"Breathe Paris in...."

It nourishes the soul" is a quote of Victor Hugo. Henry Miller, an American writer, said

"When Spring comes to Paris, the humblest mortal alive must feel that he dwells in paradise" and J.K. Rowling, of Harry Potter fame, said "Paris is the city of light, love and the best place to be".

Having been lucky enough to have visited this beautiful city many times, all of these quotes and many more describe Paris. Every city, American and abroad, have their unique charms but Paris is different. Its iconic landmarks like the Eiffle tower (which Kal and I climbed down!), Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, it's charming streets and boulevards, like the tree lined Champs-Elysees, its' amazing architecture, parks and gardens, cafes, bistros and markets, and art museums all make this city amazing. Writers, poets and artists bloomed in Paris. But its nighttime illumination, romantic cobblestone neighborhoods, amazing food and the capital of fashion and elegance make it magical! Yes, and as the song goes, "I love Paris anytime of the year"!

So, with the Olympics going on right now in this beautiful city, I felt the need to do a post of something French. And since my blog is about beauty and food, and since Paris is all of that, I decided to do both! This post is about beauty, and tomorrow will be cuisine!

What's more iconic and French than Chanel! Coco Chanel said, "Beauty begins when you decide to be yourself " Or as I would put it, "be who you are and let your makeup and style reflect that." I was a long time Chanel user and truth be told I still use their iconic #5 but I started to look for something with a lower price point, still "French" and still great. I found it in several different lines and here they are!

Lancome

I was a long time Chanel foundation gal until I discovered Lancôme Renergie Lift Makeup Foundation. Here's what I love about it. It gives a radiant luminous finish due to its micro pearls, has a SPF 27, it's with enriched with caffeine and Vitamin E, and visibly minimizes the appearance of imperfections, fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots. Its buildable and a little goes a long way. I've learned through the years that less is more with foundation. The idea is to enhance your own beauty so dot some on and cover the areas you need to. I use my fingers or beauty blenders.

Another winner in Lancome are their mascaras. They have quite a few but the one that I am super crazy about is Lancôme Monsieur Big Volumizing Mascara. I love mascara because there are two things that can instantly change you from "I just woke up" to "I'm ready to paint the town". One is lipstick. The other is mascara. Mascara "wakes up" your eyes like nothing else and Mr. Big does not disappoint. A volumizing mascara with a false lash effect, this mascara gives me the most dramatic lashes yet, sans false lashes! It's smudge proof and does not flake. Basically, it's perfect!

Lancôme Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover with Bi-Phase Formula is the bomb in removing eye makeup. It instantly and effortlessly removes waterproof and non-waterproof eye makeup. Its two-phase formula removes mascara and eye shadow leaving the eye clean with zero residue. Gentle enough for sensitive skin and as a former contact lens wearer, works perfectly! There's a reason it's a top seller. It works!

Lancôme Blush Subtil Blush is another winner. I've been using a cream blush, but I always add a little powder plush on top for an "extra pop". This is an oil free, silky powder blush that really goes on flawlessly. I have two colors; Aplum and Miel Glace, which both deliver a natural look. The color range is wide so there is something for everyone!

There are so many other Lancome products to try. Their lipsticks, eyeshadow and concealers are some of the best. And their fragrance, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum, is just beautiful, being both earthy and floral.

Guerlain

I had a friend in California whose makeup always look fabulous. Her skin just looked luminous. One day I asked her what she used. Her answer was "Guerlain Meteorite's" finishing powder. Now some people will say never use power because it settles into lines and will age you. I would agree that powders can do that. But not this one. I literally have been using this for over 30 years and have never found anything else like it. Their Clair shade is the original and they also have a medium shade and a shade called "Dore. I use Clair and the medium shade, sometimes mixing them. Guerlain describes this as "pearls of powder" which is what they are, but they really different shades of peals that when combined give your skin the most unbelievable luminous look. I've tried many powders over the years and nothing, yes nothing, comes close to this!

