Review: New L'Occitane Products

I've become a little bit of a L'Occitane junkie lately! If you've never heard of or tried this brand, it's a French brand that makes wonderful bath, body and skincare products. Their products are inspired by the southern French Provence region, but are available worldwide. I just love their body and hand creams, and also their shower products are excellent and smell divine. What I love about this brand is that the products not only smell sophisticated and appealing, but they actually do a wonderful job of moisturizing as well.

Left to right: 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream, Bonne Mère Gentle Cream Body Milk, Shea Butter Solidarity Soap, Bonne Mère Honey Body Wash, 25% Shea Butter Rose Petal Ultra Rich Body Cream, 20% Shea Butter Date Bouquet Hand Cream, 10% Shea Butter Mango Flower Lip Butter

One of my new favorites is the Bonne Mère Honey Body Wash. This was designed to be gentle enough to use for babies - although I have to say if I had a baby or young child, I'd definitely pick something non-allergenic and completely fragrance free. However, I absolutely love this for myself. It lathers up perfectly, I love the pump dispenser, and the fragrance smells like Honeysuckle. Even my boyfriend likes this one as he loves honey-scented products too.

Another favorite product is the 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream for dry skin. These are from the Fall Limited Edition line, which was inspired by West Africa, and has a variety of body products in the scents Date, Mango Flower, and Rose Petal. Pictured here is the original hand cream in the Limited Edition packaging (top) and the Date scented hand cream (bottom), both containing 20% Shea Butter. 

These hand creams are rich and luxurious, and smell absolutely wonderful. I love the 30ml Date scented one for my purse, and the large 150ml size is perfect for at home. They moisturize my hands perfectly, and absorb into my hands without leaving a slimy, sticky film. An absolute must-have for dry hands and cuticles!

Also released with this line is a limited edition body cream which comes in a cute metal tin and contains  25% Shea Butter, and 100ml of product. I have the Rose Petal scent, and it smells beautifully like rose, without being too strong and "fake" smelling.

Also released with the limited edition line is a Rose Petal "Solidarity Soap", the profits of which are 100% donated to community projects in Western Africa. I haven't tried this soap yet, but it is very inexpensive (2.50 Swiss Franks here for 50g) so you might as well add it onto your purchase if you buy something, as the money is being donated to a good cause! I have tried another soap by L'Occitane from their Lemon Verveine line and I liked it, so I can't wait to try this one too.

Have you tried any or want to try the L'Occitane products? What are your favorites?

L'Occitane Global Site

My Favorite Skincare Products

I thought I would do a video talking about my favorite skincare products. These are all things I have been using for a long time and can definitely recommend. For reference, my skin is normal in the summer, and dry and sensitive in the winter.

Products in order:

Maybelline Waterproof makeup remover
Bebe Young Care 3 in 1 Renigungsmousse
cosmetic wipes of various brands
La Roche Posay Hydreane Legere
La Roche Posay Toleriane Riche (perfume free)
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
Kiehl's Centella Recover Skin Salve
Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
Eucerin Sun Fluid SPF 30
Bepanthol lip balm
Blistex original

Watch the video directly on Youtube here

New Skincare Arsenal from Kiehl's

Over the past few weeks I've totally changed up my skincare routine and included some products from Kiehl's. I had been noticing my skin was undergoing some problems, I noticed severe flaky dry patches and irritation to perfumes, and I also had some break-outs around my chin.

I've been testing these products out for about 3 weeks now and I can honestly say I've seen a huge difference in how my skin looks and feels. I've always wanted to try out Kiehl's products since I'd heard so much about them and how celebrities such as Brad Pitt (among others) raved about these in magazines. Celebrity recommendations don't usually influence my judgment on whether or not to try a product, but I like the philosophy of the brand, which has been in existence since 1851. What started out as a small family apothecary business in New York has grown to be a modern enterprise, combining tried-and-true formulations containing natural ingredients, with new innovations and research in skincare. I also like that their products are animal cruelty free, and that many of their products don't contain strong perfumes, and all are paraben and mineral oil free. As someone with sensitive skin, this is something really important to me.

Especially the Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado has become one of my favorite products. It looks avocado green in the pot from the natural avocado oil contained (it is free of color additives) and is perfect if you're looking for a very rich, emollient and moisturizing eye cream. As I have dry skin, this is perfect for me and I even wear this during the day, but some might prefer to use this for nighttime only. It doesn't irritate my eyes, and I can definitely see why many rave about this.

Upcoming Giveaway for Kiehl's Products!

Tomorrow I'm going to upload a video showing you some of my other skincare products from Kiehl's, plus there's going to be a huge product giveaway for Kiehl's products. This is a high-end skincare line that is definitely worth the splurge, but even better if you can win some products for free to try out. Also part of the contest will be a trip for two to Munich to an exclusive Kiehl's event!

To enter in the contest, you will have to "Like" the official fanpage for Kiehl's Germany, who is sponsoring all the prizes. Detailed information will follow in the upcoming video on my Youtube channel, the contest will be open worldwide and English information will be provided.

