[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] Every year L’Occitane brings out a variation on their delicious vervene collection (my dad’s favourite – still wearing cologne at 87!) and this year it’s a citrus/menthol version in a ‘granita’ texture. Which, translated means that it comes out of the tube looking a little like just starting to melt sorbet – on the skin, it feels light, refreshing and cool.

Obviously, the freshness will be tenfold if you keep it in the fridge – I found the menthol hit at the back of the citrus rather soothing. It’s not overly fragranced either; the last thing you want when you’re wilting is a big smack of scent but I’m torn between wondering whether it’s a cost saving exercise or just a delicately balanced product.

I always think the Verveine collection is very gifty – your flustered host or hostess ravaging something meaty on the BBQ on a boiling hot day would be thrilled with this I feel.

The refreshing hand gel scores top marks on lemony verbena scent (you don’t have to keep it to your hands of course) and is better as chilled as you can make it. I don’t see menthol on the ingredient list so it doesn’t quite have that zingy chill to it but it definitely gives you a refresh that’s rather lovely. They both fall down a little bit on actual hydration but then you don’t expect a gel to give as generously as a cream – on the other hand, you don’t get product sweat from them. Before we get any further, I should let you know that the L’Occitane sale is on HERE and you might very well find other options. The Body Gel is £27 HERE and the Refreshing Hand Gel is £8 but there are lots of options in the is range, including an Icy Shower Gel.