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Luxury Body Oils: Caudalie Divine Oil, Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse and Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil

January 8, 2014

I discovered Caudalie’s Divine Oil last October thanks to a recommendation from one of my long-time BFFs. We were at SpaceNK looking at all the skincare items and when I said I hadn’t tried Caudalie before, she told me, “you need to buy this, it’s amazing.” The $9 price tag of the small travel size seemed affordable enough to try without making a huge dent in the wallet. I had avoided oils for a long time mainly because I tried ones that were too heavy in texture and in fragrance. The Caudalie Divine Oil proved to be very different and I fell in love with it. Since then I’ve wondered how it compared to other cult-status luxury body oils. Thanks to the recommendations of some readers, I was convinced to test the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse and Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil as well. I’ve put the three to the test for a few weeks now. If you’ve tested these I would love your input and thoughts.

The Products: The Caudalie Divine Oil and Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse oils are designed as a multi-purpose product for face, body and hair. I’ve only tested on the body and hair. I found them perfect for the body, mainly legs and arms. I tested a bit on the hair and found them a bit too heavy for my taste. To date I have not tested on the face. Moroccanoil’s Dry Body Oil is designed for the body only. These oils absorb quickly into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.
Pricing and Size Options: The three oils come in a variety of sizes but breaking down the price per ml shows they are all priced similarly within the $0.50-$0.60/ml range. For the individual oils, the prices and sizes are as follows, although do note both Caudalie and Nuxe have some nice value sets you may want to look into:
  • Caudalie has three sizes: a 0.5 oz for $9, a 1.7 oz for $32 and a 3.4 oz for $49
  • Nuxe comes in two sizes: 1.7 oz for $29 and 3.3 oz for $45
  • Moroccanoil has one size: 3.4 oz for $38
Scent: All three oils have a noticeable distinct scent, but each one is light enough to not interfere with your daily perfume. I have a sensitive nose – there are some fragranced oils that induce a migraine for me. Each of these three managed to be soft enough for my sensitive nose.
  • Caudalie’s Divine Oil has the freshest overall feel. It’s a light spa-like floral. I detect a bit of cucumber (although I am in the minority). I suspect it’s just the fresh feeling I associate with it. I found the scent to be the medium-lasting. It lingers but is still very soft.
  • Nuxe’s Huile Prodigieuse has the most floral scent out of the three. The scent does fade the most out of the three. I could still smell at the end of the day, but it did fade nicely. My husband preferred this one on me out of the three options.
  • Moroccanoil’s Dry Body Oil has that signature Moroccanoil scent. It’s difficult for me to describe but it’s a raw type of scent mix of argan, olive and avocado oil. This one lasted the longest for fragrance.
Texture: All three oils absorbed quickly into the skin. I found the Moroccanoil to be the most liquid/fluid and thin in texture. It also dried very quickly to a silky finish. Both Caudalie and Nuxe had more of a slip to the texture which I preferred. They felt a bit thicker and also took slightly longer to dry but did not leave a greasy residue. They both left the legs looking well moisturized with a very soft sheen.
Packaging: I’ve included photos of the oils side by side below for comparison. I purchased the largest size option for the Nuxe for the spritzer at the top (the smaller size is a twist-off cap). All of Caudalie’s options have spritz caps which I find convenient. All the oils come in sturdy heavy-weight bottles. My preference for design and ease of application is the Caudalie – the lid stays on while the others have semi-flimsy caps that can fall off easily. I would not recommend picking up the Moroccanoil or Nuxe by the lid (which I can do sometimes) – you may find the bottle will drop since the lids are a bit loose. The actual spritzer lids are firmly attached to the bottles so if you don’t have a preference for the caps, each of the applicators are similar in size and design.

My thoughts on each one:

Caudalie Divine Oil is my favorite of the three for the packaging and scent. I love the fact that there is a small travel size available with a spritzer on the top. The packaging is sturdy and well designed for easy application. This one has a blend of grape, hibiscus, sesame and
argan oils combined with a patented anti-oxidant. I’m 100% smitten with the way this smells. It’s refreshing and soothing and wears well with any fragrance. I find it strong enough in scent to wear by itself. The small version I carry in my purse is perfect for refreshing mid-day. Ingredients here. Makeupalley reviews here. Additional reviews on Café Makeup, Mostly Sunny and Ghost Parties.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse comes in close second. It has a unique combination of 30% Precious Plant Oils and Vitamin E to nourish,
repair and soften your face, body and hair. This felt amazing on the skin with a beautiful floral scent. It smells the most luxurious of the three and it’s my husband’s favorite. I know there are many who are die hard fans of Nuxe – it’s one of the most popular beauty oils I’ve read about. I think preference between the Caudalie and Nuxe will come down to scent preference. Ingredients here. Makeupalley reviews here. Additional thoughts on Café Makeup, Anna Talks Beauty and Essie Button.
Moroccanoil is the most lightweight out of the three. It has that signature Moroccanoil scent that I love in their Hair Oil. It proved to be a nice lightweight oil, but I found it to have the least moisturizing effect. It dried very quickly on the skin and I needed a bit more moisture. However I will say that I’ve found this winter season to be particularly dry. I’ve needed extra help with moisturizers and conditioners for all areas of face, hair and body. I suspect this one will be perfect come summer when one is in need of a lighter-weight moisturizer for the body. It’s a nice product but has no comparison to the Caudalie and Nuxe (at least in my mind). Ingredients here. Additional thoughts on Ommorphia Beauty Bar.
My top two picks are Caudalie and Nuxe, with a slightly stronger preference for the Caudalie. I haven’t tested these on my face yet, at this time I don’t know that I will. I’ve tested a few face oils in the past month and the results were not all that great (I found them much too heavy). I really like these for the body though.