Like the Kiehl's Germany Facebook page to be eligible to enter tomorrow and stay tuned for my video where I'll demo many of the products and tell you my experiences with the brand.

http://www.facebook.com/kiehlsdeutschland

(click "Like" beside their name)

Until then, hope you have a great Tuesday. :)

Winter Skincare Tips

Winter season is upon us and lately I've noticed my skin has been getting a bit drier and has needed a bit more attention than in the hot summer months. Here's some basic tips on how you can adjust your skincare for the colder months.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

A lot of people (but not all) notice their skin starts to feel tighter and drier in the winter months, due to dropping temperatures, exposure to nature's elements like wind, rain or snow, and increased temperatures at home or in public buildings. This can take its toll! If you're using a light moisturizer and have noticed increased dryness, choose a more emollient, richer daytime and nighttime moisturizer. You don't have to break the bank - you can even get some good products on the cheap from Olay, Cetaphil, Dove, etc. Also use a richer body lotion if you experience dry skin on your legs, arms, back, and elbows.

Exfoliate!

Use a facial exfoliator to rid your skin of dead skin cells, which can leave a patchy, uneven appearance and make it hard to apply foundation evenly. Some inexpensive brands are from the Body Shop, or St. Ives, or even the generic aspirin mask. Use a loofah sponge or a natural fiber scrub mitten to exfoliate your body such as your legs, back, etc. You won't get that annoying itchiness associated with dry body skin - just make sure to follow up with moisturizer after.

Hydrate yourself!

Drinking lots of water, or non-alcoholic beverages like green tea can help to restore the natural moisture to the epidermis. Especially in winter when you might not feel thirsty as often, it's important to drink enough water each day. Drinking water has many other benefits, such as reduced water retention, and clearer skin that is less prone to break-outs. Keep a jug of Britta water at the office, or a large bottle of mineral water, and make sure to drink it throughout the day.

Turn down the temperature!

Increased room temperatures in the cold winter months can cause your skin to dry out. There's no need to jack up the thermostat like crazy - keep at an even 21 degrees Celsius. If you get chilly, put on a sweater rather than waste energy and dry out your skin by running your heater on high and running around in shorts and t-shirt.

Protect yourself!

Even though the sun might not be as intense as in the summer, UV rays can damage your skin even in winter so be sure to wear sunscreen during the day. People often wear sunscreen in the summer and then totally forget it in the winter - big mistake! Wearing sunscreen everyday will greatly help to prevent the onset of premature wrinkles. Try to go for at least SPF 15 or above - just because the sun might be hiding behind some clouds, doesn't mean your skin is not exposed to harmful UV rays.

Pamper your skin!

Use a moisturizing or balancing face mask once a week. Again, you don't have to splurge on expensive brands, the Internet boasts hundreds of recipes of great DIY home remedy masks using everyday ingredients such as eggs, olive oil, sugar, or honey. I've also found inexpensive but good single-use masks at the drugstore that cost around $1 each.

Switch your Cleanser

If you're using a harsh facial cleanser, try switching to something more gentle. Try a cream or lotion based cleanser without perfumes, this will calm your skin and not strip off your natural oils that lead to healthy, balanced, and supple skin. Cetaphil or Spectrojel are two inexpensive drugstore brands that are geared towards sensitive, dry, or problem skin.

Got any great winter skincare tips? Tried any great products? Share them in the comments below!

Makeup Removal and exfoliation: Imagem System

I thought it might be time to do another updated video on skincare and realized it's something I should probably address more frequently, as I get a lot of questions about that on my Youtube channel. Instead of doing one long video on all products I use, I thought I would intersperse the videos every now and then, with product recommendations, tips or home remedy masks!

Today I wanted to do a mini review on the Imagem cleanser and Custom Exfoliation bundle. I have been using these products in combination for about a month now or more and have had a really good response.

The cleanser is a low-foaming cleanser and does not contain Sodium Laureth Sulphate or Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, inexpensive foaming detergents that are often added to personal care products like face wash, soap, shampoo, etc. They are also what is categorized as surfactants, wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lower the interfacial tension between two liquids. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is a known skin irritant that can cause severe drying of the skin, and while Sodium Laureth Sulphate is much milder, some people with very sensitive skin might still find the ingredient to be too harsh and irritating.

This cleanser does not contain either ingredient, but contains many plant extracts such as aloe, cucumber, chamomile, rosemary, lavender, arnica flower, green tea leaf and fruit extracts. I find this cleanser to be very mild on the skin, but excellent at removing makeup without drying out my skin. The Custom Exfoliator can be blended together with the cleanser to remove dead skin cells, and contains just 3 ingredients: walnut and sweet almond shell granules and aloe vera powder.

Please note the picture above is not indicative of the size: The Custom Exfoliator contains 30g / 1 oz. of product, the cleanser contains 237ml / 8 fl. oz. of product.

Nonetheless, I really love this bundle and will continue to use it. The cleanser is very concentrated, meaning you only need 1/2 to 1 pump to wash your entire face. The exfoliator should not be used on a daily basis, 1-2 times a week should be enough.

Both are available here:

Imagem Cleanser bundle

Price: $39.95


Link to my video