Now, I don't want you guys to go off thinking that Yves Rocher is exclusively a skincare brand. It does have a few nice makeup products, you know! I have an Yves Rocher Eyebrow Pencil as well as the Bronzer and Shimmer Powder Duo which I will talk about today.

The Yves Rocher Bronzer and Shimmer Powder Duo (P680) is a lovely combination of matte contouring powder and a shimmery, apricot bronze shade. You can use them separately - shimmer as highlight and the matte powder to shape your cheekbones - but you can also use them together as a bronzer.

I really like the texture and color payoff, although I do wish that it would stay on longer. As it is it's something you have to retouch if you will be out all day.

A couple of weeks ago, French skincare brand Yves Rocher invited me to their official launch at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. I didn't know quite what to expect because the invite requested me to proceed to a suite instead of a function room or restaurant where events are usually held. Well, I'm always up for something new!

The Luzon Suite was transformed into a foot spa and makeup paradise surrounded by Yves Rocher's products. There was a makeup artist who was only eager to give everyone a makeover, and an attendant who did an excellent job at giving a foot scrub, massage, and pedicure. I like that the atmosphere was very relaxed and intimate. The whole afternoon was also very educational as I got to learn more about the 50-year old French household name.

Getting a foot spa!

Yves Rocher was one of the first, if not the first, to produce beauty products consistently sourced from botanical ingredients. They did it waaay before it was trendy to be green, organic, natural, and animal cruelty-free! Each product is created with as little harmful chemicals and preservatives as possible, and are inspired by a particular plant in mind.

Face products

YR's best-selling product, Elixir 7.9 (P990)

All the ingredients are planted, harvested, and manufactured in Yves Rocher's farm in the village of La Gacilly, in France. Yves Rocher, the founder, was a small-time businessman in rural La Gacilly.

I'm a lipstick person at heart so you may have noticed that I don't wear much lip gloss. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have a few good ones just in case I need an extra "boost" on my lips. Lipsticks may deliver the color, but glosses instantly add a plumping effect because they reflect light.

Photo courtesy of Yves Rocher

One of the latest glosses I came across is the Yves Rocher Plumping Sheer Gloss in 06 Fraise. It's a delicious-smelling lipgloss that comes in a classy (albeit large) tube with a brush applicator.

What I love about the product

• Lip glosses are notorious for being drying, but this one is quite moisturizing. I don't need to wear lip balm underneath. It doesn't dry up for hours.
• As promised, it does make lips look plumper, but almost all lip glosses do that so it's cool.
• I really like the brush. It makes the gloss easier to apply, especially on top of lipstick!

When I was younger and still living in my parents house, an ylang-ylang plant used to grow near my window. It bloomed only seasonally, but when it did, our house smelled like flowers. I always looked forward to evenings when the ylang-ylang would open up; I loved lying in bed just smelling it and listening to cheesy songs on the radio.

Well, the ylang-ylang is gone now and I no longer listen to the radio, but the memory still remains with me. It's not something I think about on a normal day, but when I got the Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde Ylang-ylang Body Wash (~P200), I was pleasantly reminded of those bygone, simpler days.

Nostalgia aside, I like this Yves Rocher body wash because it lathers up nicely and doesn't dry my skin. It's a basic body wash that does the job without fuss! The real killer is the scent.

Have you been out? It's such a nice Saturday! I guess everyone agrees because there are very few updates on my social networks. Hehe. Anyway, before I go off, I just want to announce the Commenter of the Month for August. Her name is Julz! She's been so helpful with her comments and product feedback on my posts last month. So, she's getting the cool Tony Moly skincare and makeup set. 

And now, get ready for my Commenter of the Month gift for September!

The best commenter this September will win this Yves Rocher loot bag containing a Lash Plumping Mascara, 3-in-1 Eye Pencil, Moisturizing Cream Lipstick in Rose Cannelle, and Agave Sap Velvety Moisturizer. I'm so envious! I wanted to keep these! But I think the CoM deserves them more than I do. ;)

Last night, Anna of Vogue Concepts dropped these Yves Rocher goodies by our place. I've been feeling a little down because my face is a mess and I can't stop touching it (!) so this gift cheered me up big time!

Quick recap: Yves Rocher is a brand founded in 1959 that's all about botanical beauty. Botanical beauty, what? It means that all their products are heavily based on plants with beautifying properties. They grow, harvest, manufacture, and distribute their own products from France. It's a one-stop store that has everything for your hair, body, face, and makeup needs. The prices are friendly too!

Out of all the stuff I got, I'm most interested in the Yves Rocher Couleurs Nature concealer kit (oh, you know me and concealers) and the Jardins du Monde Ylang-ylang body wash.

This year has played host to a few successful beauty brand debuts - and it's only August! This time, let's take a break from Asia and give the floor to an intriguing French brand that has been around since 1959.

Saw this big store-to-be last weekend when I visited SM Southmall

Yves Rocher has different skincare lines for myriad concerns (aging, blemishing, even slimming among other things) as well as everyday natural makeup for the uncomplicated woman. Yves Rocher sets itself apart from other brands by being in charge of harvesting natural ingredients used in their beauty products, manufacturing them, and distributing them. That is how the brand can maintain the quality they claim while keeping the prices down. Yes, it's not super expensive!