BellaSugar

What Women Are Buying at Sephora France

BellaSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:01:31 -0700

How do you make a beauty product seem fancier than it is? Put a little French on its packaging - an elle suffix, a superfluous é - and some people automatically think it's a little better. Whether that's true is up for discussion, but the psychology often works.

As it turns out, the opposite is also true. While browsing a Sephora in Paris last month, I spotted a few differences from American Sephora. The stores look alike, but French Sephora has a few brands not carried in its American counterparts: Chanel, Sampar, Leonor Greyl, and so forth. What was more surprising, though, is that makeup from L'Oréal and Maybelline was also stocked, and they cost nearly twice as much as they do in the States. I spotted French women lingering over those eye shadows longer than they did while looking at offerings from French beauty brands - which just goes to show you, the allure of foreign beauty goods is universal.

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Paris Match: Ladurée Launches a Beauty Line

BellaSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:14:07 -0800

If you ever go to Paris, one of the places you must visit is Ladurée. It's a luxurious patisserie that, since 1862, has been creating beautiful pastries and sweets almost too beautiful to eat. (You know the treats in Marie Antoinette? Those were from Ladurée.) Whenever I'm lucky enough to be in Paris, I have to have a few. And by "a few," I mean at least a dozen.

Now there's another way to get your Ladurée fix. The venerable brand has launched a small line of beauty products. Like the pastries, the lotions and potions use almonds (albeit in oil form); the idea is that almond oil will soften and moisturize skin. The Moment says the packaging is ridiculous, and although I love Ladurée, I'd rather eat its macaroons than trust a patisserie for my beauty needs. Still, if you're lucky enough to be in Paris anytime soon, you can peruse the Ladurée beauty collection at Le Bon Marché.

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Beauty Products From Around the World, Part II: France

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:00:55 -0700

French women are in a constant search for flawless, perfect skin. Some view aging as a a four-letter word and will do everything in their power to seek out preventative, anti-aging treatments. The French describe American women as “vulgaire” for our heavy makeup and cosmetic surgeries and scoff at young Hollywood celebs that prance around with fake tans and fake hair extensions.

In France, if you have the slightest skin condition (anything from eczema to acne) your medical bills for "treatments" can be covered up to as much as 65%. In my recent research there is one thing I've learned about French beauty - despite all of the gorgeous makeup and clothing that hails from France, a glowing complexion is the is the most coveted accessory!

Carita Pearl of Youth Cream ($214) is an anti-aging skincare product that firms, tones, smooths and protects skin from environmental damages that cause premature aging. With continued use, skin should become softer and lines will look more refined. Use one pump on a cleansed skin in the morning and gently massage into the face and neck using moderate pressure.

For two more fabulous French beauty products read more

Lierac Coherènce- Age-Defense Firming Serum ($60) is a light yet intensive collagen enhanced serum formulated to lift, smooth, brighten and tighten skin to create a more youthful appearance. It absorbs quickly and can be used morning and night to cleansed skin under a moisturizer.

Decleor Aromessence Neroli Comforting Concentrate ($63.50) is a fast-absorbing and deep penetrating facial oil made with neroli oil to help normal to sensitve skin look and feel more hydrated, supple and radiant. Apply three drops in the morning and evening to cleansed skin. Decleor products smell amazing, so take deep breaths to benefit from the wonderful aroma.

Celebrate Bastille Day With French Beauty Secrets!

BellaSugar — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:40:42 -0700

Bonjour, mes amies! Since today is Bastille Day-the French national holiday-I thought it would be appropriate to talk about how les femmes françaises look the way they do. Think about some contemporary French beauties-Catherine Deneuve, Audrey Tautou, Juliette Binoche, Noémie Lenoir-and I think you'll agree that they are belle indeed.

Compared to the average American woman, our Gallic counterparts view investing in their appearance as an absolute necessity, not an optional luxury. They're more inclined to pamper themselves. Their biggest focus is on developing a beautiful, glowing complexion. French women of all economic means take pride in their skin, whether that means getting regular facials or buying the best moisturizer their budget allows. On a day-to-day basis, I've found that French women moisturize like you wouldn't believe. It's not as though you'll walk along the Seine and see women applying lotion in broad daylight, of course, but I've never met a French woman who didn't apply a cream every single night.

To find out the French approach to makeup, and to discover which products sell better in France than they do in the U.S., read more

During my visits to Paris, I've noticed that fighting cellulite is a big deal for French women-much moreso than for Americans. Any Parisian drugstore is stocked with various creams, lotions and other products meant to minimize jiggle and orange-peel skin. Whether they work is beyond me, but sales are skyrocketing!

