L’OCCITANE Fig Tree Leaf Scented Candle Review

Hello dears,

L’Occitane candle is my first scented candle and I’m not quite sure how to evaluate it. I’ll start with general information. L’Occitane candles generally come in a hexagonal tin jars with a cover included. They contain 100 grams and retail for approximately $19.

Fig trea leaf scent is a woodsy, sharp scent with a hint of sweet fig. When I sniffed the candle in the store, I wasn’t 100% sold on in, but when I started burning it, the scent developed nicely. It was very pleasant and discreete, nothing too strong or nauseating.

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Pozdrav dragi,

L’Occitane svijeća je moja prva mirisna svijeća, pa nisam baš sigurna kako bih ju recenzirala. Započeti ću s općim informacijama. L’Occitane svijeće dolaze u limenoj šesterokutnoj kutiji s poklopcem. Kutija sadrži 100 grama svijeće, a košta 119,30 kuna.

Svijeća smokvino lišće je oštar drvenasti miris s dodatkom slatke smokve. Isprva nisam bila 100% sigurna da mi se miris sviđa, ali kada sam upalila svijeću, miris se je prekrasno razvio. Miris je jako ugodan i diskretan, a nije prejak i ne izaziva mučninu.

The candle didn’t burn evenly. I followed the instructions, so I’m not quite sure where’s the problem because there’s still a lot of wax left on the sides of the tin. I have several hypothesis, one beiing that I got a candle from an older batch, and the other the fact that I have burned the candle in a very cold room, which might have made the wax harder and not easy to melt. For now, I’ll give L’Occitane another chance and try other candle once the weather gets better.

So far, I have bruned the candle for approximately 8 hours and there’s still a little bit more than a half left. I also have to mention that the scent of the candle hasn’t weakened with more burning.

I’m still not quite sure whether to recomend it, but if you are into candles, it might be worth to take L’Occitane candles into consideration.

Have a great week. Love,

Tamara

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Jedini problem koji imam s ovom svijećom je da se nije ravnomjerno topila jer još je ostalo dosta voska na stranicama. Sve sam radila po uputama, pa mi nije jasno u čemu je problem iako imam par teorija. Jedna je teorija ta da sam kupila svijeću starije proizvodnje, a druga je da se svijeća nije dobro topila jer sam ju držala u veoma hladnoj prostoriji. Za sada ću se suzdržati od konačne odluke i dati još koju priliku L’Occitaneu.

Svijeća je do sada gorjela oko 8 sati i još je preostalo malo više od polovice. Također moam spomenuti da miris svijeće nije oslabio.

Još nisam posve sigurna bih li preporučila ovu svijeću. Ukoliko ste obožavatelj svijeća, ipak mislim da slobodno uzmete i L’Occitane svijeće u obzir.

Uživajte u tjednu. Voli vas,

Tamara

The candle after 4 hours of burning (svijeća nakon 4 sata gorenja).

L’OCCITANE Bonne Mere Linden Soap Review

I can’t remember the last time I used L’Occitane soap, but recently I got another soap from Bonne Mere range so this was the chance to remind myself. Bonne Mere soaps contain 100 grams and retail for $7. They come in a variety of scents, my favourite so far being Milk and Rose soaps. This time I have Linden scented soap.

The quality of the soap is here – a little goes a long way and the soap doesn’t melt too easily. Unlike the rose soap (which has a particles of rose inside, so it can be too harsh on the skin), Linden soap is actually pretty gentle on the skin. While I can’t say that it is moisturizing, it doesn’t dry my skin out. However, I still prefer shower gels.

As for the scent, at first it is really strong and nothing like a linden blossom (I should know since a linden tree grew next to my house). My first association was patchouli and Lush store. Later, as the scent weakens in intensity, I could smell a creamy linden, but the smell doesn’t stay on the skin for too long.

