Wandering through the Gardens of the World with Yves Rocher

I'm a total bath and body product freak, and I've mentioned many times that B&B products are actually my favorite things to review on this blog. 

But when I placed a happy-birthday-to-me order for myself with Yves Rocher last month, I actually didn't plan to review any of the bath and body products that I purchased. It was sort of just a gift to myself. I wanted to indulge and not have my "product testing cap" on, if you know what I mean. Part of being a beauty blogger is that you become hyper-aware of every single beauty product that you buy and use, so as a gift to myself I said, "No testing, no thinking, just fun" when I placed my order. It's been a long time since I ordered body washes from Yves Rocher, but I remember absolutely loving them back in the day. Well, who knew that the two body washes that I ordered would turn out to be so delightful that I just couldn't help but review them afterall.

(Apologies for not snapping photos before I started using these products but like I said, I didn't plan on reviewing these!)

 Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde Lime from Mexico Shower Gel

Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde African Cocoa Bean Shower Cream

(retail: $4 each, 8.4 oz)

"Jardins du Monde" means "Gardens of the World" in French. Other fragrances in the Jardins du Monde collection include Lavender from France, Laotian Lotus Flower, Vetiver from Haiti and so on. I selected two of the most popular fragrances in the range (Lime from Mexico is a best-seller on the Yves Rocher site but both of these products have an average customer rating of five out of five stars).

Keep reading for my full review...

If you've never owned an Yves Rocher body wash before, you'll be happy to see that they come in unique little bottles. I like the oval flip-tops and the bottles themselves look adorable in the shower.

 

So let's start with the best-seller, Lime from Mexico:

What do I NOT love about this body wash? First of all, I like that this formula in particular contains witch hazel and salicylic acid (it's a low level of salicylic acid in case you're sensitive to that ingredient). Both of those ingredients help keep the skin on my arms, legs, back, etc. a bit clearer (I'm prone to the occasional blemish on my back, which I think has to do with having such oily skin in general).

Moving on to the fragrance, that's the number one selling point for me. I love lime fragrances in general, but I'm kind of picky about them. I don't really care for lime fragrances when they smell fake or like industrial cleaning solution (or worse: bathroom deodorant). When it comes to lime, I think the more realistic the better, and my GOODNESS is this a realistic lime fragrance. Not only do you get the tartness of the lime, but you also get lime leaves. Every time I sniff this body wash, I feel like I just plucked a lime off a tree, with a few leaves still intact. It's tart and lush and green and herbal and just extremely delightful to use in the morning.

The lather of this body wash is not as creamy as the African Cocoa Bean formula, but it is still abundant (you don't need gobs of it to get a good lather going) and it feels quite silky on the body. This product cleanses well and rinses easily.

Moving on to African Cocoa Bean....

Unlike Lime from Mexico, which is a shower gel, African Cocoa Bean is a shower cream. So expect a creamier, thicker lather this with this product. It really is indulgent in the best way possible. Just like with Lime From Mexico, you don't need gobs to get this lather where you want it--it foams easily and quickly and it feels like silk against the skin. It also cleanses well and rinses easily.

The fragrance of this product is not quite what you'd expect based on the name. I thought that this product might have a strong chocolate note (as cocoa-scented products are prone to do), but it actually has more of a creamy shea butter note to it, with just a hint of chocolate in the background. The overall scent is sort of in the same vein as Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar, actually, but I think it's a bit more creamy, more natural and maybe a tiny bit more sophisticated (not to diss WVS--I love that fragrance, but this one's a little bit more "adult").

I found neither body wash to be drying to my skin, and that's saying a lot considering that it's cold and dry here in San Diego these days.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're looking for a bath-time treat that's a bit off the beaten path, I can't suggest Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde body washes enough. They're fun, they're adorable, and the formulas are delightful in both performance and fragrance. At $4 a pop, they're an affordable indulgence, and if you're a regular Yves Rocher shopper, then you know that their products go on sale just about every other week. You never have to wait long if you don't want to pay full price--trust me on that one!

Are you an Yves Rocher fan? What are some of your favorite products? Do you enjoy their body washes too?