Anyone that knows me even loosely knows that my love for body care products knows no bounds. I have a very strict routine that involves a nightly bath, body cleanse, shave, moisturise and massage (usually with a variety of different creams and serums) and a thrice-weekly scrub/exfoliate. Some might call it excessive, but for me, my body care regimen is a necessary daily ritual that helps me unwind before hitting the hay.
By no means, however, am I easy to please when it comes to body products. Because I rely on my nightly routine as a means to de-stress, I am extremely fussy when it comes to the texture, scent and finish of the products that I use. I like my skin to feel comforted and nourished before slipping straight into bed. A drying body wash simply will not do, and don’t even get my started on the perils of a cloying body cream that refuses to sink in. It is because of this fussiness that when I find a body care treasure, you better believe I’m sticking with it. And that is exactly what I have done with L’Occitane’s Almond Collection.
When I first stumbled across the Almond Shower Oil (£20) a few years ago, it was love at first sniff. The idea of a shower oil really didn’t appeal to me given that my skin is naturally quite oily and prone to congestion (especially on my arms and back), but from the moment I picked up the tester and got a whiff of the clean, comforting, almost marzipan-like scent, I was all in.
As I dropped the bottle at the till point, along with my go-to Lavender Foaming Bath (£26), the cashier grinned, and after asking me if I had tried the shower oil before, said, “Welcome to a club you’ll never leave.” I walked out of the store wondering in what sort of world the cashier thought I lived. One where I could afford to spend £20 on a new body wash every time I ran out (clearly).
The truth is, however, that the minute I dripped out the oil onto a wash cloth and watched on as the nourishing oil turned into a silky cream, I knew that this was a body wash I never really wanted to be without. Leaving skin feeling comforted and impossibly soft, I can honestly say that I never have, and doubt I ever will experience another product like it. It’s a bit like giving your skin a hug every time you step into the shower/bath.
But let us not overlook this product’s key selling point, which is the smell. Sure, it leaves skin unbelievably soft, supple and nourished, but the scent that it leaves behind on my skin is the real deal-sealer. Unlike so many other shower products, long after I have emerged from my bath, my skin still smells like sweet, creamy, almondy goodness. This shower oil is so good that every single person that has had the joy of using it when visiting, buys it immediately for themselves.
What’s more is that actually, it’s not just the shower oil that’s brilliant. In fact, I have tried the majority of the L’Occitane Almond Collection and I can honestly say that each product is equally as wonderful as the next. In fact, I can’t imagine a single skin type that wouldn’t get along with this range. Offering scrubs and moisturisers to the newly launched shampoo and conditioner, L’Occitane’s Almond Collection is ever-growing, and I couldn’t be happier. Because right now, for me, this little bit of beauty luxury goes a really long way.
Next up, I was sceptical about CBD, but this skin-soothing range changed my mind.