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Ne mogu se sjetiti kada sam zadnji put koristila L’Occitane sapun, ali budući da sam nedavno kupila jedan, to je bila prilika da se podsjetim. Bonne Mere sapuni sadrže 100 grama i koštaju 27 kuna. Dolaze u raznim mirisima od kojih su mi za sad najdraži ruža i mlijeko. Doduše, ovaj sam put kupila sapun s mirisom lipe.

Kvaliteta je tu – sapun se sporo troši i ne topi se prelako. Za razliku od sapuna s mirisom ruže koji je grublji (zbog komadića ruže), sapun s lipom je jako nježan na koži. Na žalost ne mogu reći da je hidratantan, ali niti dodatno ne isušuje kožu. Opet, još uvijek preferiram gelove za tuširanje.

Što se mirisa tiče, ovaj mi sapun isprve nije mirisao niti približno poput lipina cvijeta. Zapravo miris me je jako podsjetio na pačuli i miris Lushevog dućana. Kasnije, kako miris slabi, počinje se osjećati kremasti miris lipe, ali miris ne ostaje na koži dugo.

FINISHED! August Edition

August empties could have been more impressive (no eyeshadow this time), but since I only have one face and one body, I think I did a pretty good job.

As you know, I’m a bit obsessed with list making, so at the end of July I’ve made a list containing absolutely every cosmetic item (make-up, skincare, fragrance) I currently own. I have included the samples too. Anyway, the number is horrible. Since the majority of eyeshadows in the eyeshadow palettes are the same size as an average full-size product, I have counted every pan of eyeshadow as a separate item (the exception is YSL Palette Esprit Couture). So, when I put it all on the paper, I had 410 items, out of which 178 are sample or travel sizes). I hope that the end of this year will bring at least 100 items less from the list.

Here’s a screen cap of the list.

As you can see, there are several categories and each category has its own table. There is an index of markings I use to, for example, note that I have yet to review the item or that I have to take its photo.

Here’s the example of Moisturizers table.

I have decided to organize alphabetically (to the brand name) in four columns: BRAND, PRODUCT INFO (product name), the AMOUNT of the product in the packaging and a column in which I put a plus if I have opened that product.

Still, one list wasn’t enough for me. Therefore, I’ve made “To spend” list, which I’ll change every two months.

This list contains the items that I plan to use more intensely during a certain period of time. When that period is over, I may transfer it to the following list, or I may take if off the list for a while. Of course, I strikethrough every product I have spent on both the lists.

L’OCCITANE Shea Ultra Gentle Moisturizer Review

I have received two samples of the new Shea Ultra Gentle Moisturizer with my purchase. Each sample contains 1ml, while the full-size product comes in a 50ml pump bottle and retails for $40.

Even though it is fragrance free, it has a very weak scent – probably the natural smell of ingredients.

The moisturizer contains 8% of shea butter. It has a light, slightly runny consistency. A little goes a long way – 2 ml I had lasted me for eleven days. However, I wasn’t as thrilled as I hoped to be.

The moisturizer provides enough hydration for my skin, at least during summer. I have dehydrated, but oily skin which often gets flaky, but Ultra Gentle Moisturizer kept dehydration under control.

In spite of being moisturizing, the cream hasn’t made my skin oiler that it usually is.

Its light texture and quick sinking into the skin make it a good choice to wear under the make-up.

My main issue with this cream is that it breaks me out. This was a bit shocking to me, since I have tried many L’Occitane moisturizers, some even very rich, but neither has broken me out.

I would still recommend it if you are looking for a light moisturizer, but be sure to test it before purchase.

FINISHED! July Edition

First, I’d like to thank all the readers who are reading and following my blog. i have to admit that I’ve been so busy and yesterday I have realized that the second year of blogging has finished.

I would like to thank you for your support

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I’ve been looking back on my older posts and it is funny how one changes oneself through the period of time.

Reviewing some of not-so-widely known brands was one of reasons for which I have started blogging, and while this still remains true, some of my attitude towards blogging has changed.

