L'Occitane Hand Creams and Shower Products - Review

A couple of weeks ago, I had a mini haul from L'Occitane and bought a couple of their sets to try out some new (to me) products.

First up, the hand creams:

• Rose - If you like rose scents you will adore this!  The fragrance reminds me of gardens on warm Summer's days and is very authentic rather than synthetic, thanks to the essential oils contained within it.
• Shea Butter - This is marketed as being for very dry hands and contains 20% shea butter.  It also has a gorgeous scent of almonds present from the almond oil.  It is much thicker than the rose hand cream, although it sinks in just as easily.  This will be my saviour come the winter I think!

Both hand creams sink in very easily and leave no greasy residue.  I have previously tried the Hibiscus hand cream from L'Occitane and been very impressed with it and I was pleased to see that other products from the range were equally high-performers.

And now the shower products:

• Verbrena Shower Gel - This is one of L'Occitane's classic scents and was actually the first product I tried from the brand a few years ago.  It remains one of my favourites, with its clean, classic green but almost citrus scent and is great for waking me up on a sleepy morning.
• Fleur Cherie Shower Gel - As with all of L'Occitane's products, this has a floral scent but it is tempered slightly by the orange blossom contained within it.  This is a good one to try if you aren't the biggest fan of floral scents but fancy trying something fresh and summery.  
• Pivoine Flora - Containing an extract of peonies, one of my favourite flowers, this shower gel is unashamedly floral and girly.  I've actually been able to keep this one in the bathroom without hubby using it all up as he says it is far too girly for him!    
• Almond Shower Oil - This is a little different from your regular shower products in that it feels more like a bath oil.  Again, I loved the almond scent and the formulation was divine, making my skin feel soft and moisturised without leaving an oily film.  I would definitely purchase a full sized bottle.

Price - From £8 for hand cream, £13 for shower products
Where to Buy -  L'Occitane

Have you tried any of these products from L'Occitane?
Do you have any recommendations for L'Occitane products that I should try?

Sunday Samples - Cor, Moroccan Oil and Lavera

In an effort to trim some of my samples stash, I thought I'd try a few new products this week.

First up is Moroccan Oil Treatment.  I've shied away from Moroccan oil previously as I tend to have rather oily, fine hair and I just thought that Moroccan oil would weigh it down further.  I have been very impressed with this oil though, using it several times a week, usually on days when I don't condition my hair as otherwise I find i gets a little overloaded.  It leaves my hair noticeably softer and shinier.  I have been using a minuscule amount rubbed over my hands before applying to damp hair, so I think this sample will last me some time.  I'm interested to try the light version of the oil which I think may be even better for my hair type.

I've been using Cor soap recently (a review is coming up next week) and along with the soap, I also received some small samples of the Cor Moisturiser, Serum and Eye Cream.  The samples themselves were tiny, to the point where I actually had to hunt for the product within them!  First impressions were that all products sank in quickly and had a pleasant, almost clinical scent.  Cor market themselves on their unique silver healing properties of their product, however they are on the fairly pricey side which would prevent me from purchasing full size versions at their current price-point.

  

Lavera Hand Cream came as part of a beauty box some time ago.  I hadn't tried this before and found it to be a decent basic handcream without any airs or graces.  It has a pleasant, not overwhelming scent, and sinks in quickly.  I liked how it contains organic almond and shea butter, and did find it fairly moisturising, although it will not be replacing my L'Occitane or Palmers hand creams.

Have you tried any of these products?

L'Occitane Haul

There's noting better than opening a large parcel full to the brim of new beauty products, and its even better when it arrives at work brightening up your morning!

I was after a new gentle daily facial scrub and decided to try the L'Occitane Angelique Exfoliating Gel.  Of course, whilst I was browsing the L'Occitane website, something else fell into my basket - the Chelsea Harvest Collection which was reduced in price.  

