Zest.

Light up your summer, brighten your mood and let the scent of fresh lemons take you on a journey to Provence… Can you think of anything better? I mean, really, can you?

This month, the house of L’OCCITANE re-introduces one of their classic scents, Citrus Verbena, with beautiful new packaging that’s as exciting as the juice inside.

There’s something so absolutely mouth watering-ly delicious about this collection. It’s fresh, invigorating, so tangy and so authentically lemony! I love nothing more than the smell of freshly squeezed lemons, or the zesty release that comes when you grate citrus rind. It’s a scent that I’ve had very little luck finding in a fragrance – until now.

 

If you’re into beautiful scents that capture your thoughts and brighten your mood, then you’ll want to give L’OCCITANE Citrus Verbena a whiff! Trust me! As much as I love my dark, woody and opulent fragrances, I’m just as taken by fresh, zesty and juicy fragrances where the notes have more of a harvest structure, rather than a floral one. Although, having said that, I do love certain florals, I just really like natural, invigorating scents that smell authentic.

Look at that beautiful bottle! So elegantly embossed with L’OCCITANE branding, lemon leaves, and what looks to me like tiny little raindrops. I almost get the feeling that I’m sitting in a Tuscan villa in the middle of spring, looking out the window as the rain gently falls against the glass.

The scent itself is magnificent! It has a radiant verbena heart, mingled with top notes of tangy, fresh citrus and crushed lemony leaves, layered on a base of cedar wood.

The lemon burst is so captivating. Strong, calming, distinctive and authentic. Its a sparkling combination that will literally take your breath away.

For this fragrance and the whole Citrus Verbena collection, L’OCCITANE sourced only the finest raw materials. Organic Verbena was harvested from the home of L’OCCITANE, Provence, while the lemon, essential oils and grapefruit extracts come fresh from Italy.

 “The scent of the harvest is captured
in the bottle”.
– Rémy Margiela, producer of organic verbena in the Drôme Provençale region.

From this collection, I also got to experience the L’OCCITANE Citrus Verbena Hand Cream Gel. I love, love, love these pocket sized hand creams from L’OCCITANE! They are my absolute favourite! As much as I feel sad when my tubes start running low, the fact that they are small and fairly inexpensive, means you can really experience this beautiful French brand, and even find a new beloved hand cream scent.

Even more, what I love about these little gems, is each one is a complimentary addition to the specific collection its part of. Not only, of course in terms of smelling the same, but texture too. With the L’OCCITANE whipped collection, the mini hand cream was the same, creamy texture as the rest of the collection. With the Fleurs de Cerisier, the texture of the cream was light and airy, and with the Citrus Verbena Collection, the hand cream is a gel-like cream texture that matches the freshness and tanginess of the Citrus Verbena collection.

The light and tangy texture, that leaves zesty bite is perfect for summer. Perfect if you want to nourish and continue the Citrus Verbena experience without feeling weighed down by a heavy cream. It’s enriched with extracts of organic verbena, lemon essential oils and grapefruit extract and it melts into your hands while leaving your hands feeling fresh and invigorated.

 

The L’OCCITANE Citrus Verbena collection in South Africa includes; a gorgeous, 100ml Eau De Toilette fragrance (R780) as well as luxurious body and bath products including; a 250ml Fresh Shower Gel (R250) and a 250ml Fresh Body Milk (R250). And, my personal favourite, the 30ml Citrus Verbena Hand Cream (R130).

 

Find this gorgeous range at L’OCCITANE boutiques stores nationwide, or shop it online here.