Beauty Review - L'Occitane

I was lucky enough to be sent these two amazing items by L'Occitane last week so I could try them and review them for you guys on here. I was super happy to receive them as Cardiff has had a L'Occitane for ages, but I have never had the guts to fork out for any items as they are quite expensive and I really didn't know much about them. I am happy to pay a higher amount for an item as long as I know it is worth it (like my love of Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado Hand Cream!)

I (and my Mum) have spent the last few days trying these out and this is what I think

Almond Firming and Beautifying Milk Veil £28
Now this is an item that would usually be a little out of my budget, £28 for a body lotion is a lot for me, especially if I haven't tried the item before and don't know whether it is worth it, so I love that I got the chance to try this item. And I will tell you right now, I loved it! And once I have used every last tiny drop I can get out of the bottle I will be purchasing another!

The milk veil has a very thin consistence, so is quite runny when pumped out of the bottle unlike most other body creams I have used, but it absorbs well into the skin and it isn't too thin that it takes a lot, it actually spreads really well, so doesn't take much to do your whole body. It left my skin feeling very soft and smooth. The smell is totally yummy! All creamy and milky smelling (like you would expect!)

Now one of the main things about it, that you will either love or hate, is that it is extremely shimmery. It has tiny tiny grains of glitter to make your skin all shiny and reflective. I personally love the glittery look to it, but I know that this has been the main down point for some people who have reviewed it in the past.

I definitely think it is worth the cost as it left my skin so soft and I really liked the shimmery look it left me with, I just kept spotting bits of glitter on my hands and arms all through the day. I might not use it as my everyday lotion due to the price but I will use it regularly.

Almond Shower Oil £17.50

I love the smell of anything with almonds in, so when I received this I was so please about the rich almond scent it had. I was a little sceptical about the fact it was an oil rather than a gel, so wasn't convinced that it would lather like a regular shower wash. But I am happy to report it lathered just as well as any normal shower wash! And it only takes a really small amount to create enough lather to wash your whole body, so a little goes a long way! 

I can't say it had a huge effect on my skin, as in it didn't feel softer or anything, but I'm not sure many shower washes do, as long as they clean you and smell good nothing else really matters.

Overall I would say I really liked both the items I tried and I will be looking to buy and test a few more in the future.

Don't forget to enter my Bumper Beauty Giveaway

Note: although I was sent these items to try all thoughts and opinions are my own

Show Us Your Favourite...with One Little Vice

Just to let you know I have now moved home (hopefully successfully and without too much stress!) And am now more than likely delivery some of the 5000 leaflets we have had printed! So as I am still a bit busy say hello to Angelica of One Little Vice!!

Hello! I'm Angelica and I write a beauty blog called One Little Vice. Chantele has been kind enough to let me write a guest post for her this month and today I'm going to be sharing with you three of the best smelling products to use when you shower! Scent often drives me to purchase products I otherwise might ignore, and it definitely influences the products that I choose to repurchase. Each of the three products I'll be talking about today have been repurchased based not only on their scent (as mouth wateringly delicious as each one is) but also because they're lovely products all round. In descending order of preference (and, ironically, price) let us begin.

First on my list is L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil. This is a product that has been much raved about and not without reason. It was my first foray into the shower oil world and quite honestly it has transformed my entire beauty regime. I suffer from dry skin, with the occasional bout of eczema, and as a result I have to moisturise very regularly which can feel particularly time consuming on my busier days. When I started using L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil last November I found that it really helped keep my skin hydrated and I didn't need to moisturise as often. Couple this with the fact that it has the most delectable almond-y, verging on floral, scent which I can't get enough of, this shower oil has become Holy Grail status to me and I can't go a week without reaching for it. A 250ml bottle (as pictured) lasts me about four months which somewhat justifies the £17 price tag. All I can say is that you need to smell it before you knock it and if you have dry or sensitive skin then this is something that you should definitely give a try!

The second product to make it on my list is Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush Fresh & Foamy Body Wash. At £6.50 this is a much more affordable option but the scent and feel of the product is miles away from L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil. Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush range smells like lime and sugar, intensely so. When I first stumbled across it (originally in the form of a body scrub) I couldn't believe how much I liked it as citrus scents are so not 'me'. But it is so moreish. I wanted to lather myself in this scent daily and when I discovered the Body Wash I had to have it so that I could realise this modest ambition. I'd definitely recommend trying it yourself as it is really wonderfully zesty and does a great job of waking one up in the morning or refreshing you before a return out into humid summer weather. Additionally, it doesn't dry out skin and that ticks another box on my checklist.

The last product that I want to share with you today is The Body Shop's Banana Conditioner. If you don't like banana then this may not be the product for you, but if you like honest to goodness fresh smelling bananas then this is something you'll want in your shower arsenal. I love it. I've used the shampoo in times gone by but I'm trying to avoid using SLS on my hair so now I only repurchase the conditioner. On top of having a really nice scent it is also a lovely product. It isn't too heavy so doesn't weigh hair down but offers a good level of conditioning that you can get away with using every time you wash your hair. My deepest conditioning treatments tend to take the form of hair oils that I use after my shower when my hair is still damp, so whilst in shower a medium level of conditioning (which this offers) is perfect. It leaves hair shiny and soft but, sadly, only with a waft of the banana scent, although this is probably for the best as on hot summer days that fruity scent might well become sickening if it lingered. Overall, a fantastic product that I thoroughly enjoy and would recommend, especially as it doesn't break the bank coming in at £4.50.

So there you have it, those are my three favourite smelling shower products. Each of them has much to recommend it as well as the scent but my goodness if you're led by your nose then you may just fall in love with these before you even use them!

Thank you to Angelica for that I also love Soap & Glory items as they smell amazing and are so good for your skin. I'll be back soon!!