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Introducing the L’Occitane Verbena Frisson Limited Edition Collection

I have fallen head over heels for L’Occitane. I was smitten after discovering the beauty of Arlésienne, but the Verbena Frisson collection pushed me over the edge.

In summer, the verbena harvest gets off to a start in Provence. The freshly picked verbena leaves are taken from one village to the next, until they reach the distillery.

Their journey takes them alongside the rivers and streams that flow through the region. The invigorating scent of verbena leaves blends with the bracing freshness of running water.

L’OCCITANE has captured this moment in a citrus fragrance with vibrant and watery notes.

A splash of freshness at the heart of summer!

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Frisson de Verveine EDT

I can’t walk past a lemon tree without picking a couple of leaves and crushing it in my hands to release that delightfully fresh, lemon aroma.  L’Occitane have captured and bottled one of my most favourite scents in Frisson de Verveine. The EDT is described as having a sparkling aqueous fragrance that blends top notes of lemon and bergamot with a heart of fresh verbena and cucumber. At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like wearing a lemony scented perfume. To be honest, I really struggle to find perfumes that bowl me over. Frisson de Verveine has captured my heart though and I’ve actually become a bit obsessed. I can’t stop sniffing myself. This is a perfect summer scent and retails for R740. PS How gorgeous is that bottle?!

Fresh Shower Gel R230, Ice Gel for Legs and Feet R250 and the Refreshing Body Mist R160
Fresh Shower Gel R230, Ice Gel for Legs and Feet R250 and the Refreshing Body Mist R160

I also had the opportunity to try the Fresh Shower Gel, Ice Gel for Legs and Feet and the Refreshing Body Mist. All three products are gorgeous and leave your skin feeling refreshed and smelling lovely.

The collection also includes bath salts, a body gel and a hand cream.

This is a truly gorgeous collection for summer and I highly recommend it. My heart aches though as it is a limited addition!

xoxo

*Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for review purposes. I have not received compensation for this post and the opinions on the products are my own.

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2014: The Year of Oils

I have always been quite fond of beauty oils, but they have never really formed a big part of my beauty regimen. Last year changed that. 2014 saw amazing skin and hair oil launches and I also had the opportunity to try products that have been around for a while. I have fallen in love with so many oils that it is quite difficult to choose a clear favourite in each category so I decided to give you a round up of products that I highly recommend you give a try.

Essential-Oils

 

FACE

In the past I have been weary of facial oils as I was always worried that they would cause more oiliness and congestion, but I quickly learnt that it is not the case. Facial oils work wonders for my skin especially during the winter months as my skin can become very dull and even flaky. Change of season is particularly harsh on my skin and oils have proved to be lifesavers. Winners include Lipidol Overnight Face Oil, L’Oreal’s Age Perfect Extraordinary Oil and Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (and yes… this oil is as good as they say). An oil that deserves a very special mention is Naturals Beauty’s Sweet Orange Wrinkle Banisher. This oil takes top spot on days that my skin is very sensitive. It is amazing and I will be making sure that I have enough of this beaut in my stash when winter comes a knockin’. This is most definitely one of my best beauty buys of 2014.

I also tried a couple oil cleansers and two really stood out: Dermalogica’s PreCleanse and Lipidol’s Cleansing Face Oil. You will note in my review of the Lipidol Cleansing Face Oil that I liked it as a pre-cleanser, but I don’t use it just for removing make-up anymore. It has proven to be a perfect morning cleanser and it works beautifully as a second cleanse. It has been a godsend on sensitive skin days and this product will be repurchased again and again.

BODY

My skin is very dry and body oils work the best to combat scaly, dull skin. Favourites of 2014 include Lipidol’s After Shower Oil and the REN Moroccan Rose Otto Ultra-Moisture Body Oil. I have recently discovered Nivea’s Firming Body Oil and I adore it! It is light, absorbs very well and does not aggravate my eczema-prone skin. It is true love, people. Well worth a go. Yet another Lipidol product that deserves 5 stars is the Lipidol Sunscreen Oil. It feels like the After Shower Oil but with an added SPF… need I say more? One of my best beauty discoveries of all time is the TanOrganic Self Tanning Oil. I am allergic to the chemicals in self-tanning products, but this organic self-tanner gives my a gorgeous tan with no negative reaction. Read my full review HERE.

HAIR

I don’t think a day has gone by that I have not used a hair oil since discovering what a major difference it has made to the condition, look and feel of my dry, chemically treated hair. To treat my hair I love to use Africa Organics Hair Treatment Oil (I love their hair care products) or good old organic coconut oil. To treat and style, INOAR Extreme Premium Oil and Moroccanoil can’t be beat. My full Moroccanoil review is on it’s way. I now understand why the brand has such a cult following. Great budget-friendly options include Dark and Lovely Amla Legend Oil and OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco (available at Foschini).

xoxo