Notes from Paris is a new series of posts from Valerie Nahmias, Beauty Editor of Femina Magazine in Paris. Brought together by their mutual friend and fashion photographer, Franco Lacosta, her posts will be featured each month bringing us her insights on beauty from products to fabulous tips! Today she lets us in on beauty's true power - Freedom!
Today is my first post...when Kimmie asked me to contribute to her already fabulous blog, I said to my self: Let's talk about the power of lipstick and the freedom that we get from it.
After all, this is what I do... My name is Valerie , I work as a beauty editor in Paris and lipstick is to me what candies are to children;"YUMMYS"
Never underestimate the power of beautiful lips! A well define mouth with rich sumptuous lips can get you what you want! Remember that the skin of the lips is very delicate, the perfect care routine involves gently exfoliating, a nourishing balm and getting into the habit of drinking enough water to hydrate it from the inside.
I love color that makes you feel empowered. A dab of lipstick on your cheekbone gives a natural blush - Grandma's secret! The best way to create a natural glow? To apply the color just after the skincare cream, on a well hydrated skin. Without this, the make-up is dull.
Lipstick…is every woman secret weapon!! We must choose them by love and necessity. Formulas that nourish your lips, color that enhances your skin tone and illuminates the pupil of your eyes:That's Magic!!. I am a fan of the « YSL Rouge Volupté », because of his nutri-protective vegetal complex, his delightful texture saturated of pigments, his golden metallic packaging and his YSL logo. The « Red Muse » color is out of stock? No probleme, the new trend color is the N°27« Rose Paris », just the perfect hue!! A super fresh coral, elegante and young, the same color as the cabochon of the perfume “Paris”, a fabulous fragrance of Yves Saint Laurent that was presented at the Autumn-Winter’s 1983 Fashion shows.
Color is always the way to express how we feel at any moment.... For me, Coral Lipstick is sublime, strawberries macaroon from "Ladurée" inspires me as well… but the real questions goes out to you.. What is the right color for you ? « With what color do you feel is your best? What is your favorite flower ? Do you really love that spécific « Paris » pink or are you an « Unconditional Red »?
Just be all of you ...or nothing at all!!!
Valerie is the Beauty Editor of Paris' Femina Magazine and has spent her years in the fashion/beauty industry. She was an assistant at French Elle Magazine for Carine Roitfeld (who is now French Vogue's Editor in Chief) and wrote the book, Pour Etre Belle.



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back to lipstick seems to be THE trend in 2010! As a french beauty journalist, I agree with Valérie. This year, glowy and glossy touch, focus on eyelids, cheekbones and shoulders. Colors on lips , satin effects? Much more speaking than the silence of nude.