What wonderful cosmetic or not so secret potion should I look for in Paris?
 

I leave next Sunday for Paris with two other Fodorites (Woo Woo!!) What should I look for that is not available here or is a better buy even with the exchange rate? What is your best kept secret? I won't tell :) .

I love to go to the Fragonard store on St. Michael. I have gotten many fine things there but mostly, I love the face cream.

Annick Goutal products--three stores in Paris. Beautiful products and presentation. www.annickgoutal.com

Some of the range is available at Neiman Marcus and online (not to the US from her official website) but you have to experience the stores. I love the shampoo, hand cream and candles.

They have very good suntan lotion over there.

I bought the Annick Goutal perfume one year. It is really nice. We can get it at some of the bigger Nordstrom stores here in Ca.I got the Magnolia scent.

I've fallen in love with Ives St Laurent's fragrance called Paris. I like to bur perfume at a place off of Rue de Rivoli called Catherine's. I think it is on Rue Castiglione.

Even though you can now find the products very easily here I still like and use many L' Occitaine. There products made with honey are really great. IMO

I always go to the Santa Maria Novella store right around the corner from St. Sulpice. I know it's not French but I get to Paris much more often than I get to Italy and they have the most wonderful honey hair conditioner.....and lots of other stuff.

Caudalie skincare products are quite good and readily available in Paris pharmacies (parapharmacies) and cost much less there than they do in our US Sephora stores. I'm a big fan of Caudalie's Gentle Cleanser. It's best to price your cosmetics/skincare items at home to see if it's any kind of bargain in Paris. Generally true French brands will run you less in France, even with an unfavorable exchange rate. Of course they truly must be French brands, not something with a French name that's made in the US and costs less in the US. EJ

Check out the Monoprix and pharmacies for products that are available in the U.S but a much higher price. Go to the big Sephora store on Champs Elysee too. Bonjour cosmetics are a lesser priced Chanel brand. Available here but cheaper there and in the drugstores as well. Esteban in the Marais has wonderful scented products. Fragonard has great packages that can be broken up for small gifts for home.

Chevre, I think you mean Bourjois instead of Bonjour?

Not to hijack, but what is the French brand sunscreen (or perhaps foundation with a high SPF?) that is not available in USA? I think this brand can be bought here but not with such a high SPF. It's been mentioned on the Forum from time to time but I don't know how to search for it.

Merci for any info.

Here's a great website that has info such as what cool things to buy at the pharmacy: http://www.parisescapes.com/

The sunscreen is La Roche-Posay, Anthelios Lait, ultra-protection UVA, SPF 40.

Caudalie seems to be a better price in Paris than the US and you can get the full range of products. If you're buying enough in one day to get the VAT back at one of the big department stores you can pick it up there at the same time and get the detaxe on it.

The Guerlain shop on the Champs Elysees is a magical delight. It's like stepping inside a gold jewel box and they do have fragrances in there that aren't available elsewhere. Parfums de Nicolai is a small perfumer (grand-daughter of Guerlain) with a shop and some lovely fragrances. Their prices are relatively reasonable.

Thank you so much! My list is growing...any more suggestions??

ellenet hairspray...yes, we now have it here in a few places. but i have it on good authority that the formula is not the same.

I bought Sensodyne toothpaste with "Soin Blancheur" at Monoprix in Paris and I must say that it really has whitened my teeth better than any product I have ever used including the Crest "white strips."

Thingorjus

oddly enough, you can buy la roche posay sunscreen in cvs here in the states. i'm not sure if it is spf40, but i think it might be? about $25 for 3.4 oz tube?

apparently it might even be available at brooks or rite aid!

http://www.laroche-posay.us/_us/_en/locator/stores.aspx

Thank you for the info about La Roche-Posay; I guess it's not essential to buy the product in Paris now.

I just googled and there's a bazillion places to buy the great sunscreen online. But let's pretend we don't know and need to go to Paris when we run out.

i think that's a terrific idea to go to paris everytime we're out of sunscreen! :) it's the mexoryl in the la roche posay that's supposed to be effective, i think. lancome also has sunscreen w/mexoryl but i've never tried it...

that's what I'd say to my husband about Provence.
"we're out of olive oil!"

Ok, off we go to France for our sunscreen and olive oil!