Honestly even the name makes me just want to crack these two out and start rubbing them all over my skin – may I introduce you to the L’Occitane Almond Velvet Serum and Almond Velvet Balm, the newest members of the cult L’Occitane Almond range. These are both products for the body – I realise the term ‘serum’ might throw some people off – and they can work either as individual hydrators, or together for a serious hit of moisture, making them perfect for this time of the year when we all tend to show a little more skin.
I’ll start with the Almond Velvet Serum which is a light, heavenly-scented gel-like cream that works really well as a body treatment, especially post-shower, as it’s light enough to absorb quickly yet hydrating enough to leave skin feeling smooth and soft. The scent is a light hint of almonds rather than a strong marzipan which is what I was expecting, so it won’t interfere with your perfume, but it will lightly scent the skin leaving it smelling fresh and clean. It’s £38 here – link.
The Almond Velvet Balm isn’t actually a balm, it’s more of a thick cream, which is a good thing I think because I can imagine rubbing a balm all over my body to leave quite a bit of unpleasant residue! It’s got the same gentle scent as the serum and I tend to use this before bed – I like to apply the serum all over and then spot-check the very dry bits with a layer of this on top. This is a particularly effective way of prepping skin for fake-tanning as you wake up with beautifully smooth, hydrated skin without any greasiness. It’s £42 here – link.
If you don’t mind a big splurge then both products are great and work really well as a layered duo. However, if you’ve got relatively okay skin that would benefit from a bit of extra hydration then the Almond Velvet Serum is for you, whereas if you have dryer skin, like to fake tan, swim or are off on your holidays soon, I recommend investing in the Almond Velvet Balm instead. You don’t need a lot of either product as they spread brilliantly, so a little will go a long way.
*PR Samples
