Fashion

Paris shopping

As I have a NY girlfriend traveling to Paris for the 1st time, I made her a list for a cheap shopping in Paris (at least the cheapest  possible as we, Dollars earners, can really afford anything overseas right now). So here is my ideal shopping list from Paris with the addresses on a Google map on where to find it at the end of the post:

1. BEAUTY / PHARMACY

FrenchPharmacyShopping.001

  1. CREALINE H2O BIODERMA – Best Skin Cleanser, make-up remover – 9 Euros
  2. MONOI HEI POA  – Pure Monoi Oil form Tahiti – 10 Euros
  3. LIERAC “APAISANCE” Anti-Aging Cream  for sensitive skins (Great for winter) – 30 Euros
  4. VICHY DEODORANT 48 HoursSpray deodorant no perfume my favorite – 7 Euros
  • Note : when in Paris got to the Pharmacy City Pharma, they have the cheapest prices and great selection.

2. SUPERMARKET

French supermarket

  1. DEMAK’UP – Extremely softs cotton pads, I am addicted to them – 1.50 Euros
  2. NAIR CIRE DIVINE au Monoi – Microwave Wax comes in 2 flavors Berries or Monoi –  6 Euros
  3. CHOCOLAT COEUR DE NOUGAT – Run straight to the chocolate alley, it’s heaven – around 2 Euros
  4. FOIS GRAS – It’s French tradition for the holidays, and you can get them through US customs (just make sure it is NOT refrigerated ) – 10 Euros

You can buy all this and much more at Monoprix ( it is could be an equivalent of Duane Reade in NYC  plus they have clothes too ! )

3. LINGERIE

  1. DARJEELING – Black Sheer panty with stones – 15 Euros
  2. PRINCESSE TAM-TAM – Polka dots bra & thong – 39 Euros & 25 Euros
  3. ETAM  – Natalia collection, Garter Belt – 25 Euros
  4. MONOPRIX – Deep Navy Bra & frou-fou panty – 20 Euros & 10 Euros

Below is a quick set done on Polyvore with some Parisian shopping, all below 100 euros or almost…

Some affordable shopping in Paris Some affordable shopping in Paris by Madame Lolo on Polyvore.com

Items in this set: Fur & Gold Boots | San Marina, 149 EUR Metallic Bracelet | Pimkie, 5.95 EUR Little Black dress | Pimkie, 20 EUR Crealine H2O Face and Eyes Cleanser, 9 EUR Neo Disco Gold & Black Sandals | André 99 EUR

And here is below, a quick maps of the Parisian Shopping with New Yorker’s stores references:


View Madame Lolo In Paris in a larger map

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So Frenchy So Not Cheap

Even though I have been living in NYC for a while now, and that here you can find anything at anytime , there are still some French stuff that I miss from La France , so every time I go back to Paris here is what I bring back:

1. BIODERMA CREALINE H2O : The best make-up remover and skin cleanser hands down !! All the make-up artists I know are using liters of it especially during Fashion week. It is around 10 Euros for the 500 ml in France, here forgetaboutit …. the cheapest I found were on ebay for $22 plus shipping

2. DEMAK’UP COTTON PADS: they are softer, bigger and stronger than any cotton pads here, and may I add sooo soft.

3. VICHY DEODORANT 48 HOURS: Because I am never gonna wear SECRET :), but the spray version is not available in the US, I don’t know why …

Secret 1983 adSecret 1983 ad

4. FRENCH CIGARETTES: They taste different, and duty free makes them so much cheaper than here in NYC ( at least $10 a pack…), and the European Marlboro Lights have a brown filters, not a white one like here in the States.

Yves Saint Laurent cigs so chic ...
Yves Saint Laurent cigs so chic ...

5. MARIAGE FRERES TEA: Even though there is some places where you can find Marco Polo, I still miss some of the flavored tea only availble in France, such as ( irony) American Breakfast … Also I love their Tea Boxes:


So next time you come and visit me in NYC, you know what to bring ….. 🙂

Note: If you would like to know where to shop those items in Paris, and more on affordable shopping In France check this post.

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My Hairs in a Recession ??? Hell no !!

With the summer coming (hopefully..soon) and the budget of the unemployed, I still need to rock the “because I am worth it !” hairs.

It no secret that the best hair mask from far is Kerastase Masquintense for dry hair (thicks or thins) it does magic !! But the cost to it ,,, unbearable especially nowadays.. the big jar (500ml) is $100 at Rickys, and around 80 Euros in France.

BUT you can find it on ebay for $ 50 that is only if you don’t speak French, or if your browser is not a Francophone. Let me show you the example in images:

Here is below the screen shot of ebay.com on Safari on my laptop ( French and English are installed in the main languages pack)

Kerastase search on ebay

Kerastase search on ebay

the search for Kerastase returned 0 results !

Now on the same laptop with Firefox in which I removed the  French Language in the preferences , same search for kerastase on ebay.com:

firefox kerastase ebay

here you go , over 1,000 Kerastase products available and this demo is available for all L’Oreal products

Maybe je devrais finir ce post en francais, bref, pour obtenir du Kerastase a un prix raisonable il vous suffit d ‘utiliser un autre navigateur internet que celui de d’habitude , d’enlever le francais des langues installees du navigateur et commander votre stock pour l’été. Si vous avez des questions n’hésitez pas a me laisser un commentaire sur ce post je vous répondrai des que possible.

UPDATE: I had my kerastase jar in 4 days, with this great seller from the south of France for $45 , his name is hairgume.