Tres Belle: How to do Parisian Chic
By Clémence von Mueffling for The EDIT
Is it any wonder that my home city of Paris, with its unofficially enviable look of cool glamor, has played muse to designers including Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld and Tom Ford this season? French women just have a way when it comes to creating a beauty look that is négligé and chic at the same time.
Both my mother and my grandmother served as beauty editors for Vogue Paris, and that heritage has shaped my attitude to beauty. Not only were they strong female role models, but their beauty advice still rings true today, from always washing your face before bed to finding a signature scent. And, as a Parisian now living in New York, I’ve discovered that these tips are globally useful. Here are the Paris-approved rules for maintaining that je ne sais quoi wherever you are…
PREP SKIN THE PARISIAN WAY
In France, facial massage is a way of life, and many a Parisian’s secret to forgoing makeup. “An au naturel look is the fruit of hard labor – taking care of yourself while giving the impression that you don’t care,’’ says Lancôme Ambassador and author of How To Be Parisian, Caroline de Maigret.
The hot spot: Devotees flock to 11 Rue Lauriston in Paris for facialist Nicole Desnoué’s skilled touch. “The face massage acts like Botox for the skin, keeping it firm and supple,” she says. Using pressure to “reach into” the muscle, Desnoué’s all-encompassing massage helps relieve muscle tension, drain the lymph nodes and stimulate blood circulation. The result? A firmer jawline and stronger definition in the lower half of the face.
The kit: Incorporate face massage into your routine at home using French pharmacy favorites Avène YsthéAL Anti-Wrinkle cream and Joëlle Ciocco Cerat Aux Fleurs Composées. Using your fingers, massage down the neck in circular motions, starting from under the earlobes to the top of the shoulders, to help the lymphatic flow. Next, use a circular motion to massage all over the face, forehead and nasal crease until the skin is warmed up.
MASTER MINIMAL MAKEUP
Bardot’s feline-flicked eyes aside, the average French woman keeps makeup to a sexy minimum. “I am a true believer of ‘less is more’ as far as makeup is concerned,” says Terry de Gunzburg, founder of By Terry. “It’s about using the right cosmetics and good habits.”
The kit: Marry a simple regime with clever cosmetics for an effortless yet impactful look. By Terry Light Perfecting Foundation Brush – a serum/foundation – disguises dark shadows and blurs blemishes with a cocktail of hyaluronic acid and vitamins A and E. Fake a sun-kissed glow with Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze & Glow, placing the bronzer where the sun would naturally hit the face: the forehead, bridge of the nose and cheekbones. Follow with a few coats of mascara on the top and bottom lashes, allowing it to slightly smudge under the eye for a soft effect. Finally, opt for a classic red lip: try Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in Red for a glossy sheen.
THE ART OF MUSSED-UP HAIR
NET-A-PORTER
A signature of front-row fixtures, from actress and singer Joséphine de la Baume to Vogue Paris Editor-in-Chief Emmanuelle Alt, the secret to cool, undone hair is in the color and condition. “Hair has to be healthy for the color to have brilliance,” says A-list colorist Christophe Robin.
The hot spots: French beauties such as Catherine Deneuve and Léa Seydoux visit Robin’s salon in Paris’ Hotel Le Meurice for his stealth technique – a painterly approach that makes hair appear thicker and skin look brighter. In the 8th arrondissement, L’Institut Leonor Greyl is the pit stop for many beauty editors during Paris Fashion Week, when the salon’s cult 90-minute scalp treatment is practically a necessity. “Hair becomes more fragile from the age of 30, so regular scalp massages help to activate blood circulation, bringing oxygen to the scalp and in turn bolstering the hair follicle,’’ explains CEO Caroline Greyl. The products: Christophe Robin Cleansing Mask with Lemon rebalances the pH of the hair, helping to nourish the scalp. Maintain condition between appointments with Leonor Greyl Masque Quintessence, applied weekly for 20 minutes.
Clémence von Mueffling is founder of beautyandwellbeing.com
