A photo essay on French style by Geri, who yearns to be French in her next life.

I think everyone in Paris is tres chic, from the bebes in their hand-knit sweaters…

to the octogenarian who tilts her beret just so.

The moment I stepped into Miller et Bertaux, on Rue Ferdinand Duval,  I knew I was going to buy something.  I am wearing my purchases, a featherweight raincoat in eggplant...

and a gorgeous silk dress and scarf—with an ever-so-slightly different pattern—that designer Francis Miller adjusts perfectly.

Francis’s friend Katherine stops by his shop to say hello, wearing a belted denim skirt with a short leather jacket, that’s definitely on trend.

Saleswomen Yvette does justice to her employer’s clothes.

A photo essay on French style by Geri, who yearns to be French in her next life.

I think everyone in Paris is tres chic, from the bebes in their hand-knit sweaters…

to the octogenarian who tilts her beret just so.

The moment I stepped into Miller et Bertaux, on Rue Ferdinand Duval,  I knew I was going to buy something.  I am wearing my purchases, a featherweight raincoat in eggplant...

and a gorgeous silk dress and scarf—with an ever-so-slightly different pattern—that designer Francis Miller adjusts perfectly.

Francis’s friend Katherine stops by his shop to say hello, wearing a belted denim skirt with a short leather jacket, that’s definitely on trend.

Saleswomen Yvette does justice to her employer’s clothes.

If you're looking for a fragrance that drives FOF men crazy--who better to ask than an FOF man? "I was in touch with my sense of smell since I was young," says Christophe Jouany, the FOF perfumer behind Jouany Fragrances, a collection that launched this fall at Henri Bendel and is already turning heads...er...noses.

Christophe spent most his life as a fashion photographer, snapping shots for Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire and Glamour. (He was even the official photographer for the royal family of Jordan.) A few years ago, while on a photo shoot in Miami, Christophe wandered into a store that sold essential oils. "I was like a kid in a candy store," he says.

Right then and there, Christophe created the prototype of his first scent. "Everyone kept asking me what it was and where they could get it--even my cab driver," he says. A long-time perfumer friend confirmed the scent was extremely well structured, and Christophe got to work manufacturing it for mass market. "It was like building a machine engine," he says. "So many moving parts." The biggest obstacle, according to Christophe, was finding an inexpensive source for essential oils. "When you use essential oils in a fragrances, it's like the difference between an expensive wine and a cheap wine," he says.

Christophe believes that the sense of smell is the most underrated. "When people come back from a trip, they talk about what they did, but not the smell of the air," he says. Christophe's collection aims to bottle the "scent memories," a person has when they visit exotic destinations. He is creating one scent per city and started with St. Barthélemy, his hometown. "It's a very hippie-chic place, so I used Jasmine and Patchouli for that one," he says. "In my second fragrance, Marrakech, I used orange blossom. Marrakech is the biggest producer of oranges."

Christophe presented his line at Sniffapalooza, a major perfume industry event, this past April. A Henri Bendel buyer got a whiff of it, and before Christophe knew it, his perfumes were being stocked in their store. "Henri Bendel is very chichi and they only carry about ten fragrance lines. They thought mine was beautiful enough in presentation and in smell to carry at their store."

If you're looking for a fragrance that drives FOF men crazy--who better to ask than an FOF man? "I was in touch with my sense of smell since I was young," says Christophe Jouany, the FOF perfumer behind Jouany Fragrances, a collection that launched this fall at Henri Bendel and is already turning heads...er...noses.

Christophe spent most his life as a fashion photographer, snapping shots for Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire and Glamour. (He was even the official photographer for the royal family of Jordan.) A few years ago, while on a photo shoot in Miami, Christophe wandered into a store that sold essential oils. "I was like a kid in a candy store," he says.

Right then and there, Christophe created the prototype of his first scent. "Everyone kept asking me what it was and where they could get it--even my cab driver," he says. A long-time perfumer friend confirmed the scent was extremely well structured, and Christophe got to work manufacturing it for mass market. "It was like building a machine engine," he says. "So many moving parts." The biggest obstacle, according to Christophe, was finding an inexpensive source for essential oils. "When you use essential oils in a fragrances, it's like the difference between an expensive wine and a cheap wine," he says.

