Review: L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

Hand cream. Always one of those products I don't use often enough due to sheer laziness, as well as my huge dislike for having greasy hands. Despite loving my Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams, my curiosity to try the hand cream that was sold "ever 5 seconds" had to be satisfied- L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream.

Retailing at $12 for 30mL, this hand cream is housed in a metal tube that reminds me of a paint tube (and note how similar the packaging is to Crabtree & Evelyn's hand creams!). L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream is described as a super-smoothing cream blended with 20% shea butter, honey, sweet almond extract and a jasmine aroma which glides on to help heal and protect dehydrated skin.

Excuse my dry hands, that's what hand cream is for right?!

First impressions were that L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream was a thick white, paste-like cream which struggled to come out of the tube, as well as a strong scent which I personally am not fond of which reminded me of old lady's soap. Not only did I find the hand cream to be a little too greasy for my liking, but most importantly it didn't feel like it moisturised my hands at all! After the cream absorbed into my skin, my hands felt dry again which I'd never had happen to me before with any other hand cream.

Disappointingly I don't see the fuss about L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream, but this is just my personal opinion! However I do love their Cherry Blossom Hand Cream which has a consistency exactly the same as my beloved Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams. Despite this, I think these hand creams would make wonderful Christmas gifts as stocking fillers.

Unfortunately I have been trying to use this hand cream as much as possible so I can get rid of it, it isn't my cup of tea! Also an apology for my lack of blogging activity- I had a stressful exam period (what cruel person puts 4 exams in the span of 5 days?) followed by an amazing holiday to Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand with family which was a wonderful break. I will begin to post more hopefully and I'm thinking of doing a travel essentials post next!

Have you tried any of L'Occitane's hand creams? What is your favourite hand cream?

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Review: Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Therapy

Who doesn't love freebies that come with magazines? When I found out that Women's Weekly magazine came with two Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Therapy creams when purchased from Coles, I couldn't resist and had to give them a try! Valued at $24 for two 25g tubes, they were worth paying only $8 for- and I was lucky and received the Rosewater and Pomegranate Argan and Grapeseed creams- the others that were available were La Source and Citron.

Love the packaging

The Crabtree & Evelyn Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy is described as an intensive conditioning cream formulated with shea butter, macadamia nut oil and botanical ingredients which moisturise and soften hands, nails and cuticles. I was so excited to try these hand creams out as I had heard that Crabtree & Evelyn make excellent products so I was really happy that I could try these out for a great price. It couldn't come at a better time either, since I was looking into buying L'Occitane's Cherry Blossom hand cream which is very similar to Crabtree's Hand Therapy! The packaging between these are also very similar which I just love, and formulations are just beautiful.

I have tried many different hand creams, and I know what I like to look for in them- something that absorbs instantly and doesn't leave any residue or greasiness, as well as having a nice scent or being unscented. This literally removes most drugstore hand creams (except the QV Hand Cream which I love) as many of them are sticky and greasy which I absolutely hate. I try to love the Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula Hand Cream but it is just too thick and greasy- although it is amazing at softening my hands (I might do a review on it sometime!).

The Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Therapy creams are excellent. Just like the L'Occitane hand cream formulations, it absorbs very well and doesn't leave any greasiness behind! I'm not a big fan of rose scented products but since the formula of the hand cream is so beautiful, I really can't complain. The Pomegranate Argan and Grapeseed is definitely my favourite, the scent is just lovely and refreshing. I love how the tubes are small and are a great size for the handbag- although I believe that you can only purchase it in the 50g tube or 250g pump.

Overall, I like these hand creams. Crabtree have done a great job for the packaging, which is luxurious looking; as well as having a formulation which sinks very well into the skin, moisturising the hands. Using these Hand Therapy creams along with my Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream is just heaven to my hands!

Did you take advantage of this freebie with the magazine? Have you tried Crabtree & Evelyn Hand creams before?

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