L’Occitance is a brand that I don’t tend to turn to for facial skincare – their biggest draw for me is their Shea Butter Hand Cream. I decided to give their Shea Butter Gentle Toner ($25 for 200ml) a try since it’s meant to be both gentle and moisturizing, plus it’s alcohol free. I got this for “free” last year when I redeemed my Optimum Points at Shoppers Drug Mart.
It comes in a substantial plastic bottle with a spray pump which is a nice addition for a toner – I tried spraying directly onto my face but it is NOT a fine mist (like taking a hose to the face!), so I just spray onto a cotton pad. I do like having a spray nozzle, as it is more controlled to use compared to a pour bottle – 5 sprays is enough to soak a cotton pad.
The toner has a faint shea scent which isn’t overwhelming and a smell that I do enjoy, but it may not be to everyone’s preference. It removes any remaining residue after my 2 step cleansing (oil cleansing, then micellar water) and it provides a hydrated skin surface to receive serums and moisturizers.
The second ingredient after water is cornflower water, which is purported to be soothing and a decongestant. I was worried about the inclusion of bitter orange extract as sometimes orange extracts irritate my skin but I’ve not reacted to this.
The only nit-picky thing I would say is that the spray tube doesn’t reach ALL the way down to the bottom of the bottle, so when I’m down to the last cm at the bottom, I won’t be able to get all the product out. (Aside, Greenworks household cleaners have already SOLVED this problem! They created a “Smart Tube Technology” where the spray tube is moulded into the bottle and runs the whole length of the bottle so you can get every last drop – ingenious!)
Pros:
• spray nozzle for easy dispensing
• gentle and soothing formula
• hydrating ingredients including glycerin, shea butter extract
• alcohol free
• made in France
Cons:
• fragranced
• short spray tube
• bitter orange extract may be irritating for some skin
• more expensive than other comparable products
Stash worthiness: 7/10
Interesting to note: the label on the front has raised bumps for braille.
Overall, I like this toner and would consider purchasing it. In fact, I’m curious to try other L’Occitane skincare, starting with the Shea Cleansing Oil. Has anyone else used L’Occitane facial skincare?
stash matters 
There’s that hose to the face again. Love it! It sounds nice but I can see how it may be something to stay away from if you have sensitive skin, especially because it is fragranced. Shea is the nicest subtle smell ever. I actually went back to using the Shea Body Butter from The Body Shop 🙂
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Hose to the face has a good imagery, no? 😛 Yes, that shea scent gets me every time! I will pay more just to have nice smelling cream ha.
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I never even knew L’Occitane did skincare for the face, but this toner does sound lovely for people who don’t have super sensitive skin and aren’t too bothered by scents.
How do you like their Shea Butter hand creams? I have serious old lady hands and am always looking for a good hand cream.
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I really like their hand creams – they’re an indulgence. Really, not anything better than say, Neutorgena or Vaseline hand creams. They smell REALLY nice and do absorb quickly. Maybe you can look for a holiday set – they’re a good way to try out a few of their hand cream varieties.
And you do NOT have old lady hands. I’ve seen pictures!
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With the holiday gift sets out now, that’s exactly why I wanted to ask your opinion on them them! They are definitely an indulgence, hence why I haven’t tried them yet. Good to know your thoughts though, might pick up a set this Christmas 😉
Haha it’s precisely because you’ve seen pictures that you should know I have old lady hands! First time I took a picture I was like “…yikes.”
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Haven’t used it but I love L’Occitane products. Would really like to try their night creams.
This might be silly…but why is the product being “made in France
a pro? Is it because the quality is better?
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Yes, just in general, skincare made in France are of higher quality. Think of the prestige brands – they’re all made in France because they’ve had such a heritage of producing the finest skincare. Even French pharmacy brands are highly regarded like La Roche Posay, Avene and Bioderma.
I did a post on this a little while ago, not sure if you had a chance to read it, called “Where was it made?”:
https://stashmatters.wordpress.com/2015/09/07/where-was-it-made/
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I do remember that post. It’s true – I do pick up products and think “oooh fancy – France” lol but I thought that was just me being silly. Good to know I had a valid reason :p
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Good review! My biggest issue with the loccitane products is the scentedness. My skin is way too sensitive. I’ve had some samples from the brand and literally been too afraid to even try them.
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Yes, I agree. Some of the scents are too strong. I haven’t been bothered by scents to my skin, but the scents can give me a headache or just be a turn off overall.
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Never tried their skincare range before, but this sounds like a decent start 🙂
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OMG just imagining you trying to spritz it over you face… hahahah. I would have done the same thing… I mean, what else is a spray bottle for!? 3 mo is a short shelf life though. You might have to walk around spraying people with the excess just so you don’t waste it!
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If there was a cat around, I’ll be sure to test out the spraying capabilities! 😛
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