It contains:

• 75ml Pivoine Flora Shower Gel
• 75ml Fleur Cheri Shower Gel
• 75ml Verbena Shower Gel
• 50ml Organic Lavender Hand Purifying Gel
• 35g Lavender Scented Sachet
• 125g Honeysuckle Bonne Mere Soap
• 15ml Shea Butter Hand Cream
• 15ml Rose 4 Reines Hand Cream
• One-day Divine Trilogy Trial

I love trying out new products and little travel sizes are perfect for this.  I'm looking forward to trying out the Shea Butter and Rose hand creams, as well as the Fleur Cheri Shower Gel.

I also found a code to get a free Spring Collection set worth £24 so of course I had to have it.  This set comes in a cute make up bag and contains:

• 125g Honeysuckle Bonne Mere Soap
• 75ml Fleur Cherie Shower Gel
• 50ml Lavender Clean Hands Gel
• 35ml Almond Shower Oil
• 10ml Shea Butter Hand Cream
• 2 x 8ml Almond Milk Concentrate.

The other set comes in a small wicker basket which will be perfect for extra storage.

L'Occitane also sent several samples of skincare and body lotion - they are certainly not stingy with the samples!

Have you tried anything from L'Occitane?

What are your favourite L'Occitane products?  I'm always looking for recommendations of new products to try!

Dr Hauschka Daily Body Care Kit

I love luxurious bath and body products and when I was recently sent the Dr Hauschka Daily Body Care Kit with some trial / travel sized products as an introduction to the brand's body products, I couldn't wait to try them out!

The Daily Body Care Kit contains seven different items, all contained within a sleek, sturdy tin.

There are two body lotions included:

Rose - loved this scent

Quince - the scent was more of an acquired taste I feel and it smelled a little old fashioned

Both lotions absorb quickly, without leaving any tackiness or stickiness.  The scents are quite strong and I much prefer the rose to the quince.  I did find that each of these tubes only managed one full body application so I wasn't able to assess how well they moisturised in the long term.  

Three oils are included:

Lavender Bath Oil

Rose Body Oil 

Lemon Lemongrass Body Oil

These are all good sizes with a decent amount of product included.  I managed to get three baths from the Lavender Bath Oil and I tend to like to dump a large amount of oil in my baths.  

Both Body Oils can be used as an alternative to body lotions, smoothing a small amount on damp skin after a shower or bath.  The scents of both are less strong than the Body Lotions but still pleasantly fragrant and soothing. I have also tried them as bath oils and found them equally fragrant and very relaxing.  I do love a multi-tasking product!  

One hand cream.  This absorbs quickly and easily and is non greasy.  A little goes a long way.  I didn't find it a particularly exciting cream, it simply did its job and did its job well.  It does have a distinctive 'natural' scent but this dissipates very quickly. 

Finally, also included in the set are two sachets of Fitness Foot Balm (see the first picture).  I tried using this after a long run on my tired feet (after a shower obviously!) and found it to absorb quickly and it certainly softened some of the harder areas of skin.  It does have a very unique herbal scent though and I was VERY glad it was on my feet and nowhere near my nose as it doesn't half pong!

Verdict

I really enjoy using little sets like these as it lets me play with different products and see if they work for me.  From initial use, the products which made the biggest impressions on me were the Bath and Body Oils.  All three scents were to my taste and not too strong either as I hate it when my body products overwhelm my perfume.  I loved the fact that the Body Oils were multi-tasking too.  If there was one product that perhaps didn't impress me as much it was the Foot Balm, mainly as I couldn't abide the scent, so I would recommend having a sniff before you buy if you fancy trying it.

Price- £17.95

Where to Buy - Dr Hauschka, John Lewis

Have you tried any Dr Hauschka products?

How do you feel about strongly scented products?

April's Hits and Misses

I know I am ever so late with these, but I actually did write this post a couple of weeks ago - its just been hiding in my drafts!  This month, I've fallen in love with a few new products and rediscovered a couple of old favourites.

KMS Quick Blow Dry Spray

I discovered this through the now defunct Carmine box and its become a staple of my blow dry routine.  I'm not going to say too much about it as there will be a review coming up this week, but suffice to say, I have been very impressed.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne

This is so fresh and summery and feels very light, making it the perfect daytime perfume for warmer days.  It is sweet but not cloyingly so and lasts throughout most of the day for me.  I've been wearing it constantly and have had quite a few compliments on it!

