elodie's beauty diary

Magic Wands

Who would have thought that the humble mascara could generate such excitement? But over the past year mascara has become the hottest make-up category thanks to a new wave of revolutionary wands. Givenchy’s Phenomen’ Eyes has achieved cult status almost overnight thanks to its innovative ball-shaped wand, which allows you to reach the inner lashes and get a better coating on each individual lash. Other brushes are specially curved to give good curl, while the trend creating the biggest buzz is vibrating mascaras, designed to mimic the wiggling motion that professional make-up artists use when pulling the brush through the lashes. Guerlain Le 2 de Guerlain Two-Brush Mascara meanwhile, has a cleverly designed two-brush tube, which includes a tres petit brush for reaching the inner lashes.

My verdict having tried nearly all of the new launches:

1 I am not convinced by the vibrating wands, which seem a little gimmicky to me.
2 if you want amazingly thick and sooty eyelashes for evening, Givenchy’s Phenomen’ Eyes is the one to go for.
3 Clinique’s High Impact Curling Mascara gets my vote for best mascara for day. It is one of the few products to live up to its claim not to clump. Instead, it boosts your lashes in a natural way, without the unattractive tarantula-eyes effect.

Meanwhile, for truly killer lashes, a favourite trick of professionals is to use two mascaras - one for lengthening, followed by one for volumising. It seems that the days of carrying just one mascara in your make-up bag are over. Instead, I predict that soon we’re all going to have a wardrobe of mascaras - at the very least one for evening and another for da

Enchanted April

Last year, to coincide with the launch of its new limited-edition perfume, Escale a Portofino ['stopover in Portofino'], Christian Dior gave me a copy of The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim. This is the utterly charming and uplifting tale of four women who take themselves off to a medieval castle in Portofino for a month. I now count it among my top five favourite books. It's a blast of sunshine on a rainy April day and ideal reading for spring.

Et voila. Joyeux Printemps,




 

Primed

I’m not a fan of ‘primers’ or make-up bases. They seem to me like an unnecessary expense: an extra bottle cluttering up the bathroom shelf and an extra layer to clog up the pores. When it comes to make-up, less, in my view, is best. But I have just discovered an exception to the rule: By Terry Serum Teint Haute Lumiere (why do beauty products always have such ridiculously long names?) At £65 a bottle this highlighting primer serum is  not cheap but it contains light-reflecting particles to luminise the skin and even out the complexion. It was created by Terry Gunzberg, the French make-up artist  who created YSL’s legendary Touche Eclat, and who knows a thing or two about light reflective make-up. You can either use it as a smoothing base or in place of foundation.  

Melt

Until very recently I thought that Charbonnel & Walker’s pink champagne truffles were the summit of chocolate perfection .... and then I discovered Melt (which has in fact replaced the Charbonnel & Walker counter in Selfridges). The Maldon Sea Salt Chocolate Caramels [£17 for a box of ten], featuring ‘an oozy centre in a cracking shell’ are truly chocolate couture! www.meltchocolates.com

Perfect Present

Finally, I have found the perfect present for friends who are difficult to please - particularly  if they are health-conscious or food obsessed. Ottolenghi The Cookbook [£25, Ebury Press] is full of fabulously healthy salads and simple but unusual dishes from the (very expensive) deli in Notting Hill, in West London. Vegetarians will find it inspirational (sample dish: roast potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes with lemon and sage). And no-one does pulses quite like them. This below-radar cook is the ideal gift for those who already have Delia, Nigel, Nigella and Jamie on their book shelves.

Feedback suggests that many readers appreciate very much my travel tips, so this month, I have decided to focus on Paris. Should you be planning to jump on the Eurostar to do your Christmas shopping, here are some of my current favourite places:

Shopping

Le Bon Marché
For one-stop, luxe Christmas shopping, I don’t think you can beat Le Bon Marché department store on the Left Bank. It is small, discreet and super-refined - and much loved by les BoBos [the Parisian bourgeois bohemians.]  In particular, I like L’Arbre de Noel - the Christmas decoration department, which has a super-chic selection of angels, Christmas fairies and baubles for the Christmas tree. In addition to all the usual luxury goods brands Le Bon Marché also has an excellent kitchen accessories department. And once you’ve made your purchases, the gift wrap service will wrap them for free.
Le Bon Marché, 24 Rue de Sevres, 75007, Paris. Nearest metro: Sevres-Babylone.

