On The Beauty Beat: Washing Up And Nailing It

L'Occitane skincare from France

 

Skincare From Provence

I’ve been a fan of L’Occitane Shea Butter hand creme for many years. I don’t know why I haven’t tried more of the L’Occitane products before. At the blogger conference they were handing out nice goodie bags, and I’ve had a chance to try out some of the products included.

  • Almond Shower Oil.  This is actually a cleanser. Oh boy, do I love this stuff! We live in a dry climate, and I have dry skin. Usually my skin feels tight and dry after a shower, and I can’t get body lotion applied fast enough. But I didn’t have that feeling after using this. It doesn’t leave any kind of greasy residue, smells great, and works nicely as a leg shave gel too.
  • “Divine Cream”. I’ve only been using this for a couple of nights, so can’t speak to any long-term results, but it’s very moisturizing and feels as though it absorbs right into the skin with no greasiness or tackiness.
  • Shea Butter Rose Heart hand creme. My favorite formula in a really lovely rose scent.

I also loved what the reps told us about the company’s commitment to the environment and preserving the small growers of lavender and other botanicals.

Your Mani’s Best Friend

Chanel long wear topcoat

It’s so frustrating when I spend the time and money to get a nice manicure, and then it barely lasts a few days before beginning to chip or wear. I first tried Chanel Le Gel Coat a few months ago, but really gave it a serious workout last week. Tuesday before the blogger conference, I got a manicure with a bright red polish (Rouge Puissant) and even after packing, traveling, jamming my hands into various bags, the polish looked fresh for a week. This isn’t an actual gel manicure, so doesn’t require UV lights or any other special treatment.

Do you have any recent beauty finds that you love? Please feel free to share in the comments!

Disclosure: L’Occitane products mentioned were gifted.

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21 Comments

  1. I have had a love affair with L’Occitane for years and years! They closed my local store so whenever I fly through IAH, I always visit the airport location and stock up. The almond oil products are must-haves and the verbena scent is my summer go-to! Thanks for the recommendation of the gel top coat. UV gel manis are SO hard on the nails, so this looks like a promising alternative!

  2. Anastasia of Beverly Hills stick foundation – I too have used Loccitane hand lotions for years. Great gift to give and receive.

  3. I’ve completely sworn off nail polish – it’s mostly toxic chemicals that have to be removed with more toxic chemicals, kept in tiny little containers that can’t be recycled. I’ve never seen a study about the effects of nail products on the environment, but I don’t think it’s good!

    So I’ve become a big fan of (gently) buffing my nails. It makes them look nice and shiny, and takes almost no time at all. One must be careful not to overdo it – you can make your nails paper-thin and really fragile. Balance, as in all things!

    hugs,
    Janice

    1. That’s a great idea about buffing. I love the L O’ccitane lavender bubble foam and their shea butter hand lotion. I just order online.

    2. I’m headed in that direction myself, and pretty much don’t wear polish on my hands either — although I got a powder dip gel manicure a couple of weeks ago and it’s still pretty much perfect.

      My toes are a different story — I paint them in the summer but give them a rest in the fall and winter.

    3. I’m a guitarist — no nail polish for me, so this could be a nice solution for special occasions. My hands usually look not precisely rough, but definitely utilitarian. This usually doesn’t bother me, but there are circumstances where people might be looking at my hands when they’re not in motion!

  4. I adore the almond shower oil, too! Mixing a little with sugar makes an amazing exfoliating scrub, too!

  5. I am a big fan of the Essie gel topcoat, available at Target for about $10 and no special products needed to remove it. Simply brush on over any regular nail polish and extends the wear for several days.Deanne

  6. Just last week I bought a hand cream for its scent (strong and spicy) and its packaging, and found it is the best thing I’ve ever used: Morris & Co, by Heathcote and Ivory Ltd. The tubes have gorgeous William Morris designs and serve as ornaments in my purse!

