Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Collection review, Spring is definitely in the Air…

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Plus – our new favorite lip balm!

Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Collection photos: we heart this

Snow may still cover the ground in many places, but the hope of warmer weather grows stronger and I am ready! As seasons change, so do our beauty routines. When spring hits, I am very much over heavy scents and ready to break into fruit and beach inspired body products.

Crabtree & Evelyn beautifully fulfilled that need with their five piece Citron Collection. Inspired by the Mediterranean, the new body care collection joins their existing hand products with this very luxurious combination: natural extracts of lemon, subtle hints of honey and spicy Coriander. It packs in shea butter, refining AHA’s, and purifying herbs, and is free of parabens, sulfates, and a mouthful of chemicals that we all could do without!

Skin Indulging Body Souffle

For those who may have never heard of Crabtree & Evelyn (really?), they’ve been around for over 35 years, and have dominated the market with over 6,000 locations, in 40 different countries, and 500 concept stores worldwide. The company’s name comes from the crabapple tree (the original species from which all other cultivated apple trees originated) and from John Evelyn, the 17th century renaissance Englishman who’s motto was “explore everything, keep the best”. I’ve been shopping there since I was little, when I would wander through the aisles, admiring all of the enchanting scents and packaging, buying only what I could afford; tiny travel size lotions!

So, I was delighted to test some of this collection. Here’s what the wht team tested:

Skin Smoothing Body Scrub ($20) – a rich body scrub containing over 18% botanical oils; a blend of peach, pumpkin and apricot. Plus soothing honey and sunflower seeds and wax granules for exfoliating. I found the scent to be light, energizing and spicy! I used it for a month and loved every minute of it. Not only did the scent wake me up, but the exfoliating action left my dry skin smooth and supple. I also loved the Citron packaging (see below). And the squeeze tube made it very user friendly in the shower.

Skin Cleansing Bath & Shower Geleven the inside of the box is pretty!

Skin Indulging Body Souffle ($32) – definitely richer than a standard lotion or cream. It’s a fluffy souffle that contains shea butter, orchard fruit oils, and glycolic acid and AHA’s that help to refine the skin. I found this to be another delightful product and really liked the texture. It comes in a sizable screw cap jar and a little goes a long way, so it will last awhile!

Skin Cleansing Bath & Shower Gel ($20) – a sulfate free, rich cleanser that contains mixed fruit extracts, aloe vera, and honey. I can’t wait to hear what the team thought, since I’m always looking for a richer shower gel!

Refreshing Body Bar

Refreshing Body Bar ($10) – a delightful herbal blend including rosemary, thyme, and tea tree, combined with a generous amount of shea butter. It’s meant to help moisturize and recondition the skin. Plus, it’s swirl of clear yellow and creamy yellow soap makes for a beautiful looking bar!

Skin Quenching Body Lotion ($22) – comes in a great dispenser pump, and features the same blend of orchard oils as well as fig and sugar cane extracts. It’s more lightweight than the souffle, but still leaves skin silky smooth.

lip butters in Citron Creme and Honey, Vanilla Brulee, and Creme de Menthe

Finally, in addition to the Citron body collection, the wht team also tested some of the most amazing lip butters in Citron Creme and Honey, Vanilla Brulee, and Creme de Menthe ($7.50). I tried the adorably packaged Creme de Menthe. This lip butter has a great texture, not too soft, not too waxy, and I absolutely loved the taste! It probably would’ve lasted a lot longer if I wasn’t licking my lips all the time, but I couldn’t resist! This has become a “regular use” lip balm for me and I will definitely be checking out the other flavors.

What a lovely new collection from Crabtree & Evelyn! Has spring sprung with the rest of you on this collection?

Erin is a secondary science teacher who adores makeup and fashion. She spends her free time pursuing her other passions which include cooking, antiquing, and decorating.

Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.

Author

  • Erin

    Erin is a secondary science teacher who adores makeup and fashion. She spends her free time pursuing her other passions which include cooking, antiquing, and decorating. skin tone: NC30 skin type: oily to normal favorite beauty product: lipglosses and bronzers

25 Comments

  1. @spitfire77, thanks for the great review! I too, used to wander the Crabtree and Evelyn store with my mom as a child, smelling all the lovely soaps and lotions.
    I was lucky enough to receive the company’s Vanilla Creme Brule Lip Butter. I did not know that Crabtree and Evelyn was known for anything other than girlie smells and feminine packaging, so I admit, I did not have any expectations of this lip butter other than fragrance. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! The balm’s scent was lovely as expected, but not too overpowering or sweet like some vanilla scents can be for me. The balm itself went on effortlessly, and really hung on. It was moisturizing and felt great on my lips for hours. I give this lip butter 5 stars and a new appeciation for a brand that I once took for granted.

