Latest from L'Occitane..

I've been quite impressed with L'Occitane recently, and their recent Spring launches do not disappoint. They kicked the season off with new launch to the La Collection de Grasse EDT collection, three new body butters and a novel fragrance-extending body lotion.

Neroli & Orchidee
You may have seen my excitable tweet back in February about the Neroli & Orchidee (£49) addition to the La Collection de Grasse - partly because of the soft pink tones and gold detailing, but also because I seem to just drift to anything which has neroli in it.

Having worn the fragrance for a good month now, I can say it's one of my favourites. With top notes of orange and mandarin, it does provoke a slight reference to L'Occitane's last La Collection de Grasse launch, Fleur d'Or & Acacia. The heart notes are those of neroli, peach, fig milk and lily of the valley - which I'm sure will tickle many peoples' fancy! The scent is tied up with base notes of orchid, iris and musk which adds the perfect sweet aftertaste throughout the day. This has been the perfect everyday scent that balances floral, sweet and fresh perfectly.

Ultra Soft Cream
These Ultra Soft Cream (£18) tins are undoubtedly visually attractive but what about the inside? As a massive fan of L'Occitane's Almond Milk Concentrate and their Flowers of Love Shea Body Butter in Jasmine, these had a lot to live up to and I have to say they're up to par in terms of formula. These body butters feel like they turn into light liquid/oils upon touching the skin that just absorbs beautifully into the skin. My only niggle with these, are the scents. I find the Rose Heart and Zesty Lime quite overpowering, and the Vanilla too 'fake' smelling, despite loving their Rose fragrance line in general.

Fragrance Beautifying Cream
A Fragrance Beautifying Cream (£26)? It's definitely a new one on the beauty market, as it's a body lotion that prolongs the lasting power of any of the La Collection de Grasse EDT collection. Now my first instinct is to say, shouldn't they be formulated to last as long as possible on their own? But I was curious and decided to give this a go anyway.

It works. Not sure why or how, but it works. I applied the cream to one wrist and not to another and sprayed the Neroli & Orchidee on both wrists once. The one with the Fragrance Beautifying Cream prolonged the top and heart notes much much longer than the wrist without the Beautifying Cream, which, in comparison, skidaddled to the base notes and had a stronger sweet tone.

It also doubles as a body moisturiser which has that liquidifying texture that I love so much in L'Occitane's moisturisers. This Fragrance Beautifying Cream also has a much subtler zesty floral scent that I much prefer to the Ultra Soft Cream. This is definitely my pick of the lot if you own a La Collection de Grasse perfume and are also in the market for a new body lotion.

Yu