This week saw the grand opening of Caudalie’s first UK beauty boutique. I must say that Caudalie have chosen the location very wisely – Monmouth Street in Covent Garden is, I think, a perfect match for their brand. It has always been one of my favourite London streets, perhaps because it is just around the corner from Models1 (the modelling agency I’ve been with for the best part of thirteen years) but also because it is filled with lovely, independent coffee shops and interesting boutiques. And it’s great for people watching and celeb-spotting; the Covent Garden Hotel is just across the road from the Caudalie Boutique and you see all kinds of people sneaking in and out. (Sidenote: I once sat having dinner on the table next to Alan Rickman’s. I spent the whole time casting sideways glances at him and working up the courage to tell him just how much I loved him, but completely chickened out when, on finally taking deep breath to address him, he shot me the most obvious DON’T SPEAK TO ME! look I have ever seen. Can’t blame him, really…)

Back to the Caudalie boutique and the fact that it smells just like France. Grapey and fresh and summery. The France of my childhood holidays, not the “Paris” France of my adult years, which smells of gitanes, leather and ripe, runny cheeses. I am a big lover of Caudalie beauty products and the boutique has them all there to peruse and experiment with; you can even sit at the central beauty bar and have a complimentary “flash” treatment, if you have the time. A great way to discover new favourites, I always think; there’s nothing like having a proper demonstration of something on your actual face to make you feel fully confident about a purchase.

Downstairs there’s a more traditional spa space – a treatment room where you can book in for hour-long massages and facials and so on. I didn’t poke my head in there, unfortunately, as I was too busy chatting to the utterly gorgeous founders of the Caudalie brand, Mathilde (pictured below) and her husband Bertrand.

You’ll be hearing more about Caudalie this week, because I visited Les Etangs de Corot recently with my Mum as part of our “girls in Paris” trip and we had such an amazing time. I’ve been to the Caudalie spa in Bordeaux, too (see here) and I just think that Caudalie get things spot-on when it comes to beauty: unfussy face and body care that at the same time manages to feel luxe and covetable. Which I suppose is totally the French way!

The new Caudalie Boutique is at 39 Monmouth Street, London – pop in and have a browse and a mini-treatment at the beauty bar if you’re in the area. They have lovely Caudalie tea on the go, and now and then there will be wine: could there be a better reason to drop in on a place? It’s like a one-stop pampering shop!

 I leave you with a photograph of me outside the store, approximately two seconds before I put my right foot into a hole in the pavement and almost fell over in front of a bunch of paparazzi. (They were killing time, I think, waiting for Daisy Lowe to emerge. One called me “Chilly”. I didn’t correct them; Chilly has a certain charm…)

CREDIT: DANIEL LYNCH.
07941 594 556.
www.lynchpix.co.uk