Along the bustling Champs Élysées in Paris—it’s said that some 300,000 people visit the famous street each day—there’s a quiet place of pampering and tranquility.
Billed as a “Parisian temple of beauty and wellness,” L’Institut Guerlain has been open since 1939. Located at 68 Avenue des Champs-Élysées in an upper floor of the building directly beside the brand’s historic flagship boutique, the luxurious space is more than just a spa. It’s a place of innovation for the nearly 200-year-old company.
“The Maison Guerlain encapsulates Guerlain’s entire spirit: refined and elegant, yet trendy and bold,” the company declares on its website. “A place where craftsmanship and well-being are harmoniously intertwined.”
In search of a rescue for my travel-weary skin amid the busy schedule of Paris Fashion Week, I booked in for a facial service at the l’Institut Guerlain. In a city that’s home to haute couture, it seems perfectly fitting that the French brand’s approach to treatments here would be as tailor-made as a just-your-size garment.
The made-to-measure service offering, which ranges from facials to massage, body gommage and more, starts with a visit to the stunning lounge space where you slip on a pair of soft slippers—a welcome swap for my seriously tired pieds—complete with a gold bee embroidered on the toes.
Whisked away to a private treatment suite by the attending therapist, she consulted with me about my skin concerns (for me, dryness and signs of aging) and inquired about my overall mood (read: jet-lagged and very tired) allowing me some time in the space to prepare for my facial.
Similarly to how the service begins at any Guerlain Spa—the luxury beauty company currently operates two spa locations in Canada, in Montreal at the Four Seasons and in Toronto at the Hotel X—a custom fragrance selection sets the mood.
“Breathe in, breathe out,” my therapist instructed as I closed my eyes and became enveloped in a heady mist of Guerlain scent. Settling on a smoky vanilla fragrance among the five or so that were spritzed, the aroma selection served to further the feeling that this treatment was made just for me.
Over the next 90 minutes, a curated selection of Guerlain products were used to cleanse, gently exfoliate and hydrate my skin. A big bonus of the brand’s product lineup (those who know, know) is the lush sensorial experience they deliver to even the simplest of skincare rituals. It’s an effect that’s amplified by the luxury of having another person’s hands expertly apply them to your skin.
Focussing on hydration and youthful radiance, as requested, my treatment included a lineup of products primarily from the honey-focussed Abeille Royale collection, which is inspired by clinical honey bandages, including the Cleansing Care-In-Mousse ($79 at Guerlain.com) and the ultra-moisturizing Honey Treatment Day Cream ($198 at Guerlain.com).
By the close of my experience at L’Institut Guerlain, my tired skin had been brought back from the edge of dullness and my somewhat frazzled Fashion Week nerves satisfyingly soothed. It proved to be a perfect, pampering skin reset in Paris. —Aleesha Harris
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