Fab Five Fridays: Introducing Le Couvent des Minimes!

As if my obsession with French beauty sundries was not intense enough, here's another brand to add to my list of favorites: Le Couvent des Minimes. I'll admit it though, they have a bit of a leg up on the competition-you can find their products at your local Ulta store {products listed were sent to me for review}. Yay for accessibility!



Another bonus, the history of the company is really interesting! 400 years ago, a convent was built in the village of Mane in the South of France to shelter the botanist monks of the Minims, who used their considerable knowledge of plants to tend a garden of curative herbs and flowers.  Centuries later, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary continued the original convention of cultivating beneficial ingredients to help strengthen and restore those in need through food recipes. The sisters used the power of plants to nourish and heal their community, restoring well-being in a spirit of generosity. This emphasis on nourishing care through nature inspired Le Couvent des Minimes’ own simple yet powerful natural fragrance and skincare recipes, the basis of a collection of efficacious formulas that draw on the heritage and traditions of the convent of Mane.

Every recipe combines proven natural ingredients and is inspired by ancestral traditions to deliver modern benefits. From skincare to bath and body to fragrance, each formula is crafted using age-old phytotherapy and aromatherapy practices honed over centuries, blending effective and pleasurable ingredients to nourish and replenish. Le Couvent des Minimes recipes combine ingredients like floral waters and nutrient-rich plant extracts that have an inherent affinity with the skin for naturally efficacious products.

Beneficial Rose Skincare Complete Moisturizing Cream (1.7oz, $33) - with active extracts of four beneficial Roses enriched in Grapeseed oil the Complete Moisturizing Cream, hydrates, reveals radiant, younger-looking skin.

Smile Lip Balm in Honey Aroma (.05oz, $13.50) - with a delicious aroma, the Smile Lip Balm softens, nourishes, and protects the lips.

 Hiker’s Foot Healer (2.6oz, $19) - combining nine plants carefully selected for their known beneficial properties, Hiker's Foot Healer intensely nourishes dry feet, softens the skin of damaged feet, and soothes hot and tired feet.




Gardener’s Hand Healer (2.6oz., $19; 0.8oz., $8) - combining 20% Shea butter with seven beneficial plants in a rich and emollient cream, Gardener's Hand Healer nourishes and repairs dry and damaged hands while protecting against cracks and chapped skin like an invisible glove.

Eau Des Minimes Cologne (8.4oz, $49) - combining three refreshing Citrus fruits and seven plants selected for their beneficial properties in a generous scented water, Eau des Minimes leaves a naturally fresh citrus scent on the skin that also tones and revitalizes the skin, while it refreshes and provides a feeling of well-being.

The cologne had been the star of the line for me. Product junkie/fragrance floozy that I am-I've been wearing it daily since I received a little while back. While I can't quite commit to it as a signature fragrance for me, it has been my go to, everyday scent and I can't see putting it away any time soon! But here's the thing, the cologne was the first product from the line that I tried and I was immediately head over heels for the fresh herbal/citrus scent {and so was Peyton}, so I thought it couldn't get in better than that. Boy was I wrong! With every product I tried after that, the bar the cologne set was met and exceeded! The Rose Moisturizing Cream is luxurious and nourishing without being too heavy for my oily skin {and without an overbearing rose scent, which would have been a no no for use around my scent sensitive hubby}. The foot cream is like a pedicure in a tube-one application was just about transformative to my poor feet {they were still looking a bit rough from the severely sprained ankle, road trip from GA to NJ and back, trip to the beach, and overall neglect they had suffered from recently}. The honey lip balm is on the border of life changing-SO YUMMY and instantly improves the texture of your lips. And the hand cream works an absolute miracle on my hands, nails, and cuticles {which wash 2-3 sinks worth of dishes a day}. So basically, GO GET SOME!!! Lol. Until next time...