I spent the last week in Paris and can’t wait to share more about our trip there. We stayed in the cutest little hotel in the Latin District located in 5th arrondissement. The weather was beautiful and sunny all week long. I hope to share more about Paris in the next few days but for now here’s a quick recap of some highlights. I was thrilled to try
Ladurée and
Pierre Hermé macarons for the first time. I will say both are very very good, but Pierre Hermé is very special with the mixed flavors and beautiful designs. It was difficult to restrain myself from trying every flavor but they are extremely rich so I limited myself to a few during our four days in Paris.
Food highlights include breakfast at
Ladurée and
Angelina (the hot chocolate was out of this world). I’ve been beyond obsessed with the chocolate croissants here. If I could eat one from Paris each and every day I would be happiest person in the world.
I stopped by several French Pharmacies that have been raved about by a number of beauty lovers in the US. Bioderma is plentiful here and I am so happy that
Beautylish has brought it to the US for us. It was interesting to see all the different formulas, sizes even body/hair care. Travel sizes were available for purchase in two of the formulas. I hope Beautylish will carry more of the line soon! I did a little haul at one and will share more about beauty shopping in Paris soon.
Printemps was the most amazing store I’ve ever seen – everyone was super friendly and extremely generous with samples. I could have spent an entire day there. Hermes in Paris was out of this world, it’s nothing like I’ve seen before. Chanel boutiques were packed so I didn’t spend much time inside them, although I did discover a tiny beauty boutique on Rue Saint-Honoré which was very cute.
Sephora on the Champs-Élysées was like every beauty lover’s dream come true – they had almost every brand imaginable, By Terry, MAC, Chanel, Serge Lutens, Dior … and a cute beauty bar where women were getting manicures.
More on Paris soon – there is so much to see, we didn’t get to everything on our list in four and a half days. We have lots to look forward to in the future on our next trip back to France. We did a lot of sightseeing and visited the Arc de Triomphe, Tuileries Garden, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Jardin du Luxembourg and a few other places as well.
Today my husband and I landed in Rome you can follow me along on instagram @fashiongroomspot for snippets of our trip. If you have any recommendations for Rome I’m all ears! Comment publishing may be slow but I am getting to them as quickly as I can while I soak in all the beauty that is here in Europe.
Domus Aurea and Trajan's Markets
Sound wonderful. Blog world is very quiet without you but so happy to hear you are having a marvellous time! Xx
I know this is a beauty blog and so you focused on telling us about your beauty destinations, but I hope that you and your charming husband spent even more time seeing and enjoying the places of historical and cultural interest and that you basked in all the sights and sounds that are la vie quotidienne in Paris. I've always thought of Paris as a beautiful gift filled with wonder and joie de vivre ? Now, on to that marvel–Rome!
Hi Sabrina,
It sounds like your European tour has been wonderful thus far! I can't imagine how wonderful the croissants there must be — I'm sure it's baked goods heaven 🙂
ByTerry and Serge Lutens in Sephora??? oh my goodness i would be in HEAVEN!!!!!
have so much fun on your trip and eat a choc croissant for me! 🙂
SJ
The Sephora on Champs-Élysées is the most beautiful store I've ever been in and like you said they literally have everything. I was in Paris last year this time and you're right four days is not enough I also need to go back. On the other hand we're visiting Rome in September so I can't wait to see photos and your thoughts 🙂
Lovely seeing your travels documented here and on instagram.
Just wondering, what differences have you observed in the way French (or at least Parisian) women dress & do beauty versus American (or at least Metro LA) women?
