In Paris, New York or Amsterdam?

THIS IS HOW YOU GET THE PERFECT BEAUTY LOOK

This week I met Lyne Desnoyers, a wonderfully nice Canadian-born and Paris-raised woman who has been working for M.A.C Cosmetics for twenty years. She traded Paris for New York where she has been living for four years now, so let Lyne tell you what the beauty rules are in the different fashion cities. Or as she says herself; “Every city has its beauty obsession.” I'll go through them with you, so you know what to tackle if you want to blend in like a local.

That is immediately one of the hardest. Women in Paris spend a lot of time on their appearance but with the least noticeable result. Skin is very important to them according to Lyne. They take care of the perfect pore and will pay a lot of attention to a healthy skin with a fresh blush. Foundation is therefore out of the question. Or at least should not be visible. Everything that is ‘too’ is not cool for Parisiennes. In terms of makeup, the bestsellers from M.A.C there are also a good mascara, maybe a little corrector for redness and a little bit of blush on the left or right, a petite peu rouge, a gloss or at most a matte lipstick and they are done. And never ever brush your hair or apply lipstick in public spaces, okay? Understood?

“You are incredibly brow-focused,” Lyne tells me and I certainly cannot deny that. She also tells me that she finds the women in Amsterdam incredibly beautiful and I actually agree with her. Just walk around and look at all those stunning specimens walking around. I understand that we deliver so many models on the catwalk. So here, the brow pencils and brushes (which I immediately bought) really go over the counter. And glosses. We do like foundation more than the French, but less than the New Yorkers. For that, M.A.C has a product that sits exactly in between. The best thing you can do is go to the M.A.C store for advice. They will look at your skin and your wishes.

“New York women have an obsession with everything. Skin, hair, nails, body, teeth. It’s a job to look like a New Yorker,” Lyne tells me. The hair is done, the nails, they exercise every day and they are really quite well made up. With foundation and lipstick and groomed eyebrows and eyeshadow. Takes some time, but hey, then you have something.