Christophe believes that the sense of smell is the most underrated. "When people come back from a trip, they talk about what they did, but not the smell of the air," he says. Christophe's collection aims to bottle the "scent memories," a person has when they visit exotic destinations. He is creating one scent per city and started with St. Barthélemy, his hometown. "It's a very hippie-chic place, so I used Jasmine and Patchouli for that one," he says. "In my second fragrance, Marrakech, I used orange blossom. Marrakech is the biggest producer of oranges."

Christophe presented his line at Sniffapalooza, a major perfume industry event, this past April. A Henri Bendel buyer got a whiff of it, and before Christophe knew it, his perfumes were being stocked in their store. "Henri Bendel is very chichi and they only carry about ten fragrance lines. They thought mine was beautiful enough in presentation and in smell to carry at their store."

Clientele, claims that its Peptide Wrinkle Concealer Duo Wand (retail value: $30) will “lubricate away crow's feet,” “protect the delicate tissue around your eyes,” “fight the appearance of wrinkles,” and, if that’s not enough, “It's a wonderful base to hold eyeshadow fresh all day.” Each stick comes in two shades, neutral and tan, and contains a “special peptide” promising to “erase your age” without overdrying skin. But what did our FOF testers think?

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
I used the product for 3 weeks. I don't believe it actually improved my skin, it just temporarily filled in the wrinkles.

Would you use this product again?
No.

What could make this product better?
I'm not sure. It was just a temporary cover-up and I would like to see something that would help to soften lines and wrinkles more permanently.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
The directions were understandable, and the concealer was very easy to use.

How quickly did you see results?
I used the concealer now for two weeks and noticed great coverage immediately.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
This product exceeded my expectations. I love using it on my eyelids [as a primer] and it makes the eyeshadow I apply in the morning last until evening.

Would you use this product again?
I would definitely use this product again.

What could make this product better?
I have no improvements. It works just as it is.

What was your overall experience with this product?
Positive. My crow’s feet are diminishing and unlike other concealers I’ve tried, it does not give me a white-eye effect. I do not feel it is greasy or too heavy. I am very pleased with the results and will definitely purchase and continue to use it in the future.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
Yes.

How quickly did you see results?
Immediately.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
In some ways, yes, others, no. It was a little greasy and hard to blend in, almost the consistency of sunscreen. At first I thought even the neutral shade went on too light but after it settled in (and I blotted the greasiness), I noticed that it gave very good coverage to my seriously dark circles.

Would you use this product again?
Possibly, if they made some changes to the ingredients.

What could make this product better?
Perhaps they could use an emollient other than petroleum so it would be less greasy.

Please describe your experience with this product.
Besides that it was greasy and hard to rub in, I was pleased with the results and excited that I might have found an even better concealer than the expensive one I currently use. But, unfortunately, after a few days, I began to develop psoriasis on my eyelids (an off-and-on problem, that I haven't experienced in many years). It seems that putting petroleum products on my eyelids has caused psoriasis flare-ups. I didn't check the ingredients prior to using the Clientele product, but after the flare-up, I checked and, sure enough, discovered that it was petroleum based. Once I stopped using it, the psoriasis quickly disappeared. If this company would switch their formula to an organic emollient base, such as beeswax or plant oils, I think this product would be a winner! But in the meantime, I will stay away from it because of the reaction my skin had.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
I was initially confused by the instructions. “Apply under the eye. When absorbed, used the handy sponge applicator or wand to gently pat concealer under eyes.” This lead me to believe there were two products; the one that I apply under the eye and the concealer to pat on after the first was absorbed. Once I asked and got that straightened out, I was okay.

How quickly did you see results?
I never did see it “lubricate away crow’s feet.” However, it did give me a nice unblemished base under my eye to work from.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
The product was not what I expected. It was too thick and sticky for my skin type. However, I didn’t expect it to absorb into my skin as much as it did, so it ended up okay. It was also very white, and made me look a bit scary until I applied some foundation.