Where to Buy: I found the
Caudalie the easiest to find at multiple locations such as Nordstrom,
Sephora and SpaceNK. The others I had to travel and search a bit to
purchase (or buy online). Some of the items I couldn’t find in store
even if carried online at the same retailer. Many of these can be found
at small boutique-stores that carry specialty items as well.
Have you tried these body oils before? I know I’m late to the party testing these so I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your favorites? Additional thoughts on comparing Caudalie vs Nuxe?
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The Top 13 Beauty Discoveries in 2013

December 31, 2013
The top 13 beauty discoveries of 2013 from The Beauty Look Book (reviews from the past year are linked for each item listed):
  1. Caudalie Divine Oil – my absolute favorite beauty discovery this year
  2. By Terry Baume de Rose – pure luxury for the lips, worth every penny
  3. Drybar The Chaser Shine Pomade – my holy grail hair product to add shine, remove frizz, long lasting and smells amazing, my husband also loves this for his hair
  4. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder – the perfect answer to glowing skin and my second favorite discovery this year
  5. Urban Decay Naked3 Palette – lovely rose-gold neutrals
  6. Chanel Taboo Le Vernis – a dramatic purple with red and silver shimmers, The Beauty Look Book’s second most popular post from 2013
  7. Dior Diablotine Le Vernis – the most striking intense coral red shimmer
  8. Tom Ford Illuminating Cheek Colors – unfortunately these were released in very limited quantities, but close alternatives you can get right now are MAC Magnetic Nude Skinfinishes in Magnetic Appeal and Fairly Precious
  9. Edward Bess Black Sea Mousse Foundations – I’ve mixed Light and Medium to get a good match, I’ve found that this is indeed the perfect full coverage foundation that gives a flawless airbrushed look that still manages to look natural, I truly hope Edward releases this to all his counters and in more shades (it was a QVC exclusive that sold out almost instantly)
  10. Chanel Les Beiges Powders – my favorite is 20 for all over, 30 and 40 work wonders for natural contouring and adding a soft glow of color to the face
  11. Diptyque 10-Piece Set – special release this holiday and the perfect way to try multiple scents at a more affordable price than buying the full sizes of each candle
  12. YSL Rouge Volupte Shines – my favorite lipsticks of the year for and The Beauty Look Book’s most popular post from 2013
  13. Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Initiation – holiday 2013 release and the perfect bronze shimmer
I am thankful from the bottom of my heart for each and every one of my readers. You inspire me every week with your thoughtful and insightful comments/e-mails/tweets. I can’t express enough how appreciative I am for those of you who take the time to share your expertise and add your input to my weekly features. Your experiences, tips and tricks help others like myself figure out what works or how to make things work better. Thank you for following my blog and for your support.

What were your top beauty discoveries this year?

