Parisian Beauty: Our Favorite Spots For Pampering Yourself On-the-Go in Paris

Making Magique

I think we can all agree that most Parisian women manage to look both effortlessly chic and naturally beautiful almost all the time. How they do this, when wearing black nearly every day of the week and walking around with practically no makeup on (at least that’s what it looks like to me), I’ll never be able to wrap my head around.

Nose

So how do you survive in a city with all these beauties walking around in broad daylight? I have a few tricks up my sleeve. A quick beauty fix at any of the places below always perks me right up.

bailey.foster

Most of the Parisienne allure lies in small details, so whether it’s getting my nails done, my eyebrows shaped or finding a new signature scent to match my mood, I always walk away from these places feeling a little more Parisienne… Until I see an Audrey Tautou or Clémence Poésy lookalike coming my way that is.

kkmarais & nose

Bar à Chignon au Salon de Coiffure
How many times have I wanted to try something new with my hair but been too afraid to go for a full-on chop? And after several failed tries to reinvent my blonde locks with advanced ponytails, braids and buns, I’ve come to realize that it’s not in everyone’s nature to be effortlessly handy with these things. So when I came across my first ever bar a chignon (bun bar) I was deliriously happy. For 20€, a hairdresser will give you a 10-minute chignon; for 40€ you can get a more advanced version that takes 20 minutes to construct, and so on. It’s a great way to spice up your hairdo with a little French flair without doing anything drastic.

52 rue Saint-André-des-Arts, 75006 Paris
Tel: +33(0)1 46 33 72 32
Métro: Odéon/Saint-Michel

Nose

Nose
After several years of buying the same perfume for myself (I just can’t seem to get enough of my Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche) it was time for a change. But spending hours sniffing my way through a Sephora or Marionnaud isn’t really how I like to spend my weekends… Thank god for Nose!

Milan Sijan

After a quick test on their website, I’ve concluded that I prefer scents like citrus fruit, hyacinth and Patchouli and received several suggestions for new perfumes. After that I can choose to order a few samples mailed right to my door or visit the boutique in person. Couldn’t get much simpler than that, right? The fact that the store looks like something out of an interior décor magazine doesn’t hurt either of course.

20 rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris
Tel: +33(0)1 40 26 46 03
Métro: Sentier

 

 

JournalDesVitrines.com

 

L’Institut d’Artois
If you didn’t know this places existed, chances are you would probably walk right past it when walking down the rue d’Artois in Paris. With no outdoor signage, this hair removal mecca truly is a hidden secret. Don’t be surprised if you bump into Vogue’s fashion editors or someone like Sofia Coppola in the waiting room. If you can endure the pain (I know, I’m such a baby when it comes to waxing) you’ll walk away with one of the best waxes in Paris — apparently Isabelle, who owns this little salon, is the best in the biz. You can’t argue with Vogue, right?

38 bis rue d’Artois, 75008 Paris
Tel: +33(0)1 53 76 22 20
Métro: Saint-Philippe-du-Roule

Le Boudoir du Regard

Eyebrows

After learning the hard way that you shouldn’t ever touch your eyebrows unless you’re a professional, I now always hand mine over to the pros when I’m in need of a shape-up. I think many of us underestimate the importance of a well-groomed brow – it really can change your whole look. Look up one of Le Boudoir du Regard’s adorable salons closest to you and book a rendez vous instead of going wild with those tweezers at home. Another adorable salon, which you can find in several locations over Paris, is L’Atelier du Sourcil.

Le Boudoir du Regard

David Mallett
I absolutely hate getting my hair cut abroad. And even though I’m technically living here in Paris, I still don’t feel 100% comfortable entrusting my locks to a Frenchie. Maybe it’s because it takes my hair three years to grow an inch (I’m still growing out the bangs I got when I was 12) or maybe I’m just being silly.

Making Magique

But after hearing my friend rave about her experience at the David Mallett salon, I might have to give it a go. If they’ve done hair for Vogue Italia and cut hair for celebrities like Natalie Portman, Diane Kruger and Kate Winslet I guess they know what they’re doing.

14 Rue Notre-Dame des Victoires, 75002 Paris
Tel: +33(0)1 40 20 00 23
Métro: Bourse

The Nail Kitchen

The Nail Kitchen
Whether you’re getting yours super short and dark burgundy à la Parisienne, or a bit longer in a subtle nude color, manicures have become the latest must for every fashionable girl. With a million different nail salons all over the city, it can be hard to know which one to choose, but after passing by this cute nail bar for several weeks, I now know where I’m going to make my next appointment. Not only is it one of the best looking nail bars in Paris, it’s also located inside the BHV department store in the Marais, which makes this a wonderful choice for a manicure on the go.

BHV, 52 rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris
Tel: +33(0)6 81 26 24 95
Métro: Hotel de Ville

Jakob F.

Related links:

• We’re not the only ones who have a soft spot for French beauty secrets, Garance Doré shares her must haves from the French pharmacies
• Posted in Paris has made a list of everything you need to know if you’re getting your nails done in Paris for the first time
• What kind of beauty items are you not allowed to miss when coming to Paris? Read Tory’s post for the HiP Paris blog right here

Written by Carin Olsson for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.