Bonjour from Paris! I’m just going to do a very quick post of some things that caught my eye at the local stores. I should note that the differences between US and European releases have been minimizing over the past few years. Lancome’s eyeshadows are still dramatically different here, the French Pharmacies still look very different from the U.S. ones (I miss you Bourjois!). But many releases are twins–you may be able to find many of the goodies available on French counters Stateside (or available online for shipment to the U.S.).
Many of the releases are later here. The French are already leaving for their summer vacations, and it appears that many makeup companies hold their releases until they return. There have been no sightings of the fall collections of Chanel, Dior, or Nars (which are already releasing in the U.S.).
As this post title suggests, these reviews are just quick impressions of a few products from my sweep through the shops (not the usual in-depth type). I haven’t purchased any of these (yet), just counter-tested.
1. Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale foundation (170 euros): Based on Guerlain’s premium skincare system, this foundation has beautiful coverage. It has a slight silicon feel when applied, and seems to give medium-to-full coverage with very little product. Not pore-emphasizing, this gives skin a very slight natural sheen. I wore this on a very warm day during a rather serious several-hour walk. My thoughts on this very short one-day test:
– This is one tenacious foundation. There was no sight of wearing off or shifting, despite the heat.
– Very little (if any) foundation transfer on my white hat-band despite very uncomfortable heat
– Made my skin look amazing. Erased imperfections with very little layering.
– Very moisturizing. Admittedly, this was a warm day but my skin felt like it was visibly wearing a premium moisturizer. This would be amazing for dry skin in the winter. Despite the high moisture content, my forehead had very little breakthrough glow, no fading, no shifting, and no bare patches.
– The price gives me pause. What do readers think? Is this “in the stratosphere” price point one that’s just too high to scale, given the lovely foundations that already exist? I have a few more days here left to decide (I’m not certain the U.S. will be getting this product, and indeed I’ve heard some unsubstantiated rumors that it will not).
2. Repetto Eau de Toilette (33 euros/1 oz). According to the company, this has opening notes of pear and cherry blossom “like a cloud of powder.” There is a strong floral rose mixed with orange blossom, and undertones of amber and wood, and a dash of vanilla. According to news releases, this was formulated by Olivier Polge, who is set to take over the formulations of Chanel scents. My quick spritz was very feminine and young. Truly a perfect gift for a would-be ballerina. I found the pear a little overwhelming at first, although the scent began to grow on me as the initial fruit scents subsided.
3. Givenchy Reflet Precieux Voile Satine ($49) This is a body bronzer infused with with substantial glowy gold pearl. Several high end companies have released these high end versions of the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Or (Clarins has one as well right now). Because I already have the MAC Temperature Rising version, I passed on this although I was quite tempted (the shine is quite rich and glowy). I post this only to point out that the U.S. isn’t getting the full Givenchy color stories. I wonder why.
4. Speaking of Nuxe Prodigieuse, the line is capitalizing on the fame of the oil by introducing new products including a scent Prodigieuse (roughly 45 euros, depending on the store). It smells precisely like the original oil, except perhaps a tiny bit better.
5. I’m not convinced that I can leave the country without picking up the Diptique Philoskos Perfume Oil Roll On (38 euros) (there is also a L’Ombre dans L’Eau). I do not get much wear time from the Diptyque scents, but these oils may be just perfect.
Well, readers, any thoughts? Am I missing something? I have only a few precious (and busy) days left. Are there any last-minute items to get? Also note that I have a bag of French Pharmacie purchases (I’ll post about those today or tomorrow).
Please follow us on....
You’ll notice that my map starts with two cafes in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area. Both are lovely and offer a wonderful start to your shopping day. Les Deux Magots was once a rendezvous points for writers and artists, including Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, and James Joyce.
