Lierac Sensorielle: Body Oil For The Senses

Lierac is a French beauty line created in 1975 by a French dermatologist, Dr Leon Cariel, and is designed to help with aesthetic skincare issues.. I'd read about their products  and had been keen to try them, but the one product I was dying to try was unavailable until recently. Thank the beauty gods for bestowing Lierac Sensorielle Sensory Oil with 3 Flowers upon Canada. I first read about this on Best Things In Beauty, and, knowing that CharlestonGirl loves all things delicate and white floral as much as I do, I had. To. Have. It. Well, now it is mine!

I feel like Jane of The Jungle...grrrr

Lierac Sensorielle is a multi use oil, perfect for skin and hair. Their website says you can use it on your face but I think that would only be useful for the driest of skin. This oil is based on four precious botanical oils: argan, hazelnut, sweet almond, and grape seed. All of these are amazing for skincare and have amazing conditioning and moisturizing properties. It feels light yet rich on the skin, and sinks right in, leaving the softest and silkiest skin behind. Used after a good exfoliating session in the shower you will have glowing skin that smells like an intoxicating yet delicate blend of jasmine, camellia, gardenia. Simply gorgeous, it makes me think of that famously heady jungle gardenia scent that has been tamed. 

I also love to apply Sensorielle at bedtime - I swear the soothing aroma of a southern garden encourages sweet dreams. I don't know if it is officially a "dry oil" but it does absorb beautifully, with no greasy feeling left behind on the skin. I also love to take a few drops and rub them into the ends of my hair to smooth, add shine and the soft scent of those hypnotic 3 flowers. 

Cleopatra loved her milky baths...

One thing I haven't done yet is add it to bathwater. Lierac's website says that when added to bath water, Sensorielle transforms into a softening and protective milk. I can only imagine how delicious a Sensorielle scented bath experience would be. That is next on my list. If you are a lover of skin oils, like Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse for example, I strongly suggest you search out the Lierac Sensorielle Sensory Oil with 3 Flowers. You won't regret it.

UPDATE: I have since used the Lierac Sensorielle Oil in my bath. It turned my bath water into a milky delight that smelled like flowers, just as lovely as I expected.

Lierac is available at pharmacies, with the 3.4 oz bottle retailing at $34 in the US - click here to find a retailer. The Canadian Lierac site does not seem to come up- I got mine at Rexall Pharma-Plus for $44 for a 3.4 oz bottle. As with many products, it's a better value to purchase this in the US.

My Skin And Hair Are Soft & Smell Like Flowers

My favourite season is upon us. The sun is shining, the air is shimmering in the humidity, and we have no choice but to slow down and enjoy it. And, what could be easier than dressing for summer? A fresh mani-pedi, hair pulled up, lots of sunscreen and soft skin...all you need is a simple sundress, a few dabs of your favourite perfume and you are ready to go. Ok, maybe a little more than that...

So I will share one of my most treasured skincare secrets...I've mentioned it in passing here before but it is so lovely and luxurious I just had to share it again. So you've done everything you need to do, right? Exfoliated to get rid of dry, ashy skin- check. Used a simple & gentle soap ( Dove! ) or a moisturizing shower gel ( L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Shower Cream! ) - check. Applied your daily moisturizer? Make sure your feet are sandal ready ( do I really need to remind you again? ) & your hands have clean, bare nails or a fresh mani. No chips please! Have you had your summer trim & deep conditioning treatment? Because that is a good thing to do before spending time in the sun & humidity, not to mention swimming. 

Now that you have done these things, you need to do one more thing before slipping into that lovely sundress. Get some Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi Use Dry Oil and get it now. There is almost nothing that cannot be made better with a bit of this miraculous multi-tasking nectar. It really is multi use- I use it on my skin and my hair, and it's so effective and incredible it *almost* makes me a better person. It is like pure silk on your skin, and being comprised of 98.1% natural ingredients, there no overly greasy feeling left behind. Your skin drinks it up. And, when applied sparingly to wet hair, it smooths & softens. Now. Can we talk about how it smells please? Nuxe doesn't discuss the scent on their website but here is what I think. Jasmine, orange blossom and honey- otherwise known as heaven.

So. Get some. You're welcome.

Nuxe is available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale in Canada. US shopping information is available here. And, how beautiful is this 20th Anniversary edition bottle?

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil Is a Drink For Dry Thirsty Skin

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil is my new skin obsession. After hearing beauty editors and my fellow beauty bloggers raving about how they banished the flaky dry skin  on their legs (one of the charming side effects of central heating) with this miracle product I had to try it for myself. I’m a huge Weleda fan- their lovely soothing and natural products have a luxe feel that can only come from quality ingredients. They smell and feel great, but more importantly, they deliver. With the crazy weather we have had, winter, blizzards, hot enough for sundresses & flip flops, then back to sub zero temps, my skin needs all the help it can get.

