Xmas 2015 / L'Occitane Pierre Herme Hand Cream Trio

For me, it's not Christmas without a L'Occitane gift!

Last year it was the Delicious Almond Collection from the hubby, the year before The Secret to Beautiful Hands (review here)... and again we are spoiled for choose with many fantastic gift sets this year.

L'Occitane Pierre Herme Hand Cream Trio* is really one of these presents that make you scream with joy! 

It contains three Limited Edition hand creams, created in collaboration with Pierre Herme - the famous French Pastry Chef.

There are actually 3 whole ranges with these newly crafted fragrances that combine precious ingredients and that evoke the Mediterranean and the Corsica coast.

All three scents are peculiar and tantalising for different reasons: 

Jasmin Immortelle Neroli is a floral, feminine bouquet with the richness of woody and musky notes.

Pamplemousse Rhubarbe combines the bitterness of the grapefruit white skin with the sweetness and tartness of the rhubarb; a warmly combination, slightly spicy.

Miel Mandarine is the most delicious concussion; fruity notes from the mandarin perfectly marry the sweetness and warmth of the caramelised honey, epitomising the holiday spirit!

They all have the fresh and nourishing consistency of the classic L'Occitane Shea Butter formula that we love!

Bonus: they come in a beautiful illustrated tin to collect and house your treasures!

Review / L'Occitane Shea Butter Cleansing Milk

If you are familiar with L'Occitane Shea Butter products for the body, I'm pretty confident you're already a fan!

The good news is that there is now a new skincare line enriched with this star ingredient; the Shea Butter used by L'Occitane is harvested in Burkina Faso in a fair trade partnership with the local women.

This new range includes: Shea Cleansing Oil, Shea Cleansing Milk, Shea Gentle Toner, Shea Light Comforting Cream and Shea Ultra Rich Comforting Cream. 

I've been trying out L'Occitane Shea Cleansing Milk*  in my morning daily routine for the last month and I've quickly realised that it's one of the best cleansing milks that I've ever used.

Having a newborn baby, I'm very careful to avoid strong scents or irritable ingredients on my skin; this milk has been perfectly gentle and it's also softly scented and not overpowering.

Love the pump bottle that dispenses just the right amount of product that I require and the velvety consistency spreads easily on cotton wool pads.

Shea Butter has phenomenal nourishing powers and it also creates a barrier to prevent moisture loss; furthermore, it accelerates cellular renewal and aids the repairing process.

What do you think of Shea Butter? Have you tried these new products yet?

Christmas 2014 / Le Couvent Des Minimes

Today’s post is a Christmas gift recommendation as well as Brand introduction. 

Le Couvent Des Minimes is a French brand of authentic, natural products that are using recipes created by Botanist Monks and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary that lived in the Couvent of the Minims since the 1600s.

Nowadays they still use these original blend of herbs and flowers that have been proven to have curative properties. 

I have to admit that I haven’t been that excited about a new brand for a while!

I find the packaging really charming with a rustic/french appeal and I absolutely loved reading about the apothecary knowledge behind the formulations.

At the heart of every line there is a Cologne - Eau Miraculeuse - and the same scent also comes in a wide selection of products; for example, I’m been testing out The Recipe of Love* and in this scent you can get a Cologne, Exfoliating Shower Pulp, Beneficial Massage Oil, Body Butter, Hand Cream and a Soap.  

The Recipe of Love has fruity and floral notes of Orange Blossom which is also renewed for its softening and soothing properties; the other main ingredients is Petitgrain which is source of harmony.

The brand is also committed to its charitable work, by donating 1% of all annual sales back to Franciscan Missionaries of Mary – and with these profits they have already funded a day nursery and school for nurses in Southern India. 

…and even more good news: you will be pleased to find out that they are endorsed by L'Occitane (!!!) and the products are extremely affordable; single items like Hiker's Foot Healer starting from under £5 or The Best of le Couvent des Minimes Set with 4 products for only 10 quid.

This is THE brand to try today and, although it’s new to the UK market, the products are already easily available in Boots nationwide.

Have you heard about this brand yet?

Christmas 2014 / L'Occitane Arlesienne Collection

The new fragrance from L’Occitane is called Arlesienne. The inspiration comes from the lands of the south of France with a strong, tenacious, mysterious woman.

