L'Occitane Shea Body Lotion

I brought this L'Occitane Shea Body Lotion with me when I was visiting my parents and sister not too long ago in July. I know, you're thinking, in freakin' July?!? Yeah, it was that dry where they are, and given my alligator skin, I did not dare to travel to such a dry place without heavy moisturizers for my body lest I will suffer the consequence of itchy, flaky, and cracking dry skin. At home, I only use Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water for the summer and Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil for the winter, but these aren't exactly travel friendly. The Camellia Oil is under 100 mL and can be brought aboard in a carry-on, but it's also a heavy glass bottle. The Camellia Oil in Water is better packaged, but it is also 150 mL. So I had to bring something else, which is just the excuse I need to try the myriads of other things I had stashed in my linen closet.



This travel size (2.5 oz.) L'Occitane Shea Body Lotion can be bought individually ($9) or in several sets, two of which are the Shea Weather Proof Set and the Shea To Go Set.

L'Occitane Shea Weather Proof Set





The Shea Weather Proof Set includes the Shea Butter Hand Cream (1 oz.), 100% Pure Shea Butter (.26 oz.), Ultra Rich Face Cream (.5 oz.), Ultra Rich Eye Balm (.17 oz.), and Shea Body Lotion (2.5 oz.).

L'Occitane Shea To Go Set



The Shea To Go Set includes the Shea Extra Gentle Soap - Milk (1.7 oz., see the review for the same soap in Lavender), Shea Verbena Shower Cream (2.5 oz.), Shea Body Lotion (2.5 oz.), 100% Pure Shea Butter (.26 oz.), and Shea Butter Hand Cream (1 oz.).

As evident in the two above sets as well the previously reviewed Getaway Treasures Set, there are lots of repeats. However, if you have never tried anything from L'Occitane, these sets are a good way to sample a few things. I ended up using most if not all the repeats, so having a multitude of them doesn't really bother me.

Anyhoo, the Shea Body Lotion was ho-hum, barely passable as a temporary substitute, so I will not be using it regularly in the long run for myself. After my nightly shower, it sort of relieved the dry skin on my legs and arms, but the next day I would have to reapply or my legs and arm will get dry and itchy again. And even then, after only a week and a half there, I started getting small patches of eczema on both my arms! Let's just say by the time I got home, my arms were like battlefields of dried up scabs. Ick. Thank goodness for Oshima Tsubaki. I came home and immediately pulled out the Camellia Oil, the concentrated version, since the Oil in Water is too weak to help my arms at that point. It took a couple of weeks, but my arms are finally back to normal now. Phew!

There are some good things about this Shea Body Lotion. It has the same nice powdery scent as the Shea Butter Hand Cream which I like. And oddly, while it didn't hold up on my legs and arms, it performed well in keeping my feet, especially around the heel and edges, from ending up like the Grand Canyon. May be I'll start using it as a foot lotion instead, since (ironically) their Shea Foot Cream exhibited the same temporary-fix-but-doesn't-last-long character. Either way, I won't be shelling out the (ridiculous) $48 for a full size (16.9 oz) bottle. Sorry L'Occitane, but I'm saving all of my $48 for Oshima Tsubaki!