Nars Orgasm Blush

This is much-loved as you can probably see!  Before I was properly into makeup, this was the only blush I owned and I wore it every day.  I've had this one for about three years and, although I now have lots of other blushes in my collection, this is always the one that I reach for if I am unsure about which blush to wear with a look.  It really does go with anything!

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Fruitti

 

I'm jumping on the Lip Butter bandwagon here but it is totally justified with this colour!  I reviewed it here, along with Lollipop and Creme Brule and although I adore all three shades I own, this tangerine is so flattering and just screams Summer.  

Dr Hauschka Facial Toner

I reviewed this last week here as part of the Dr Hauschka Cleansing Ritual and for me, this was the stand out product.  Refreshing and cooling, helping to close my pores after I've cleansed, I have been really enjoying using this toner on a  daily basis.  I never really understood the need for a toner before, and whilst I wouldn't say it is an essential part of your beauty routine, it is a nice addition and it has certainly left me skin feeling a lot softer as of late.

And now, over to this month's misses...

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy - review here

 

'Chiptastic' is probably the best way to describe this polish!  It took several coats, applied streaky and the formula was very difficult to control, and after the time and concentration I took to apply it, it chipped the following day!  Love the colour but it is very high maintenance!

Alpha-H Handcream - review here

 

I think I may have been expecting miracles with this handcream for the price I paid (£22!) but I was disappointed to find it couldn't compete with my trusty L'Occitaine hand creams.  You don't always get what you pay for!

What have you been loving recently?  Have you tried any of these products?

Alpha-H Handcream - can it turn back time?

I’m addicted to hand creams - if there is one area of our body which constantly suffers, it is our hands and I am determined to protect them as much as I can!

I recently purchased a bunch of Alpha-H products, amongst them, their Age Delay Hand & Cuticle Care cream.  Alpha-H products often contain Glycolic acid, which aims to rejuvenate and lift dull-looking skin.  The back of this hand cream explains that you shouldn’t use it if you have any skin conditions, and that when using it, you may experience an initial tingling which should subside with use.

This all sounded pretty hardcore to me, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I’m of the age which would see the most benefit from this.  The cream itself is of medium thickness and absorbs effortlessly, leaving no greasy residue.  It has a lovely citrus scent which is quite subtle but lingers on the hands for an hour or so after applying.  I’ve been rubbing this into my cuticles too and it has done wonders for them and kept them well-moistened.

One of the main benefits with this hand cream is that I felt like I only had to apply it a couple of times a day to keep my hands soft, whereas with other creams I feel like I am constantly reapplying!  I’m not sure if it would be moisturising enough for very dry, cracked hands or if you do a lot of gardening or work outdoors, but for general use, I was very impressed.  I do, however, have to mention the price, which is a rather steep £22!  This is much more than I would usually pay for a hand cream, although I did purchase it as part of a 3 for 2 deal for Alpha-H products a while ago on Beauty Bay, so this softened the blow a little.

Verdict

As far as hand creams go, this certainly ticks all the boxes!  Is it worth £22?  I’m not entirely sure as I still have a special place in my heart for my L’Occitane and Palmers Cocoa Butter hand creams.  If you have issues with dull, tired skin on your hands, this may be a good option for you, as I’ve read a number of reports from reviewers with anti-ageing concerns who mention that their skin seemed much brighter and that their age-spots faded.  For me, it is a pleasant cream to use, but I will not be repurchasing due to the high price, for which I can get at least two L’Occitane creams!

3/5

Price - £22

Where to Buy – Beauty Bay, Salon Skincare

February Favourites

My monthly favourites are a little boring this month as I haven't really been using any different product.

YSL Rouge Volupte in Rose (reviewed here) - A gorgeous, creamy shade which lasts and lasts.  It is very bright so not for any shirking violets, but I have been wearing it blotted down a little and it really cheers me up on dreary Monday mornings.