    My go-to for general skincare is Aveeno Positively Ageless Firming Body Lotion. It’s inexpensive, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever tried that didn’t feel like a greasy coating on my arms and legs. I use it on my face as well, and here in windy arid Western Kansas using body lotion on your face isn’t over the top, especially in winter.

    But now I’ll have to look for that rose hand cream, as that’s really my own “signature” scent.

  7. I love the L’Occitane shea butter hand creams…the almond line is lovely for showering and moisturizing.
    I recently bought a bottle of Jeanne en Provence shea butter and honey lotion and am really enjoying it as it absorbs right into the skin and has a soft scent that lingers…

  8. I do love L’Occitane Divine cream and have been using it for four years. Even better is their Harmonie Divine cream, but it is really expensive! It’s much less costly in France and i am kicking myself for not picking some up when I was there…next time.

    I have a lot of the Almond Shower Oil in sample form but have not used yet. I’ll try it today – thank you for the tip!

    I wonder if you are still using the Sisley Black Rose Cream face mask? I was given a sample of that, and the Black Rose Face Oil, last month at a Marionnaud in Paris. I’m not really a face oil person, but remembered your review of the mask, and used the oil on my face before flying home. What a difference – I did not have that “puckered” look I usually have at the end of the long flight (Heathrow to CA this time). I have been using a little of the Cream Mask on top of the Divine Cream at night and that is wonderful, too. I love both of these products and just (gulp!) ordered.

    Thanks again for sharing your finds. I am really looking forward to hearing about your upcoming trip!

  9. I love L’Occitane Shea Butter hand creme and have been using it for years. There is always a small tube of it in my bag. Also, I agree with Janice that nail buffing is the best way to go. I often get compliments on my “clean looking” hands, even though my hands are old and wrinkled, have veins and are not very attractive.

  10. I recently picked up an Hourglass bronzer–perfect, finely-milled texture for my foundation-free face. Also have high praise for It Cosmetics’ redness correcting creme (nose only), and Cerave Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30. It’s hard to find a moisturizing SPF under $30, and this one is great.

    I might have to give that Chanel gel top coat a try. I’ve had three gel manicures in the last 6 weeks, and while I’ve enjoyed having pretty nails the lights give me pause.

  11. I’m still mad at L’Occitane for discontinuing my favorite Tilleul scent (Linden). No other linden or lime blossom I’ve found can match it 🙁 I do like the shea butter (great for cuticles -I keep a small tin next to my computer). I’ve been using Kiehl’s serum (hydro-plumping re-texturizing) and it’s heavy enough to add to my winter moisturizer and keep my skin from being dry but it hasn’t been too heavy for late spring (days into the 80s…) Might discontinue for the heat & humidity of high summer in the south but I’ll definitely go back to it in the fall!

  12. I bought my daughter the L’Occitane advent calendar last November. I don’t remember how much I spent, but it seemed a good value. The sample sizes were generous and varied, and most of them were in normal packaging, not little packets. Keep that in mind in the fall and treat yourself! I got the shower oil as part of a gift package and was hesitant to try it because I was worried it would be difficult to rinse off and make a slick in my shower, but none of that happened and now it’s one of my favorite products. It lathers up beautifully and hydrates my skin perfectly. I don’t care for the scent, but the scent does not linger on my skin.

  13. Occitane hand cream is fantastic.
    I have been using mostly Avène products since I had an allergic reaction (not to Occitane….). Really great stuff. Made in Occitanie (the new region in the south of France).

  14. My recent find has been professional manicures. I’ve long thought my aging nails didn’t deserve special treatment but having recently had not one, but two manicures, I’m sort of sold! I’ve had gel and now shellac and the amazing thing is you can really forget about them because they don’t chip or wear away. Amazing! Highly recommended. What’s not so great is the cost of these treatments but I don’t have facials or use fancy creams so maybe I should carry on treating myself. I’m probably the last person on the planet to discover these nail treatments!