    1. I didn’t discover Crabtree & Evelyn stores until my late teens/early 20’s. But it was the first place I purchased fancy hostess-y gifts for people as a “young adult”! Their stuff is always packaged well and yummy smelling – giving their soaps made me feel grown up and fancy (still does!). C&E helped give me my love of finding the perfects gifts and wrapping them as perfectly as possible.

  2. I got the try the Skin Smoothing Body Scrub and @spitfire77 is spot on! The scent is lovely and a perfect little wake-up for the morning. I also liked the creamy formula of the scrub, though I thought the exfoliating granules were a bit big. But the tube is great for the shower and it does leave me soft and smooth! 4 stars from me!

  3. I really like the soap, it’s a nice lather and the citron scent is so crisp and fresh! It’s definitely one I’d buy once this has run out!

  4. Great post @spitfire77 – thanks to you, I can’t wait to try every one of those lip butters!

    I tested the Citron Honey & Coriander Skin Cleansing Bath & Shower Gel. The scent is like a punch of lemon, one of the strongest-smelling citrus products I’ve ever used. If the honey and coriander scents are there, I couldn’t smell them over the lemon. Maybe my nose is not sophisticated enough. Every time I used it, I thought, this is the shower gel to use when you need to wake up in a big hurry!

    I read that this product contains alpha hydroxy acids naturally derived from lemons, oranges and sugar, which are intended to prepare the skin for moisturizing afterwards, so I wondered if it would be drying. No worries, though; the gel left my skin soft and moisturized on its own.

    It’s a nice, rich shower gel that any lemon lover would enjoy. I’m not insane over heavy lemon scents, and I still liked it a lot. 4 stars.

  5. I would love to try the lip butter. Especially the Vanilla Brulee. Yum, Yum!!

  6. Great review, @spitfire77! I am a huge C&E fan from way back, so I was delighted to receive the Citron Refreshing Bath Bar for review. This scent is amazing! Those who love lemon-scented bath and body products might want to consider tracking this line down ASAP. I’m a lemon freak, so this instantly appealed to me. But what I found most interesting was that, the longer I used the bath bar, the more the scent developed. It’s so complex and refreshing. The citron is tart, but then the coriander gives it this lush, green note that makes the overall fragrance so fresh and lively. I just cannot stop sniffing it!

    As for the bar itself, I love the color and texture–it’s like golden stained glass! I also found it to lather up nicely and it leaves my skin squeaky-clean, but not dry or tight.

    A glowing 5 stars for me. Just another reason to continue my love of C&E. They never stop impressing me. Now I have to get my hands on that lip butter!

  7. I really enjoyed this line! The scent is so refreshing and energizing. The lip butters are also amazing, I will definitely be picking up more of those. (I too, didn’t expect C & E to have such great lip products, since they seem to specialize in bath/body products). Solid four stars from this line, and five for the lip butter if I could rate it separately!

  8. What a breath of fresh air to open my box and see something from the fabulous Crabtree & Evelyn! I too have walked in and come out of this store (across the street from where I work everyday) on many occasions with something I loved from them. I have more products on my desk at work and home than is to be believed. But in this case it was their Citron, Honey and Coriander Skin Cleansing Bath and Shower Gel. That evening, I felt like I needed to do some pampering- You got it, a “nice” bath. This truly was a great experience because this was rich lathering and after soaking and sponging this on for 15 minutes, my skin felt clean, smooth and smelled amazing for hours after. It has alpha hydroxy acids naturally derived from lemons, oranges, and sugar. It also has a nice conditioning element with their fig extract, apricot kernel oil, and honey. I love that it also has aloe-vera and tea extract to help keep everything calm! My skin is picky about what I put on it and let me tell you -this worked so well. My favorite thing about this product is its great aroma. This would be a perfect gift for someone special. I love the packaging. It has their classic design that is steeped in tradition. A great perker upper and five stars from me!

