I recently had the pleasure of testing a couple of beauty products from L’Occitane, a beauty, haircare and skin-care brand from France. Having heard the company’s name in positive reviews, but never having bought any of their products for myself, I had no experience with their product line until I received an offer to do a sponsored post/product review on my blog. I jumped at the chance to do an honest review for a couple of their products, and I’m very glad I did!

The Products I Tested

I tested the Shea Butter Ultra Rich Face Soap and the Mini Pure Shea Butter tin, both part of L’Occitane’s natural skin care line.

Review: Shea Butter Ultra Rich Face Soap

Since I had oily, acne-prone skin as a teen and still have occasional acne even now in my late twenties, I wasn’t sure how the shea butter face soap would work out. Boy, was I (pleasantly) surprised! Not only did its lather smell good and feel rich and smooth on my face, but my skin felt moisturized even without putting any of my regular moisturizer on. (My skin has gotten drier and much more sensitive as I’ve gotten a little older, so the moisture was welcome, and surprisingly well-received by my usually finicky facial skin.)

Also, a few days before trying this soap, I had suffered an attack of eczema all across my cheeks, which are drier by nature anyhow. An hour after using the Shea Butter Ultra Rich Face Soap for the first time, I felt my cheeks and discovered that the rough patches of skin there felt less prominent than before. Though the soap alone did not completely take away the eczema, it seemed to make my medicated eczema cream absorb and work better–by the evening, the rough patches were GONE.

Review: Mini Pure Shea Butter Tin

For being as small a tin as this is (only .26 ounces!), a dab really will do ya. This pure shea butter is smooth and even on any skin you apply it to, and is in the cutest and handiest travel-size tin you could ever want for your purse or luggage.

I usually hate lotions and creams because of the motor-oil-slick feeling I get on my hands afterwards. But, after warming the tin of balm gently between the palms of my hands for a few minutes, as directed by the packaging, I applied some of the shea butter from the Mini Pure Shea Butter tin to my cuticles and a couple of rough calluses on my fingers. Within 30 minutes, I noticed a velvety difference. The balm felt soft and silky, did not leave a clingy, filmy feeling, and enhanced the natural shine of my nails. (And as of this writing, the calluses on my fingers are less noticeable!)

I’m also wearing a fairly thick coating of the shea butter on my lips as I write this post, and I cannot quit rubbing my lips together to feel how smooth they feel. I typically suffer from cracking, peeling, and bleeding lips on most occasions, and have tried many lip balms and creams; after just one full night and day of wearing this balm, reapplying as needed, I have seen the peeling slow down dramatically, and the cracks do not seem as red. (Not to mention that I used this same balm to tackle a stubborn callus on one of my littlest toes–it has many uses!)

The Bottom Line: Try L’Occitane

From what I can tell by testing these two products, the L’Occitane brand’s glowing reputation is well-deserved. Take it from someone who’s very picky about her beauty routine–this company makes quality products!