Getting Your Skin Runway Ready for Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week is 9 days of solid mayhem - on the runway and off. From rushing to catch back-to-back shows to sipping champagne at the wildest after parties, there is nary a moment to catch one’s breath. Oh and let’s not forget - sleep, all the amazing restaurants and of course, photos!
Besides getting enough rest every night (and let’s face it, it’s Paris Fashion Week so sleep won’t likely be a priority here) and drinking copious amounts of champagne, errr.. water, your skin needs to be primed to take on the daily load of makeup, cigarette smoke (it’s France after all) and pollution.
Since I’m headed there this week, I’ll give you a sneak peek at what beauty products I’m bringing with me to Paris.
HAIR
Kérastase Nutritive Salle de Bain and Lait Vital
Kérastase, a Paris-based company (part of the L’Oréal family) is considered by many in the professional haircare industry as one of the best product lines in the world. Having used their products for years, I tend to agree. For this trip, I’m bringing the Nutritive Line that is meant to provide mega-nutrients for damaged hair. I’ve been colouring my hair for so long now that I really can’t rely on anything else. I especially love their Lait Vital (Vital Milk) - a deep conditioner that you rinse out after 2 to 3 minutes.
EYES/LIPS
Fresh Black Tea Eye Serum
I’ve also been buying Fresh products for years and recently got introduced to their Black Tea Eye Serum. I really like the consistency of the gel. It’s not heavy yet carries enough weight for the ingredients to really penetrate through the skin. Once it’s absorbed, the skin is perfectly primed to layer on eye cream.
La Mer The Eye Concentrate
My boyfriend bought me this while on a trip abroad (gotta love airport Duty Free shops!) and I haven’t stopped using it since. This little pot contains a gel-cream that’s so perfectly weighted; not overly thick but enough that you can continue to feel it working while you sleep.
La Prairie Anti-Aging Eye and Lip Perfection Duo
I love any moisturizer that is portable and is airline friendly. This duo has gotta be a hero product for La Prairie. It’s got the perfect combo of eye and lip treatments in a discreet, silver compact. The eyes and lips are the first areas to give away signs of aging - so La Prairie has designed this compact to come with two compartments - the top compartment holds an eye cream gel and the other a lip balm.
TEETH
Marvis Toothpaste (not shown)
Ok I admit it. This may seem like a ridiculous splurge for toothpaste. The travel size is $6 for a tube. I mean, it’s just used to clean your teeth, right? While I could just bring Colgate on my trip - I had done that for years until I discovered Marvis toothpaste a couple years ago - why not live a little more luxuriously? Marvis is made in Italy; and like all things Italian, the packaging is beautiful and it comes in many tasty flavours. Call me a sucker but I love that it doesn’t taste like Colgate!
FACE MASK
Knesko Nanogold Repair Natural Collagen Face Masque (not shown)
It’s a well known practice for travellers to put on a face mask on international, long haul flights. This mask by Knesko uses the power of pure gold - nanogold particles that stimulate blood circulation and temperature. It’s got the holy trinity of youthful skin - marine collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid - along with Aloe Vera. Plus, it smells like rose and I love anything rose-scented.
Puriface EMP Collagen Boost Daily Mask
For daily use, or at least every other day while in Paris, I like to use this mask to give myself a boost of moisture since running around the city can leave your skin feeling haggard. EMP is basically an Eggshell Membrane Pack. That’s right - it’s made from eggshell membranes. But before you judge, it’s probably the best and most natural way to give yourself a facial. You’re basically getting liposome egg proteins, minerals and animo acids - along with marine collagen and elastin to moisturize, soothe and revitalize your skin. I bought this product off Amazon a while back and I’m addicted!
FACIAL SERUM
La Roche Posay Hyalu B5 Serum (daytime)
La Roche Posay is one of those brands that are super reliable and should be on everyone’s bathroom counter. They produce high quality products at an affordable price point - and can be found everywhere, including drug stores. This B5 Serum is something I use on a daily basis. It contains hyaluronic acid, which acts as a magnet for moisture - in fact a single gram holds up to 6 litres of water! Your skin will feel more plump and radiant.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (nighttime)
This is evidently one of Estée Lauder’s hero products but I’ve only recently started trying it when I got the sample from Estée Lauder’s PR teams. Having used this consistently for the past month, I really do see a difference in the morning. You apply this after cleansing at night and it’s supposed to help with dehydration and signs of aging.
FACE MOISTURIZER
Veriphy ‘Self Absorbed’ Facial Moisturizer
This is a relatively new line from Canada, with only three products at the moment; this moisturizer being one of them. What I like about this product is that it’s light without compromising on hydration, so that it’s easy enough to use as a daytime moisturizer. It’s also unscented, which is where a lot of new, modern products are headed - and I prefer that as well.
FACE MASK
La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Sleep Mask
This is another one of those products that I get the benefit of when my boyfriend goes on long business trips and wanders through duty free. I’ve been using this product for the past year and I totally swear by it. You apply the mask (which is basically a cream) with the brush that is included, and sleep with it overnight. When you wake up the next morning, your skin is incredibly soft!
