washed off pretty quickly after application. Just add a day moisturizer with SPF and perhaps an exfoliating scrub for a weekly skin boost. Exfoliating will slough off dead skin and also allow skin to absorb the serum and moisturizer more.

I don't really want to get hooked on an expensive brand, but my positive experience with Juice Organics makes me curious about Juice Beauty - it has higher concentrations of the anti-aging ingredients and uses 26 organic juices rather than the modest five that Juice Organics does. Perhaps I will have to put it on my holiday wishlist! Whatever happens or doesn't happen with my wishlist, Juice Organics joins the ranks of my tried and true products list.

Photo sources: stock photo, greenfrugalista.blogspot.com