It’s a floral scent that  includes notes of rose, saffron and violet - with violet, especially, coming through and enveloping the senses. 

Personally, I love it! I don’t usually go for floral scents and prefer more powdery perfumes but the wintery twist makes it quite delicate, not sickening and euphoric.

The design of the whole collection is beautiful too and inspired by the lively dance of the Arlesiennes. 

The crafted glass bottles and the rose gold metal accents gives a romantic turn of the century appeal; furthermore, the labels are embellished with a feminine and elegant floral print, same as the colourful skirts of these dancers.

Arlesienne is becoming part of the permanent line of L’Occitane with an Eau de Toilette, Shower Cream, Beauty Milk, Velvet Hand Cream, Perfumed Soap and Body Oil that are going to be available all year round, but there are also some Limited Edition items that you can pick up now and are going to make fab presents to give someone for Christmas - Hair Mist, Beautifying Powder, Gorgeous Lips,  Solid Perfume and Perfumed Candle.

The collection is available nationwide and online now, starting from only £8... go on, treat yourself - you know yout want to! ;)

New In / L'Occitane Whipped Shea Butter Collection

This year, L’Occitane is celebrating 25 years of partnership with the women’s co-operative in Burkina Faso and supporting Fair Trade Shea Butter.

2014 Limited Edition Collection is the Whipped Shea Butter range that includes a body cream, hand cream and shower foam.

The innovative formulation takes inspiration from the technique used by the co-operative in Burkina Faso, where the women whip the butter to obtain a mousse consistency.

This way you still get the same nourishing benefits that you’re used to from shea butter products but in a lightweight and extra comfortable texture.

L’Occitane Whipped Shower Foam* is probably my favourite item of the collection; I’m pretty partial to a shower foam – they are fun to use and they last ages too, in my experience.

The product feels velvety and creamy on the skin and doesn’t strip the skin. The typical Shea Butter scent envelops the senses and is the perfect combo for a warm and comforting shower to start the day.

The consistency of L’Occitane Whipped Body Cream* looks a bit odd admittedly, but is a dream to apply and it’s such a soothing and pleasant experience; it melts in the skin (making the application super-fast) and - with 10% shea butter - locks in hydration and soften the skin.

I'm definitely picking up L'Occitane Shea Whipped Hand Cream, which comes with a fun, star-shaped nozzle too.
What have you tried from this collection?

Brasil 2014 / L'Occitane Au Bresil

Brasil 2014 has been a popular inspiration for LE Collections this season.

Inspiration from south American culture with the energy and artistic predisposition, as well as rich natural resources and ingredients, indigenous of these lands.

The two new plants at the heart of L'Occitane Au Bresil Collection are: Vitoria Regia and Jenipapo. 

Vitoria Regia is a water lily found in the Amazon river that sleeps during the day, to protect from the sun rays and blooms at night, revealing pink petals and a delicate scent.

Its dual life has been perfectly captured in L'Occitane Vitoria Regia Day Flower - fresh and light with citrusy notes and the acidity of the green apple. A proper summer scent!

And L'Occitane Vitoria Regia Night Flower - with more powdery under-notes, dominated by musk and sandalwood and a hint of peony.

If you’re a L’Occitane aficionado, the consistency of L'Occitane Vitoria Regia Day Flower Handcream* is thinner than the shea butter counterpart and perfect for warmer months. It absorbs instantly and leaves the hands velvety soft and hydrated.

L'Occitane Vitoria Regia Night Flower Soap* echoes the decadent scent with the gorgeous engraving on its surface; it's fantastic and nearly too beautiful to use. The formula doesn't strip the oil on the skin and leaves the hands nourished and clean. 

Both scents come also as 300ml and 100ml Eau de Cologne bottles too.

Jenipapo is a citrus tree from the Cerrado region that basks in the sun its entire life and rapidly grows above the rest of the savannah to absorb the sun's energy.

The protective and moisturising properties of the fruit are well known to the native populations and they have now been used by L'Occitane to create this suncare line for the face & body.

L'Occitane Jenipapo Lip Balm Spf25* comes out as a clear gloss and it has a green and fruity mouthwatering flavour: you'll find exotic notes of watermelon, pina colada and vanilla.