Hope Rome is just as awesome for you and your hubby! I heard French and Italian style in general are polar opposites. Do tell more soon! 🙂
Hi! I lived in France for a couple years, so I guess I could answer this one for you! 🙂 Parisian women are generally very natural. You will hardly see them dying their hair or straightening/ curling them. Same for make-up. Funnily enough, they don't wear much. I do take them as very practical as well when it comes to clothes. Now, you may know there are many French with arabic origines, I must say there is a noticeable difference between them the French with 100% european origines: I feel like they are more self aware of their clothes, wear makeup more often and are always parfumed. I'd always get inspired by them! 😀
All of these photos are so so stunning! Paris looks incredible. x
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AHHHHHH Italy!!! The people, the history that surrounds you, the mind numbing age of everything. Vatican and Vatican museums are amazing but such a crowded gauntlet, I hope you don't have to face hordes behaving like hordes….my favorites: Julius Caesar's gravemarker (people still put fresh flowers) blew my mind in the Foro Romano; tour a catacomb on the outskirts of Rome, amazing and weird; Ferragamo/Fendi/Bottega Veneta et. al along Via Condotti for leather bags and shoes; walk around the pedestrian-only streets and to the Piazza Navona, Pantheon, and Trevi fountain at or after dusk, so magical!!! Italy is beyond glorious, I personally love it as my #1destination in Europe. If you can a side trip to Pompeii is also magnificent!
Yea!! Sounds marvelous!
There's a little perfume shop on the corner of the Piazza della Rotonda (where the Pantheon is), not far from the iconic coffee shop, La Tazza D'Oro. You can't miss it- it's elegant and a little dated-looking at the same time:) They have a beautiful selection of perfumes from a huge range of houses that are very hard to find anywhere else. The saleswomen were incredibly sweet and it makes for a slightly different, more intimate cosmetics shopping experience. In terms of Italian beauty brands, Collistar is really the only uniquely high-end Italian brand that you find everywhere luxury cosmetics are sold. The products are so-so (the hair care is great) but are really meant more for a full-on painted look. La Rinascente on Via del Corso is a very nice department store to spend time in though the one in Milan is on another level completely. Do check out Rilastil's skin care though if you get a chance- I really enjoyed it. Otherwise enjoy the scenery and remember that Rome is best at night when the tourists are trying to bar hop and leave the monuments alone…11pm is the only time to see the Trevi fountain without mobs. Divertitevi:)
The pictures are stunning, Sabrina! Hope you're enjoying your belated honeymoon!!
I have been to Paris a 2 summers back and I enjoyed it a lot ! hope you are having fun and I really like the photos 🙂
I miss Paris! We were there last May – for the first time. SO beautiful! I went to a small pharmacy near our hotel (close to the Eiffel Tower) and it was overwhelming…I just bought a lot of Caudelie products (about 1/3 cheaper than the prices in the U.S.). Enjoy Rome – we didn't go there – just Paris and London. We definitely want to go back!
Thanks so much for the update! But I'm DYING to know how your packing experiment is working out!! I have trouble packing light for a week trip in the US! Have fun!
Hi Sabrina, I hope you're having lots of fun and from the looks of it you are. Can't wait to read all about your exploits.
Thanks for sharing your trip with us! I wish I was enjoying pastries from Pierre Hermé & Angelina right now.
Happy Tuesday
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This will be our next destination. Have heard so many great things about this place and we should not miss.
There's this church in Rome called Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini with crypts that have been decorated with the bones of some 4000 monks who were buried underneath it. Elsa Peretti designed her Bones Collection for Tiffany drawing inspiration from this crypt that she visited as a child. I know it sounds spooky and might not be your thing but it is very unique, the kind of thing you wouldn't find anywhere else. You can google it to see some pics. It's a quicker alternative to visiting cathacombs and it's in Via Vittorio Veneto 27, the famous street associated with La Dolce Vita by Fellini so possibly an area you'd be visiting. It's open everyday 9am-6.30pm.
A far less spooky place to visit is Trastevere, bottom left on your map, across the river. It has a small town feel and has the best trattorie and places to eat in a tangled web of tiny streets with cobbled stones and less touristy than the center. Largo di Torre Argentina, just West of Piazza Venezia, is the most famous cat shelter in town: an open space with ancient ruins and cats lounging on them, sometimes coming up for a cuddle!
