What I’ll be packing home from my year in Paris

Chanel Huile de Jasmine Revitalizing Facial Oil

First launched in France, this cult facial oil had so much buzz up to its release in April it promptly sold out. The bottle is beautiful and smells like jasmine. Look for it at Chanel’s new beauty store on the Champs Elysées (about 120 Euros).

Evian Brumisateur D’Eau Minerale Naturelle

These atomizers of pure spring water are great for setting your make-up or cooling off in the summer. They come in four sizes here (every kid has one in their school backpack) and I keep ours in the fridge. During the Paris heat wave this summer they sold out everywhere.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentre

A French make-up artist used this face cream on me for a Paris photoshoot and I was hooked.  It works on every skin type, and is not expensive (from 6 Euros). It comes in a metal tube which is kind of chic too. Tip: you can buy it globally on Amazon.

Savon Le Naturel Extra Pure de Marseille

I buy this liquid hand soap at Monoprix for its awesome packaging and great scents, such as the Olive Oil variety for the kitchen. They make a version just for Monoprix where it is only 3.6 Euros a bottle.

Nuxe Paris Huile Prodigieuse

I’ve used this French all-natural dry oil for body, face and hair for a few years (from Shopper’s Drug Mart in Canada). My husband calls it my signature scent. It’s about 40 Euros in the pharmacy; 35 Euros at airport Duty Free. In France, look for the limited edition bottles with polka dots or the Eiffel Tower.

Klorane Shampoo

Karl Lagerfeld swears by their dry shampoo, but who could resist their plant-based shampoos in formulations such as Peony? There’s even one specifically for grey or white hair. Luckily it’s widely available outside France, too.

L’Eau Micellar

French women would never deign to wash their faces with L’eau de Paris. Instead, they use this special cleansing water on a cotton pad. There are countless varieties, from Dior to drugstore, so I usually just buy whatever is on sale.