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Judith goes to Paris
Whenever I travel out of the country, one of the things I love to do is check out the local pharmacy or cosmetic stores to see if there is something I can try out that I've never seen before!
The first time I went to Paris in the mid-90's, I was surprised to see cosmetic and perfume stores in the shopping areas of almost every part of the city we visited. At every turn, I seem to spot a Marionnaud Perfumeries shop. There were two within walking distance of the hotel where we stayed! I had never seen so many brands of perfume and cosmetics in one place in my life! In addition, all of the pharmacies carried as their "drugstore" skincare and hair care brands, Caudalie, Lierac, Klorane and Nuxe and other European brands which we in the US would consider high end.
By our next visit to Paris, Sephora had already come to the US, so leaving Marionnaud in the dust, I was off in search of the mother lode: Sephora's flagship store, located at 70-72 avenue des Champs-Elysées. Open daily from 10 am until midnight, and on Sunday and holidays from 11 am to midnight, Sephora is not only the largest cosmetic store of its kind, but the most active, with swarms of teenagers on dates, couples strolling in after dinner, gawking tourists, impatient spouses and those intent on getting a perfect beauty fix! Carrying every conceivable brand you can think of (except Guerlain, which has its own store right next door!) , they carry ranges from high end to brands we would consider drugstore, such as Maybelline and L'Oreal, and that's just in cosmetics and skincare. The perfume selection is astounding!
On my first visit to Sephora in Paris, the currency was still in French francs at about $.75 to the dollar (as opposed to the $1.20 it is now). On that first trip, Sephora had one wall with a real-time currency rate chart! As the value of the dollar has fallen in the ensuing years, I can understand why that currency rate wall is now gone.
On subsequent trips to Paris, I still made Sephora on avenue des Champs-Elysées one of my regular stops, but as the dollar weakened I found I could find more interesting and less expensive things to try and write about at Monoprix, which can most closely be described as Paris' answer to Target! Monoprix carries the drugstore brands, but also my favorite Bourjois, as well as some of the higher end skincare and hair lines, such as Nuxe and Klorane.
Fast forward to February 2006. For a surprise Valentine's gift, my wonderful husband planned a five day trip to Paris - probably my very favorite city in the world! After dinner on Saturday night, we headed to avenue des Champs-Elysées, along with a throng of others. Was I ever shocked to find that the featured brands at Sephora that night were Clinique, Estee Lauder, Benefit and Mac! While I, myself, am always on the prowl for luxurious and interesting European brands, the French are now huge users of American brands. Sephora is a testament to the malling of the world. With the advent of the Internet, which was in its infancy when I made my first trip to Paris in the 90's, there is very little that can't be found on your own computer. With a click of a mouse and a credit card, your world can make its way to your cosmetic cabinet.
I wandered around Sephora for a little while. I noticed that all of the prices seemed to have been adjusted to be exactly the same as they are in the US. I bought a couple of lipsticks (is there a 12-step program for lipstick addiction?) and headed back down the street to Monoprix, which is just a block away.
At Monoprix, I headed straight to the Bourjois counter where folks were lined up to have makeovers by a Bourjois makeup artist. I didn’t want a makeover, just the makeup! I stocked up on my favorite Bourjois blush, Pastel Joues Rose de Jaspe 95 ($13.50 in the US at Sephora). As with most of Bourjois' color cosmetics, the packaging indicates the color of the product. This perfect little pot of color is small enough to carry in my purse for a touchup. The foundation I purchased, Fond de Teint Repulpant, is not yet available in the US. It contains collagen to smooth out lines on mature skin. Very lightweight, yet layerable, I find it very moisturizing without being greasy or shiny. I also bought a couple of Bourjois Lovely Rouge lipsticks. The cases are the actual color of the lipstick and the top of the case is mirrored, which is quite handy for quick touchups. I chose Rouge Allie 17
(Russet Red) and Peche Accro 09
(Apricot Peach). This creamy lipstick is highly pigmented and moisturizing as it contains Vitamin E and anti-oxidants. Reasonably priced at $14 each at Sephora. Also, not to be missed, is Sephora's feature on the history of Bourjois cosmetics.
The next day, while out sightseeing, we passed one of the larger Marionnaud Perfumeries shops. I couldn’t resist. It was a good choice, too, because being one of the larger shops in the chain, there were several knowledgeable sales assistants available.
One of my first stops at Marionnaud was the Guerlain counter. One of my favorite new products, which I couldn't buy at Sephora, is Guerlain Divinora Liplift ($27 at guerlain.com or saks.com), the best lipstick base product I have ever found. Most lipstick bases I've tried are greasy, and don't necessarily make a good base for lipstick. This product is thick and matte and works just like a makeup base, while conditioning your lips and controlling feathering at the same time. Use it with your favorite lipstick or trip Guerlain's Kiss Kiss Gloss Max Shine Lipstick, ($26 at guerlain.com or saks.com), a creamy, glossy lipstick, with light reflecting golden flecks, in a beautifully sculptured silver-toned case. I like Mango Shine.
While Marionnaud carries all the major fragrance, cosmetic and skincare lines, they also carry pharmacy type products. I had read about a new range of products for mature skin by Nuxe Paris, so that was what I bought. Nuxe makes products combining Phytotherapy and Aromatherapy (the combined use of plants and essential oils). Using no animal substances, mineral oils or artificial coloring agents. and with subtle or no fragrance and light textures, the products are gentle enough for sensitive skin and very pleasant to use.
Nuxuriance is targeted to older women who are undergoing or have already undergone hormonal changes. I use Brightening Intense Re-Densifying Serum ($73 at fourseasonsproducts.com) under my moisturizer in the AM. Combined with Brightening Re-Densifying Radiance Cream ($63 at fourseasonsproducts.com) , my skin feels firmer and ready for makeup. I haven't tried the night cream yet, but plan to do so. While I don't have wrinkles yet, I do have laugh lines and lines around my mouth when my skin is too dry. Using the Nuxuriance products has made my face seem firmer and smoother. It's too early to report on reduction of brown spots and freckles, but I plan to continue using the products to see what further results may occur.
Another purchase I made was Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse ($44 for 3.4 oz spray bottle at fourseasonsproducts.com) , a dry oil spray that I use on damp skin as I get out of the shower. Containing a combination of oils of borage, camellia, St. John's Wort, almond and Vitamin E, it is not greasy and won't stain your clothing. It is really great at controlling my winter flakiness and can be used all over the body and, in addition, on your hair. I've been using Huile Prodigieuse for a couple of years now and am a big fan. Be sure to look for this version. If you're looking for a glow, this also comes in another version – Nuxe Hulie Prodigieuse OR ($39 for 1.7 oz. at fourseasonsproducts.com) which has a bronze/golden shimmer.
Happy Shopping!
find out about this reviewer and more about the panel...
Posted March 26, 2006
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