I finally tried L’Occitane

I have always wanted to try the L’Occitane brand. I think there’s just something alluring about all things French. I walk by the stores curiously and have popped in once or twice but I haven’t really known where to start. The staff was always nice enough but I’m the kind of shopper who likes to spend my time really deliberating, reading the packaging, comparing and hoping for a recommendation from a close friend.

Things were cleared up for me quite a bit when I attended a Ruby Box event late last year where L’Occitane was featured. I got the product ranges explained and also saw what their top sellers were so it felt like I was finally seeing the light.

Pretty ladies at the L’Occitane Ruby Box event

Talking about top sellers, meet their almond shower oil – the 1st of 3 quick reviews I’m going to do in this post. And yup, that’s no typo, it”s not shower gel, but shower oil. We got a sample on the night & I was hooked from there. Since I like using things in “stables/ranges” (I blame my OCD), of course I had to go out get the matching scrub and milk concentrate (reviewed below) too.

Here’s what I thought…

Almond Shower Oil 250ml – R 255

Lust

• this award-winning the almond shower oil is super moisturising and lathers up more than you’d expect. I can sometimes even skip body cream after my shower which is usually a huge no-no.

Love

• it comes in a refill (plastic) pack which is cheaper so don’t throw your bottles away after use

Loathe

• the main ingredient is actually grape seed oil and not almond oil which is a bit disappointing but not an uncommon practice with brands

Almond Shower Scrub 200ml – R 255

Lust

• this scrub contains actual almonds and crushed sea shells!

Love

• like the shower oil it has a light fragrance that’s clean and a bit sweet but not overpowering

Loathe

• it’s too gentle for me. I like my scrub more abrasive than this. To counter this if you feel the same, though they recommend it on wet skin, dry yourself off in the shower a bit and then apply all over with a few drops of water
• I have this issue with all scrubs to be fair but it’s always a splurge purchase because I know I’ll only get about 3/4 uses from a bottle. Do the math – that’s a bit steep for me…

Almond Milk Concentrate 100ml – R 435

Lust

• I can’t make up my mind if this is a cream or a lotion but the texture is super light (almost whipped)
• It definitely moisturizes very well (like a cream, not a lotion despite the light texture)

Love

• despite above it’s not at all greasy and sinks right into your skin
• its protein rich & contains almond oil as well as almond milk

Loathe

• it might need longer than the month I’ve been using it for but I can’t attest to any of the firming/smoothing/tightening properties claimed on the box

I feel compelled to share that I had my hubby pick these up for me in Paris (L’Occitane is made in France as you guessed) because it’s around 30% cheaper than SA. Again not uncommon for beauty brands but it does annoy me somewhat.

If I ran the brand

• I might try and eat this stuff. It’s smells so yummy!

Need to know

• if you read this bog regularly you’ll know I’m a sucker for loyalty programs. L’Occitane don’t have their own one but they do use the Legacy Lifestyle one.
• They also have an online store. Delivery is R 100 or free for orders over R 1000. You’ll have your goodies in 1-4 working days – not bad.
• They have a sale on selected products at the moment (in-store & online) to it’s a good time to buy
• There are 6 stores (or boutiques as they call them!) in SA: Menlyn, Hyde Park, Melrose Arch, V&A Waterfront, Cavendish & Gateway

Heck, I still don’t even know if I’s pronouncing “L’Occitane” correctly but I am enjoying their products right now. Might even be inspired to try a few more goodies soon…

W