L'Occitane intrigued me for the longest time. Its classiness seems so far above other similar companies that it rather intimidated me. It took a while to realize I've paid a lot (LOT) more to Sephora when buying just one item from L'Occitane to try wasn't out of reach. I've certainly paid more than CAD$24 for even nail polish at Chanel, so why not splurge for something beneficial for my entire body? It was the dead of winter when I made the venture, and the item I ended up with was their famous Almond Shower Oil, thanks to a sudden all-consuming preoccupation with oils spurred on by fellow blogger Beauty Huile.
I've gone on and on at length about my oily face, but my body is on the slightly dry side. If I moisturize well, my skin doesn't flake or feel itchy or dry at all, even in winter. But I figured the more soothing and moisturizing a product the better, right? This warm, sensuous-looking oil was welcoming in the cold and my beauty sensor just tingled at the sight of it. It's also encased in one of the most elegant looking plastic packaging ever.
I usually require the aid of a shower puff when using liquid or gel cleansers, but I love the feel of oil warming in my hands and decided to forget the puff. I massaged a quarter-sized drop of the shower oil on my palms and reveled in the feeling of the oil warming and transforming into fragrant froth. The scent is somehow both fresh yet decadently sweet. Usually I rush through showering for the sake of becoming clean, but slowly massaging the oil cleanser became an indulgent experience I could really get used to. By the end, I did require a few more drops of the cleansing oil to finish and while I wasn't uncomfortable without a mositurizer after, I could have used a lotion on top. Still, the shower oil is very soothing and cleanses without feeling like it has stripped the skin of all its moisture.
Ingredients:
You guys know how I'm kind of big on packaging design and functionality of a product? I can find no fault with this. Like I said, it's plastic and lightweight but somehow elegant and pretty. The cap is both sturdy and simple without weird pumps or extra gimmicky gadgetry involved to make it seem fancier. The product simply speaks for itself and I enjoy not having to go through a wrestling match with my cleanser in the shower.
For CAD$24 for 250ml, it is quite the splurge, but it's one that I'm glad to have made when I was able to do so. If it helps, L'Occitane also offers a 500ml eco-refill, which I was thrilled to learn about. I've been thinking lately with all the empties I've been tossing that relying on a quality product with refill capabilities would make things much simpler. I've purchased two other L'Occitane products during the course of the winter season and discovered that they frequently offer free shipping or bonuses with purchases that eases the pain of paying more for their products. But having tried the brand at last, I can see why it's so popular. The ability to transform a humble shower experience to something more relaxing and indulgent is no easy feat.
Have you tried L'Occitane before? What's your favourite L'Occitane product? What would it take for you to splurge on bath products?
I've gone on and on at length about my oily face, but my body is on the slightly dry side. If I moisturize well, my skin doesn't flake or feel itchy or dry at all, even in winter. But I figured the more soothing and moisturizing a product the better, right? This warm, sensuous-looking oil was welcoming in the cold and my beauty sensor just tingled at the sight of it. It's also encased in one of the most elegant looking plastic packaging ever.
I usually require the aid of a shower puff when using liquid or gel cleansers, but I love the feel of oil warming in my hands and decided to forget the puff. I massaged a quarter-sized drop of the shower oil on my palms and reveled in the feeling of the oil warming and transforming into fragrant froth. The scent is somehow both fresh yet decadently sweet. Usually I rush through showering for the sake of becoming clean, but slowly massaging the oil cleanser became an indulgent experience I could really get used to. By the end, I did require a few more drops of the cleansing oil to finish and while I wasn't uncomfortable without a mositurizer after, I could have used a lotion on top. Still, the shower oil is very soothing and cleanses without feeling like it has stripped the skin of all its moisture.
Ingredients:
You guys know how I'm kind of big on packaging design and functionality of a product? I can find no fault with this. Like I said, it's plastic and lightweight but somehow elegant and pretty. The cap is both sturdy and simple without weird pumps or extra gimmicky gadgetry involved to make it seem fancier. The product simply speaks for itself and I enjoy not having to go through a wrestling match with my cleanser in the shower.
