Co-founders of the cult artisanal Parisian hairbrush brand share their beauty essentials and insider French favourites …
PAULINE LAURENT
Key beauty staples/old favourites I’m never without …
“My day cream The Cream from Augustinus Bader [from €180], and Mega Water from French skincare brand Talm [€28]: it radically changed the everyday feeling of my skin.”
Best beauty investments – what I spend a bit more on that’s worth it ……
“I have always spent more on skincare – and now haircare – than make–up or perfume. For me, investing more is the basis for a natural and healthy glow.”
Most recent purchase …
“The new eyebrow gel from Typology Paris [€19.90]. I have massive and messy eyebrows – can’t wait to test it!”.
Favourite places to shop for beauty …
“Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche in Paris: I love their selection – and that they carry the full assortment of La Bonne Brosse and Cair haircare, of course.”
All-time favourite beauty item …
“My N.04 La Bonne Brosse hairbrush, I carry it in all sizes everywhere with me and can’t do without it. It’s the saviour of my messy effortless French girl type of hair.”
I’m coveting …
“I want to finally fall for an LED mask; I’m not an early adopter when it comes to beauty devices, but I have learned more about it now and I’m convinced enough to try.”
Favourite treatment/therapist/facialist …
“I love the body massage at Martine de Richeville – I have been addicted to her technique of body sculpting for years.” [Available in various locations in Paris and in London].
The loveliest perfume bottle on my dressing table …
“A bottle from the Dries Van Noten fragrance line, they are exquisite.”
One foundation I swear by ….
“I don’t really use foundation, but when I do I always go to the one from Guerlain’s Terracotta line.” [€60]
My beauty ethos …
“Less is more! The less I put on my skin, the better its natural glow.”
Some of my favourite hidden gems in Paris …
“Le Maquis, the typical tiny and delicious French bistrot hidden in the 18ème arrondissement next to where I used to live, with its cool crowd of connoisseurs. Pizza Chic, the best Italian in my future neighbourhood in the 6th. The best place to walk and admire Paris is le Jardin du Luxembourg and my son always plays mini boat races in the pond, I love it. I also always love a tour at Palais de Tokyo for arts, and Palais Galliera for fashion exhibitions – they are right next to each other!”
FLORE DES ROBERT
Key beauty staples/old favourites I’m never without …
“A Bonne Brosse (predictable, I know), Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick and Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré [€24.80]. Some things become classics for a reason.”
Best beauty investments – what I spend a bit more on that’s worth it …
“Hair. Healthy hair changes everything. A beautifully made brush, a few products that genuinely work, and consistency beat an overflowing bathroom cabinet every time.”
Most recent purchase …
“An influencer I follow on Substack wrote such a convincing piece about the ZIIP microcurrent device that I completely gave in. I’m usually quite resistant to beauty hype … apparently not this time. I’m testing it as we speak. Ask me again in a month.”
Favourite places to shop for beauty …
“Any tiny pharmacy I stumble across in Paris where I inevitably leave with three things I never knew I needed.”
All-time favourite beauty item …
“Our humble N.02 boar bristle and nylon hairbrush. If I forget it when I go away for the weekend, it genuinely throws me off. It’s one of those objects you don’t realise you’ve become completely dependent on until it’s not in your suitcase.”
I’m coveting …
“Now that I’ve fallen down the ZIIP rabbit hole, I’m finding myself eyeing LED masks. Apparently Charlize Theron swears by them, which is a dangerous piece of information to give me. I just need to recover financially from the first purchase before convincing myself the next one is absolutely essential.”
My favourite Irish beauty product …
“I have a soft spot for Pestle & Mortar. Their Pure Hyaluronic Serum [from €26] is one of those products that really does the job.”
Favourite treatment/therapist/facialist …
“The hands of Merryl de Catuelan in Paris. Her face-lifting massage is outrageously effective, and the whole experience feels effortlessly Saint-Germain: discreet, elegant and entirely focused on technique rather than gimmicks.”
My home fragrance …
“Fresh flowers whenever possible.”
The loveliest perfume bottle on my dressing table …
“Eau de Bonpoint. The bottle is beautifully understated, and the scent is pure comfort.”
One foundation I swear by …
“I don’t actually wear foundation. Just a little Jones Road concealer under my eyes if I happened to enjoy one glass of red wine too many the night before.”
My beauty ethos …
“Beauty should simplify your life, not become another full-time job. I’d rather own a handful of exceptional tools or products that I use every day than chase every new launch.”
Some of my favourite hidden gems in Paris …
“For shopping, Astier de Villatte and Maison Marin Montagut. For wandering, Jardin du Palais Royal early in the morning before everyone else discovers it. For lunch, Le Grand Café. For dinner, Loulou. And if you leave Paris without spending an hour getting wonderfully lost in Le Bon Marché, you’ve done it wrong!”
La Bonne Brosse and Cair haircare is available at labonnebrosse.com and at Liberty, London.
We may earn a commission if you buy through affiliate links on our site.