I remember how much stuff I have accumulated during my first year as a beauty blogger. I would often find myself in the store purchasing something thinking „I really don’t need it, but I would like to review it on my blog“ and ending up with the product which wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t something I really needed.

As the time flies, I realize that I have changed my attitude towards make-up and cosmetics in general. Today, I have a much clearer perception of what I want and need and what I do not. I’m more focused on purchasing essentials and products that will work for me, rather than purchasing something that has a gorgeous packaging (although I may cave in from time to time).

It seems that I less and less willing to settle for the second best. However, the quest for THE product lasta a long time. I’ve been hunting THE blush for a year and I have yet to narrow the choice down (this is what lists are for). Luckily, this means that I have enough time to finish with the products I already have.

FINISHED! June Edition

The last month has been really productive. I’ve sorted out all of the products which are close to finishing and I’ve been almost exclusively using them for the last month. Some products still aren’t finished, but many are.

FINISHED! May Edition

Although I haven’t planned it, I’ve decided to make this FINISHED! posts a monthly feature. At least this way I won’t feel so much like a hoarder. Plus, I’m becoming obsessed with minimalism, so it will feel good to spend some things without bringing in new things.

The products I have finished in May are:

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Chance. The formula is good and maybe in some far future I’ll purchase one (currently I have too much lipsticks), but I’ won’t get this colour. It doesn’t look so good on my complexion.

Dior Dior Waterproof Khol in Noir Trinidad. It has taken me several years (I think 3 or 4), but I have finaly spent an eye pencil. I love it and I’ll definitely repurchase.

Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF30 sunscreen sample. I have spent the sample and I’m already using the full-size.

Sisley Instant Perfect sample. I have spent the sample and I like it very much. I have already purchased the full-size, but first I have to spend YSL primer.

Sisley Express Flower Gel GWP. I love it and I have several GWPs in backup. I don’t even want to imagine the day I’ll spend it all and have to purchase the full-size.

48 Protective Hand Cream. I’m not so happy about this. I liked it during winter, because the cream creates some sort of a coat on the skin, so the skin is protected from environmental influence, but it doesn’t moisturizer.

L’Occitane Shea Butter Body Cream. Love it and I’ll get the full size

I believe that’s all. 7 products – not so bad. I have several more items that I’ll spend during the next month or two – one of which is a foundation – yay! I also hope to spend several more lipsticks and/or lipglosses.

I’m considering adding a FINISHED box in my make-up storage in which I’d put the packaging of all the items I have finished during the current month, so that in the end I can be sure that all the items are accounted for.

Did you finish any cosmetic product?

 

L’OCCITANE Shea Butter Body Cream Review

Yesterday, I have reviewed Shea Butter Hand & Body Lotion and today it is the time for Shea Butter Body Cream. Unlike the lotion, the body cream has 25% of shea butter.

I still haven’t purchased the full size (250ml jar for approximately $50), but I have used for over ten 8ml samples and I have to say that this is one of the best body moisturizer ever. It is even better than Sisley Creme Reparatrice Corps, for a three times less money.

The cream is thick, so you’ll have to use more, but it sinks quickly into the skin and you can immediately put your clothes on. 8ml lasted me enough to apply it twice or thrice on the legs, arms and decollete.

The scent is very light, creamy, just like the scent of the rest of the Shea Butter line.

As I have said before, it is very moisturizing and repairing. However, for its thicker consistency, I’ll use it during colder months because centra heating does such a wreckage on my skin and I don’t think that hand and body lotion I use now will be up to that challenge.

L’OCCITANTE Shea Butter Hand and Body Lotion Review

You may have noticed before that I absolutely hate body lotions. The skin on my legs is completely dried out, yet I haven’t use any lotion as they are too sticky and non absorbing. I can tolerate Sisley Creme Reparatrice for Body, but I’m still not willing to shell out over $150 for something that will be gone in a month, no matter how good it is.