I've used Guerlain Shalimar Eau De Parfum for as long as I can remember, and yes, its a fragrance that's been around for a long time. But so have I! And some things are always good. Shalimar is one of them! It's described as "a flight of flowers and bergamot whips up the top notes with a breeze of freshness, a blend of an alluring, classic fragrance of exotic florals and vanilla" Sounds pretty delicious!

Clarins

What can I say about Clarins Lip Comfort Oil other than I love it! I saw someone wearing it and once I knew what was giving that glow, went and bought it. Most of the ingredients are of natural origin, the shine is mirror like, it's not sticky, and the plant oils hydrate and nourish your lips. There's a hint of color. I wear it alone with a lip liner or over my lipstick. Either way it's just beautiful. The two colors I have are Pitaya and Plum but in reading the reviews, it looks like I need to put Raspberry in my cart!

L'OCCITANE

L'OCCITANE Shea Butter Foot Cream. I have never lived in a state that is as dry as Colorado. It's a constant challenge to keep my heels from cracking open. "Wearing sandals does not help" says my manicurist. But was does help is this. This foot soothes and nourishes dry skin, contains 15% shea butter, absorbs fast and moisturizes. It's thick but not greasy, the smell is subtle like back yard fresh lavender and is not lingering. I slather it on at night, put some socks on and by morning my problem is fixed. If you suffer from dryness, this is a must try!

L’OCCITANE Shea Butter Hand Cream. Everything the foot cream does for the feet; the hand cream does for the hands. There literally is nothing like it. Almost 10,000 people can't be wrong, Also a must try.

Chantecaille

Chantecaille Liquid Lumiere, Sheen. Highlighters come and go but I have been using this one for years. It comes in three shades, I have two, Sheen and Luster. Sheen is neutral, Luster has a peachy tint and the third shade, Brillance is a golden hue perfect for summer.

They glide on effortlessly, give a beauty sheen and are not glittery. Brillance with its golden hue is perfect for summer which is why it's in my cart!

Nuxe

This brand is famous for their all-purpose dry oil. I recently read an article on this, and it was so intriguing I had to get it. It did not disappoint. You can use it on your body, cuticles, hair, anywhere you want to have a healthy shine. There is no shimmer to the oil but you can get one with a glow. It has a light scent which is very subtle, maybe just a little "French"

Gres

Cabotine By Parfums Gres is one of the fragrances I wear all summer long. Its one of those fragrances that people ask, "what are you wearing". It was introduced in 1990 and has fragrance notes of ginger, citrus, and fresh cut flowers. It's described as a "casual" fragrance, and I've been wearing it ever since it came out. I can sometimes find it at TJMAXX but just saw that Amazon has it at an unbeatable price. Fragrance is a very personal thing, but I can't imagine this one not working for everyone. It's fresh and beautiful!

Dior

I can't leave without mentioning a few of Dior products that I use. Yes, all of these are in my stash. Dior Addict Lip Glow, Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss, Dior Rosy Glow Blush, Dior, Diorshow Mascara, are all products I have used and are using. Here's a little more about them.

Dior Addict Lip Glow is a must-have universal balm from Dior Backstage. It comes in 3 finishes: Matte and Holographic, and the original Glow. Apply alone for a natural flush of color or layer on layer on top of lipstick to change the effect. It's made with a unique technology that reacts with your lips, delivering a natural flush of custom color that suits each skin tone

Dior Addict Plumping Maximizer Plumping Gloss. It plumps, delivers color and moisturizers. Dior Rosy Glow Blush. I know it looks PINK but it blends beautifully on. It's also great for a pop of color on top of your natural blush, just to punch it up.

DiorShow Mascaras. Thickens, lengthened and gives you unbelieve lashes. It's a 10 all the way around.

Whew! This has taken me much longer to write than expected and there are so many others that I haven't even mentioned. Tomorrow I'll get to the recipe part of my Paris post but for now we can all be like the French- understated and beautiful!

But for now,

Au revoir mi Cherie

Liz ❤️

(Any links in this post are affiliate links which I may be given a small compensation for if they are purchased through the link)