Notes from Paris is a series of posts from Valerie Nahmias, Beauty Editor of Femina Magazine in Paris. Brought together by our 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! Last time, Valerie talked about the Lanvin's new scent Marry Me! Today she lets us in on scents that are perfect for fall and to enhance your sleeping or waking up through the eyes of a child.

Have you noticed how a sunny day can be soft when the clouds filter the sunbeams and makes your home so cool and cozy? WOW!! It's serene for us to see our child sleeping in a revelry of dreams. During this precious time, we can prepare our weekly beauty regime!! To contribute to the bliss of their sleep, but also to their olfactory awakening, I like adding a touch of sweetness perfumed on their sheets or in the atmosphere. 5 light waters attract my attention this autumn...

A real invitation to dreams, the mist of Morpheus calms the senses. This attractive Canadian brand associates the geranium to balance the feelings and lavender to facilitate the sleep. Two sprays in the fresh and clean room add a touch of love in the air…

L’eau de lit de Guerlain, created by Francis Kurkdjan is as soft as a baby's kiss. With notes of sage, seed of néroli, leaves of bergamot, orange, coriander and vanilla, children wake up enchanted.

The Vinaigre de Toilette seems old-fashioned in 2010 but really, I always like his wooded spicy perfume. So French, so Dyptique! A drop in the bath or at the bottom of a small dish, into which I add a cup of boiling water, its perfumes divinely the room.

One more? Super trendy, the water of linen Infusion d’Iris! Pulverized on the linen before ironing, she leaves a sophisticated powder smell Made in Italy ! Let’s live our winter in wonderful fragrances…

Shopping List...

Mist of Morpheus, Officina Urban Therapy 15 € 100 ml

Water of Bed of Guerlain, 50 € 125 ml

Vinaigre de Toilette Dyptique, 38 € 100 ml

Infusion of Iris, Water of Linen, Prada, 53,30 € the liter c/o Sephora

Valerie is the Beauty Editor of Paris' Femina Magazine and it's blog Redaction Beaute 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.

Notes from Paris is a series of posts from Valerie Nahmias, Beauty Editor of Femina Magazine in Paris. Brought together by our 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! Last time, Valerie talked about the Art of Illumination! Today she lets us in on how Gucci allows you to be who you want to be.

Model: Actor James Franco


Photo: Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin


Gucci by Gucci Sport pour Homme: Eau de Toilette 50ml 55€/$65 USD

" Who makes the girls in love ? " Could be the third question asked by Gucci’s perfumes, after " Whom am I? " and " Who would I like to be? " As requested by the talented Frida Giannini, Artistic Director and Manager of the brand, little brother - Gucci by Gucci is born. Cheerful, sports and quite good-looking, he isn't any less Italian « calienté » and is comprised of aromas of citrus fruits and freshness as Casanova distribute kisses.

The tradition is passed on from father to son, and small Gucci Sport arises from a lineage of charmers in its innate elegance. It's confirmed upon viewing the package, endowed with three red and green stripes, the ribbon emblem of the House… and the presence of the bit on the heavy cork of metal silver… and legendary signature of Guccio Gucci engraved on the flask.

But I speak, I speak, and during this time the perfume spreads subtly camphorated notes of cardamom which do not miss its character! It looks like a bouquet of mature figs infiltrating into their trail, followed by a sensual woody patchouli note, a note very loved by the "famiglia". We are in the south of Italy. Smell this perfume, feel his energy, he tells you a secret... "you can be who you want to be". Everything is possible. Doors are open. One thing is for sure : here is another Gucci which will make speak about him!

Valerie is the Beauty Editor of Paris' Femina Magazine and it's blog Redaction Beaute 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.

Notes from Paris is a series of posts from Valerie Nahmias, Beauty Editor of Femina Magazine in Paris. Brought together by our 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! Last time, Valerie talked about the Masculine Revolution! Today she lets us in on beauty's connection with art!

How can a step back in time, inspire our vision of beauty? Shocking gold, true blue or red cracking... the miniature "The Hours of the Virgin" speaks about love, women, deep secrets, and reminds me of the passion of one of the biggest french sponsors of his time, Jean de France, the Duke of Berry (1340-1416).

In 1405, this « Prince of the Arts » ordered young artists Paul Herman and Jean de Limbourg, to create a series of miniature illuminations around prayer and worship. Immediate success. That work is a masterpiece of the means age.

Named « Beautiful Hours », this book, property of Metropolitan Museum of Art, is untied the time of an exceptional exhibition.

How can we express this art in our everyday life? By faith, sure, because Glamour is our religion. To the devil the Puritanism, let's live the beautiful hours! And enjoy gloss and make-up, with these tints "shocking" that support perfectly a personality. From the classicism to the modernity, everything takes place on the art to handle these exuberant colors.

YSL, Shu Uemura, Bourjois, M.A.C Cosmetics, Chanel… inspired by the art, those brands play with mascara blue, cheekbones fuchsia, vermilion mouth, lamé golden varnish. Forget about « nude », nothing is more sexy than true colors for summer. and if it is sometimes necessary to go to draw from pastime to be at the top of our time, never forget that we act today for the tomorrow's beauty.

52 days, 1248, it is the number of those Beautiful Hours that we have, to contemplate, with worship, these magnificent icons.

Valerie is the Beauty Editor of Paris' Femina Magazine and it's blog Redaction Beaute 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.