I’ve been testing samples of L’Occitane Shea Butter Body cream (I’ll review it soon) which is good, but I’ll go through it very quickly and I’d like a cheaper alternative. As I was browsing Shea Butter line in L’Occitane store, I saw Shea Butter Body Milk and Shea Butter Hand and Body Lotion. I have picked Hand and Body Lotion, since it had 300 ml of the product in a pump bottle for approximately $30. However, you have to take into account that this lotion has the lowest percentage of shea butter.

I love it very much. I use approximately two pumps, which is enough for my legs (and I have very long and wide legs), although I use thicker layer on the lower part of the legs, since this is where the skin is very dry.

The lotion is very thin and runny, so a little goes a long way. You can see on the picture that I haven’t spent too much of the lotion – I’ve been using it once per day for a month.

The lotion sinks quickly and I can immediately put on clothes. The lotion has a pleasant, creamy scent which doesn’t stick on the skin for long.

I have noticed a huge improvment in how my skin looks – before using this lotion the skin was so dry that it looked scaly. After, there is no visible dryness.

The name says that the lotion can be used on hands, but I prefer to use it as a body lotion. The pump allows you to use lower dosages, just don’t press the pump completely. Since the lotion is runny, you won’t need much, but it also won’t help much. I can think of it as a quick fix when you need a bit of moisture, but you don’t have the time for a richer cream to sink in.

L’OCCITANE Amond Soap Review

I’ve heard many raves about L’Occitane Almond soap, but unfortunately, it didn’t work for me.

The presentation is wonderful – the soap looks (and smells) just like its name says: delicious. My skin, however, doesn’t think so.

The soap contains ground almonds. Although the almond particles are tiny, they are very harsh on the skin. The almond particles are harsh enough to exfoliate, but there isn’t enough of them to exfoliate properly. In the end, I end up with scratched and irritated skin.

Another thing to note is that the soap is very drying. After using it, my skin feels very tight and uncomfortable.

Since it didn’t work for the body, I decided to use it as a hand soap and it is more drying that the other L’Occitane soaps I have tried.

L’OCCITANE Bonne Mere Rose Soap Review

L’Occitane Bonne Mere Soap comes in several different scents (Verbena, Honeysuckle, Milk, Lavender, Linden and Rose), contains 125 grams and retails for $7. My favourite scent so far is Rose. I love the scent of this soap- it is an old-fashioned rose scent, but it is not too intense.

The soap contains a small pieces of dried rose petals – there is not much of them, but it can feel scratchy on the skin.

The soap is a bit unpractical to hold in hand at first, but after several uses, all the angles become less blunt, so it sits more nicely in my hand.

I have tried using that soap on the body, but it dries out my skin too much. Every time after washing it off, my skin feels so tight. However, I constantly use it as a hand soap (Ithink I have repurchased it at least five times) and it works great. It doesn’t spend very quickly – it usually lasts me for almost half a year.

To me, this soap is a great value, and I’ll continue to purchase it (although I might try another scent the next time).

L’OCCITANE Aromachologie Relaxing Hand Balm Review and Ingredients

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

L’Occitane Relaxing Hand Balm comes in a 50ml jar and retails for around $17. The product boasts with a non-greasy, nourishing texture. It is scented with rosemary, lavender, orange and tea tree extract and it contains shea butter and 3 essential oils: grape seed oil, coconut oil and sunflower seed oil.

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TEXTURE

The texture is true to claims – it is very light, non-greasy and sinks in immediately.

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REVIEW

I have used up two 5ml samples. I’ve been using the balm once per day (at night before going to bed) and these samples lasted me for a month.

I don’t have especially dry skin on my hands, but my first impression was: this won’t moisturize much. After a month of usage I must agree with my first impression – if you are looking for something that will deeply moisturize, check out L’Occitane Shea Butter hand cream.

