What I Bought in Paris Part 2

French Pharmacie finds including the best melatonin and the bag that got away

Here we go with Part 2 of What I Bought in Paris. The first in this series was such a hit that I brought it back again this year.

Clothing I Bought in Paris

Majestic Filatures t-shirts. To my luck, I finally hit the sweet spot for Paris sales in January. I bought a t-shirt from Bon Marché last year that was way more than I intended to spend. Surprisingly, it is one of my favorite t-shirts, and I wear it all the time. I mentioned the brand to my friend Katie and looked up the store locations in Paris. It just so happened that there was a store just a few doors down from where I was staying.

The t-shirts I bought were half off. Selection was limited due to the sale, but I picked up a few, and they were very reasonably priced.

Rue de Verneuil Bag

Rue de Verneuil was on my list for a while, and I have been eyeing their bags. I was surprised their store in Palais Royal was tiny! It was the size of a coffee shop with no seating. Just a few bags on shelves, and a limited assortment was in the drawers.

Again, I was able to take advantage of the sales and got this bag half off. If I end up using the bag a lot, I want to go back and get another one. You can buy the bags here if you can’t make it to Paris.

Sisley Paris

I have been a huge fan of Sisley for years and love their products. There was a Sisley store across from where I had my hair blown out. I popped in and grabbed a new mascara and a lipstick for the event. It was my little pop of red for the day.

Coffee Beans from Paris

I stumbled upon a roaster while walking in Paris on my last day and picked up additional beans. The store was filled with locals, and they roasted the beans on site.

I have a Breville coffee maker at home for espresso. In France, the same machine is the brand Sage. Just for reference, when you are asking for beans. You can give flavor notes and preferences as you buy beans. My friend Sonja brought me a gift of beans when I mentioned I collect them as souvenirs.

I bought this while out and about in the 9th arrondissement.

French Pharmacie Finds

My Pilates instructor in Chicago requested a Rose product from me, and I popped into a pharmacie to grab it. To my surprise, there were two blue bottles, and I couldn’t remember which one she needed. While I waited for a text, I browsed the aisles of a new to me Pharmacie. They can be hit or miss. I am not a fan of City Pharma. I would much rather pay a little more to not be crammed in with people. City Pharma is written up and mentioned often by bloggers, Instagram, and TikTok. I am thrilled for them, but it isn’t for me.

I stumbled into a pharmacie on Rue Dauphine in the evening. It turned out to be a great discovery. I spoke with someone who worked there and took the time to walk me through some questions and the best-selling products. I learned a lot!

Since I was post-Moxie/BBL and was limited in what I could use on my face, I didn’t pick up as much as I typically do. I love a good French pharmacie and typically buy a good amount to try. The pharmacist did tell me that the La Roche Posay B5+ is a different formulation in France than in the US. I immediately ditched mine and bought the French version.

SkinCeuticals is owned by Loréal and is French. I use the Ptiox. This is what he said the best sellers are. I did not buy anything during my quick visit and assumed I would be back, but life got busy. CE Ferulic and Ptiox.

The best thing I bought, honestly, was this Melatonin. I had been struggling with jet lag and couldn’t sleep. The pharmacist recommended this, which dissolves and works more quickly than a pill. My husband and I have fought over the citrus-flavored tablets, and there is currently one left. If you are in Paris, I would grab this. (ok two, one for me, and one for you)

Magnesium B6 is what I take regularly at night, and I picked up some while in Paris.

La Bonne Brosse Brush

I have been served tons of ads and seen a lot of buzz about La Bonne Brosse. While in Paris, I made a point to stop by the store to do a little research. I was short on time, but did end up picking up the number #1. Each has a different purpose and is designed for a specific hair type. I had taken the quiz online, and when I told the sales associates my results, they convinced me I needed something else.

Now that I have used the #1 for a while and talked to my hairstylist, we agree I should have bought #3. Next time! They did warn me that the brush cannot get wet, so you need to use it only on dry hair.

How I Celebrated My Book Launch Event in Paris

After my Sézane event, I treated myself to a nice lunch and shopped for a few things on my list. I had my eye on Sabre for a while and popped into the store on the Left Bank to pick up some spoons and knives. Now that I am home, I want to buy more! You can mix and match colors or select one main color.

Sadly, the two knives were in my carry-on bag. ( I totally forgot about them!) And they were taken by TSA. But my red chopsticks were a pass home.

I have had my eye on a Cire Trudon candle since I moved to Paris in 2013. Specifically, this scent smells like mint and is so refreshing. I stopped in at Cire Trudon and picked up my candle. As I was checking out, the salesperson asked if I wanted it monogrammed. The letters were limited, but I was able to fit Paris Every Day. The perfect way to celebrate the book!

Allow extra time if you plan to pick up a candle; the salesperson was as slow as Mr. Bean in Love Actually!

What I Bought For Henri

I found two adorable dog stores in Paris. Merci Murphy in the 9th arrondissement. I got Henri a croissant.

The other store is Barkers and Brothers, a coffee shop, dog wash, and pet accessory store. It was so cute, and everyone was extremely friendly. There were dogs that were regulars and even helped me decide on a lead for Henri.

The lead I bought is custom-made for the shop by a mother and daughter outside of Nantes.

Chocolate in Paris

I have a sweet tooth and always pick up chocolates in Paris. Plaq is a favorite along with Debauve & Gallais.

The Bag That Got Away

I have traditionally bought myself a gift for the year in Paris. This is a little bonus to myself for meeting my business goals. My closet does not contain many designer brands. There are other bloggers who are way more versed in designer shopping. I own a Hermès scarf that was a gift and a few small YSL pieces. For whatever reason, I was drawn to a larger YSL bag lately because the small clutch I have doesn’t hold much.

I stalled and didn’t buy the bag. Now that I have compared prices, more than double. I need to go back and get the bag!

For reference, I bought the clutch for around 450 euros, and it is already up 100 euros, and the euro is up. In the US, it is now $800 + tax. The bag I wanted is more than double the price in the US. It is an investment if you have the funds. When you buy at the airport, it is duty-free and already discounted.

Duty Free Shopping at CDG

If you arrive early enough, there is great duty-free shopping at CDG. This includes food (macarons, champagne, and tea) as well as great beauty products. In case you missed a Pharmacie stop or want to grab something else. There is everything from Diptyque (candles are around 50 euros vs. $88 + tax), Caudalie, and Sisley Paris. I typically grab something from Sisley on the way out of town.

Pro tip: I had this chat with my cousin over the weekend. She bought over 150 euros of Caudalie in-store that was available for a VAT tax refund. If she didn’t want to stand in line at the airport, she could have bought it there with the discount already applied. It is helpful to have expert guidance when buying skincare, and that is an added value of shopping at Caudalie. For a quick beauty pickup, Duty Free is an excellent option.

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