Discovering some French beauty secrets thanks to Caudalie and Vogue


Perhaps more than any other place that I've ever lived, I always feel that there's something that I have yet to learn in Paris. Whether the topic is French history, art, wine, cheese, movies or skin care, it's as if I'm the kid at the back of the classroom, the one who has to work extra hard to keep up with the clever students, the ones who intuitively know all the answers.

To help explain my deficiencies, I've long suspected that French women are born with a certain set of knowledge, like how to have radiant skin on even the bleakest Parisian day. It's as if the information is encoded in their genes, which would also explain why they look chic wearing scarves while I frequently resemble a cowboy with a bandanna carelessly tied around my neck.

When I received an invitation from my fairy godmothers (aka Vogue and Caudalie) to discover Caudalie's Premier Cru, I viewed it as an opportunity to finally crack the code. Eager to learn more about the world's leading vinotherapy skincare line, Sara and I were the first of our group to arrive at the elegant hotel particulier in the 8th arrondissement last Tuesday.


After shedding my heavy winter coat and rehydrating myself with a glass of water, an esthetician escorted me to an individual cubicle and encouraged me to relax during the twenty minute treatment. Ready for a much needed mini-break, I closed my eyes as she applied magic elixirs to my face, massaged moisturizer into my hands and used a whisk-like object to relieve all the tension in my scalp. When the esthetician gently roused me from my reveries and handed me a mirror to check the results, I was amazed to see that the dark circles under my eyes had miraculously disappeared thanks to the silver, copper and iridescent pearlizers in the Premier Cru eye cream.


Next on the agenda was a culinary experience with master pastry chef Gontran Cherrier, who was inspired by Caudalie's Premier Cru cream to create an airy dessert especially for the occasion. Lightly flavored with rose water, the "crème de la crème" was a delightful accompaniment to my glass of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, the wine produced on the Caudalie estate.


Made from grape derived ingredients, Caudalie's products contain the most powerful anti-oxidants in the plant world. Balancing science and nature, Caudalie does not use parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oils or artificial colorings.

Impressed by the initial results of the Premier Cru eye cream, it looks as if I'll be making a trip to Citypharma this week!

Related post: Beauty Products and Bargains Galore at Citypharma

Grape-seed polyphenols, resveratrol-oleyl in grapevine stalks and viniferine from grapevine sap are the key ingredients in Caudalie products.






Comments

  1. Wow! I have yet to try Caudalie, but your post has convinced me to do so. I am obsessed with skin so thanks so much for the great tips!

    Milsters

    (http://www.littlepiecesoflight.com/)

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    1. You're welcome! We were truly impressed by the Caudalie products that they used on us last Tuesday and by the samples that they gave us to take home.


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  2. I love their firming eye cream!!! And the idea that even my skin is drunk on Sat night!!!

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    1. "my skin drunk on Sat night"--that's funny.

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    2. Only on Saturday night?! ;) Isn't your skin getting drunk on eye cream every night?!

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  3. http://www.sephora.com/premier-cru-set-P376604
    Is that the same cream? Is that a much more obscene price than they pay in Paris? or is it pretty comparable. I have a girlfriend visiting in a couple of months, and it's looking like there's a slight chance I'll be in Paris for two days in March :-) FWIW that set is the same price as the eye cream alone at Sephora. Thank you!

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    1. That's the same cream and eye cream, although they used the 2013 "cru" on us. It's going to be released in stores in France on Feb 13.

      I just bought some of the 2012 premier cru eye cream and paid 49.90 euros ($68) for 0.5 fl oz. The Premier Cru La Crème is 78.90 euros ($107), so Sephora's price for the set seems to be a really good deal!

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  4. What does "Caudalie" mean? It's something to do with the skin of the grape, or the rim of wine in the glass, or something like that, right?

    And I'm glad you had the foresight to take some photos before the experience was all over. Well done.

    Oh, and no parabens is really an important thing.

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    1. Joseph, The breadth of your knowledge never ceases to amaze me! You should have been there during the information session when they asked our group if anyone knew the meaning of Caudalie. It's an oenological term used by professional wine tasters. It's the unit of measurement of the length of the wine in the mouth. So, the more "caudalie" a wine has, the better it is.

      I really like the more natural aspect of Caudalie. Plus, they give 1% of their sales to a group called "For the planet" and their packaging is environmentally friendly.

      Bearing all of that in mind, I picked up quite a few of their products at City Pharma, including some Caudalie shower gel that smells divine!

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  5. Wow! now that IS a facial!... including a pastry and a glass of wine! only in Paris!

    Love Denise

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  6. I like to thing that my vocabulary is excellent, but thanks to your posts Mary Kay, I frequently broaden it further, particularly with terminology used in the French allied health industry. I had never come across the term "esthetician" before but am now keen to avail myself of their services in Melbourne and of course, drop the word into casual conversation.

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    1. I would love to be privy to those conversations, Baron! Is it possible that "esthetician" is an American word and that you use a different word in Australia? My Aussie friends always have a good time teasing me whenever I make the mistake of using a word that means something completely different to them. The biggest mixup that I ever had was when an Australian friend said she wanted to "nurse" my baby - she meant that she wanted to hold my child but I understood that she wanted to breastfeed my baby. In the USA, "to nurse" means "to breastfeed". And then, of course, there was a lot of laughter when I said that I was going to give my baby a nuki, the Swiss German word for pacifier.

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  7. I'm a very low-maintenance but I don't mind being pampered like that...actually I think I really, really need it.
    It sounds like a perfect day to share with a daughter.

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    1. Being pampered every once in a while is really, really nice - especially for those of us who are normally low maintenance. I hope that someone pampers you very soon - maybe on Valentine's Day?!

      After having facials at Caudalie, my daughter and I agreed that we'll give each other facials as a special mother-daughter activity this week.

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    2. That is so nice MK, enjoy her while she's with you

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  8. I`m always happy when I can get some recommandations for products like this. I`m in Paris in a few weeks and I really have to say, that your blog is an inspiration for our tripp! I`m so happy to be in Paris again!

    Many greets from Frankfurt
    Anna

    http://stil-box.blogspot.de/

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    1. Hi Anna, I'm happy that this post was helpful! If you're planning to buy some beauty products while you're in Paris, the prices are always slightly less expensive at City Pharma on rue du Four.

      One of my favorite face creams is from Germany. It's Dr.Hauschka's Rose Day Cream.

      Best wishes for a wonderful trip to Paris!

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    2. Thank you dear Mary Kay for your tipp! :-) Bye bye - Paris, I`m coming soon :-)

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  9. I've heard good things about this caudalie premier cru product. Going on my wish list now!

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