However, I do not think that Relaxing Hand Balm is a bad product. I think it would be ideal for those who need to put a hand-cream several times per day. The balm skins in immediately, it is not greasy and provides a bit of moisture and relief to the dry skin. It is a good choice for an instant relief. Since it is non-greasy and sinks immediately, it might be a good choice to have a bottle of the balm on the working table – especially if you work a lot with papers.

The balm is scented with essential oils – the most dominant is the tea tree note. The scent, while it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, disappears quickly, 5 minutes upon the application.

Fleurissante’s Favourites 2011

Happy New Year!!!

I wish you all the best in the next 2012. May it be much, much better than the previous one.

Fleurissante’s Favourites lists my favourites products in the last year. It doesn’t matter if they were freshly released or something available for a long time, which I have discovered the last year – the only thing that matters is that this are the products which have come closely to the Holy Grail status.

L’OCCITANE Ultra Rich Face Cream with Shea Butter Review and Ingredients

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Ultra Rich Face Cream with Shea Butter costs $40 for 50 ml. It claims that a high percentage of Shea Butter (25%) protects and nourishes the skin.

The cream comes in a jar.

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TEXTURE

The cream is relatively thick – it is just a slightly thinner than Shea Butter Hand Cream. Unlike many of L’Occitane moisturizer, this cream does not feel like a silicone primer (even though it contains a bit of dimethicone). The cream doesn’t spread as easily as I’d like (because of its thickness) and you’ll need slightly larger amount to cover the face.

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REVIEW

I’ve used 3 samples (each containing 1ml of cream). 3ml lasted me for 12 days of once per day usage, which surprised me as you need quite a lot of moisturizer to cover the face.

The cream is advertised for dry and dehydrated skin, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you have serious problems with dryness.

My skin is oily but very dehydrated, especially now, during winter. My cheeks are especially flaky. Since it is called “Ultra Rich” I have expected it to be more emollient and maybe even slightly greasy, but this was not the case. The cream went on feeling almost matte on the skin.

Ultra Rich Face Cream didn’t do much to combat dehydration. I admit that my skin felt more comfortable, but the tell-tale signs of dehydration (flakes) were still present.

The cream’s thicker texture didn’t cause me any heavy breakouts or more blackheads.

The cream has a light, non-offensive scent – the same as the rest of Shea Butter line. I wouldn’t worry about the scent much – it is very light and disappears immediately.

Post-Christmas Rambling, Chocolate Pralines and Gifts

I haven’t really posted much the past week, as I was busy with the preparations (mostly cleaning and baking cakes and cookies). 12 hours and one and a half kilo of chocolate later, I had 300 pralines (filled with raisins and chocolate cream).

I hope you have had a lovely white Christmas and that you have found what you wanted underneath the Christmas tree

I have many reviews prepared for several weeks – several of which will be foundation reviews. Since my Clarins Everlasting foundation comes to an end (and I cannot find my shade anymore in Croatia), I’ve been looking for something new. Chanel really made me happy with the colour range of their Perfection Lumiere range, so I have found a sample of the lightest shade and during the last week I’ve been testing it. I still have to take photos of the face swatch (btw for some reason my skin is completely horrible for the last month and a half – I know for sure it isn’t the skincare regime, but I hope it is because of stress and not anything more serious). I’m also waiting for Oriflame Studio Artist foundation. I have really liked the sample I had, and I believe that it will be a good light-coverage foundation option. There are also several other skincare reviews prepared, as well as tighlining tutorial and another guest post by Aleya.

You can let me know which of the above mentioned items you’d like me to review first

L’OCCITANE Delice des Fleurs Rose et Violette Shower Jelly Review

L’Occitane Delice des Fleurs is, together with Delice des Fruits, a part of a limited edition holiday launch. I have bought travel-size shower jellies from both lines.

