Frequently Asked Questions

01. What does L’Occitane mean?
L’Occitane means “the women of Occitania”. Occitania is a region in the south of France known for its rich culture, heritage and warm hospitality.

02. Are your products vegan?
L’Occitane does not use ingredients of animal origin, with the exception of bee-derived ingredients such as honey and beeswax. These ingredients are clearly listed in the ingredient declaration. Honey is used as a natural moisturising ingredient and may therefore be found in some of our skincare products, including hand and face creams.

If you are unsure about the ingredients in any of our products, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care team.

03. How do you pronounce L’Occitane?
L’Occitane is pronounced "LOX-ee-tahn".

04. Do your products contain parabens?
As a company committed to natural and carefully selected ingredients, L’Occitane chose to remove parabens from all products and became 100% paraben-free in January 2014. We continue to invest in research and innovation to reduce or eliminate preservatives wherever possible while ensuring product safety and effectiveness.

05. Do your products contain palm oil?
Palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the oil palm and is widely used in food, cosmetics and personal care products. It is particularly valued for its high concentration of lauric acid, which contributes to the cleansing and foaming properties of soap. However, unsustainable palm oil production can have significant environmental consequences.

OUR COMMITMENT
We do not use palm oil directly in our products. However, some soap bases and derivatives, such as surfactants that create a product's cleansing and foaming properties, may be derived from palm oil. The quantities used by L’Occitane remain very limited compared with global consumption. We are committed to ensuring full traceability of our ingredients and maintaining high standards of quality and sustainability throughout our supply chain. Several measures have therefore been implemented to ensure that palm-derived ingredients are sourced responsibly.

ROUNDTABLE ON SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL
Since 2011, L’Occitane has been a member of the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), a non-profit organisation that brings together stakeholders across the palm oil industry. Its mission is to develop and promote global standards for certified sustainable palm oil.
Since the end of 2015, 100% of our soaps* sold through our own retail network have used traceable and sustainably sourced palm oil certified to one of the highest traceability standards defined by the RSPO (Segregated).
*Excluding soaps sold through other channels and shaving soaps.

The following ingredients indicate the presence of palm-derived ingredients in an INCI list: SODIUM PALMATE, SODIUM PALM KERNELATE, PALM ACID, PALM KERNEL ACID.

06. Do your products contain Methylisothiazolinone?
L’Occitane is committed to developing products that meet the highest standards of consumer safety and effectiveness. Our Research & Development teams in France follow strict regulations established by the European Union and the international markets in which we operate.

MIT (Methylisothiazolinone) is a preservative. Since 12 February 2017, European Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1198 has prohibited its use in leave-on cosmetic products to help prevent allergic reactions. For rinse-off products, the regulation permits MIT at concentrations up to 0.01% w/w (100 ppm).

You can be assured that L’Occitane products fully comply with European Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1198 and the recommendations of the CIR International Expert Panel.

07. Can I use your products during pregnancy?
Many L’Occitane products contain natural ingredients and essential oils. As essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts, we recommend that pregnant or breastfeeding women seek advice from a healthcare professional before using products containing essential oils.

08. Do you test on animals?
No. L’Occitane does not test its products on animals. Product testing is conducted through clinical studies involving human volunteers, and alternative testing methods are used whenever appropriate.

09. I have a nut allergy. Which products can I use?
If you have a nut allergy, we do not recommend using products from our Almond collection. Our Shea Butter collection is generally considered suitable, as shea comes from a fruit and the production process removes the proteins typically associated with allergic reactions.

However, as our products are manufactured in facilities where nuts may be present, we cannot guarantee that trace amounts are completely absent.

10. Do you use microplastic beads in your products?
We can confirm that all L’Occitane products are free from microplastic beads. We strive to minimise our environmental impact and develop products in harmony with nature. Whenever possible, we favour naturally derived alternatives such as crushed almond shells, used in our Almond Delicious Paste Scrub, and apricot kernel powder, used in our Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Scrub.

11. What are your Customer Care opening hours?
Our Customer Care team is available Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. You can contact us by email at info@loccitane.se.

12. What is the shelf life of your products?
All beauty products have a limited period of use after opening. This is indicated by the open-jar symbol displayed on the packaging. The number inside the symbol indicates the recommended period after opening, for example 6M means 6 months and 12M means 12 months.

To ensure the highest level of quality, we continuously monitor product freshness based on production dates. Stability testing confirms that our products remain suitable for use for up to three years from the date of manufacture when stored under appropriate conditions.

For this reason, we recommend purchasing only from authorised L’Occitane retailers, particularly when purchasing discontinued products. If you have any questions regarding product shelf life or storage, please contact our Customer Care team.