As far as makeup is concerned, the typical Parisienne favors a look that never tries too hard. The French are known for preferring a natural face over a "done" one. (Of course, there are exceptions, but even these are classy, not over-the-top.) While French women do wear makeup, they do so in a way that isn't necessarily obvious. So while you might start with foundation (again, to give a flawless-skin finish), you'd go easy on the blush, dab on some mascara and a light lip gloss. At night, you might favor a smoky eye or a bold red mouth, but never both together. Moins c'est plus: Less is more.

And finally, as my wonderful French professor once told our class, "Of course French women shave their underarms!" If you've been clinging to the "hairy Frenchie" stereotype, let that one go! Tell me: Have you been to France? Have you picked up any French beauty secrets?

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Bella Donna: Nina Simone

BellaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:39 -0800

Nina Simone's first-remembered act of moral resistance occurred at one of her concerts when she was 12. Her proud parents, who were seated in the front row, were told to move to the back so that white attendees could have their seats. Nina, incensed, refused to continue playing until they were given back their rightful place. From then on, her career was marked by vocal, tenacious challenges to inequality.

Despite harm to her viability as a popular artist, she created some of the most memorable songs of the civil rights era, including "Mississippi Goddamn" and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black." In addition, she took part in the Selma to Montgomery marches. She was also one of the first celebrities to embrace her natural hair texture, wearing everything from an afro to a modified hi-top fade. Although commercial success frequently eluded her, many of her songs are now standards of the jazz and soul canons, and she lived to see a resurgence in her popularity during the 1990's.

Her personal life was as tumultuous as her career, and she lived in Barbados, Liberia, the Netherlands, and Switzerland before settling in France, where she passed away after a protracted battle with breast cancer in 2003. We have Nina to thank not only for her music and her style, but for her unwavering sense of fairness and her compelling calls to action. She's an excellent example of someone who refused to be a bystander to injustice and persecution - something we could use a little more of these days.

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Trend Alert: Hat Hair

BellaSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:08:08 -0700

Fab told me that hats are big these days, but I thought it would be difficult to work that look outside of a fashion show. But there they were at last night's Teen Vogue Young Hollywood party. Hilary Duff wore a floppy knit beret, Frances Bean Cobain donned a more structured hat, and web celeb Cory Kennedy channeled Isabella Blow with a netted chapeau.

Of course, certain hats go better with certain hairstyles. A beret like Hilary's is flattering on medium-to-long hair because it allows the hair to flow (it's also a fast fix when you don't feel like doing much primping). Pretty much anyone can wear a trilby, but if your hair is chin-length, pull it away from the front of your face (as Frances does) so the hat-hair combo doesn't overwhelm. Finally, there's a more formal hat, like the one Cory wears. If you choose this hat, go with an updo-the casual, flowing hair just doesn't work with such a rigid accessory.

Who do you think had the best "hat head" last night?
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Tour of Beauty: Chanel's Jasmine Fields in Grasse, France

BellaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:00:34 -0700

Long before a blast of perfume reaches your skin, the fragrance-creation process begins with a flower. For Chanel N°5, those flowers are May rose and jasmine - and twice a year, those flowers are harvested in Grasse, France. Last month, Chanel invited me to view the jasmine harvest. Combined with last year's perfumery visit, it's safe to say that I've gained a new appreciation for how many steps are involved in creating the world's best-selling fragrance. Read on to see some beautiful scenes from the south of France, to learn about what happens in the fields, and to watch the first steps of the fragrance come together.

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Do You Feel Like You're in a "Beauty Contest" With Other Women?

BellaSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Carla Bruni is known for her former career as a model and her singing and songwriting abilities, but as the first lady of France, she is obviously in the public eye for politics, too. On her official website, Bruni has talked about being among other first ladies, with her site noting earlier this year in an entry: "As with Michelle Obama, it is a beauty contest between Princess Letizia, a former star journalist, and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, ex-top model." It seems to be a compliment, but it could be interpreted in other ways, too. What do you think about comparing your looks to others? Do you ever feel like you're in some kind of beauty competition with other women, whether it's self-imposed or not, or do you just ignore any comparisons?

Scarlett in Elle France

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:50:06 -0700

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YSL Thinks the World Needs More Parisiennes

BellaSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:00:51 -0700

The Fall fragrance frenzy begins in just about a month, when department stores will be stocked with new scents intended to tempt you. Fragrance makers are hoping you won't be able to resist, particularly because perfume sales were down 7 percent during the first quarter of 2009. It's in this tough market that Yves Saint Laurent.

WWD reports that the floral woody scent is aimed toward a slightly older audience than its other recent fragrance, Elle. Targeting the 30-something woman, Parisienne will launch in France next month, followed by a US rollout in October. Kate Moss will appear in both the print campaign and television commercial, which was filmed in the City of Light. Are you interested in possibly saying "oui" to a new scent, or have you scaled back your fragrance shopping?