Sea Buckthorn is a berry that is chock full of essential fatty acids that replenish vital moisture. Add some organic sesame oil & this power moisturizing duo adds intensive replenishment to moisture starved skin. Sea Buckthorn Oil has a fresh orange-y citrus scent that is like a little ray of sunshine. Citrus scents have mood & energy boosting aromatherapeutic properties so add soft skin to a good mood and we are talking win-win. Sea buckthorn oil has all kinds of skincare benefits, likely because it has very high levels of vitamins A and E, both of which are necessary for healthy, young looking skin. These vitamins help destroy free radicals, keeping your skin looking great.

I like to use my Weleda Sea Buckthorn Oil after my shower, when I’ve shaved and exfoliated my body into submission, & my skin just drinks it up.  Sometimes I mix a few drops of Sea Buckthorn Oil with my beloved Nivea Q10 body lotion - an amazing way to enrich a simple body lotion and fill it with skin - quenching goodness. And I would have believed it until seeing it with my own eyes- there is not one flaky dry part of my skin to be seen. 

Available at drugstores, health food stores and online.

Diptyque Voile Satin Is A Luxe & Delicious Body Oil

Diptyque is a gorgeous French perfume house. I have worn some of their perfumes in the past but for some reason I don't have one in my collection presently. Hmmm....must rectify that. Anyways, I recently decided to get some Diptyque Voile Satin (translates to "satin veil"- isn't that lovely?) Body Oil as I kept reading how it was chock full of jasmine and ylang and other lovely floral notes that I love. So on my recent trip to Noor in Toronto (have you been? If not get there ASAP) I wash happy to see Nahla and Fred had it in stock. At first sniff after getting it home, I found it strong for some reason and was afraid I wouldn't wear it. Not sure why, as subsequent sniffs and applications basically have left me swooning. The base of avocado and urucum oil are amazingly rich and emollient, and Voile Satin has that wonderful "dry oil"texture. It is fine textured and melts into the skin, leaving a lovely satin appearance and absolutely beautiful lingering fragrance behind. 

Dewy jasmine... 

Ylang ylang blossom

Saffron

I do smell the delightful and gentle blend of jasmine and ylang but it is the saffron that really adds a something special to that floral confection.  Saffron is a spice with a dusty floral peppery scent, but in perfume I'd say it is more floral than spicy. There is a slight mouth watering character to saffron as well, and it really plays off the jasmine and ylang beautifully, tempering the sweetness with what feels like a creamy gentle amber. I don't think I would use it head to toe as a moisturizer as it does have enough scent to work as a soft perfume. I like to use it strategically...a little on my legs, on my arms and perhaps my decolletage. It gives a gorgeous glow to skin and will be perfect in warmer weather when we ditch the stockings and want our legs to look, well, gorgeous. If I apply it at bedtime, as I am wont to do, I can still smell gentle wafts in the morning. Did I mention it is a hair oil as well? So before I style my towel dried hair, I spritz the palms of my hands with just a bit of oil and pass it through the ends of my hair. It softens and smooths, and the scent is divine. A gentle oil scent I can use head to toe? Yes please. Verdict? LOVE.

Diptyque Voile Satin is around $60 for a 100ml bottle, and is available where Diptyque Body Products are sold, from their website and from Luckyscent.

Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil Makes Skin Beautiful

If you have been reading this blog, you know I am a huge Palmers fan. I have the CocoButter stick in my car at all times for lips, cuticles, knees and elbows, and of course, the unscented Palmers Coco Butter Lotion is a staple in my moisturizer arsenal. During the deep cold dry months of winter, the Coco Butter Formula solid in the jar is often the only the only thing that helps. 

So I was quite happy to hear that Palmers released their Skin Therapy Oil. My readers also know I am a lover of skin oils, especially when bare legs are on display. This Skin Therapy oil is preservative-free, and fairly lightweight, although it's not quite what I'd call a "dry oil". It contains an exclusive blend of key ingredients formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, dry, damaged skin, uneven skin tone, aging skin and fine lines and wrinkles. Sort of along the same lines as the lotion. I definitely notice a difference in skin tone the appearance of stretch marks from diligent use of the Palmers lotions so colour me a lover of palm oil for the skin. 

Palmers Skin Therapy Oil has sesame oil in it, which I love. It is light and delicate and feels like it sinks right into the skin. There is a touch of silicone in this product but its just enough to give the product a nice slip when applying. If you have oily or acne prone skin, as I do, I would not recommend using the Skin Therapy Oil on your face. But, it is amazing on the body. I have been using it at bedtime and definitely notice a difference in how my skin looks in the morning. Smooth soft knees, elbows and feet (yes feet!) and it is especially nice after bathing when you've spent a long day in the sun. Amazing.

Betty Grable legs- a "DO"

It does have that yummy chocolate-y Palmers scent, which is lovely, but these days I prefer scent free body products. Granted, it does not last long, but it does interfere with my perfume so my solution is to be sure I apply it well in advance of leaving the house, or the night before. If you like using a skin oil, I highly recommend giving this a try! For around $10 for big 150ml bottle at Walmart, this is an easy buy!

Gwyneth's legs- yeah, these are a "DON'T"