Beauty Store Dropout

J.R. Watkins: Natural and Affordable

Last week I had the opportunity to hang out with some other local bloggers and explore a store and a company that I didn’t really know that much about before. J. R. Watkins Naturals has been developing natural products since 1868. I have seen some of the home care items in my Target store before, but that’s as familiar with the name as I had gotten before I stepped into their one and only brick and mortar store, located right here in Orange County.

The Original

Watkins started right in his own home, producing a pain relieving product that he mixed in his own bathtub using camphor and capsicum as the active ingredients. He was so confident in his creation that he offered it with the very first money-back guarantee. It has stood the test of time, still being a popular seller after over 140 years.

The store is decorated with real Watkins relics.

Walking into the store, I couldn’t help but notice the decor. Clean and simple, a classic apothecary look but just a bit more upscale. Behind the register there is antique video footage from the J.R. Watkins factory playing on a loop. The staff are smiling and friendly and extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

Vintage photos bring the Watkins story to life.

The store itself, opened in October of 2011, is located adjacent to the Ferris wheel in the Irvine Spectrum center. How I missed it so many times I can not tell you, but I will say that I won’t be able to visit the Spectrum again without popping in.

One thing I really like about the company is that they aren’t here trying to find the newest fad product to get moms to buy them. If a product is going to join the J.R. Watkins family, it has to be something that is going to be relevant not only right now, but fifty years from now. Just by looking at the specificity of the products carried in the store, you can see that clearly it’s quality over quantity.

The Pink Grapefruit products smell heavenly.

The Sugar and Shea Scrub is a newer product that has been a few years in the making. They made sure to get it as perfect as possible before launching it. I had the opportunity to try it out and immediately fell in love. The consistency is creamy and rubs on evenly. The result is long-lasting soft skin and no dangerous shower floor to worry about slipping on like you would with a standard sugar and oil scrub. The first time I used it on my elbows, which for me are a regular dry and flaky trouble spot. At the end of the day they were still soft and I hadn’t used any additional moisturizer on them.

I can’t say enough wonderful things about the products, the company, or the store itself, and I strongly encourage everyone to stop by and see for themselves the next time they are visiting the Spectrum. The staff there are more than happy to let you try anything in the store if you ask them.

To sweeten the deal, I have a special present for OC Family readers!

Through May 16th, 2012- visit J.R. Watkins in the Irvine Spectrum and spend $10, receive a FREE Lip Tint!

Trust me, you want a Lip Tint. They are divine!

J.R. Watkins Naturals
Irvine Spectrum, suite 219
(949) 754-0664

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