Would you use this product again?
I would not go out and purchase this, but I will most likely finish using what I have.

What could make this product better?
A lighter texture and consistency.

Please describe your experience with this product.
This product reminded me of the ‘pancake makeup’ that actors wear. I felt like I was preparing for the stage rather than my daily life. I am sure the product is wonderful for the right skin type, but the area under my eyes is thin-skinned, and this was simply too dense. The consistency made it hard to get just the right amount on my eyes and I needed to spend a lot of time blending it.
—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions clear and understandable?
Yes.

How quickly did I see results?
I did not notice any results.

Did the product meet or exceed my expectations?
It neither met or exceeded my expectations.

Would I use it again?
No, I would not.

What could make it better?
If it was creamier so that it went on more smoothly. Also, I wish it did not get lighter in color as the day went on.

What was your overall experience with this product?
I found this product hard to use. It was quite firm and was hard to apply. When I tried to dab it on my skin with the applicator, I felt like it was pulling. I tried patting it on with my finger and this worked slightly better, but I found that it was going on much too thick.

Also, it kept getting lighter in color as the day went on. A couple of hours after I applied it, I looked like I had pale circles under my eyes. As an eyeshadow base, it was okay.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
I felt the directions supplied were very confusing. They contained directions for two different products--wrinkle treatment and firming eye cream. After reading it several times, I wasn’t quite sure how to use it, or what to expect. The fact that the cream had two compartments with what seems to be the same product was also confusing.

How quickly did you see results?
I do not feel that there were any lasting effects with this product.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
No.

Would you use this product again?
Probably not.

What could make this product better?
Better directions and a more spreadable consistency. I was not able to easily blend it into my skin.

Please describe your experience with this product.
The product did not blend very well on my skin. Once I was able to blend it using a combination of my finger and the sponge provided, it did provide some coverage of fine lines and brightening under my eye. However, I can’t say there has been any permanent reduction in fine lines and crow’s feet.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
No. Visually, I couldn't tell the difference between the two compartments and there was no labeling on the box. Of course, I eventually figured it out, but for $30, I'd hope for more clear instructions.

How quickly did you see results?
I really didn't see a difference at all.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
I had hoped this 2-in-1 product would be better than others I have used, but it wasn't.

Would you use this product again?
I don't think I would purchase this product and prefer what I was already using.

What could make this product better?
This product would be a lot more user-friendly if the compartments were labeled!

Please describe your experience with this product.
I really did want to love this...

Clientele, claims that its Peptide Wrinkle Concealer Duo Wand (retail value: $30) will “lubricate away crow's feet,” “protect the delicate tissue around your eyes,” “fight the appearance of wrinkles,” and, if that’s not enough, “It's a wonderful base to hold eyeshadow fresh all day.” Each stick comes in two shades, neutral and tan, and contains a “special peptide” promising to “erase your age” without overdrying skin. But what did our FOF testers think?

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
I used the product for 3 weeks. I don't believe it actually improved my skin, it just temporarily filled in the wrinkles.

Would you use this product again?
No.

What could make this product better?
I'm not sure. It was just a temporary cover-up and I would like to see something that would help to soften lines and wrinkles more permanently.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
The directions were understandable, and the concealer was very easy to use.

How quickly did you see results?
I used the concealer now for two weeks and noticed great coverage immediately.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
This product exceeded my expectations. I love using it on my eyelids [as a primer] and it makes the eyeshadow I apply in the morning last until evening.

Would you use this product again?
I would definitely use this product again.

What could make this product better?
I have no improvements. It works just as it is.

What was your overall experience with this product?
Positive. My crow’s feet are diminishing and unlike other concealers I’ve tried, it does not give me a white-eye effect. I do not feel it is greasy or too heavy. I am very pleased with the results and will definitely purchase and continue to use it in the future.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
Yes.

How quickly did you see results?
Immediately.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
In some ways, yes, others, no. It was a little greasy and hard to blend in, almost the consistency of sunscreen. At first I thought even the neutral shade went on too light but after it settled in (and I blotted the greasiness), I noticed that it gave very good coverage to my seriously dark circles.

