When I first stumbled upon The Organic Pharmacy in London’s Covent Garden last year, I was excited to bring my quarry back to the US, where I was sure this all natural skincare brand was all but unknown. Since then, they have been picked up by Barney’s. Good for them. I love the brand’s Rose Plus Brightening Cream and reader reviewer Cheryl was pleased with the Collagen Complex. So I was intrigued to try the two-in-one Lip & Eye Cream ($45).

I like the idea of a lip and eye cream combo for busy, on-the-go types that want their beauty regimen as streamlined as possible. The problem with combo cosmetics (BB creams being the screaming example) is that they tend to do several things not very well. Unfortunately, The Organic Pharmacy Lip & Eye Cream demonstrated my theory.

As an eye cream, it wasn’t hydrating enough for me and it didn’t help with puffiness and certainly didn’t tackle wrinkles. As a lip cream, it performed much better and in the end that is what its use gravitated to. I would smear it on my winter dry lips and enjoy the almost instant hydration. Or try to enjoy it.

Sadly, I didn’t enjoy the smell. Scent is very much in the nose of the beholder and since this cream was being rubbed into my lips, my nose was getting the full treatment as well. I don’t know what is responsible for it, but ultimately it discouraged me from using this cream. That and the fact that cream seems to have stability issues and, after a few weeks, began to separate.

All that aside, I have to note the array of organic botanicals that The Organic Pharmacy has used. I love the inclusion of cornflower, an anti-inflammatory plant that in folk medicine has long been associated with eye care.  Frankincense is a healer of skin infections and there’s fatty acid-rich rose hip, marigold with skin protecting lutein and antioxidant bilberry. The only thing not to like is the highly toxic sodium borate.

Ingredients: Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Oil, Sorbitan Stearate , Sea Salt (Maris Sal), Aqua (Water) , Neroli (Citrus Aurantum) , Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Palmitate) , Carrot (Daucus Carrota) , Bilberry (Vaccinum Myrtillus), Cornflower, Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) Oil, Marigold (Calendula Officinalis) Extract, Rose Hip (Rosa Canina) Oil, Frankincense (Boswellia Serrata), Lavender (Lavandula Officinalis), Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis), Coconut Oil (Cocos Nucifera) , Aloe (Aloe Barbadensis), Beeswax (Cera Alba), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii), Sesame Seed Oil (Sesamum Indicum), Sunflower (Helianthus Annus) Oil, Honey (Mel), Grapefruit Seed Extract (Citrus Grandis), Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Borate, Vitamin E (Tocopherol)