Verbena Shower Gel: Le Couvent des Minimes & L'Occitane

Lemon verbena is kind of a summery treat-- putting the leaves in ice cold drinks or spraying oneself with a verveine mist before bed on a hot night. But it's such a pleasant light and uplifting scent that I actually like it in body products when the days become shorter and gloomier. Enter two verbena shower gels from two incredibly similar Provence-based brands: L'Occitane and  Le Couvent des Minimes. Both offer a verbena shower gel with a light foaming texture and the familiar scent. I don't think I can tell them apart if tested blindly, and they feel the same on skin. I think that the L'Occitane version leaves the skin in need of more hydration, but since I can't test them effectively side by side it can also be the result of the weather on any given day.

The ingredients are nearly identical in both L'Occitane and  Le Couvent des Minimes shower gels. Do note that both use Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) as a foaming agent in case you're sensitive to it. I don't have any issues with either formula, but I don't use either one more than a couple of times a week.

Ingredients- L'Occitane
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine Coco-Glucoside, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate,Sodium Chloride,Fragrance, Lippia Citriodora Flower Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, PEG-120, Methyl, Glucose, Dioleate, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Blue 1, Yellow 5, Red 4, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal,Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool.

Ingredients-  Le Couvent des Minimes
Aqua/Water/Eau, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Coco Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, PEG 7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Verbena Officinalis Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Parfum/Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG 120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Tris (Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Gardenia Florida Extract, Red 4 (CI 14700), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Blue 1 (CI 42090), Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Citral, Linalool, Limonene.

Bottom Line: the Le Couvent one is $4 cheaper.

 Le Couvent des Minimes Energizing Shower Gel, Verbena & Lemon 8.4 oz ($16) is available from beauty.com. L'Occitane Verbena Harvest Shower Gel 8.4 oz ($20) is available at L'Occitane boutiques and Sephora as well as online. Both products were sent by PR.

Photo: zoom50.files.wordpress.com