Pâtisserie Paris

Saturday, January 7, 2012

The French Pharmacy according to Gwyneth Paltrow

Have your ever read Gwyneth Paltrow's blog GOOP? Well, Gwyneth happens to be quite a fan of Paris and on her blog she outlines some of her favourite purchases from French pharmacies. I thought I would share:

The French Pharmacy

Many of the absolute best beauty products I’ve found come from regular French pharmacies. I always stock up on these items when I’m in France or ask friends to bring some back when they’re passing through. Below is a list of all of my favorites.
Love,
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Avène Eau Thermale Water Spray

A soothing water spray for irritated skin. It’s also good as a quick refresher on a hot day. I know lots of makeup artists who use it, as it helps set makeup.

Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oatmilk

This stuff’s great when your hair needs a little spiffing up, especially when it’s starting to get a bit greasy. If you want to maintain a blow dry or don’t have time to do a full wash and blow out, this really does the trick. It gets right to the roots and brings back volume and makes your hair less oily.

Homeoplasmine

Meant for skin irritations, it’s also a life-saver when it comes to dry, winter-ravaged skin.

Biafine

I apply Biafine to my daughter’s lips when they get extra chapped and it always does the trick. We also keep this in the pantry for the inevitable burns, bumps, and scratches. This cream cleans the surface and moisturizes it, minimizing scars and healing the area miraculously fast.

Embryolisse

All the makeup artists I know swear by this cream. It works as a super-moisturizer that simultaneously cleans the skin (and helps eliminate zits), leaving it perfectly prepped for makeup.

Avibon

Avibon is hard to find outside of France, but it’s one of my very favorites. It’s full of Vitamin A, which is wonderful for the skin, getting rid of blemishes, tough dry spots and preventing wrinkles (they say). I know an older movie star who uses this every night and she has the most amazing skin!

Bioderma Crealine H2O Micelle Solution

The BEST makeup remover. It’s unscented, doesn’t dry your skin or sting, and gets rid of all your makeup with a few swipes. You’re left with soft, clean skin.

Alfalux Baume Levres

I always pick this up at the pharmacy when in France. It has an incredibly silky texture.

Phytopharma Apricoderm

This is my ultimate winter lip balm as it’s thick and stays on even in harsh weather. It’s a German product but you can find it all over Europe.

I first discovered these products in France but they are now widely available:

Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse

This is an all-around oil that you can apply to your entire body, face and hair for a quick moisturizing, glossy refresh. It’s great right after the bath as it really takes right then. It also has a very lovely, very subtle smell.

Savon de Marseille Extra Pur

I first discovered this natural, beautifully packaged liquid soap in France. It's much easier to find now and comes in a variety of aromas. I personally like to keep the Figue bottles in the kitchen and in the bathrooms at home. The French take their products seriously and not just any soap gets the denominationas it must be made up mostly of natural oils in order to be truly Marseillaise.

Biotherm Aquathermale Spa Body Scrub

A solid exfoliating scrub for the shower.

Decléor Aromessence Baume Spa Relax

Decléor’s products are all about their aromatherapeutic qualities. Apply all over right before bed to relax all your muscles at the end of the day.

Caudalie Premières Vendages

Your basic daily moisturizer—good for all types of skin gives and a healthy glow.

Post courtesy of goop.com/newsletter/114/en

xo Ceilidh

Friday, January 6, 2012

Fashion Friday: Diet Coke Cartoons with Coco Rocha

Remember the post I did on the special edition Diet Coke designed by Karl Lagerfeld? Well Coco Rocha featured this fabulous cartoon on her blog today. Amazing!

Photo courtesy of oh-so-coco.tumblr.com

xo Ceilidh

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Paris Vacation Rentals

During my previous two vacations in Paris I opted to rent an apartment for the duration of my stay opposed to booking a hotel, and might I say, it comes highly recommended!

There are many benefits to renting an apartment in Paris. First and foremost is the cost. You can rent an apartment in Paris for the same price as a hotel, if not much cheaper. Plus, with an apartment you have the added benefit of extra amenities like a kitchen and a washer/dryer. This is turn will help you save money on dining and dry cleaning costs, not to mention boosting the authenticity of your Parisian vacation as you shop for bread at the boulangerie or purchase groceries at the Monoprix. Also, apartments in Paris, although not huge, tend to be quite a bit larger that the standard hotel room.