The line also includes Body Jelly Milk Spf20, Shower Oil and Perfumed Oil Roll-On.

Local artists helped create the pretty illustrations of the flowers on the packaging and they are worth of turn-of-the-century Impressionist paintings. 

L'Occitane Au Bresil is out now in store and on Loccitane.com

New In / L'Occitane Ultra Soft Cream in Zesty Lime

L'Occitane is releasing a new generation of body creams. L'Occitane Ultra Soft Body Creams come in 3 teasing scents to awake the senses, whilst waiting for Spring; the bright neon tins complement the fragrances inside and they are sure to brighten any dressing table. 

 You can choose from sophisticated Vanilla Bouquet, romantic Rose Heart and the young & refreshing Zesty Lime*. 

Personally, I'm a fan of citrusy smells, but I know that my mum would love the classic and warm notes of the vanilla version, instead.

Zesty Lime has the perfect harmony between the sharpness of the lime and the deepness of the shea butter. 

These creams contains 10% Shea Butter - hence the ultra soft 'title' - and they are the ideal transition into Spring because they still provide hydration and protection from the harsh weather, but without coating the skin with a thick layer of lotion.

As you can see in the picture below, I made a comparison with L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Cream that contains 25% Shea Butter; the new product feels more like a (thickish) lotion - melts into the skin, leaving the skin silky to the touch..  

l: ultra rich cream / r: ultra soft cream

L'Occitane Ultra Soft tins launch on the 15th February - which colour will you be picking up?

An Evening with... L'Occitane

Last week I was invited for a personal tour of the new refurbished L'Occitane store in Glasgow.

For the people not too familiar with Glasgow, the store is right in the city centre, on Buchanan street and just outside the gorgeous Princes Square.

Stepping inside you're transported into a sensorial rustic haven, that you could easily find in the south of France. I'm no stranger to visiting the store myself and it was a beautiful space even before, but now it has these extra chicness touches. The wood and metal accents of the shelves marry beautifully with the terracotta flooring and the piece-de-resistance is definitely the chandelier - made from Rose Eau de Toilette bottles!

Thomas, the store manager, is the most genuine and knowledgeable person and he walked me through their star skincare products, their new scents and also pampered me with a much needed hand massage.

Fist, we started with skincare: the Immortelle Milk Make Up Remover is the perfect first step for your evening routine; it removes any trace of make up and impurities, gentle enough for the eyes too and can be used with or without water, depending on your preference.
Then the Immortelle Divine Lotion and I was totally blown away! I've been using this product for a couple of months and I can feel the different it has made to my skin... but today I could also see it! When Thomas applied it to my left hand and then I compared it with my other hand, the difference was incredible! The skin was so much brighter, smoother and any sign of redness GONE!!! Currently, I have been using it in the evenings, but this baby is going to be upgraded to twice a day for sure!!!
The Immortelle Divine Cream is another star product that also won the 2013 Harper's Bazaar Award for Best Anti-Aging Cream; it has been totally reformulated, 5 years in the making and contains 7 essential oils. It's ideal for day, night and for the neck area too.
To really step up your routine, you can add the Immortelle Divine Extract before the cream, which is your serum of choice; it's a 5 patents, high formulation that helps preserve firmness and regeneration of the cells.
Finally, we can't forget about the Immortelle Divine Eyes, which is effective yet gentle for the delicate eye area; this balm targets all concerns, like dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and tone up the skin too.

Then, we moved to my hand massage: Thomas used all the products from The Secret to Beautiful Hands which is a new introduction for the Holidays 2013.
First, we soaked my digits in Almond Supple Skin Oil to soften the skin and cuticles; I kinda of feel I'm preaching to the choir here... who doesn't know and love this product already??!
Onto the gift set - It contains 1 Minute Hand Scrub that can be used twice a week to get rid of dead skin cells and nourish, thanks to its oily base (shea, sweet almond and grapeseed oils).
 There's also a full size 75ml Shea Butter Hand Cream  - which comes with a metal Magic Key - and a tube of Hand & Cuticle Cream; the latter is a concentrated 30% Shea Butter version that can be used everyday to strengthen nails and cuticles and then as a treatment, once a week.