OPI Excuse Moi, Muppets Collection (reviewed here) - I've been wearing this super sparkly, pink glitter a lot recently as I've had quite a few events and evening outings where I needed to get glammed up.  I love the fun and frivolity of this polish and I find it pretty hard-wearing too, lasting for several days without chipping which is a rarity for me!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Wild (reviewed here) - As I've been out quite a bit over the past month, I have often been using this Batiste to revive my hair when I haven't got time to wash it or when I am heading out straight after work.  It gives the much needed volume required to revive my barnett, and although I prefer the Tropical scent to this one, they all work in exactly the same way and the scent doesn't hang around too long unless someone is sticking their nose in your hair!

Mac Blushbaby (reviewed here) - a matte blush from Mac's permanent collection, this is a fairly neutral colour which would work on most skintones.  I use it when I am after a natural, quick look as it is lightly pigmented, but buildable, and very difficult to overdo.

L'Occitane Hibiscus Flower Hand Cream - I think this was a sample from a magazine some time ago, but I have only just got around to using it and I wish I had tried it earlier!  It absorbs effortlessly, leaving no greasy residue and smells amazing, leaving my hands beautifully soft.  This was my first experience of L'Occitane hand creams and I am definitely going to purchase more!

Do you have any favourite products from February?

February Empties

I've managed to work my way through a few full-sized products this month, including - gasp! - a body lotion!

Biotherm Lait Corporee Anti Drying Body Milk with Citrus Extracts  (review here) - a deliciously scented body lotion which sinks into the skin quickly.  If I didn't have a ton of body lotions already to work my way through I would consider buying a full-sized tube.

 

Nivea DNAge Cell Renewal Anti-Age Body Care - I've had this for ages and it was time to use it up.  I'm not even sure it is even still available to purchase but I wasn't that impressed with it as it wasn't particularly moisturising so wouldn't repurchase.

 

Balance Me Handcream (review here) - I liked this and indeed I have liked all Balance Me products I have tried to date.  Would certainly repurchase.

Bliss Lemon and Sage Soapy Suds (review here) - I liked using this as a shower gel but was unimpressed with its performance as a bath foam. I wouldn't repurchase as there are too many other bath and shower gels that I'd like to try out.

Toni & Guy Warm Blonde Conditioner - This has been languishing in my bathroom for quite some time, mainly because I wasn't that impressed with it and I preferred using other conditioners I have had on the go such as the Tigi Dumb Blonde.  I wouldn't repurchase as I didn't feel it was moisturising enough for my dry, coloured hair.

Green & Spring Mild Toner (review here) - Despite not being a regular toner user, I loved this and will certainly be purchasing a large bottle as soon as funds allow.

Kiehls Eye Alert (review here) - This eye cream was just what I was looking for.  It absorbed quickly and was not greasy, leaving my eyes feeling hydrated and refreshed.  I did realise after purchasing that it was supposed to be for men,  but I tend to think products such as eye creams are the same for men and women, they are usually just scented differently.

Have you managed to finish any products this month?

Mini Haul - Alpha-H, Davines, Max Factor and Dior

A quick post to show what I have bought / received this week.  Sorry for the quality of the photos - I wanted to get these up and my flat has awful lighting!

Alpha-H  Daily Exfoliator and Alpha-H Handcream

I was after a new daily scrub and I’ve heard good things about the Alpha-H range.  I purchased the handcream as Beauty Bay were doing a promotion where you got a free Alpha-H eyecream if you purchased two products and I always need handcream!  The eye cream didn’t arrive though as it was out of stock grrrrr!!

Davines Nou Nou Illuminating Shampoo

I’d heard several people rave about this shampoo for coloured hair.  I’m wishing I had also picked up the conditioner too as I didn’t realise I am almost out of my Tigi Dumb Blonde.   I may have to do another order!  Not that impressed by the packaging though, it looks a bit like something I could have done!

Max Factor Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday

I won this a while ago from a giveaway with Special K.  It looks rather bright so I’m not sure if I will have the confidence to wear it outside the house – it may be donated to my mum as she is the Red Lipstick Queen!

Rouge Dior 351 in Elegant Pink

Another prize from a giveaway, this time from Pink Lady Apples!  I love winning lipsticks!  I haven’t tried any Dior lipsticks before and this looks like a very wearable, bright pink so I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

As an aside, Boots are currently running a giveaway where you could win one of 5000 Benefit Lip Glosses.  You need to buy 2 bottles of Diet Coke, scan the leaflet listing the promotion (I found this attached to the fridges next to the coke) and swipe your Advantage card.  I love Benefit glosses so fingers crossed for this one!