Websites that I used in my search to find the perfect Paris apartment were Haven in Paris, HomeAway and VRBO.

When searching for the perfect vacation rental, I always keep a couple of things in mind: contact, deposit, location, photos, price & reviews.

Contact: Ensure that the owner is accessible from your initial interaction until your final payment is made and beyond. Be sure to have a phone number that the owner can be reached at in case you encounter any problems upon your stay.

Deposit: Most rentals require a deposit in case the apartment is subject to any damage as a result of your stay. Make sure that you review the apartment before the owner (or agent) leaves the apartment so as to make note of any problems (ex. scratches in the hardwood floor) that may be brought up at a later time. The amount of money required as a deposit will vary depending on the price of your rental. Most can be paid via cheque (the cheque will be returned to you upon review and departure) or PayPal (money refunded to your credit card upon review and departure).

Location: This will vary from person to person. Do your research to determine the best location for your stay. Prices tend to be cheaper towards the outskirts of the city.

Photos: Listing for apartments should have lots of pictures. Review all of the photos before making a final decision. A photo should be present for each room in the apartment. If photos of the bathroom or kitchen are missing, be skeptical as to what those rooms may actually look like.

Price: Investigate nearby apartments or hotels for prices before you commit. You want the best bang for your buck, and if you can find that elsewhere, perhaps that apartment that you had your eye on isn't all it is cracked up to be! Keep in mind that when renting an apartment, unlike hotel rooms, prices are negotiable particularly if you plan on staying for longer than one week.

Reviews: I won't rent an apartment unless there are reviews. I think this point may be the most important because you can see what other travellers, like yourself, thought of the apartment and may give you a better perspective as to what the apartment is really like.

Interested in what apartments I stayed at? Click here for my 2010 and 2011 vacation rentals.

I hope this helps in planning your perfect Parisian stay!

xo Ceilidh

Monday, January 2, 2012

Paris Museum Pass

I thought I'd start the new year off with a few tips on travelling and tourism in Paris. One of the many reasons people visit Paris is to visit the iconic museums found within the city. A great way to visit all of these locations, whether on a budget or just looking to save some money, is with the Paris Museum Pass.

The museum pass allows for entrance into over 60 museums located in or around Paris without dealing with the hassle of queues*. Passes can be bought in 2, 4 or 6 day denominations (days must be consecutive), which allow for unlimited (and repeat) access to some of Paris' well-known museums. The passes can be purchased online, at the airport or at various locations within Paris***.

Photo courtesy of parismuseumpass.com **

The Paris Museum Pass allows access to various museums and monuments which includes, but is not limited to:

Arc de Triomphe

Centre Pompidou

Musée du Louvre

Crypte Archéologique de Parvis Notre-Dame

Tours Notre Dame

Musée Nationale de l'Orangerie

Musée d'Orsay

Panthéon

Musée Rodin

Sainte-Chapelle

Château de Fontainebleau

Musée National des Château de Malmaison et Bois-Préau

Musée National des Château de Versailles et Trianon

For a complete list, click here.

How the pass works:

Present the pass at one of the listed museums or monuments for quick and easy access to some of Paris' well-known landmarks. It's as easy as that!

Stay tuned for more travel tips later this week :)

xo Ceilidh

*Note that there are some exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, you avoid queues associated with paying an entrance fee. You may still have to wait in line to enter the museum if it is over-crowded or if there are any additional fees brought on by temporary exhibits taking place.

**Please note that prices are valid as of January 1st, 2012 and are subject to change. Visit the Paris Museum Pass website for updated information, if necessary.

*** There is nothing worse than waiting in a line-up, only to find out you are in the wrong line! If you are purchasing a Paris Museum Pass, ensure that the queue you are waiting in is the appropriate one. For example, if you were to buy your pass in the Louvre, it is not purchased at the same kiosk as standard admission tickets. At the Louvre, Paris Museum Passes must be purchased at the Membership Office (see #1 on the floor plan below).