Banishing Dry Skin with Yves Rocher | Bourbon Vanilla Sensual Sugar Body Scrub & 3 in 1 Nourishing Cream Lotion Review

Spring will soon be upon us, which means warmer weather, which in turn means more skin will be exposed. The effects of cold temperatures are manifested in a number of ways on our skin but mostly, they all result in dry, flaky skin which I think we can all agree is not a beautiful sight. Moreover, we tend to drink less water in winter which can lead to skin dehydration.

I am not immune to altered moisture levels in my skin but since the people behind botanical beauty brand Yves Rocher (Malta) reached out to me to try their Bourbon Vanilla Sensual Sugar Body Scrub and the 3 in 1 Nourishing Cream Lotion with Oat Extract I agreed to try the products and see how they work in restoring glowing and moisturized skin all over.

I couldn't wait to start using the products, thus I did so right away but more on the results later. Here are a few words about the packaging and products' texture first.

Bourbon Vanilla Sensual Sugar Body Scrub - €9.95 for 150ml 

This sugar based body scrub comes in a 150ml transparent plastic jar with a green lid bearing the Yves Rocher logo. The scrub is sealed with a protective foil. The commitment of the Yves Rocher brand towards the environment is truly visible with minimal packaging that can be reused or recycled. Back to the scrub, it is yellow in colour and has a thick, buttery texture with exfoliating granules. As soon as you open the jar, the smell of Bourbon Vanilla immediately takes over your senses and vanilla being my favourite scent, I found this scrub very appealing. 

It is very easy to employ this scrub to slough away dead skin despite it's thick texture as it spreads very easily over your skin without the granules being too harsh.

3 in 1 Nourishing Cream Lotion with Oat Extract for Very Dry Skin - €9.16 for 150ml

The next product I was offered to try is this nourishing body lotion. Again the packaging is environment friendly as the tube contains 25% less plastic than the previous one for this same lotion. This cream features a white, rich formulation that is easily absorbed into the skin to quickly hydrate the skin. It has a subtle fragrance and the oat extract contributes towards softer feeling skin. The lotion's formula contains more than 94% ingredients of natural origin, is mineral oil free, colorant free and paraben free.

Now for the results. I have used both of these products religiously for the past 10 days or so and have applied the lotion everyday after I shower and I have used the scrub twice a week. I have nothing but words of praise for both of these products as they do exactly what it says on their respective packaging, and I now have smooth, supple skin ready to face shorter skirts and sleeves!

Yves Rocher has outlets in Paola, Valletta and Sliema and they also house a Botanical Spa at their Paola outlet.

PR Samples

Brand Spotlight | Yves Rocher

This morning saw a very excited me getting ready to head out the door for a meeting with Yves Rocher Malta Marketing Manager, Pierre. 

I was invited over at their newly opened shop in Paola which also houses the trademark Botanical Spa that Yves Rocher is acclaimed for worldwide, but more on that in another post ;) In the meantime, keep reading to find out more about the brand and feast your eyes on the pictures I managed to take of the Paola outlet.

A selection of bath and body care products

Introductions first, here is a little information about the brand!

The French skin care brand Yves Rocher dates back to 1959, when founder Yves Rocher(!) created the botanical beauty brand on the basis of offering good quality, natural products at affordable prices. His expertise in the botanical field was essential in establishing the key foundations of the brand. Mr. Rocher started producing plant-extract-based ointments and later on cosmetics which he sold through mail orders. After three years, he went on to open his first shop and he never looked back. Today, the brand is available in over 80 different countries and it is the number 1 skin care brand in France and 4th worldwide among a staggering 600 brands!

Being a botanical brand, Yves Rocher produces skin care, perfumes and cosmetic products that are plant based and paraben free. They do not test on animals and have their own labs in the Bretagne region in the north-west of France where the phytochemists discover ways of implementing the most active of plant molecules in their products for the ultimate benefit of the consumers. New active ingredients means new products and in fact, Yves Rocher introduces a 100 new products per year!

The brand philosophy is that in order to  'protect it [our skin], repair it and stimulate it, it is best to offer it active botanical ingredients that are easily and naturally assimilated.' Their belief is that both our skin and plants are alive, hence plant based skin care works in harmony with our skin.

What is really fascinating about Yves Rocher as a brand is that the company is also harvester, botanist, manufacturer and distributor of all its products, meaning they have control over the whole development process, hence the consumer knows they are getting a genuine product and ultimately, benefit from affordable price tags!

Different skin care regimes for different skin types

Yves Rocher is a very eco-friendly brand and this has led them to establish the Fondation Yves Rocher which plans to plant 50 million trees by 2015. Customers can help them reach their target by purchasing products marked 'I Love My Planet' or 'Culture Bio' as for every product sold, the company will have a tree planted.

The brand's eco-friendly conscience is also reflected in their packaging which is made of recycled plastic and they also include a note on some of their products to remind people to sort their trash and recycle where possible. Moreover, some of their products even come in refill format to reduce the amount of plastics used!

Now, a few lines about the Paola shop! The location is quite central, in Antoine de Paule Square and once you step foot in there, it feels like you have just entered a mini garden of Eden - an immaculately clean space adorned with light wooden shelves and elements of green which truly evoke the brand's botanical background.

Fragrance selection

Men's range and more fragrances for her

Makeup stand

Summer 2014 Limited Edition Collection

Testers are available for the absolute majority of the products and the layout is very customer friendly. The sales girls are fully trained and apart from being very friendly, they are very knowledgeable about the products and the main ingredients. They take their time to recommend the best products that cater for the individual's needs and they look very presentable in their impeccable uniforms.

The shop houses an extensive range of skin care, body care, hair care, fragrances and makeup products and they even have a line dedicated for men. The skin care products cater for the needs of all types of skin, even aging skin!

Anti-aging product selection

In Malta, Yves Rocher have another two stores, one at Bisazza Street in Sliema and one in Merchants Street, Valletta. The Botanical Spa is only found at the Paola outlet where a wide range of beauty services such as facials, waxing and makeup application are offered at very competitive prices.

That's it for this post, but stay tuned for Yves Rocher product reviews and my own experience at the Botanical Spa! In the meantime, why don't you go and check out one of the stores for yourselves?! I guarantee you're in for a treat!

To keep up to date with special offers and product information, you can check out the local Facebook page and the Yves Rocher website.