L'Occitane - New Lip Care

Looking after your lips is perhaps something we don't discuss enough, it is definitely a little bit more than just applying a lip balms every now and again.  I am someone who suffers from cold sores, they usually rear their ugly head when I am feeling run down or stressed and they arrive with a big bang, are sore, unsightly and make me feel really paranoid.  So, I do everything I can to ensure my lips are in as good a condition as they can be - I exfoliate a few times a week, I am obsessed with lip balms and lip oils, if I wear lipstick, I make sure I prime my lips and when I get home of an evening, I always ensure I clean my lips, even if it is just with a warm flannel, to ensure I have removed absolutely anything that can lead to nasties.

From L'Occitane we have an incredible collection of Lip Care products whether you like lip balms, lipsticks or scrubs, there is a lot of choice from L'Occitane and depending on your preference for colour, everything comes beautifully and brightly packaged in Yellow!

I do love a good lip scrub, I have used them for as long as I can remember and have never been one to use an old toothbrush and sugar, something I have seen others do.  L'occitane has a choice of three scrubs Marmalade Kiss, Raspberry Crush and the one I have been kindly sent which is Fabulous Fig.  Nestled inside a cute little jar there is an 11ml scrub and Fabulous Fig smells as fresh as those freshly picked figs from a tree. 

Described as being 'Addictive exfoliating lip care for instantly soft, smooth and comfortable lips!' this scrub is not only packed with Fig Extract but it also contains vitamin E, along with carrot, pomelo and pomegranate oils.   The 'scrub' being made up of Walnut shell powder and on the lips, the texture feels a bit like Jam and it also looks a little bit like Jam too, once the lid has been removed from the pot.

To use these scrubs, you need to ensure that your lips are dry and then simply apply directly to the lips, massaging in circles as you do so.  If you find your lips are really dry and chapped then you can apply more pressure to really give your lips a workout.  Once you have worked the scrub across both lips, you can then remove using warm water and a cloth to give your lips a final scrub before finishing.  Whenever I use a scrub, I always ensure I apply a balm to my lips afterwards, to help moisturise and nourish.

Each of these Lip Scrubs is priced at £14 here*.

If lipsticks are more your thing then L'Occitane has a collection of 9 to capture your attention and with everything from nude to red and everything in between.  I was kindly sent Provence Sunset and again, the first thing you notice is the bright yellow packaging.

Provence Sunset is described as being a natural pink shade and it is infused with a fruity combination of Pomegranate, Carrot and Pomelos oils rich which are rich in vitamins C and E. What I really love is the texture, which is almost like a lip oil and this is in part due to the Castor Oil which gives it that lovely moisturising feeling as it glides across the lips.

This lipstick has a really lovely sweet citrus scent which I really lovely and the natural pink shade gives my lips a really lovely shiny touch of pink. The swatch above is totally unedited and I have found it to be really hydrating on my lips.

Each one of these lipsticks is priced at £18 right here*.

As ever from L'Occitane, this has been quite the introduction to a new launch of products and if, like me, you are a fan of the brand, they have a whole lot more newness waiting to be discovered.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Clean Reserve Avant Garden - An Enchanting Fragrance Collection

When it comes to fragrances, I know what it is I like but every now and again, I want something that pushes my boundaries and comfort zone.  Clean Reserve is a new collection of fragrances from the creators of Clean, a brand I have featured on my blog a few times with Blond Rose and Warm Cotton. The culmination of a unique, creative collaboration with three of the world's top fragrance houses chosen because of their commitment to sustainability and philanthropy and it has been created with responsibly sourced ingredients and eco-conscious manufacturing and packaging.

When it comes to fragrances, most of us will like either floral, sweet, woody, citrus, fruity or something that sits in the middle. I pick a fragrance depending on my mood and sometimes depending on the weather outside, if it is hot and sunny then something light and fresh whereas as it is dark, gloomy something a little heavier.