For CAD$24 for 250ml, it is quite the splurge, but it's one that I'm glad to have made when I was able to do so. If it helps, L'Occitane also offers a 500ml eco-refill, which I was thrilled to learn about. I've been thinking lately with all the empties I've been tossing that relying on a quality product with refill capabilities would make things much simpler. I've purchased two other L'Occitane products during the course of the winter season and discovered that they frequently offer free shipping or bonuses with purchases that eases the pain of paying more for their products. But having tried the brand at last, I can see why it's so popular. The ability to transform a humble shower experience to something more relaxing and indulgent is no easy feat.
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Have you tried L'Occitane before? What's your favourite L'Occitane product? What would it take for you to splurge on bath products?
I like some of L'Occitane products but somehow I find their claim of being more 'natural' a bit misleading, kind of in the same way Lush soaps are supposed to be more natural but still have a crap ton of SLS. The shower oil sounds amazing though! If only I didn't have a never-ending stash of soaps I need to get through...
ReplyDeleteI actually didn't know they made such a claim? There's the mythos of "MADE IN FRANCE! PROVENCE AND LAVENDER FIELDS!" but there's nothing on their product or website that says the words natural or organic. To me, the ones that say so and aren't are the worst offenders.
DeleteI'm up to my ears in soaps and cleansers, too. :s
I like L'Occitane's Shea Butter products a lot and I've been recently interested in trying their Angelica range.
ReplyDeleteThis shower oil sounds absolutely lovely! I may have to try it when Fall/Winter rolls around again. :)
I have the body exfoliator from the shea line but haven't tried it yet!
DeleteYou should try. It's divine!
Sounds lovely but I have so much soap and body butters at the moment. Probably enough to last me years into the Zombie Apocalypse. :) But maybe I'll pick one up soon so I at least have one when it hits. :P
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I always think of you now when I see zombie things. NOOO, CAN'T EVACUATE YET! NOT WITHOUT SOME L'OCCITANE!!! LOL Hope you get to try soonish.
DeleteGiggle. This just made think of that video about people trying to pronounce L'Occitane. Hahahaha. Okay.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried any of their products because of the same reasons that Monika listed. I don't know if I ever saw any explicit "natural" branding, but they seem to suggest that they are and their products definitely are not "all natural," etc. They do seem exquisite and sophisticated, though, don't they?
I was going to put up that video but thought it was circulated pretty widely already. Maybe for the next L'Occitane item post. (I have a body scrub and a face mask.)
DeleteIt really never seemed to me that they had a natural bent in their marketing. Definitely capitalizing on the Frenchness though, which I'm unabashedly attracted to. :)
I like L'Occitane products. This one looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteGive it a whirl some time. :)
DeleteI used to treat shower gels as a necessary evil, but since falling down the beauty rabbit hole, I've come to appreciate just how much little things like that can make my day, especially when they fulfill some other purpose (for you, moisturizing; for me, being super de dooper foamy). I think it's good to recognize the things that bring happiness and allow ourselves little luxuries!
ReplyDeleteI can be picky about the scent about the shower gel though not the quality so much, unless it does something really horrible or refuses to come out of the tube properly. Since most of us can't go L'Occitane head to toe, I think one pick up in a mundane daily task is in order for us when it's possible. :)
DeleteOh my Liz, you make me want this experience so badly. I bought a soap from them last year, and while it had a heavenly smell I thought it wasn't really worth it. I am not sure why though. I guess it's the idea of just using it for hand soap, it's so quick and not a luxury experience at all.
ReplyDeleteBut I like the brand, it has a nice Parisian feel. You know just a little out of reach, but still you're attracted to it, so you go for it anyway.
I am curious about their lipstick/lip glosses. But I am trying to be firm about buying new things. The only thing I go bendy on is the nail polishes, because they last. Yes, that's a desperate woman's rationalization. Sigh....
I have a sample of a shea butter soap which I haven't tried yet. I ignored soaps for most of my adult life but am sort of gravitating toward them again lately. It was kind of nice to shower with just a bar of soap and water while at the Philippines. :)
DeleteI feel like their makeup is very poor quality by comparison to the skin care. Not very pigmented and extremely sheer. They're packaged very nicely though.
