Born in Provence – the region I haunt on my holidays, gazing through real-estate windows in hope of discovering an old, dilapidated gîte that could become my home-from-home en France (alas, for some very strange reason, dilapidated French gîtes aren’t free?) – L’Occitane, for me, evokes the languor of a summer sipping pastis, gorging croissants and attempting to absorb the intricacies of pétanque from ardent locals… all of this, while carrying a basket (with a baguette and a tube of L’Occitane’s {Almond Delicious Hand Cream}) and pretending I’m Jane Birkin en vacances.
Harnessing the world’s best extracts – think: unparalleled lavender, Provençal almonds, Corsican immortelle, verbena from the island of Réunion and shea from Burkina Faso – L’Occitane go to the ends of the earth to sustainably source the incredible ingredients they’re known for; building bonds with their suppliers to support the growers and their precious crops. And the result of this ethical approach, is that the sunshine of the South of France is found in every bottle of my favourite {Shower Oil a l’huile d’amande} and tube of {Shea Butter Foot Cream} – a holiday hero if ever there was one…
The chic simplicity of the design (très important, non?) brings a coveted, ‘French farmhouse’ feel to my bathroom, and the experiential benefits are heavenly. Opening a bottle will transport you to an almond orchard (complete with a soundtrack of chirruping crickets), whisk you to a field of purple lavender (as Eartha Kitt sings C’est si Bon) or make you feel like Amelie Poulain applying face cream from a tactile jar of {Immortelle Divine Cream}.
A beautiful way to indulge any friend with daylight-dependency issues this winter (every formulation smells like summer in Saint Paul de Vence), L’Occitane are also cultivating change through action – constantly reviewing their development and processes, from sourcing through to distribution, to forge a sustainable future and ensure that their pickers and growers are able to flourish. Committed to supporting agroecology – so farmers have access to better farming practices and training programs – as well as to total transparency, they’re driving for change in the industry, while acting locally to nurture their community.
The definition of a ‘feel good’ range, you really can’t go wrong but, if you’re looking for a place to start I recommend these ‘Holy Grails’: