L’Occitane’s lavenderlicious “Lavande de Haute-Provence Creme Mains” was one of our best finds some years ago – and still is. If you like a really silky, light, 100% non-greasy formula with an aromatherapy hit and haven’t tried this yet, you might want to earmark it (you can almost smell those lavender hills in the south of France). 30ml/£8 and 75ml/£14.
L’Occitane sources its lavender from farmers’ co-operatives in Haute-Provence which means the lavender essential oil in this shea butter formula is “PDO” – Protection Designation of Origin – or rather, “AOC” in French*.
Another favourite is L’Occitane’s Purifying Hand Gel. If you’re not keen on those mini alcohol-scented hand sanitisers (using them all the time is one of the best ways to avoid catching bugs on trains, planes and buses) then treat yourself to L’Occitane’s certified organic Lavender Hand Purifying Gel instead.
You might also like…? L’Occitane’s Lavender Hand Wash (refills come in 80% lighter eco packs). The set is £25, 500ml refill alone £16.
*About “appellation d’origine contrôlée”(AOC): In 1981, the AOC label was given to Haute-Provence Lavender Essential Oil which involves very high-quality production methods and applies to only the essential oil of fine lavender – aka Lavandula angustifolia. The fields must be located within a specific territory at a minimum altitude of 800 meters and this specially designated area covers 284 communities in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Drôme and Vaucluse regions of France.