Beauty-wise, the Campo Marzio store at 70, Piazza della Rotonda by the Pantheon has exclusive Italian perfumes (+ Byredo and the likes) . Do give bakeries (Forno) a chance for a quick bite on the go: their focaccia and bread specialties are tasty and cheap.
And when you're at the foot of the Spanish Steps, visit the adjacent little square, Piazza Mignanelli, with the historic Valentino HQ. They usually have some windows open so you might get a peek of the action!
Go to Pizzeria Da Baffetto on Via del Governo Vecchio, 114 in Rome. The BEST pizza in Rome. By the looks of the lines, you might think it a tourist-trap. It is not!! Go early and Go often!!! My boyfriend and I were there a week, ate twice at Baffetto's. Go for the fungi pizza….:-), otherwise known as mushroom!! Yum…… Giotto's Gelato….just around the corner at the bottom of the Spanish Steps….also divine. Personally, I like Italian wines much more than French. Just my opinion. You must sometime get to Sorrento, Positano, Ravello(Amalfi Coast) & Capri…..it is Heaven on Earth. The only place they may top it is The Maldives….they are on the bucket-list!! Enjoy!!!!!
Deborah xx
The
I am so jealous and happy that you were able to go to Laduree. Sounds like you're having well deserved fun 😉 By the way, I bought the Chikuhodo takumi brush set from visageusa.com and got three of them engraved with my last name. It was great customer service and though they said it would take 3-4 weeks to send, I got the brushes in a week from Japan! The engraving is beautiful From this experience, I recommend them since I know you were curious if they were a reputable seller.
Looks like you had a wonderful time in a magical city. Collage is really nice as well
I love Paris. I first went when I was a flight crew and I cant wait to go back with my hubby, such a romantic city.
Nashia | MakeupandBeautyMayhem
Wonderful places!
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I've never been to Italy, but reading this brought me back to my stay in Paris. I stayed in the Latin Quarter at this really cute boutique hotel. That's one of the first times I had ever been out of the States and it fueled my decision to minor in French. I loved reading about your experiences, because I went to many of the same places and loved them all.
Rome is the best European city!! I went last year. Must see the roman forum, palatine hill and colosseum. The pantheon and palazzo Venetia were highlights. Shopping and food cannot be beaten! Enjoy every second xx
Hello, Darling! Paris is indeed wonderful! I lived there for about 2 years. It's been one year I moved out but it still feels like it was yesterday I could visit the louvre or Champs Elysées whenever I felt like after my classes. The first few times I got in the champs Elysées Sephora I was thrilled. But after gettting to know other sephoras around the world I just got to the conclusion that that one happens to be one of the worst ones. It's constantly crowded and hot in there, there are always dozens of sellers trying to grab your attention to spray some cologne on you or get you interested in a parfum, you're never able to look at the makeup products without a seller trying to push products into your basket and when you finally want some attention, they are quick into picking products for you and rarely feel like trying them out on your skin. I do like the fact they have MAC there, as the sephora discounts can be applied for their products as well, although there were many occasions the girls would ask me to go the MAC store (relatively new and a few stores away only) because they wouldn't have the product there. I must say discount wise I think sephora France is better than the US. I get almost monthly 20% to 25% discounts in any product there cause I am Sephora Gold. I don't believe the discounts are as frequent in the US. Overall, Paris is indeed an amazing place for food, shopping and falling in love 🙂 Can't wait to go back there!
Looks so fun! I really want to go to Paris, even more after seeing your photos and stories 🙂
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I miss your post. Hurry back ♥
Such a lovely round up of photos, hope you had an amazing time! 🙂
Erica
http://www.eggcanvas.me
Welcome back, Sabrina! It sounds and looks as if you had a wonderful time!
Such a great adventure! It sounds like you and your husband had a wonderful time. And, I'm gad you didn't blog. For everything there is a time and a place and this particular time and these particular places were meant for exploring and savoring new experiences; not blogging. Now that you're home again, there will be plenty of time to get caught up. Welcome home, Sabrina 🙂