Not sure how much beauty stash you're wading through there but I'm going to send you a little care package this week after my paper is submitted. :)
That's so sweet, I am just so happy that you would think to do that. It's so kind. I'm actually getting through a bit of the sample skincare stuff. And closing in on some of the foundations. I want to do a post of my progress too.
DeleteI have heard that their products don't make much impact. Too bad really.
That makes me excited! lol Yes, please post!
DeleteSounds beautiful! I've noticed that body oils make a few appearances on your blog--- I've never tried them, since my skin is probably the opposite of dry :) I also don't find myself in L'Occitane much, though I think it's generally known their products are wonderful. I really want to try the new Cherry Princess scent
ReplyDeleteI really got into oils for a bit thanks to Nav at Beauty Huile. She creates some very dangerous lemmings!
DeleteIsn't it so interesting how we're different skin types all over? :) I think the Cherry Princess would suit you wonderfully. I'm more drawn to their rose scent. :)
I'm a big fan of their Shea butter hand creams because they smell heavenly *sigh* and moisturize my winter-weathered hands like nothing else. I also quite like some of their fragrances. It's a fun pastime of mine to go to the L'Occitane boutique to sniff and slather :)
ReplyDeleteI was on the verge of declaring that hand cream overhyped but obtained a sample to try and it's great! It is really fun to go in and rummage around in there, even if you don't end up purchasing. :)
DeleteOhh but this does sound divine. I love L'occitane hand creams, I suppose they're slightly overpriced for what they are, but they just look really nice and I love pulling them out over the course of the day. It just makes putting on hand lotion feel a little more special. Of course, I'm all kinds of delusional so you know...
ReplyDeleteI also like to put together L'occitane bath & body sets as gifts. Their products look so nice and they have that Parisian vibe, I figure everyone would appreciate it hahah. What do you think you'll try next from the brand (if anything at all)?
Just one of many overpriced brands that deserve our love. ;) If you're delusional, we all are!
DeleteThey do make fantastic gifts. Sometimes I can't shell out for myself for certain things but end up doing for others to make them feel special. I'm kind of in love with their shea body stuff and rose scents, so maybe a shea body cream? That's long ways though. I have so much stuff to slug through.
What a decadent experience. I used to slather the shea body lotion all over during the winter and it was excellent. No reason for having stopped using the brand other than the pull of wanting to try other brands...To me, L'Occitane has solid shower gels, moisturizers, and perfumes but not so crazy expensive like Molton Brown or Laura Mercier.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way - the pull is too strong!
DeleteI have a bunch of Molton Brown liquid hand soaps someone gave as a gift years ago and they don't seem to be all that really. Or maybe I just don't get it yet. I love Laura Mercier makeup but haven't really been enticed by the bodycare much. I think L'Occitane was around and in my face for so long that it was just a matter of time before I had to try. :)
I love the honey and lemon shower gel from there. And their Cherry Blossom range too!!
ReplyDeleteHoney and lemon... we have lemon verbena here but no honey! Wah! lol
Deletei've been really into oil bath and body products lately so i may just have to give this a go! my dry skin can use all of the help it can get
ReplyDeleteIf you can, it might be a welcome change. I've seen drugstore products start to slip in a lot more oils as well, both as cleansers and moisturizers. If an oil isn't moisturizing enough on its own, I hear it can be great to layer under a body cream. Like a serum for the face but for the body. :)
DeleteI've never tried shower oils before. This looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLike Tracy, I'll have to get through all the bath products I already own before I get something new. :) Thanks for introducing this to me!
I hope you can treat yourself after slugging through all that stuff! :)
DeleteAhh... It won't be too much of a slug. Fortunately most of it is stuff I can tolerate, except for one. It's a Tresemme conditioner I detest perhaps as much as you disliked your Alberto. It's *jumbo*-sized, of course, and a bottle of crap. Sheesh. I feel like I've been working on it for months. Wait a second; I *have* been using it for months!
DeleteI'm glad that I'm no longer a crazy rider of the couponing + Optimum Points train! :D
I heard the Tresemme Naturals conditioner was actually quite good! Which one do you have? Use it also as shaving cream and hopefully you'll see the end of it son! You can do it! :D
DeleteToday is 20x points day at Shoppers and I'm just not even going to look at the flyers. I find it helps to just avoid the entire thing and not looking is half the battle!
