Botanical Cologne of Love by Le Couvent des Minimes

Disclaimer: I purchased this.

Each spring I like to identify one or two new scents to wear, typically white florals (gardenia, honeysuckle, orange blossom) that celebrate the freshness of spring. This year it's the Botanical Cologne of Love ($16) by Le Covent des Minimes, an orange blossom centric fragrance with notes of bergamot, mandarin orange, wild rose, nasturcia, and petitgrain.

•Orange Blossom: source of softness 

•Bergamot, Mandarin: sources of serenity 

•Wild Rose: source of hydration 

•Nasturcia: source of radiance 

•Petitgrain: source of harmony

Nasturcia (Source: Fragrantica)

I find this to be a realistic orange blossom fragrance that smells much more high end than it's price would indicate. This is a 'feel good' fragrance for me, and I love wearing the body cream yo bed at night. Breathing in the scent just puts me in a good mood, which is a great way to end the day. It's not candy sweet or cloying, although it is decidedly feminine. 

Since this is a cologne, I like layering, starting with the Exfoliating Shower Pulp ($12), followed by the Moisturizing Body Butter ($18), and then finishing by spritzing with the cologne. The scent lingers for a good 7-8 hours, but I'd say it's more of a skin scent. That's actually perfect for me, especially during the warm weather months when I typically would wear it.

The Le Couvent des Minimes brand was created in 2004, but the actual convent has existed since 1862. Located in Haute Provence, France, the fragrances and skincare lines focus on blending natural, beneficial plants in time tested natural skincare recipes. Formerly owned by L'Occitane, they were sold in January of 2017 to HLD Group and Didier Tabary. 

Their website is 'under construction' and their Facebook page has not been updated since December of 2016, so I can only hope that they are in the process of rolling out their new online presence. In the meantime, their products are sold at multiple online retailers, including Ulta, which frequently has purchasing inducing sales. 

Black Friday Sales That Got My Money: Le Couvent des Minimes

Apparently, Black Friday sales now start way in advance of even Thanksgiving, but that's fine by me. I'm definitely an online shopper as opposed to fighting crowds in stores, plus I like to take advantage of ebates and get a little cash back with my purchases. If you have not signed up for ebates, you really should. Here is my referral code to sign up, just in case (I get referral bonuses that would be lovely to accrue, but you can also go directly to ebates.com to sign up).  Back to the sales that I decided were just too good to pass up.

The first one that caught my eye is from Le Couvent des Minimes, where you can get 30% off if you spend over $50, up to a maximum of $45 off a purchase of $150. No code was required when I went through the email link, but BLACKFRIDAY16 is what was at the bottom of the email if the discount does not automatically show up in your cart. There is also a nice PWP deal on the Sereine Holiday Tote above ($46), making it $15 with any $45 purchase. I got one, along with The Delicateness Kit ($29.50):

The Loving Pouch ($29):

Exfoliating Shower Pulp ($12):

All totaled, I saved a little over 50%, which is not bad. I love Le Couvent des Minimes fragrances and always get compliments when I wear them. I'm wearing the Botanical Cologne of the Missions as I type this up, which is an inexpensive gem that has been described as a "boozy vanilla". Check out Fragrantica for more reviews on it, but it's a definite love for me. A warm weather favorite is their Botanical Cologne of the Minims, which features a bracing blast of citrus with it's grapefruit, blood orange, and lemon top notes. I took advantage of an Ulta sale to pick up the Botanical Cologne of the Morning and the Botanical Cologne of Love (and should be arriving today), so between the two sales I now have all of the fragrances offered. I'll do some reviews soon. What Black Friday sales are you taking advantage of?

Complete Moisturizing Cream with 4 Beneficial Roses by Le Couvent des Minimes

I picked up the Complete Moisturizing Cream by Le Couvent des Minimes last December, after having tried a sample and liking it.  Fast forward a year and I'm still liking this facial moisturizer made with 4 different roses.  It's my go to night time moisturizer once the weather starts to turn cold, which is when I switch to something a bit more moisturizing.

Now, I've got oily skin, which means I look for a moisturizer that hydrates without feeling heavy or greasy, and this paraben and colorant free cream does a good job in that area.  Key ingredients include (complete list below):

• Gallica Rose and Wild Rose seed lotion: hydrates
• Damascena Rose floral water: refreshes and softens
• Musk Rose Oil: promotes cell renewal
• Wild Rosehip polyphenols: restore radiance and protect against free radicals

There is a slight rose scent, but nothing overwhelming or that lingers long.  At $33, it's also relatively reasonably priced.  The whole backstory of Le Couvent des Minimes really appeals to me, what with it's rich history and botanical emphasis. I also recently picked up two of their fragrances, which has further impressed me.  Lots to like here!

Ingredients:  Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water - Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Parfum /Fragrance, Butylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Chlorphenesin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-7, Tetrasodium Edta, Sodium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Glycolate, Trisodium Nta, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Formate, Sodium Phytate.