The latest fragrance collection from the CLEAN Reserve is described as 'merging the structure of a traditional clean linear Eau de parfum with a luxurious niche approach, designed to transport you on a fantastical journey'.  CLEAN Reserve’s Avant Garden collection uses the finest ingredients grown and harvested responsibly from a farm in the South of France—with an added playful twist, 

“Our new CLEAN Reserve Avant Garden collection incorporates our foundation of eco-friendly ingredients into a luxurious olfactory experience. The result is undeniably unique and positions CLEAN for yet another year of strong consecutive global growth in the category,” said Gregory Black, president of Clean Beauty Collective.

So when White Amber & Warm Cotton was kindly gifted to me, I couldn't wait to give it a try.

A fragrance which encapsulates the essence of Warm Cotton, which for me is a clean scented fragrance - think fresh bed sheets, your washing drying on the line, kind of clean and then with it comes a punchier floral note to give it a bit of a kick.  The two coming together to create a fragrance that is an unlikely match.  For me, the notes of a fragrance are important, you want to know what is in there and how it is going to work, for this one we have the top notes of Aldehydes, Cassis buds and Green Accords and the Cassis works to give it that fruity blackcurrant scent and alos hidden is a hint of Begamot that you really get after a few seconds.  The heart notes of Jasmine, Lillies and Peonies are an incredible inclusion for me, I adore anything which has Jasmine as a note and quite of my favourite fragrance includes it as a heart note.  Working with the heart notes are the base notes of White Musk, Amber and Clean Woods which come together to bring together a fragrance that is a warm floral with a spicy mix and I absolutely love it.  You need just the smallest spritz because it is so powerful a fragrance, but it is one which lasts the entire day, slowing drying down to a light powdery scent.

If this isn't a fragrance that you like the sound of, then the CLEAN Reserve Avant Garden collection also features 7 other fragrances which includes: 

• Galbanum & Rain: This fresh and woody fragrance is crafted with eco-conscious and sustainable notes of galbanum, Sichuan pepper, clearwood, cedarwood, patchouli and vetiver. 
• Hemp & Ginger: Blends cardamom, Sichuan pepper and elemi for a multi-faceted earthy scent. 
• Muget & Skin: Cardomom, jasmine, clearwood and patchouli bring a feeling of warmth in this sophisticated scent. 
• Saguaro Blossom & Sand: Mimosa, jasmine, lavender flower, and rose create a unique scent that is inviting and intriguing. 
• Sweetbriar & Moss: This non-traditional floral scent contains rose, Sichuan pepper and lychee rose for an unexpected elegant finish. 
• Nude Santal & Heliotrope: a fragrance for those who appreciate the beauty in the hidden details of the world around them. It is sophisticatedly soft, comforting and effortless. 
• White Fig & Bourbon (NEW July 2019): Luminous fruits and White Fig cast a breathtaking radiance over a heart of aromatic spices, while luxurious Bourbon vetiver and warm woods wrap the fragrance in a smooth, full-bodied richness. 

Each fragrance within the Clean Reserve collection is cruelty-free, free of phthalates, preservatives, gluten and artificial dyes, plus they are infused with safe molecular naturals and sustainable notes such as mandarin, cardamom, and sandalwood. All fragrances are manufactured in a facility that uses 100% solar energy; the alcohol in CLEAN Reserve fragrances is derived from corn and in a gentle aloe blend allowing for a highly refined and pure juice. Above all, the mindful harvesting processes, in partnership with the top three fragrances houses: Firmenich, Mane and Takasago, of all CLEAN Reserve fragrances supports and improves the lives and livelihoods of farmers and their families.

CLEAN RESERVE Avant Garden Eau de Parfum's are priced at £125.00 [100mL] and can be found at SpaceNK.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Evolve Organic Beauty Satin Body Gloss

I am a huge fan of Evolve Beauty and just a featured their Christmas Collection which not only introduced me to the brand but also led to the finding of the most amazing face mask. Evolve Organic Beauty products are lovingly handmade in small batches at their studio in Hertfordshire, England to ensure the freshness of the precious antioxidants in the natural oils, butter and extracts. The products are vegan, cruelty-free and eco-friendly.

