L'Occitane Icy Body Shower Gel 250ml RRP £17/Refreshing Hand Gel 30ml RRP £8

 

Yesterday was Sunday and it was a hot day. Most people when they wake up and see the weather is going to be warm, prepare their day often to fit around the weather i.e. taking it easy. I decided on my day off that I was going to clear the garage and go to the tip. By midday, utterly exhausted and with my back aching and feet swelling up, I changed my plans and headed off to the beach. Whilst I had a blissful hour, the truth was I spent much of that in traffic on the A12 and so by the time I got home, all I wanted was a cold shower, to wash off the sand, sun tan lotion and feel refreshed.

It was then I remembered I had the L'Occitane Icy Body Shower Gel in my 'review' cupboard and so I grabbed it and headed off for a shower. The bottle beckoned me with it's translucent, green gel and I knew I was going to be in for a treat as soon as I started using it. The scent is undeniably citrus, verbena but with underlying menthol it was an immediate head clearer. A small amount lathered up well with my body puff and, as often say with L'Occitane products was 'a instant shoulder drop'. All the tension of the day melted away, the gel was cooling, refreshing and made me feel utterly revitalised. The coolness lasted on my skin so I didn't feel sticky throughout the rest of the evening, and for the first time in a while, I slept soundly.

Today, I actually read the instructions and found out that not only can you use it as a normal shower gel, but for a more intense icy hit, you can apply to dry skin and then shower off! It's like applying a Menthol Hall sweet to yours skin. To describe better, I'd say it's what cough sweets do for your sore throat aka soothing and cooling, this is the equivalent to your tired skin - it feels almost medicinal.  The main ingredients are:-

• Coco-Betaine - derived from coconuts, this ingredient is known as a surfactant. It helps bind together dirt, and is one of the mildest ingredients to use for producing lather, as it's primarily made of coconuts and thus is hydrating.
• Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract - helps with inflammation, is ideal for sensitive skin and helps balance irritated skin. Due to it's uplifting scent it's also ideal to help alleviate mental stress.
• Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil - clarifying and excellent for acne proned skin. This ingredient acts as an astringent and helps unblock oily pores. 
• Menthol - a wonder ingredient used for so many reasons, such as alleviating itchy skin, helping soothe sunburn, calming prickly heat. However, it also has an immediate effect on allevating headaches and tension. 

Not a hand cream, this is a 'Hand Gel', the consistency is likened to 'granita', and is the perfect size to take with you travelling. One of my biggest bug bears is hand cream can be too rich, and often it transfers to my phone, hair, eyes etc. This is a gorgeous, lightweight gel that simply sinks straight into to dry, dehydrated skin without leaving any greasy residue. As the name suggests, and like the shower gel it's refreshing, icy, cool and has many of the same ingredients as well as:-

• Propanediol - skin conditioning, skin smoothing. 
• Glyceryl Caprylate - a natural emollient that helps keep hands moisturised.
• Geraniol - used to repel mosquitos, acts as a natural insect repellant.

It's the perfect companion to take away with you on holiday or just to keep one in your every day bag. 

The range is ideal for anyone who suffers with water retention, menopausal hot sweats or who, like the majority of us haven't been coping very well with the heat! You can check out the range here at www.uk.loccitane.com