Born in Paris Edition 0.1

Maxine’s Revenge was built around an approach to beauty Leah fell in love with when she was living and working in Paris.

The kind where women walk out the door looking completely themselves, nothing overdone.

Born in Paris is a new series where Leah takes you through the places where that philosophy soaked into her core view of beauty and style.

Welcome to Born in Paris - Edition 0.1

If there is one place that inadvertently shaped my idea of beauty, it's L'Avenue.

Located on Avenue Montaigne among Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and the headquarters of LVMH, it was always a go-to spot for lunch meetings, coffees, and after-work drinks. I spent hours there with favorite co-workers, brands visiting from abroad, friends passing through the city, and sometimes simply by myself.

What stays with me isn't the food or décor—although both are nice.

It's the women.

(Les grandes dames parisiennes.)

Paris isn't a young girl's city, despite what Hollywood might suggest. It's a city owned by women who've seen a thing or two. Powerful executives. Creatives. Entrepreneurs. Lawyers.

Women who know exactly who they are.

Nobody looks like they are trying too hard. They're polished, but never overdone. Skin looks like skin—and it's most definitely the star of the show.

Hair isn't perfect. There's rarely a lot of obvious makeup. Always a hint of lipstick, and in the summer, sun-kissed cheeks.

On the really warm days, I'd see lots of deep V-necks, bare shoulders and arms.

They're comfortable in their skin.

This sensibility became ingrained in me during the years I lived and worked there.

French Face was born from that idea. Unfussy, comfortable-in-your-skin makeup.

And we've only just begun.