little white truths

I bought this product around eight months ago and used it a little bit then, but decided to put it aside when the weather got warmer because it's a better product for the cooler months.

While we're not in autumn yet and the weather is still on the warm side, I've started using it again recently because it's been in my shower for a long time and I wanted to start making a dent in it.

I'm pleased to report that I absolutely love it, and I would definitely buy it again: it's the nicest shower oil I've used. More on that below.

L'Occitane claims/product details:

• Our best-selling shower oil helps hydrate, nourish and perfume the body
• It’s an oil, it’s a foam, it’s a super body wash
• Enriched with the powerful hydrating properties of sweet almond, this shower oil turns into a foam when it hits water, gently cleansing and hydrating your skin
• A nourishing body oil that's formulated to deliver a thorough but soothing cleanse while imparting a satin-like softness to the skin
•  Transforms into a lavish, luxurious foam
• An extra-pampering step in your beauty routine
• Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin
• To use: wet skin in the bath or shower; apply directly to wet skin and work into a lather; rinse thoroughly with warm water
• RRP $39 AUD for 250ml

Verdict

You may remember that I reviewed the matching body scrub to this product a while ago (see here), and while I quite liked it, it wasn't super effective and I didn't think it was worth the price-tag. This oil is different. It is worth the price-tag in my opinion, and I like it so much that I'm giving it an HG tag.

It's a yellow-coloured oil with a sweet, almond-flower scent not overpowering. It's stronger in fragrance than the body scrub linked above and the texture is also richer so in many ways it feels more luxurious and therefore worth the extra money. The scent lingers gently on the skin and it's a smell I enjoy: it treads the right balance between being there without being offensive.

When I dispense the product it's quite a thick, rich oil, and I at first I worried that I would need to use too much per application and therefore burn through the bottle too quickly. This isn't the case. Once you add water, it thins out beautifully and also lathers up nicely so it spreads out and cleans the skin well. Indeed, I've barely made a dent in this bottle yet and I've used it often enough.

Once applied, the product feels beautifully hydrating and nourishing on my dry skin. That's a huge plus for me because it's rare to find shower products that are this kind to dry skin - there's certainly plenty available for dry facial skin, but it's harder to find products that look after your body. This one does.

What I find after use is that my skin feels soft, clean and moisturised, and it's also lightly fragranced so the scent lingers for a while but it doesn't interfere with my perfume - I can only smell it if I eg hold my hands up to my nose.

I've just used the product one last time on my hands before writing this review, and they feel soft and nourished. I didn't need to apply hand cream afterwards because they feel comfortable enough as they are - a rare thing for me - so I can see myself buying this to use as a hand wash in the bathroom, just to cut out an extra step and save myself from burning through as much hand cream as I do.

Overall I really enjoy this product and think it meets all its claims. If you have dry or sensitive skin, this would be a great pick: it cleans nicely and feels luxurious, plus it doesn't upset the skin or make it drier. Yes it's more expensive than what I would typically pay for a body product, but at least I can see the bottle lasting a while so I think it's a good investment.

Love.