A/W Beauty Essentials: Foot Creams

It's autumn again and for many of us it means that our feet will be stuck in boots again for the next few months. That's why I wanted to share a few products with you that will help to keep your feet soft when it's cold outside.

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of foot creams. Whenever I rub some on my feet, I immediately remember about a thousand things I need to do that involve walking. Many foot creams are thick and take very long to sink in so it's best you use them before bed when you're absolutely sure you don't have to get up again in a few minutes. For that I use two foot creams, both by the Body Shop: the Peppermint Cooling Foot Rescue Treatment (which gives a 'cooling' sensation) and the Hemp Foot Protector. They are very heavy and to me very similar in terms of hydration. You'll wake up with way better looking feet that feel a lot softer too!

However, if you don't like the feeling of heavy foot creams (like me) but you still want something that does a great job at moisturizing, I have something for you too: the Shea Butter Foot Cream by l'Occitane. I have used this one before but kind of forgot about it once I ran out. Recently I received a pretty big sample of it and fell in love again. It's a thick cream, but a lot less heavy than the Body shop ones. It's made with 15% shea butter which is known for it's great moisturizing properties and it smells like lavender (like!). It only takes a few minutes to sink into the skin and leaves your feet really soft and hydrated. You can use it at night but it would be good for during the day too, as it won't leave your feet feeling greasy for hours. Definitely going to repurchase the big size once I run out of my sample!

Last, but not least: don't forget to exfoliate your feet regularly. You can use foot files or regular exfoliating gloves, but always be gentle! If your heels are really dry then try to exfoliate them a bit more often, but don't use harsh tools. Also, soaking them before exfoliation will help too! You can add dead sea salt and/or bath oils to make the experience a bit more fun and luxurious.

I'd love to know how you keep your feet looking their best during the colder months! Feel free to let me know in the comments! -L.

l'Occitane - Almond Milk Concentrate

I think I might be visiting my local l'Occitane store a bit too often, since the people who work there know me by name. But if you've ever tried their products, you know why I'm always coming back for more! l'Occitane makes really wonderful products with many natural ingredients (which for me is always a big plus) and they always feel very high quality. I admit, their products aren't cheap but in my opinion you definitely get what you pay for!

Being a guy, it's not always easy to find a body lotion that's easy to apply on the hairy body parts. It sounds weird, I know, but you can't imagine how annoying it can be to use a thick body lotion on your legs with all that hair! ;) That's why I love to use body oils: easy application and a healthy glow afterwards. Still, sometimes I like to use body lotions because they feel more luxurious. And if you're looking for a good one, then you need to give this one a try!

The Almond Milk Concentrate has a very creamy consistency and glides very easily on the skin (yes, even on the hairy legs!). It feels lightweight yet it's very moisturizing. Although it might not be as moisturizing as a body butter, I'd rather apply a bit more of this lotion than rub in body butter for 15 minutes. Since almond oil is one of the main ingredients, this lotion is supposed to make the skin firmer and tighter. I can't really say if it does that, since I'm only in my early twenties, but it does make me skin very moisturized and smooth to the touch. Oh, and if that's not enough - the lotion has an amazing smell. I don't know if that's what almond milk smells like (shame on me) but I wouldn't mind having an eau de parfum on that! It's fresh, yet maybe a bit floral and not offensive at all. Just... yummy (how's that for a professional description...)! Just give it a sniff and you'll know what I'm talking about.

The Almond Milk Concentrate comes in a 200ml glass jar and will last you for a few weeks since you don't need very much to cover your whole body. The jar might be difficult to travel with, but I know from experience that l'Occitane is generous with their samples so just ask for some with your next purchase. They also make smaller versions of this lotion, so that's another way to take this one with you when you're traveling. I must say, I have tried many body lotions but this one is by far my favourite. I'll admit it's rather pricey but in my opinion it's definitely worth the money!

What are your favourite body lotions? Do you prefer body lotions or body oils? Let me know in the comments! -L.