  9. I received the Citron Refreshing Bath Bar and I’m in love. I love anything lemon scented and this hits the spot. I could pick up the undertone of honey and it reminds me of warm lemon tea. The bar itself is almost too pretty to use with it’s fleck and sparkling yellow. This is definitely what I need to get excited about spring. I give it 5 stars!

  10. I’m with you, @lucylemonade! I love anything lemon-scented, so I’d be thrilled with this entire line I think! I didn’t try any of these but that bath bar is gorgeous!! I also wandered the aisles as a girl – when I hear C & E I think of beautiful flowered packaging and lavender scented items…I think I had some drawer liners as a kid with that description! Anyways, great review Erin!

  11. @lipglossandspandex — I am with you I also LOVE LEMON scented products. There is something about the scent of citrus that really seems to lift my mood and soothe my soul. This is needed after it has rained 10 straight days in a row here!

  12. Lemon AND coriander?! OMG, amazing! I’m going to my local Crabtree & Evelyn this weekend.
    I used to think that Crabtree & Evelyn was a brand for women like my mom or grandmother because all their scents were florals but it seems like they’ve done an about face in recent years! (That, or I’m just getting older, LOL.) This collection is perfect for spring, great review @Spitfire77 !

  13. I recieved the bath and shower gel and, while initially pleased with the scent, i started equating it to Joy dishwashing soap. I’d prefer a different scent association (or a fresher lemon scent). As far as the formula, I found it to be a bit drying to my skin and the skin on my upper arms got red, splotchy and flaky. I don’t usually have this problem with good quality shower gels. I’m still using it, however; this time with a rich moisturizer afterward.
    I give extra points for beautiful packaging and the fact that I love Crabtree & Evelyn hand and body creams. I’ll chalk this up as a little bump on their beautiful roadway. 2 stars from me.

  14. I received the Refreshing Body Bar and it’s become a welcome addition to my morning routine.

    My mom introduced me to C&E when I was a kid and I’ve loved their products ever since. They are always top notch. So I wasn’t surprised that I this soap was fantastic! The scent is such a great way to perk up in the morning. Citron and tea tree oil? Soooooo good! Plus it’s such a pretty yellow marbled color. Not only that it’s done a great job of keeping my skin soft. I’m returning home from Texas after a week of using so-so travel bath products so I’m really looking to that first shower back at
    home with my C&E bar soap!

    5 stars!

  15. I love Crabtree and Evelyn products. The scents are amazingly light, and the products work really well!

    I received the Creme de Menthe lip butter as well, and I have to say I love the flavor. It reminds me a lot of an after dinner mint, which is very subtle and it literally feels like butter on my lips. Not the least bit tacky.

    I ended up giving it 4 stars, because I didn’t find it to have much staying power. Other than that, the butter really works well and tastes great!

  16. 3 Stars… I got to try the Honey and Coriander body scrub. I enjoyed the scent, which was light (not the kind that gives you a headache!). I just was underwhelmed overall with the product. It felt to me like it didn’t know if it wanted to be a scrub or a creme wash. I like a really foamy cleanser in the shower so this would not go in that category, although it is a really moisturizing cleanser at the end of the day. But I love a really granular scrub and that is not what this is. This feels like a cream with a bit of a scrub to it. I just never felt like my dry skin was getting taken care of (not to be too graphic!). Maybe that is because I’m a big lizard by this time of year from all these long winter months! ;-) I like sugar scrubs and that sort of thing so if you don’t like a really scrubby scrub then you will like this one a lot. I gave it three stars because I really appreciated the scent which was very fresh without being overwhelming … and because I felt very moisturized after using this scrub.

  17. I love shopping at Crabtree and Evelyn. I’m seriously coveting those lip butters. Oh how I wish I still had a store close to me so I could go get those right now. These will definitely go on my wish list. Thanks for a great review @spitfire77.

  18. I got to try 3 products: a citron creme and honey lip balm, the Skin Smoothing Body Scrub and Skin Indulging Body Souffle. I’m going to start with the product I liked the least…

    I have to agree with @jpal on the scrub – I didn’t think it was scrubby enough. The scent is heavenly, pure spicy lemon bliss. And the formula is really luxurious, super creamy and smooth. But the scrubbie bits (wax granules) just don’t feel scrubbie enough for scrub lovin’ me. I give this 3 stars.

