Today, we wake up at 7AM, have a quick breakfast and follow just one rule: no make up. It’s Thuersday morning, after a week packed with early starts and too many happy hours out – not really the best condition for showing up to a work appointment, but the place we are going to is worth the effort. Valentina and I are actually on our way to Florence, where we will spend our day with Chanel’s beauty experts, in their boutique in Via Dei Calzaiuoli – the brand’s first and only specialised beauty store in the country. The location is a haven for fragrance and make up lovers, and for pretty much anyone who loves Coco Chanel’s world. It is also a magical place if you wish to really discover and understand your facial features, learn how to properly take care of them, as well as how to stress their qualities and minimise any blemishes. For me, as a complete beauty rookie, whose make up bag only contains mascara, liquid eyeliner, eye pencil and a bunch of unused lipsticks, this will be a wonderful opportunity to enter a world that has always intimidated me a little. For Valentina, who’s a make up lover and who is always into trying out new stuff, this will be the chance to get exclusive advice from a real expert in the field: definitely an amazing experience for us both.
We get to Florence mid-morning. The boutique is located right in the city centre, and since we walked there, getting to Via Dei Calzaiuoli also gave us the chance to take in the beauty of the Duomo and the Battistero on this sunny day. What is expecting us in the shop, though, feels like California – the shop’s setup was inspired by the bright colours of the L.A. Sunrise make up Spring 2016 collection, characterised by fuchsia and orange hues, with touches of intense blue here and there. After taking a look at the palette, we both decide to use it for our make up – we want to welcome spring with splashes of colour! We then have a look at the menu to pick our treatment. The boutique offers a wide selection of free treatments, all related to one area of your choice (such as skincare, fragrances and make up) as well as some more specific, for-pay ones – such as perfecting your wedding make up, and have an expert do it at home for you. I go for a more gothic look, perfect for the evening, while Valentina chooses a daytime make up that flatters her blue eyes. Have a look at the results in the video Chanel made for us to share our experience. For all beauty addicts like Valentina, we will soon post a step-by-step photo tutorial showing you how to replicate her make-up style. Stay tuned!
Video by Giulio Palaferri