Delice des Fleurs include rose and violet scented products. The smell reminds me of a mixture of Guerlain L’Heure Bleue and Guerlain Insolence – the violet is really the most dominant note. Rose just lurks in the background. The scent is warm, candy-like and perfect for winter.

The scent does not linger for long – a maximum of an hour after the bath. If you are not a fan of the scent, you’ll be relieved, but I’m rather disappointed since I like the scent and I wouldn’t mind if it was more longlasting.

It is not a true jelly (like Lush jellies), but the consistency is a bit thicker and more compact than shower gel.

This is the foamiest shower product in L’Occitane line. Shea Butter Shower Cream and Almond Shower Oil do not foam up much (if at all), the regular shower gels foam up, but I need to use more of the shower gel to get the same foam as I get with only a tiny amount of shower jelly.

In spite of being foamy, it doesn’t dry the skin out.

I really hope that L’Occitane will include the shower jelly formula in their regular line. It is by far their best shower formulation.

L’OCCITANE Aromachologie Repairing Conditioner Review

I have already written about L’Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Shampoo and I have finally tried the conditioner from the same collection. I have accumulated two 8ml sized samples. Just for your information, L’Occitane shampoos and conditioners usually come in different sizes – there is a 75ml travel size bottle, 300 ml bottle, 500 ml bottle and 500 ml eco refill (this verson is the cheapest solution – you just have to decant it into an old, clean shampoo bottle)

L’Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Conditioner has a very thin texture. Since it is a repairing conditioner I have expected something thicker, but it is very runny. A little goes a long way and after using it for a month two or three times per week, I have yet to spend half of the amount I have. I have a medium long, thick hair  – just below my shoulders and I apply the conditioner on the lower third of my hair.

Other than being thick, my hair gets greasy on the roots (so much that I have to wash the hair frequently, which then ruins the rest of the hair). Naturally, the ends are extremely dry and split.

This conditioner is amazing. After only one use, my hair appeared considerably healthier (I’m not imagining it, the others were asking me if I had cut my hair). The ends are not as dry as they used to be.

The conditioner won’t repair the existing split ends, but there is no new damage.

Aromachologie Repairing Conditioner is among those products that have made the difference after the first use. I’ve been using if for over a month and, naturally, now the improvement isn’t as drastically visible. I think that the conditioner did its best after the first use and now I just use it to maintain the results. I’m sure that if I would stop with the conditioner, my hair would be back to its horrible self.

The conditioner smells just like the shampoo from the collection – slightly fruity. Keep in mind that the scent tends to stay in the hair, so you can smell it on the hair the next day.

L’Occitane Aromachologie is something that is definitely worth considering, especially if you have dry hair. Now I can’t wait to test the mask, which is supposed to be even better.

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Project 10 Pans and Sample Challenge Update #4

It’s been ages from my last update. I can’t believe it took me so long to finally spend all of these products. However, I haven’t been as disciplined when it comes to the new purchases. I’ve got several nailpolishes and a primer. I’m also planning on a foundation purchase (even thought I have half a bottle of Clarins Everlasting and half a bottle of Dior Airflash) if the foundation I’m currently testing proves it is worth it.

Here are the original posts: Project 10 Pans, Sample Challenge

Project 10 Pans Samples Challenge

During spring, I’ve made a plan of finally finishing some products from my stash. I haven’t updated it for a while, but it is only because I haven’t managed to spend anything. Later I have also announced a possibility to include more samples in the challenge.

Last week I have finally managed to find some time so I’ve been rearranging my cosmetics storage and I have figured out that I have tons of samples and testers. As I’m a bit afraid that they don’t go bad, I’ve picked several products I would like to spend. Some of these are already reviewed, as I’ve been using them before, but some I’ll have to test for the first time. I will only write a review if the product was tested for at least a week of daily usage.

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Vacation Products

As I have mentioned, I’m on vacation right now (the post is posted by scheduled updates). This are some of the items that I have taken with me.