And I meant "soon", not calling you "son", lol.
DeleteOh this sounds so good! I used to have a L'Occitane store in my local mall but it closed about a year ago :( I miss it! Thanks for the great review :)
ReplyDeleteOh, that's too bad. :(
DeleteI'd say L'Occitane is exactly your kind of thing! :)
I think the only product I've actually used from L'Occitane is the Shea Butter Hand Creme (a phenomenal product!). I've been curious about this oil, but I don't know how I feel about using a shower product that doesn't require a pouf... I love my pouf...
ReplyDeleteHow well does this lather up? I need me some FOAMAGE.
You can use it on a pouf. I just like the feel of it on my hands!
DeleteIt lathers up instantaneously and pretty well. But I'm now unsure of how much foam is enough. I think that LUSH jelly thing has ruined you! @_o
I absolutely adore L'Occitane products! Their collections smell divine and their Shea Butter hand creams are soo luxurious!
ReplyDeleteAgreed! If their stores weren't so pristine, I'd go nuts in there. :)
DeleteI've been meaning to try L'Occitane's hand creams for a while, but given my deep love of all things almond, I may have to add this to the list! You've sold me on having a luxurious shower ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of surprised by how many "almond" things seem appealing to me lately! Do treat yourself when you can. :)
DeleteFor a moment there I thought, WOW! Liz's bath is sanctuary... oh, and whenever I see "L'Occitane", for some weird reason, I remember your blog (and you)
ReplyDeleteOh, I WISH! :)
DeleteNot too many people write about L'Occitane, though almost everyone seems to have one of their hand creams. Maybe that's why?
I love that you reply to (almost) everyone all the time. Now, whenever I have a question, I'm sure that when I come back you'll have a response :P
DeleteI do literally reply to everyone! People take the time to comment and I always think they deserve a reply. I understand not everyone has the time for that but hey, if you're going to start up a dialogue via blogging, might as well extend it - ya know?
DeleteLiz, I absolutely adore L'Occitane products, and their Almond Oil range is my favourite! Even though I've never tried this oil (which I've added to my list now), I've used several others and I can fully relate to the almost hedonistic feel of the entire experience, lol! Their limited edition almond mini hand creams (came in a pack of three) are amazing and I sure hope they still have some in store because I'm about to run out! Thanks for introducing me to yet another must have!
ReplyDeleteI think their shea stuff might be my fave but I honestly haven't tried enough to know! The hand cream is very nice though not life altering. I just love that nice, pampered, decadent feel that the brand does so well. :) Thanks for swinging by, you lovely hedonist!
DeleteOooo, I have always been intrigued with this product line as well. I. Must. Get. Some. Thanks again for sharing lady
ReplyDeletexo
Might as well when you can, right? :)
DeleteArgh! I want to try this sooo badly Liz, but fragrance is so high on the list (duh) that I really can't. I've been doing so well using all the boring stuff just so my skin is under control, and it's worked like a charm, but dammit if these beautifully smelling things don't tempt me!! I'm glad you're loving it my dear :)
ReplyDeleteUgh, that sucks so much. I try to avoid fragrance in facial care but don't care about body at all.
DeleteSometimes I think it'd be nice to go completely scentless for body/hair care so that the perfume I spritz at the end of the routine takes centre stage. I was sort of working toward that at some point last year but got majorly sidetracked, lol. :)
Reading this post resulted into two things:
ReplyDelete1. I want this oil.
2. I want winter back.
Oh, crap!
LOL! The good thing is the oil is available year round. No need to wait for winter!
DeleteEven though my funds are non existent- I want this stuff! I was googling it and your blog was the first one to come up! That's a sign that I need it! My skin is so dry lately (even though California winters aren't extreme- its the only winter I know). Going on my wish list! xx
ReplyDeleteIt still gets cold in Cali, especially if you're in NorCal! I hope things get better for you and there's no rush to acquire this as it's a long-lived classic and will surely be around when you reach better times!
Delete