Have you tried any of these products?  

Review: Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream

In the winter, I race through hand creams, applying them many times a day, so I am now pretty specific in my requirements for what makes a good hand cream for me.  A delicious scent, rich, easily absorbing formula, and intensely moisturising are all high on my list of important features and an added SPF is a welcome bonus!

The Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream was one of the products I received in the first Carmine box, but it has been languishing at the bottom of my draw whilst I work through some of my other lotions.

I’ve only tried one Balance Me product previously, their Rose Otto Body Wash, which whilst nicely scented and fairly moisturising, didn’t really feel particularly great value for money at £12.50 a bottle.

Balance Me is proud of the fact that all their products are all natural and paraben and sulphate free and indeed the tube proudly states that 98.8% of the ingredients are of natural origin, which is welcome news as I have been trying to reduce the amount of chemicals that I put on my face and body. 

The packaging is colour co-ordinated depending on the range, and the Super Moisturising range, of which this cream is part of, is a lovely sunny orange.  The cream comes out quite thick and feels very luxurious, being absorbed quickly into the skin.  There is nothing I detest more than sitting around waiting for cream to be absorbed, and a fast acting formula is essential.  The scent is a mixture of essential oils which I find a little hard to place.  It is not fruity and not particularly unpleasant, if anything, it reminds me of some Liz Earle products which I suppose have a similar ethos, using naturally occurring extracts. If it is not to your taste, it does not linger, evaporating away shortly after application.

I have been using this hand cream for a good few weeks and I am still not finished this small 30ml tube, so I can see the full sized product lasting for a quite a while.  My hands feel smooth and soft, even in this bitterly cold weather we have been having recently.

Verdict

If you are a fan of natural products, the Balance Me range offers a good variety of products which are natural and do not compromise on their performance.  Two aspects of this hand cream which I feel could have been improved are the scent, as I would have preferred something fruity or perhaps more easily identifiable and longer lasting; and the inclusion of an SPF, although I understand that this would not be natural and fit in with their ethos.  In summary, a high-performing hand cream that is worth a look.

4/5

Price - £14.50

Where to Buy – Balance Me, John Lewis, My Pure.co.uk

2011 Favourites: Part 2 - Hair and Body

Moving onto the second part of my 2011 favourites with Hair and Body.  If you missed the first part with my favourite makeup products, you can see that here.

 

Hair Products

TiGi Dumb Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner

I have flirted with many other shampoos and conditioners but always come back to this one, plusthey both smell amazing - I get chocolate orange from them although I'm sure they've changed the scent recently as I'm positive the conditioner used to smell of pineapple!  They stop my coloured hair going brassy and the shampoo always seems to remove all traces of products and buildup, whilst the conditioner adds and retains moisture without weighing down my locks.

Styling Product - Label.M Resurrection Dust

Although there are many products that produce a similar result for cheaper, I love this product as it gives volume to my fine lifeless hair in an instant. I also love the fact that I can re-volumise my hair later on in the day or evening by massaging at the roots to give more lift.

Skin and Body Care

Body Scrub – Korres Watermelon Body Scrub

www.lookfantastic.co.uk

I love the scent of this scrub! It wakes me up in the morning with a zing (or at least as much of a zing as I can muster at 6.30am!) and is sufficiently scrubby whilst still being moisturising.

Moisturiser – Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel

www.clinique.co.uk

Light enough to use on my oily / combination skin without turning it into an oil slick, this has been my favourite moisturiser for the last couple of years. I usually need to change up to something heavier in the winter but as we have had a fairly mild winter this year so far, this has been sufficient.

Eye Cream – Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream

http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/

This was the first eye cream I tried and it has remained my favourite, despite trying out a few others this year. It sinks in easily and leaves no residue. My only grumble is that it comes in a pot, and I would much prefer a tube for hygiene reasons.

