It’s been a year! For anyone who needs a treat (read: tout le monde), here’s our list of (mainly*) affordable luxuries, à la Française.

* One of them is a splurge, but trust us, it’s so worth it.

La vie en rose

It wasn’t until I lived in France and tasted a kir royale with rose syrup that I became obsessed with everything rose. Eat, drink, sniff, rub it into my skin—I’m here for all of it.

Kusmi Tea organic rose and mint green tea: Only good things can happen when Paris tea purveyor Kusmi pairs up with lingerie goddess Chantal Thomass to produce this delicious organic blend of spearmint and rose. Until December 31st, 100% of the sale price is donated to breast cancer research. Makes 50 cups.
Kusmi US, $22.00
(Sign up for their KusmiKlub program for loyalty points and more)

OUAI rose hair & body oil: “Ouai” (pronounced “way”) is French for “yeah,” as in “ohhh, yeahhh, my hair and skin feel and smell great.”
Amazon, Ulta $32.00 for 3oz that goes a very long way

French Girl Rose Lip Polish: This is a bit of a cheat, since it uses rose geranium oil, but you can’t tell the difference. The scrub does a great job in softening chapped lips and smells so good that you’ll want to eat it.
Amazon, $18.00 

Le bleu, blanc, rouge

Filt French Market String Tote Bag: Made in northern France since 1860, hitting the Oprah list in 2020, these bags are super convenient and deceptively large. Available in many other colors, as well.
French Dry Goods, small set of 2 $32.00, medium set of 2 $38.95

Bisous Bisous face mask: Mask up with French nautical style and lipstick print flair
French Wink, $15
($5 off your first order with newsletter sign-up)

Le Jacquard Français Notre Dame tea towel: Our Lady of Paris and her beloved spire feature in this retro kitchen linen that, let’s be honest, would be our “don’t use that one” towel
Le Jacquard Français, $19

And now for the classics

Ladurée Holiday macarons: Eat the (gluten-free, utterly delicious) macarons, then keep the box for your story notes.The flavors are randomly selected, but since I’ve never had a bad macaron from this classic French pâtissier. . .
Goldbelly, $45.50 for 12, $78.50 for 24

Diptyque 34 Boulevard St Germain soap: I was given this as a gift for my birthday and I’m still using it, more than 6 months later. Not only does it leave your skin nourished, but the complex scent profile of woodsy elements mixed with rose, violet, iris, and spices will perfume your entire bathroom. The scent—named for Diptyque’s flagship store—is available in other products, including perfume and candle.
Diptyque US, $35 for 200g
Complimentary shipping, gift-wrapping, and samples with every purchase

Cire Trudon Héméra Alabster candle: Here’s the splurge I was talking about. The latest creation from the candlemaker that’s been in operation since 1643, including a period as the official supplier to the court of Versailles, comes in a stunning alabaster container with a matching lid and streamlined gold metal version of the Trudon emblem. Héméra is a heady mix of peppercorn, coriander, incense, teak, and rose. I lit mine for a few hours earlier in the week and, even with the lid back on, I’m still catching hints of the scent. Utterly decadent, utterly worth it.
Cire Trudon US, $240
Complimentary shipping for orders over $100, all orders ship with a scented cameo and perfume sample

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