Yves Rocher...
A French brand that's been around for 50 years, it started in an attic in Bretagne France where Yves Rocher insisted on controlling every steps of production from harvesting the plants used in his products to the distribution to ensure the highest possible quality at a fair price. I can't remember the last time I went into one of their shops which can be found just about everywhere. I think it was when my daughter was a baby for an Hamamélis body lotion, one of their most popular offerings. I honestly don't know much about their products but recently the window of the boutique in front of which I walk by almost everyday had been calling my name.
A beautiful display of shower gels! A collection called Jardins du Monde (Gardens of the World) and at 3 for $15.00 it was hard to resist. As I was about to pay for the ones I chose (I will of course review them) I noticed another display with little bottles of oil with the mention "New"...
Hmm interesting... $11.00 instead of $20.00 for 100 ml (now this doesn't mean much because they always have specials) why not give it a try? I sprayed my arm, surprised by the strength or the pump that yielded almost enough for both my arms. At first scent the mild flowery fragrance was quite pleasant and it didn't appear too "oily". I know this is a weird statement considering I was trying an oil but they are not all created equal as you will see below.
Yves Rocher Huile Sèche Sublimante (Beautifying Dry Oil)...
This oil is a little surprising, in a way it feels more oily but at the same time dryer than others I own. It goes on more easily but doesn't penetrate my skin as well as sweet almond oil or coconut oil for example, two of my everyday budget friendly favorites. It's a little more moisturizing than Garnier but the fragrance is not as pleasant to me.
From the website:
Silky and sublime skin.
The Beautifying Dry Oil is perfectly absorbed by the skin to nourish it intensely.Result: nourished, softened and beautified, the skin reveals its true beauty.
The Plus: an oil that is dry to the touch.
- 99% natural ingredients,
- Tested under dermatological supervision,
- No preservatives, no paraben, no mineral oil, no animal extracts.
Perfectly absorbed by the skin to nourish it intensely... Not really. It's ok but if you have dry skin this oil may not make much of a difference on it's own. It will "beautify" because it stays on the surface for quite some time but the look on skin isn't as nice as when I use Nuxe's Huile Prodigieuse or Caudalie Huile Divine. It's weird but for some reason it doesn't look as "polished". One would think oil is oil but apparently it's not the case.
About the ingredients...
99% natural... This oil is mainly composed of esters which is not a bad thing because they are emollient but they don't provide the same feel as real oils. This is also the reason why this product is so affordable. The andiroba oil and sesame seed oil are way down on the ingredient list. Andiroba oil is extracted from the seeds of the carapa guianensis tree which is found in the Amazon. This oil is a rich source of essential fatty acids including oleic, palmitic, stearic and linoleic acids but sadly there is so little in this formula that it's highly unlikely going to make much of a difference on the skin. Still, it was nice to learn about a new oil.
The fragrance...
As mentioned at first it's lightly flowery but sadly that freshness doesn't last. It transforms in about ten minutes or so and I'm left with some sort of a dried fruity nutty smell that I can't really describe and after half an hour or so it settles into it's final stage, a fragrance that I don't fancy as much as the other oils I own.
Some reviewers on Beauté-test have compared the fragrance of Yves Rocher Beautifying Dry Oil to Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse... They are nothing alike, not one bit! Gardenia and magnolia are there at the top but my untrained nose doesn't pick up any orange blossom, bergamot or mandarin. It's not as complex and the base is again, nothing like Nuxe. It's just not as elegant but for an inexpensive out of shower option it ain't bad. On wet skin it lasts about one hour and on dry it can linger for close to three.
How I use it...
At the end of my shower I spray liberally on wet skin, gently massage and pat dry with a thick towel. It's perfect for light daytime moisture but I do have to use a more serious moisturizer before bed. Also in summer I tend to reapply a light layer of body oil during the day on arms and legs for the effect but mainly for the fragrance since I rarely use perfume when the weather is hot. I don't think I'll use this one during daytime since I'm not much of a fan of it's fragrance.
Do I recommend Yves Rocher Beautifying Dry Oil? Yes and no.
Yes since it's a nice inexpensive option (just make sure to take advantage of one of their many promotions) that offers light daytime moisture and can be enjoyed again during the course of the day if you like it's fragrance. Great as a cheap pre-shampoo hair treatment.
No if you have dry skin. This will not be enough but can be a complement if for instance you use a non fragranced body lotion in the morning you could spray on arms and legs once the lotion has fully penetrated for a little extra.
Make sure to try it and wait at least thirty minutes to an hour before deciding if you like it's fragrance because as mentioned, the flowery first notes do disappear.
Reviews:
I found no reviews for this product on Makeup Alley
Beauté-test: 4.4 / 5 stars for 36 reviews.
Ingredients: isopropyl palmitate (a palm oil based emolient), octyldodecanol (emulsifiers and thickening agent), coco-capryulate/caprate (a mixture of esters of coconut alcohol with caprylic acid and capric acid), ethylhexil palmitate (a derivative of palm oil), ethylhexyl stearate, hexyldecanol, hexyldecyl laurate, carapa guaianensis seed oil, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, parfum/fragrance, tocopheryl acetate, bht
To read about my favorite fragranced oils so far click, here.
Have you started to "lighten" your body care routine moisturizer-wise?
