First of all, traveling the world is definitely on my bucket list, but with my reporter job schedule and salary, it’s not exactly easy. The South of France is a big dream of mine. The beautiful beaches, rich culture and air of sophistication call out to me every time I see photos online. I’m evoking those feels a little closer to home with a sophisticated one-shoulder bikini top, matching bottoms and perfume. Scents can really transport us to a time or place, so I’m partnering with L’Occitane to bring me to the South of France. Their new Terre de Lumière collection is inspired by golden hour, a special time before the sun sets and a warm light blankets everything. The new perfume has zesty top notes, which I love. Plus, after a bit of wear, the perfume develops into aromas of lavender, honey and almond from the South of France.

My first introduction to L’Occitane came from my Dad. He brought home their famous hand creme for my Mom and I got to try some of it. As I got older, the more than 40-year brand became a name I trusted for skincare and fragrance. Their shea butter soap is one of my favs. Plus, I love L’Occitane’s dedication to plants and discovering ways to use natural ingredients in beauty products. However, I’m picky when it comes to perfumes and my collection only consists of two or three different scents. What I love about Terre de Lumière is it’s a warm scent but doesn’t feel heavy. While it has sensual notes and makes you feel sophisticated, it’s not overly powerful.

I brought the Terre de Lumière perfume and body lotion to a recent beach trip because I hate smelling like “outside.” If I really want a scent to last, I follow a few steps. First, use a scented shower gel. Second, apply body lotion to layer the scent on top. Finally, I spritz the perfume as I’m heading out the door. Since it can get pretty breezy at the beach, re-spritzing before heading to dinner is key for me. Another tip is to reapply the body lotion after reapplying sunscreen every couple hours.

Finally, to complete my South of France feels, I wore a luxe bikini to the beach. For my full review on this bikini go here. Also, I’m linking a few of my L’Occitane favorites below too 😉