Would you use this product again?
Possibly, if they made some changes to the ingredients.

What could make this product better?
Perhaps they could use an emollient other than petroleum so it would be less greasy.

Please describe your experience with this product.
Besides that it was greasy and hard to rub in, I was pleased with the results and excited that I might have found an even better concealer than the expensive one I currently use. But, unfortunately, after a few days, I began to develop psoriasis on my eyelids (an off-and-on problem, that I haven't experienced in many years). It seems that putting petroleum products on my eyelids has caused psoriasis flare-ups. I didn't check the ingredients prior to using the Clientele product, but after the flare-up, I checked and, sure enough, discovered that it was petroleum based. Once I stopped using it, the psoriasis quickly disappeared. If this company would switch their formula to an organic emollient base, such as beeswax or plant oils, I think this product would be a winner! But in the meantime, I will stay away from it because of the reaction my skin had.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
I was initially confused by the instructions. “Apply under the eye. When absorbed, used the handy sponge applicator or wand to gently pat concealer under eyes.” This lead me to believe there were two products; the one that I apply under the eye and the concealer to pat on after the first was absorbed. Once I asked and got that straightened out, I was okay.

How quickly did you see results?
I never did see it “lubricate away crow’s feet.” However, it did give me a nice unblemished base under my eye to work from.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
The product was not what I expected. It was too thick and sticky for my skin type. However, I didn’t expect it to absorb into my skin as much as it did, so it ended up okay. It was also very white, and made me look a bit scary until I applied some foundation.

Would you use this product again?
I would not go out and purchase this, but I will most likely finish using what I have.

What could make this product better?
A lighter texture and consistency.

Please describe your experience with this product.
This product reminded me of the ‘pancake makeup’ that actors wear. I felt like I was preparing for the stage rather than my daily life. I am sure the product is wonderful for the right skin type, but the area under my eyes is thin-skinned, and this was simply too dense. The consistency made it hard to get just the right amount on my eyes and I needed to spend a lot of time blending it.
—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions clear and understandable?
Yes.

How quickly did I see results?
I did not notice any results.

Did the product meet or exceed my expectations?
It neither met or exceeded my expectations.

Would I use it again?
No, I would not.

What could make it better?
If it was creamier so that it went on more smoothly. Also, I wish it did not get lighter in color as the day went on.

What was your overall experience with this product?
I found this product hard to use. It was quite firm and was hard to apply. When I tried to dab it on my skin with the applicator, I felt like it was pulling. I tried patting it on with my finger and this worked slightly better, but I found that it was going on much too thick.

Also, it kept getting lighter in color as the day went on. A couple of hours after I applied it, I looked like I had pale circles under my eyes. As an eyeshadow base, it was okay.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
I felt the directions supplied were very confusing. They contained directions for two different products--wrinkle treatment and firming eye cream. After reading it several times, I wasn’t quite sure how to use it, or what to expect. The fact that the cream had two compartments with what seems to be the same product was also confusing.

How quickly did you see results?
I do not feel that there were any lasting effects with this product.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
No.

Would you use this product again?
Probably not.

What could make this product better?
Better directions and a more spreadable consistency. I was not able to easily blend it into my skin.

Please describe your experience with this product.
The product did not blend very well on my skin. Once I was able to blend it using a combination of my finger and the sponge provided, it did provide some coverage of fine lines and brightening under my eye. However, I can’t say there has been any permanent reduction in fine lines and crow’s feet.

—————————————————————————————————–



Were the directions given to you clear and understandable?
No. Visually, I couldn't tell the difference between the two compartments and there was no labeling on the box. Of course, I eventually figured it out, but for $30, I'd hope for more clear instructions.

How quickly did you see results?
I really didn't see a difference at all.

Did the product meet or exceed your expectations?
I had hoped this 2-in-1 product would be better than others I have used, but it wasn't.

Would you use this product again?
I don't think I would purchase this product and prefer what I was already using.

What could make this product better?
This product would be a lot more user-friendly if the compartments were labeled!

Please describe your experience with this product.
I really did want to love this...