Today it is the turn of Evolve Satin Body Gloss, a product that was sent to me as part of this PR Package and it is described as being a beautifully fragranced lightweight multi-purpose silicone-free dry oil for body, face and hair is designed to lovingly nourish the skin and deliver a satin-like finish in a convenient easy to apply spray mist.  Now I am a huge fan of anything lightweight and anything that is a mist because it means easy to use, not a lot of faffing about and usually, it means less mess.

This lightweight multi-purpose silicone-free dry oil is designed to nourish and deliver a satin-like finish and it can be used on the body, face and hair and thankfully, it comes packaged inside a brown glass bottle.  To use, you need to shake the bottle quite vigorously for a good minute to ensure you have mixed everything within the bottle together, otherwise, not a lot happens and the spritz pipe becomes blocked with the most beautiful yellowy gold shimmer oil product.  However, once it has been mixed, you get the lightest of mists on your skin which creates an incredible gloss look so that you shimmer in the natural light.

I like to use this Satin Body Gloss on my arms, chest, decollete and my legs on the odd occasion they see daylight and I love how my skin looks with a healthy-looking glow without looking for feeling greasy.  It washes off just as easy in the shower as any other product you might wear too.

As with all of the products I have used from Evolve Beauty so far, this one is packed full of amazing ingredients which include:

• Camellia Oil - This is known for its high moisture properties and is absorbed quickly by the skin to leave it feeling supple and hydrated. Camellia oil also contains vitamins, A, B, and E which help to protect and nourish the skin.
• Tahitian Monoi - said to have been a Polynesian beauty secret for centuries, it is made by maceration of Tahitian Gardenia blossoms into Coconut Oil and not only is it packed with vitamin E, Monoi oil can be used to help moisturise the skin and soothe sunburn, reduce inflammation, relieve dry and itchy skin, soothe eczema and rashes and can help the skin to appear more supple and soft.
• Mineral mica and titanium add a hint of gold sparkle and shimmer

This Satin Body Gloss is then fragranced with a 100% natural Rose, Lavandin, Jasmine, Orange blossom fragrance with a heart of delicious vanilla and woody notes, so as you can imagine it smells just absolutely wonderful and is very much the Tropical Scent.

This is literally holiday in a bottle and it can be used for just about any occasion that you need to use it for, even just for a bit of a treat.  Priced at £22 here, it is a great little find.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

L’Occitane Soothing Mask

There are so many incredible launches from L'Occitane right now and I will be honest, I absolutely love it, I have an entire list of products I want to seek out and try.  The one product I couldn't wait to try when it arrived was the Soothing Mask, one of three new masks currently available.

It is described as being a blackcurrant, yoghurt-like texture mask that instantly calms and brings comfort to the skin and it comes with quite a few claims:

After the 1st application: 

100% The mask provides a feeling of softness to the skin *

94% Brings an immediate sensation of freshness *

100% Skin feels silky*

After one month: 

90% Skin is soothed *

97% Skin soft *

94% Complexion is radiant*

As soon as you remove the lid from this pot, the first thing to hit is the fruity scent of the blackcurrant and one which is a fresh scent rather than manufactured.  The mask is every bit as it is described and rather than being something you add your Granola too in a morning, it feels incredible on the skin.

I use a spatula to apply the mask to ensure I get equal coverage across my face.  As directed, applying a generous layer to a freshly cleansed face and then leave it for anywhere between 3 to 5 minutes and then using a cloth, gently remove and rinse thoroughly with warm water.  On a really hot day, like the few we have had recently, having kept this mask in the fridge for a few hours before using it was a lovely little treat because it was incredibly refreshing and soothing too.

My skin after using was silky soft to the touch, the feeling of refreshment and hydration was a delight and whilst it is not edible, the scent is just insanely good and again, adds to that freshness feeling.  

Priced at £29 (75ml) it is available right now.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.