Celebrating YOU with L’Occitane

By Wardrobeoxygen

I am so excited to start this month of giveaways with L'Occitane. A brand I have used and loved for many years, L'Occitane stands for much of what I believe in - quality, caring, and community.

In 1976, 23-year-old Olivier Baussan with only an alembic and a small truck began steam distilling wild rosemary essential oil to sell at open-air markets in his native Provence, France. L'Occitane was named for the women of Occitania, an area that existed during the Middle Ages, spanning southern France, north-eastern Spain and northern Italy. Using an old soap factory that was donated to him, Baussan expanded his production to include soaps and creams, taking inspiration from the land where he grew up.

The first L'Occitane factory and boutique opened in 1981; today L'Occitane is sold in over 90 countries across the globe. L'Occitane continues to develop and produce most of their products in Provence and strives to preserve traditional cultivation methods for many of their ingredients. L'Occitane does not conduct animal testing, and uses no animal product or by-product, except for beehive products. L'Occitane also develops most of its products and ingredients in line with the organic cosmetics specifications of Ecocert. L'Occitane invests heavily in research - they have their own state-of-the-art research lab in the heart of Haute-Provence, in Manosque. A team of 100 researchers works in 11 laboratories, focused on topics from molecular biology to plant extraction to analytical chemistry so we can keep raising the bar. L'Occitane is very much in support of the global community they have built over the years; they try to give back through the L'OCCITANE Foundation, which was created in 2006. The two main initiatives of the Foundation support visual impairment around the world and economic emancipation for women in Burkina Faso. On top of that, L'Occitane employees participate in Foundation projects, from post-tsunami reconstruction in Japan to natural heritage in Provence.

This season, L'Occitane partnered with another favorite company of mine, Rifle Paper Co. for a limited-edition collection. Anna Bond, co-founder and Chief Creative Office of Rifle Paper Co., fell in love with stationery and developed a line of products featuring her hand-painted illustrations, with a look that is both modern and timeless. Launched in 2009 in Anna's garage apartment, Rifle Paper Co. has grown to be a successful global brand with over 150 employees. With all that growth, Rifle Paper Co. still strives, like L'Occitane to bring beauty to the everyday. The Rifle Paper Co X L'Occitane collaboration is utterly charming, colorful, a gift to give or gift yourself. The packaging alone is a treat; I have one of the boxes from the collection in my office storing ticket stubs and mementoes from trips and shows. I'm thrilled to be offering one Wardrobe Oxygen reader a gift of pieces from the Rifle Paper Co. x L'Occitane Limited Edition collection.

This prize will include some of my very favorite items from L'Occitane:

  • L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream - If you haven't tried L'Occitane's hand cream you are missing out. It is one of the most luxurious yet hardworking beauty products I have ever owned. Rich and thick (it's 20% organic Shea Butter) yet quickly absorbed, it will make your hands feel like velvet, even after a brutally cold winter day. I keep a tube on my nightstand to apply before bedtime, and a mini tube in my purse. Many loved ones have received this hand cream as a gift over the years.
  • L'Occitane Shea Balm - These little tins are chock full of awesomeness. 100% natural origin, certified organic Shea Butter is produced in a fair trade agreement with cooperatives of women in Burkina Faso (West Africa). This beauty balm helps to protect, soften and nourish dry and dehydrated skin on your lips, elbows, knees, cuticles, and even hair. I've even used it under my nose when it has gotten raw from the sniffles or a frigid day outside.
  • L'Occitane Shea Butter Nail & Cuticle Nourishing Oil - Made with 30% Shea Oil, this product is heaven for your cuticles. The tube has a brush on the end, one gentle squeeze and you can easily apply the oil without any mess or waste. I have one in my purse and I keep one on my desk to care for my hands during the day. This stuff works so well I no longer have hangnails and it's kept me from nibbling on my nails and cuticles!
  • Shea Butter One-Minute Hand Scrub - We exfoliate our face, we'll exfoliate our knees or our elbows, but what about our hands? Exfoliation makes skin look younger, and be more receptive to absorbing moisture. Now in a convenient tube, this creamy scrub gently exfoliates, hydrates, and softens the skin without any mess.

I'm such a fan of L'Occitane, and have been a bit of a fan girl over partnering with them the past few months. It makes me positively giddy that they wish to celebrate YOU with this amazing giveaway valued at over $150!

How to Enter:

Wardrobe Oxygen x L'Occitane Giveaway