African Botanics has quickly become one of my favorite green beauty brands. You know how people say that ‘this product’ or ‘that product’ would be one of their “desert island” products? I feel like it would be too difficult to choose just a few products, so I would choose some “desert island” brands instead — you know, because I’m extra (or is it, “basic”? I can’t keep up, lol). Anyway, I could easily say that African Botanics would be one of my “desert island” brands.
In the past year, I quickly fell in love with African Botanics’ Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil. So much so, that I bought a back up before even finishing my first bottle — it is truly that life changing. When I heard that African Botanics was coming out with a face cream version of my beloved Intensive Recovery Oil, I was beyond ecstatic. If the Intensive Recovery Cream was anything like the Oil, then I knew that we’d all be in for a treat. (Spoiler alert: it’s fantastic!)
The African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Cream is like the crème de la crème of face creams. It’s über luxurious, decadent, and lush — just gorgeous. The ingredient list is quite impressive with its exotic African skin-regenerative night-blooming plants (like baobab, gotu kola, just to name a few) and its advanced marine biotechnology. Both are highly potent and packed with anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, soothing, and healing properties which makes the Cream great for all skin types. Upon opening the jar, you’ll notice it’s pistachio color and thick pudding-like consistency. Despite it’s rich appearance, the Intensive Recovery Cream is surprisingly lightweight. The pistachio hue is due to the unique Blue Marine Micro Algae.
The featherweight Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Cream glides on like a dream and absorbs quicky (but not too quickly). African Botanics recommends using the Cream for both AM and PM, and while I did use it sometimes in the AM, I loved using it mostly at night. I would use it as the last step in my routine and the silky texture and incredible jasmine scent would just get me every time. It was the perfect way to end the night and lull me to a sweet slumber.
After using the Intensive Recovery Cream for a while, I can attest that it delivers like it promises and it’s not often that a face cream will show you impressive results even after just a few uses. The first time I tried the Cream, I woke up the next morning to plumper, smoother, more luminous skin. My skin was somewhat taut, too, as if the Cream was helping to lock in moisture. Despite my skin feeling a bit tighter / firmer, it felt supple and bouncy at the same time. I also noticed that my face felt calmer and less red! After extended use my acne scars seemed to have faded dramatically and the lines / creases around my mouth and eyes have lessened as well. Impressive! *Knock on wood,* but I am lucky to not have many wrinkles at the moment, but I can imagine that the Cream would do wonders for wrinkles, too.
The Cream can be used independently from the Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil, but if you are in need of some extra hydration (like I am usually in the Winter), then the oil can be used prior / in addition to using the cream. I personally love using both the Oil and the Cream together because the Oil adds that extra oomph — it’s like some sort of magic happens when the two are paired together. I promise you your face will look and feel amazing!
The Intensive Recovery Cream can be used year-round but I honestly think it’s the perfect face cream for the Fall and Winter. It may be the only face cream that you’ll need for the colder months or ever!
Final Thoughts
I can confidently say that the Intensive Recovery Cream is one of the best face creams I’ve ever tried. It is absolutely sublime and gorgeous. It does have a bit of a hefty price tag, but do I think it’s worth it? Yes, as it is so luxurious and it truly delivers like it says it does. Plus a little goes a long way, so this two ounce jar should you for a while.
The Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Cream (60 ml) retails for $350.00 USD and can be purchased directly from African Botanics.
Ingredients
Jasmine Flower Water, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Trichilia Emetica (Cape Mahogany) Butter*, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Soybean Fiber, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Millet, Hydrolyzed Pea, Verbena officinalis (Vervain) Extract, Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract, Jasmine Grandiflorum (Jasmine) Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Cylindrotheca Fusiformis (Microalgae) Extract, Resveratrol, Green Coffee Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Protein, Oxido Reductases, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Myrothamus Flabellifolius (Resurrection) Plant, Panthenol, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter*, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata (Baobab)*, Citrillus Lanatus (Kalahari Melon)* Seed Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii (Mongongo) Kernel Oil, Cyclopia Genistoides (Honeybush) Leaf Extract, Bulbinella Nutens Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Vegetable Glycerin, Schinziophyton Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Copper Gluconate, Niacinamide, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile), Rosa Mosqueta (Rosehip) Oil, Caffein, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C Ester), Saccharide Isomerate, Pearl Powder, Arnica Cordifolia Extract, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos) Extract, Calendula, Diamond microspheres, Citrus Bergamia Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol *Wild-Harvested. Not tested on animals.
Disclaimer
The Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Cream was kindly provided for consideration, however all opinions expressed are my own. This post contains no affiliate links.