La Maison Rustique
This wonderful book shop on the Left Bank specialises in books on gardening, flowers and interiors - and is a great place to browse for inspiration or tick off someone on your Christmas shopping list who is interested in homes or gardening.
La Maison Rustique, 26 Rue Jacob, Paris. +33 (0) 1 42 34 96 60

Restaurants

Although Paris boasts many super-grand, what I call ‘white table cloth and crystal’ restaurants, I prefer places with a bustling bistro feel to them. Here are some of my favourite places of the moment:

Relais de L’Entrecote
Offering the best steak and chips in Paris, this old fashioned brasserie is also a favourite of Brazilian ubermodel Giselle Bundchen. The formula hasn’t changed in 20 years:  steak, served the restaurant’s famous mustard sauce and superb frites. There is no menu or wine-list, only the (excellent) house wine and one question when you sit down: how would you like it cooked? There are long queues for both lunch and dinner -the lunchtime line forms as early as 11.00am - but they move fairly quickly. But don’t go here if you are following on a diet, as the desserts are also fabulous and super-calorific.
Relais de L’Entrecote, 15 Rue Marbeuf, Paris tel +33 (0) 1 49 52 07 17


L’Epi Dupin
This is an excellent example of the ‘bistronomique’ trend. It has a casual, rustic, traditional bistro ambiance but serves very good food, including a €34 three-course menu du jour in the evening (although unfortunately, it is closed at weekends.) Best of all, it is just a few steps away from Le Bon Marché department store.
L’Epi Dupin, 11 Rue Dupin, Paris 75006. tel +33 (0) 1 42 22 64 56


L’Epi D’Or
A few steps from the flagship Christian Louboutin store in Paris, this traditional bistro has dark wood-lined walls and the sort of light that makes everyone look good. (It is M. Louboutin's favourite local and he can often be found lunching here). The food is super-French and very good but unfortunately, the restaurant is not open for lunch at weekends.
L’Epi D’Or, 25 Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau, Paris +33 (0) 1 42 36 38 12


Beauty Spa: L’appartement 217
This very discreet, super-elegant spa is the most fashionable place in Paris to go for a facial or massage. The ambiance is that of (a beautifully decorated) private Parisian apartment. There is neither a cash desk nor receptionist while the expansive treatment rooms, feature floor to ceiling windows or porte-fenetres and have little in common with the dimly lit boxes that one finds in most spas.
L’appartement, 217 Rue Saint Honoré, Paris. +33 (0) 1 42 96 00 96


Secret Meeting Place: Hotel Royal Monceau
With wall-to-wall chandeliers and a louche red bordello bar, this is the place to meet for a secret, power meeting in Paris. Unlike the little-bit-too-fashionable Hotel Costes, the Royal Monceau is surprisingly ‘off-radar’ for a grand Parisian hotel. This makes it the perfect place to meet -  in the bar for coffee or cocktails or lunch- among the true power brokers of the fashion and beauty worlds [hint: the headquarters are next door.]
Hotel Royal Monceau, 37 Avenue Hoch, 75008, Paris. +33 (0) 1 42 99 88 00


Weekend Away: Hotel Saluces
And finally, its not in Paris but should you fancy a little weekend away in the Auvergne, the  Hotel Saluces in Salers (one of the prettiest villages in France) is definitely one for the address book. As regular readers will know, I don’t normally recommend 2-star hotels, but this is an exception. My dear travel editor friend (who probably won’t thank me for giving away one of her personal travel secrets) says that this is the best 2-star hotel in France. It is situated in a beautiful 15th century building that used to be the old governor’s house and each room has its own simple but entirely charming decor. You can check out the different rooms on their website [below]. Prices start at €37 for a room with shower; €52 for a suite, including breakfast.
Hotel Saluces, Salers, +33 (0) 4 71 40 70 82;  www.hotel-salers.fr.


