L'Occitane Angelica - a few more goodies

L'Occitane Angelica Essence Sublime, Eye Roll-On & Hydration Cream

Last year we first met, but never fully committed. My rosacea decided to rear its ugly head -- experimenting went out the window as I tried to quell my ruddy cheeks.

Now that I've found a skincare cocktail that works for me, I felt ok about rotating new things in.  What started as a small range, L'Occitane's Angelica collection now offers a serum and eye roll-on.

Essence Sublime

Essence Sublime is a serum which aims to reduce redness, minimise pores while leaving your skin feeling smooth and hydrated. Since introducing Essence Sublime to my skin in late May, I've noticed the colour of my cheeks have dialed down from a pinkish red to the subtlest hint of pink.

The serum is dispensed through a pump and has gel-like qualities; as for its colouring, it's opaque with a tinge of mother of pearl. Think Ultima II circa 1992. 

I love sandwiching Essence Sublime between my sunscreen and makeup for its ability to chill my skin out. 

Final verdict: Take two pumps and call me in the morning.

Angelica Eye Roll-On

Since I was a teenager I've struggled with dark under eye circles. No matter how much rest I get, I'll forever have dark blue, puffy patches under my eyes.  Eye gels have helped me to combat some of the puffiness and discolouration, but I have yet to find something that really works.

Roll-on (not so much)

L'Occitane's Angelica Eye Roll-On was very disappointing on multiple fronts. It didn't perform as promised/claimed and I found the roll-on application extremely annoying. Most mornings I would have to run the roller across the back of my hand in order to get the gel flowing -- talk about product wastage.

The scent also had a tendency to irritate my eyes, not a great way to start the day.

Final verdict: a definite skip. 

L'Occitane Hydration Cream

As for the Hydration Cream, I really can't comment on it because I decided against using it on my skin. Still hate the jar and the scent. 

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for L'Occitane Angelica:

• Essence Sublime - $56.00 AUS / $52.00 USD
• Eye Roll-On - $29.00 AUS /  $28.00 USD
• Hydration Cream - $52.00 AUS / $42.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 8 out of 10 bags for Essence Sublime
• 0 out of 10 bags for Eye Roll-On  
• Unrated for Hydration Cream

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

L'Occitane's seasonal perfume is always worth a whiff.

*PR sample provided –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

L'Occitane Angelica - an initial look

For the sake of science and beauty I don't mind playing the part of a guinea pig from time to time. A few weeks ago Beauty Directory presented local bloggers with an opportunity to try out L'Occitane's Angelica range and I gladly took them up on the offer. It's been a few weeks since I've added Angelica to my rotation while trying to be mindful of my rosacea.  Thankfully, my skin hasn't freaked out, but I haven't witnessed any noticeable changes either.  L'Occitane claims the primary purpose for Angelica water and essential oil is it aids to "reinforce natural skin hydration."  With continued use, I remain hopeful something positive will happen.

Right now, let's wait and see.

Angelica Hydration Cream

Angelica Gel Cleanser

Angelica Exfoliating Gel

As for my initial thoughts, here are a few of my likes and dislikes...

Likes:

• The exfoliating gel beads are soft, not gritty.  I've found this to be extremely gentle and doesn't exacerbate my rosacea.
• The gel cleanser foams up easily and manages not to leave behind any film from the suds.

Dislikes:

• The scent - it's an acquired taste.  It's reminiscent of balsam fir and strikes me as very earthy.  Not really my cup of tea.
• I loathe the glass jar which houses the contents of the hydration cream.  I wish it came in pump form; it would help to ensure how much product comes out.  Plus, you don't have to worry about contaminating the lotion with potential germs, etc.

In two weeks time I'll be sure to round out my final thoughts and give you a closer look at my skin's appearance.

*Beauty Directory and L'Occitaneprovided me with free full size samples in exchange for this review.  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.