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Winter Skin and Hair Savers

December 14, 2013
It’s that time of the year where my skin and hair is in desperate need of that extra boost of moisture to fight dry patches. Finding lightweight moisturizing products can be a bit of a challenge for my sensitive skin. My nose is particularly sensitive so light-fragranced items are a must. My go-to fixes and staples this season right now:
  • Aerin Rose Hand and Body Cream $40 is a lovely light-scented hand treatment, it’s a bit pricey for me to justify using on the body, but it’s a nice moisturizing cream for the hands. It smells like candied roses which is really nice (coming from a person who doesn’t really like strong rose florals).
  • Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream $55 is probably the priciest hand cream I own, I was lucky to get this as a gift with purchase one year. It smells like a spa treatment. It’s a bit heavier than most hand creams I use but it dries down to a soft silky finish. It helps diminish those dry lines in the hands upon application. Read the reviews on Nordstrom.com and you’ll see this is well worth the price.
  • L’Occitane Extra-Gentle Lotion for Hands and Body $20 is the perfect body lotion for me. I’ve gone through five bottles already and keep one at work and one at home. I’m a huge fan of L’occitane’s Shea Butter line. They have several different options of moisturizing intensity depending on your skin needs. I like this one because it melts into the skin and makes any itchy dryness disappear without being too greasy. I love the lightweight scent – it’s very soothing and comforting. It’s neutral enough to be unisex. My husband and male co-workers always borrow mine.
  • Caudalie Divine Oil $49 is relatively new to me. I’ve written about the mini size that I’ve tried which is perfect for the purse. I loved it so much I bought the full size in the trio set. I spray it on the legs and elbows. It smells fresh and light and feels nice on the skin. It’s also designed for the face and hair – I’ve only tried it on the ends of my hair to add a bit of shine (although I prefer other hair treatments).
  • Jo Malone Vitamin E Lip Conditioner $25 is one of my favorite lip treatments. Review here. It’s soft, moisturizing and you can feel the results instantly.
  • Jo Malone Vitamin E Vitamin E’ Body Treatment Scrub $90 is the ultimate luxury body scrub. It’s a spa in a tub and smells like a luscious honey dessert. It’s strongly scented and extremely moisturizing – if you visit your local Jo Malone store or counter they should be able to make a small sample for you to try. It’s really REALLY amazing.
  • Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil $20 is one of the first cuticle oils I’ve tried. In the past I’ve tried substituting baby oil but found it hasn’t really helped my dry cuticles. This one is made of pure white jojoba oil, vitamin E and coconut oil (it smells like coconuts). It works well on my cuticles and a little goes a long way. Be careful to keep application to the cuticles as it can feel a bit sticky on the finger tips. The texture is perfect to actually stay on the cuticles (versus some oils that are so liquid/fluid they roll off quickly).
  • By Terry Baume de Rose $60 review here. My holy grail lip treatment, but still a three way tie with the Jo Malone and Hourglass.
  • Drybar The Chaser Shine Pomade $28 is the hair cream of all hair creams. It adds shine without being too heavy or greasy looking on the hair. I find it lasts all day long. I’ve used it a couple of ways. One is right after I shower on towel-dried damp hair. This is the only thing I’ve tried that lets my hair air dry perfectly without any frizz. It makes the perfect pre-heat treatment as well (whether it’s blow drying or straightening). I also find it makes a great finishing product to add a bit of texture and shine. Bonus is that my husband likes it on his hair as a pomade (even though it’s really a cream). The smell is incredible too.

What are you winter skin and hair savers? I’m all ears to hear what your favorites are!

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Loving Right Now | Three Things

October 28, 2013
Three things I’m loving right now for the skin and hair La Nuit de Chanel, Caudalie Divine Oil (mini size) and Moroccanoil Treatment (mini size shown).

La Nuit de Chanel ($85 for 50 ml/1.7 fl oz) is currently exclusive to Nordstrom and Chanel.com in the US. It’s part of the Resynchronizing Skincare Line. I was thrilled that my local Nordstrom had samples when this collection was first released. I was able to test for a couple weeks to decide whether or not it would work for my skin. My favorite item in the collection is the La Nuit de Chanel night time cream. Per Chanel this contains:

 “Frankincense Extract calms skin to prepare for the process of overnight repair, while Hyaluronic Acid helps restore skin’s plumpness and hydration. Your complexion appears supple upon awakening, with no signs of dullness.”

I’ve been using this nightly for several months and have seen an improvement in the overall feel and texture. It has a lovely scent that isn’t overpowering and soothing. I have super sensitive skin and almost never wear any creams or serums during the night due to the fragrance. This one is subtle enough so it doesn’t bother me (and I’m extremely sensitive to fragranced face products). It does leave the skin well moisturized but not greasy.

Caudalie Huile Divine Oil ($9 for the small15 ml size spray at Sephora) was raved about my friend LJ. We had a girls day out this past weekend – being the skincare and fragrance aficionada she is we spent a good deal of time browsing the skincare lines at SpaceNK Bloomingdales and Sephora. She asked if I had tried the Caudalie Huile Divine Oil. When I said “no” she told me I was missing out and seriously needed this in my life. I debated between the Nuxe and Caudalie so she looked up the reviews on Makeupalley. Caudalie won me over with the reviews.
Her raves: it feels amazing on the skin, it’s not greasy, the spray feature made it easy to apply, and the fragrance is extremely pleasant without being too strong. Her biggest rave: it wears really well with any perfume. I bought the small $9 version to try it out. It was love at first spritz. It’s everything I’ve been looking for in a body oil – smooth, quick to absorb, moisturizing and most importantly the scent is pleasant, subtle and just like my friend said – it wears well with any perfume. (Most oils I’ve tested at the counters are just so unbearably strong). It’s well sealed at the top so it won’t leak. The spritzer at the top is pure genius. The size is perfect to put in your purse and the glass seems sturdy. I will be purchasing the full size soon.

Moroccanoil Treatment ($16.50 for 0.8 oz and $43 for 3.4 oz, at Nordstrom and various retailers) is a must-have for my thick unruly hair. I tried this at the Drybar in West Hollywood where the stylist mixed this with their Drybar Chaser Shine Pomade (another favorite, my husband loves this too). I’ve purchased both the small and large size, one for travel and one for home. It smells amazing. This helps to soften the hair and add shine without being too greasy looking. It wears very well throughout the day. My friends always think I have really healthy hair – it’s somewhat true, but I feel the Moroccanoil + Drybar Chaser combination is the secret to naturally shiny healthy looking ends. Just a tiny bit on the ends works miracles.

What are you loving right now? Do you have any favorite body or hair oils? Nuxe and Tatcha are next on my list to try. What are you loving right now in skincare?
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