Finally, we chatted about the new fragrances which I'm pleased to say they are part of the permanent collection!
Fleur d'Or & Acacia for her, marries mimosa from Grasse and acacia from the Mediterranean; it's surprisingly floral but the musky and warm notes of the Acacia wood, makes it suitable for winter months too. The scented candle will be definitely coming home with me veeeery soon! :)
Cedre & Oranger is the scent for him; the woody notes of the cedar makes it a timeless masculine fragrance but with a fresh twist, coming from the citrus notes.

This is the perfect time of the year to discover the brand because there are many gift sets with fantastic value for money, starting from under 20 pounds. If you want to treat yourself or a loved one, the whole team is extremely helpful and welcoming and I heartily invite you to pay them a visit, during a Christmas shopping trip.

Massive thank you to Sophie and L'Occitane for making it happen and Thomas for his warmness and generous present. 

Empties / October 2013

Skincare:

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution: not much to say about this one - everyone loves it, everyone uses it. Although - as I mentioned in my holiday haul post - I'm branching out and started trying different brands, this is still my favourite in the micellar water world.

Repurchase: definitely!

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes: I use wipes before the gym to remove most of my face make-up; these were allright but a bit on the dry side and I felt I had to scrub more than when using other ones.

Repurchase: no.

Wei White Lotus Moisture Rich Eye Blend: I received this eye cream in the January Birchbox; It's quite thick in consistency, so I mainly used it at night for this reason. Nevertheless I enjoyed using it and didn't feel heavy on the skin (just takes a while to absorb).

Repurchase: maybe.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm: ohhhh my precious - I love everything about this lip balm - the grittiness, the smell, the performance. The matte finish is also an unusual and welcome quality. You can read more in my original review here.

Repurchase: hell yeah!

Bodycare:

Liz Earle Orange Flower Hand Wash: can go wrong with a bit of posh hand wash ;) Lovely fresh scent, lathers nicely and not drying - I actually really liked this wee sample.

Repurchase: yes.

Sprout Cream: Sprout's now become S.W. Basics but same lovely products. This is a very thick cream, nearly pure shea butter. I used it on rough areas as knees, elbows and heels and lasted ages. Love the sweet smell, too.

Repurchase: yes.

L'Occitane Date Bouquet Hand Cream: this was from the shea butter limited edition from last year. L'Occitane hand creams are probably my favourite hand creams ever, the date scent was lovely too. I'm currently using the Passionate Jasmine version and it is just as gorgeous - You can check this post for the Limited Edition 2013 scents :) 

Repurchase: always!

Nivea Firming Body Oil: pretty inexpensive body oil, for after shower use that I highly recommend! Easy to dispense, not greasy and beautiful scent.

Repurchase: yes.

All in all a very positive month! Have you tried any of these products yet?

*** New items added to the Shop :) ***

L'Occitane Lotion Divine

At first I was puzzled with L'Occitane Lotion Divine*. I thought it was a lotion in the sense of a light moisturizer but too runny for that and, at the same time, it's not a toner either. After a bit of research, I realized that it's actually a treatment for the skin.

I'm already a big fan of the Immortelle line: the Precious Eye Balm is up there in my Top3 favourite eye creams and the Essential Face Water is a staple in my morning routine.

Immortelle is actually known as the everlasting flower because it never fades, even after it has been picked; Its organic essential oil and water are rich in anti-aging properties and L'Occitane harvests the Corsican variety which is the highest in concentration of active molecules.

The yellow bottle looks luxurious on my sink top and the product itself delivers great results too. I've been using it for few weeks now and I can't believe the difference that it has made to my skin; I was already quite content with the appearance of my skin... but this is a new level of satisfaction!

It's not an overnight change but you will SEE the improvement. The skin feels silky smooth and tired, dull complexions are infused with a brand new lease of life. It also preserves skin's own equilibrium and enhances the benefits from other skincare products.

You apply it morning and evening, before moisturizer; you can use both hands or cotton pads and I prefer the latter, because of the liquid consistency. I spread it on the face and neck with outwards movements and then pat with the palm of my hands. This massage helps the draining process and firms the skin.

The delicate, floral scent has also an uplifting effect and you feel transported in a field on the Mediterranean coast.

A real treat for the senses that most definitely lives up to its name!

Have you tried this lotion yet? Grab a bottle in store or online