Hand Cream – Palmers Cocoa Butter Hand Lotion

I am constantly applying hand cream and Palmers is cheap, portable and smells good enough to eat! It is also very moisturising without being greasy and sinks in quickly, all essential qualities for a good hand cream!

Foot Cream -Body Shop Intensive Foot Rescue

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk

Years of wearing inappropriate footwear and doing a fair amount of running have meant that my feet tend to suffer quite a bit. This is the thickest, most luxurious foot cream I have come across and I love to slather it on my feet and pop a pair of socks on to give some moisture to my poor tootsies!

 

That completes the round up of my products of the year! Let me know what your favourites were!

December Empties!

 

Despite being away for 2 weeks of December, I don't think I have done too badly with getting through my stash last month.  Although Christmas and sale shopping has increased it again...!

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo - A great cleansing shampoo that I have been using several times a week. I bought it as it was SLS-free and I have been trying to use less chemicals in my beauty routine. However I won't be repurchasing as although it was fine, I don't think it is HG material.

Garnier Fresh Essentials Eye Make Up Remover - a repurchase and I will be buying this again.  It removes my make up very effectively whilst being gentle at the same time.  It doesn't sting, cloud my eyes or leave an oily residue which makes it a winner in my books!

Marks & Spencer Almond Hand Cream - I can't remember when I got this but it has been lurking around for ages as I found it too greasy to use on my hands as it doesn't sink in easily.  I've been using it on my scaly elbows instead and I am glad to have finished it.

Green & Spring Indulging Shower and Bath Foam - A nice relaxing rose fragrance which I used as a shower gel rather than a bath foam.  It was pleasant but I didn't feel that it was unique enough to warrant buying a full-sized bottle.

Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash - I have a feeling this came with an ASOS order some time ago.  Nice to use but not remarkable, although it left me skin feeling soft and not dry like some shower gels can.  There was no discernible scent which may be a plus for some people, but I like my morning shower to have an invigorating scent to wake me up!

The Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub - I reviewed this here and it was pleasant but not 'scrubby' enough for me, plus I found the scent a little overpowering (I'm never happy!).

DP London Handcream - this was a sample I was sent a wee while ago.  It did the job and sank in easily but was not interesting enough to make me want to purchase the full size, especially as I have several handcreams on the go at the moment.

Dermologica Age Smart Lip Renewal Complex - I didn't feel this did much really, perhaps there wasn't enough contained in the tube to form a proper option and to test it fully but I did get about a week's application.  As it is meant to help prevent the signs of ageing and minimise contour lines, I feel I may be a bit younger than the target age group for the product. 

Tom Ford Violet Blonde EDP - This was a sample that I fell in love with almost instantly.   I'm hopeless at describing perfumes so I won't attempt to, however if you get a chance to spritz this, do so as I have had so many compliments on it.  It is now one of my current favourites along with Prada Candy and I received a full-sized bottle for Christmas.

Victoria

x

Review: Nivea Hand Lotion Express Hydration

Now that it is properly chilly and my mornings are beginning with scraping frost off the front of the windscreen, it is time to step it up a gear with my hand lotion.  Constantly going from extremes of temperature plays havoc with my skin and my hands deserve special attention.

I received a tube of Nivea Hand Lotion Express Hydration recently from a facebook giveaway and I have been using it continuously over the past couple of weeks to hydrate my hands and prevent them from becoming dry and flaky. 

The consistency is that of which I would expect from Nivea, a medium thickness lotion which isn’t too greasy and with that familiar Nivea scent that is found in all their products.  It absorbs easily and quickly and sinks in without leaving a film on my skin.  There is nothing worse than sitting around unable to do anything whilst waiting for you handcream to sink in and I always find that the phone goes or I have to do something urgently when I am using handcream so the fast absorption is a definite plus point. 

Verdict 

After using this for two weeks, I’m not certain how I feel about this as it appears to be fine for general use but I’m not sure if it can cope with my poor chapped hands.  They feel rather tight and not as moisturised as they would after using my HG Palmers Cocoa Butter hand lotion.  I do however think that the cream does provide express hydration as it claims and fast absorption – it is just that the effects don’t last as long as I would like, which in turn leads to me slathering more on.

4/5

Price – £3.05

Where to buy – Boots,