In a city where even a Sunday morning visit to the boulangerie requires an acceptable level of dress and styling – no jogging bottoms, please – the beauty industry is correspondingly large in size and presence. Centres for beauty treatments are a dime a dozen, ranging from budget to hyper-luxe; from specialist boutiques like nail chain L’Onglerie, to the generalist budget branches of Body Minute waxing, hair removal and tanning salons. Not to mention the dedicated perfume houses specialising in the mix of personalised scents, or cosmetic boutiques where perfectly coiffed women are on hand to offer advice and application of make-up. Nothing is too specialised; Frank Vidoff runs a salon dedicated to the art of blonde colouring, while pedicurist Bastien Gonzales at Hotel Costes is sought-out by foot fetishists for his amazing pedicure treatments and self-named product line (book far in advance). Nor have men been left out in the cold with a selection of über exclusive men’s beauty boutiques opening to cater for the growing demand in male grooming.

When it comes to general purchasing, supermarkets offer a basic range of well-known brands such as Nivea creams and Chanel cosmetics. Specialist beauty superstore Marionnaud is a great place to search out a wide selection of well-known brands, while Yves Rocher sells an extensive range of plant-based products from its own line in stores across Paris. For a treat for both the nose and eyes visit the Comme des Garçons perfume shop in St Honore where the scents are almost as impressive as the cutting edge interior design. Naturally, the city’s biggest department stores also offer huge range, with entire floors dedicated to showcasing extensive ranges of both French and international cosmetic and perfume brands.