Bienvenue à Wonderland! Le drugstore parisien
Beauty Bar Dreams
WHY
Because Paris needed 24/7 Beauty or at least somewhere you could shop into the wee hours of the night
WHERE
Rive Gauche @ 122 Rue du Bac (7 ème)
Rive Droite @ 66 Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin (9 ème)
WHAT
Imagine a store that hardly ever closes filled with beauty services, organic beauty products, hair accessories, healthy snacks and even underwear and t-shirts. Well, now you don't have to imagine it as it is reality in this new innovative concept shop brought to you by L'Oreal and The Casino Group (they own the likes of Monoprix and Naturalia for those not engrossed in French culture... I actually had to google this myself so don't feel bad :) ).
For all you New Yorker's, it is like a Duane Reade with beauty advisors à la the Sephora model. But it is not just a store--they want you to spend time there and offer free WiFi, plus services such as shoe polishing, laundry, manicures, pedicures and so on. What would make this store even more perfect is a hair bar where I could get my blow outs...hint, hint....
Oh, and the best part is that store is cost conscious, meaning everything is pretty affordable. Finally a beauty store in Paris that fulfills my needs and does not break the bank!
WHEN
Another great plus is that you can go WHENEVER! One of the rare establishments in Paris open 7 days a week. Monday through Saturday from 10am to midnight (yes, you are not reading wrong) and then Sunday from 11am to 8pm. So for all of you like me who miss wandering into a store after 8pm, your shopping dreams have come true!
FYI-The beauty advisors leave at 9pm every night, so if you are looking to consult with someone re: your purchases go before then. If you are more of a self shopper and just like discovering by yourself the store is open till midnight because they have, you guessed it, self checkout and a security guard to make sure you are safe. Oh France, How surprisingly modern of you!
WHO
Great for EVERYONE--it just isn't about beauty here though there is a lot of it for the beauty junkie in all of us. They have kids items such as toys, unicorn journals and flower crowns (though, I do admit, I was going to buy the flower crown for myself). There is a men's grooming section for the enlightened male, which IMHO should be all men. There's a tantric section if you want to liven up your love life and crystal rollers for those in touch with the elements, as well as essential oils and candles. Believe me, you can spend hours in here. OH, and the bigger bonus--the staff is bilingual, at least those I encountered on my visit to their location in Saint Germain. Finally a beauty safe haven for expats!
