Ancestral Tips (We Never Forget Our Roots)

Paris is a land of exile and of providence, a veritable melting pot. If you go back to their family trees, most Parisiennes originally come from somewhere else. You’ll discover flavors and scents from Brittany or Oran, and echoes from the Far East or darkest Africa—the fruit of successive waves of immigration that enrich and enliven the city.

Their families pass down advice from one generation to the next, secrets murmured in one another’s ears. Whether beauty tips, recipes, or housekeeping notes, the Parisienne loves to draw on country wisdom that reminds her she is more than a rose that grew from concrete.

Throw coffee grounds down the drain, never in the trash. They help degrease the plumbing and remove bad smells.

Aspirin in the water makes your roses live a little longer.

New shoes can be slippery. Catwalk pros cut up the soles with a knife—but rubbing them with half a raw potato works just as well.

To give your hair that extra shine, use half a cup of white wine vinegar—simply pour it over your hair and rinse.

Your skin, hair, and nails all love beer. Not the kind you drink—that gives you a belly—but instead beer in the form of brewer’s yeast. Sprinkle it on salads, steak, vegetables. It’s an excellent alternative to salt.

Rum, honey, two egg yolks, and the juice of a lemon: not a recipe for baba au rhum, but just what you need for a restorative hair mask.

Keep a pumice stone in your bathroom. Scrub your feet at least once a week to ensure they are always soft.

In the baby section at the drugstore you can find sweet almond oil for next to nothing. Once you start using it, you’ll never look back: it’s a great hand and body moisturizer.

At the end of your shower, spray your breasts with cold water.

Before throwing out a juiced lemon, rub it on your fingernails—it’ll strengthen and brighten them.

Once a week, brush your teeth with baking soda—it’s a natural whitener.

Newspapers are perfect rags for cleaning windows, and they’re more eco-friendly than paper towels.

WHEN YOU WATCH THESE FILMS, YOU’RE IN PARIS

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 775