Et voila. A tres bientot,

First of all, I would like to wish you all bonne année 2006. Secondly, I would like to thank those of you who have been very patient with us over the past few months when certain products have been out of stock.

I know that we had a lot of problems last year, meeting demand for VRAI Argan Oil in particular, and more recently (following an article by Chandler Burr in the New York Times) the Aedes de Venustas Lime Coconut Sea Exfoliator. I am hoping we have resolved these problems now, as we are holding a large amount of stock on all product lines. (Although the Aedes de Venustas is handmade in very small quantities, so it is possible that there might, on occasion, be a wait of 2-3 weeks for this product.)

Still, in 2006 we hope to be able to anticipate demand for stock more precisely and offer you a much better service.

In the meantime, here are a few of my favourite places and discoveries over the past month:

La Mirande, Avignon

Just before Christmas I spent a few days in Avignon, staying at La Mirande (www.la-mirande.fr) which has replaced the Hotel Costes in Paris as my all-time favourite hotel. Even if you are not normally a fan of pattern or floral print, I guarantee that a stay here will convert you to the joys of clashing colours and prints. Each room is different but exquisitely decorated and the overall effect is very cosy, while the service is impeccable. I always think that historic French towns are so much more romantic, not to mention chic, in the winter months when there is hardly anyone around. As one of my friends pointed out, La Mirande would also be the most perfect venue for a wedding.

Pierre Loti's house

In between Christmas and New Year I went with some very good friends to visit the writer and traveller Pierre Loti's house in Rochefort, which is about an hour from home in France. The journey there was quite magical as all the trees and fields where covered in a hoar frost. As my friend Susie said: 'It is as if the trees are wearing wedding dresses.'

I can thoroughly recommend Pierre Loti's house as a source of design inspiration, now that interior trends are moving away from minimalism towards super-opulence. Rather like Lord Leighton's house in Holland Park, West London, Pierre Lotti's house is full of of items that the owner picked up on his travels to Turkey, Arabia and the Orient.

I left feeling very inspired and am currently in the process of decorating le petit salon, chez moi in 'bordello' chic style: Turkish rugs, red silk curtains, red soft furnishings and red lampshades. Red silk lampshades incidentally, are a very good beauty tip, since they cast a flattering rosy glow on the complexion. (Make sure they are also lined in red fabric, not white, for the best effect.) It is the sort of light that makes everyone look good and creates a very convivial atmosphere.

Bircher Muesli

This being the month when energy levels and spirits hit a little bit of a low, I thought I would share with you my latest health find: Bircher muesli. I am convinced that this is the healthiest way possible to start the day since it combines porridge oats, nuts, seeds, yoghurt and fruit, all in one healthy hit.

I discovered it in my local branch of Marks & Spencer in West London, which recently opened a new café in its food hall, offering an excellent selection of healthy (and not so healthy) breakfasts. I subsequently looked up various recipes on the internet and have combined them to make my own super-healthy version of Bircher muesli. You take one cup of fruit juice, one cup of yoghurt (preferably live) and one cup of fruit juice to sweeten (I use pineapple juice, but you can use apple or orange.) You mix this up into a semi-liquid consistency and then add nuts and seeds and fruit (dried apricots, raisins or blueberries, anything you like). I recommend pumpkin seeds and walnuts which are stuffed with vitamins and minerals that are good for the skin and hair as well as enhancing your mood. Leave in the fridge overnight (it tastes even better if you leave it for two nights).

Top Truffles

It has been an excellent year for truffles here in France. According to my local newspaper, the yield has been so good that, 'you can pick up a truffle the size of a gold ball for 65 euros.' There is a special truffle market taking place in a town near me towards the end of January, which I am very excited about as one of my favourite dishes is truffle risotto.

Horoscopes

For those of you who believe in horoscopes (and with apologies to those of you who don't) I would like to recommend Susan Miller's website: astrologyzone.com. A literary friend in the US told me about this website some time ago and I have been addicted ever since (and so has virtually everyone that I have recommended it to.)

That's all for now. Happy January!

Gros bisous,