    As for the souffle, now we’re talking! I love Body butters for how moisturizing they are. But sometimes, that richness is too much – it can leave you greasy and you have to wait to put on clothes. This souffle seems to be the answer, somewhere between a lotion and body butter. It had that extra bit of moisture, but sunk in quickly. And oh my god – I am in love with the scent! It’s pure lemon, but mixed with some sort of creamy goodness. Like lemon sorbet! 4 big stars on this.

    On the citron creme and honey lip butter? Oh my, it’s all I can stand not to just eat this straight from the tube! It’s thick, creamy, moisturizing and absolutely heavenly for your lips. I want every flavor they offer. 5 stars!

    Add to that the beautiful, old school packaging (Crabtree and Evelyn do traditional on a very beautiful level) that equals 4 stars overall. I’ve loved them before, I’ll love them now, and again!

  19. Another long time fan of Crabtree & Evelyn here! I have not been to a store lately, so I was thrilled to test this latest line, especially because like many of you I love lemon scented products! Overall, I found this scent delish, and more complex than many citrus scents. The top note is pure lemon, but I soon detected a warm, sort of spicy-sweet undertone. Yum.

    I tested the Bath & Shower Gel which gets a solid 4 stars from me. The scent is great, very energizing in the mornings and I thought the spiciness shines through on this product most of all. The gel has a decent foam and consistency – though I would like it a little richer. It does rinse clean without any residue and did not dry out or irritate my occasionally sensitive skin. 4 stars

    After the shower, I really looked forward to following up with the Body Souffle – just like @stef says the consistency is just right – a bit richer than most lotions, but not the greasy slick of a body butter. The big old screw top jar is generous, especially because a bit of butter goes a long way. And the wide mout means it’s easy to get to and you can scoop out every last drop. The souffle has been working wonders on my dry elbows and heels – and because there is no wait time I can use the souffle, throw on my clothes and go – the lemon. 5 stars

  20. I am so late to the game posting my review on this, ladies–so sorry! Things have been crazy!
    I got to test out the Skin Smoothing Body Scrub. Now, I loves me some body scrubs—if I feel like I’ve sloughed off a layer of skin, I am a happy camper. I like it rough :) This scrub is not that scrub. It’s not really scrub-like to me at all. The “scrub” beads are a little too large and not coarse enough to my liking, so it’s like I’m sliding some big beads on my skin. However, the cream the beads are in is pretty fantastic. I’d consider it almost an in-shower moisturizer instead of a true scrub. I rubbed this into my elbows (they are notoriously dry) and into the heels of my feet before I got out of the tub, rinsed, and enjoyed smoother skin. Obviously, this has a cumulative effect–you get good results after one time, but after a couple weeks of using this, my elbows almost didn’t resemble themselves. It was like I stole someone else’s softer elbows. Which would be creepy and totally not something I’d do. *wink* Overall, this is a decent product that is worthy of 4 stars from me. If it had smaller granules that were a little rougher this would be an easy 5 stars. *hint, hint*

  21. I got to try this yummy showergel in some of my favorite citrus-y scents. My fiance always uses up most of my shower gels, but it sure maked my bath fresh and luxurious!

    Three stars!

  22. Mmmmmm….That’s what I said when I took an initial sniff at the Crabtree & Evelyn body souffle. It’s so delicious smelling! It’s not too foody either, hence the added “spice”. I have never used any C&E products before and I’m so glad I received a body cream….because I actually needed some :). I usually have issues with things in pots. I always feel like I overscoop sometimes. I didn’t even realize the price until I saw it in this post! I will knock a star off only because of the fact that I might not jump to repurchase this. But overall, a very lovely product. Those lip butters look adorable! 4 stars from me!

  23. I received the bar soap as well, what a great little treat. I usually shower at night, so I was hesitant to use this in my normal routine and reserved it for my weekends when I shower in the morning. I was pleasantly surprised that the scent was not in fact overwhelming in any way. The citrus was light, and refreshing without being too sweet. I love the bar itself as well, first it’s huge, so it will certainly last quite a while, and the marbling makes it a lovely addition to my shower. I didn’t put lotion on the first time I used it to see how my skin would react. The shea butter did it’s job very well. This is a great bar of soap, perfect for a quick shower when you don’t want to use too many products. I will definitely be using it for days when I need to feel really clean and refreshed. Also, since the scent is so nice and light I’ve been using it in the evenings as well. I’d give this a very strong 4 stars, it might not be my first choice of scent, but I would certainly give it as a gift.

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