Since founding Co over a decade ago, Stephanie Danan has mastered the art of understated elegance, thanks to her collection of quietly distinctive silhouettes and elevated luxury wardrobe staples. So it should come as no surprise that the French film producer-turned-designer’s everyday look is equally considered above the neck.
Save for the occasional kohl-lined eye (a nod to her Moroccan heritage), she has long preferred richly hydrated—and naturally radiant—skin over any overt makeup statement. Since leaving Los Angeles, where she lived for over two decades, and returning to Paris, however, she’s edited her cosmetics cabinet even further. “The more minimal you are here, the better, because French women are so discreet,” she says. “A little goes a long way.”
Now, she begins each day with the Vital Skincare Complexion Drops, which she mixes into the palm of her hand along with three drops of Kypris’s Bulgarian rose essential oil, to create a lightweight veil with a luminous finish. “It gives you a little bit of coverage without looking like you’re wearing anything, especially in the winter,” she notes.
Next comes a swipe of lengthening black mascara followed by Baby Cheeks Blush Stick—on her cheeks and the bridge of her nose—for a fresh-faced, true-to-life flush. The final touch? Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Garçonne. “It’s my holy grail. I’ve gone through five of them!” she says of the petite, pigmented tube, which she slips into her purse before heading out the door and pulls out anytime she needs a pick-me-up—no mirror necessary. “I love it because it’s almost my lip color, but it gives me a little bit of a glow,” she says as she slips into Co’s double breasted leather trench —in a highly covetable shade of dark chocolate— for a day of appointments in Paris. Definitive proof that the little details make all the difference.
Skin Activator Rollerball
“After I’ve washed my face, I start my routine with Skin Activator serum, which I find enhances the glow of every step that follows.”
Vital Skincare Complexion Drops
“My go-to skin tint. I like to mix it with a little Kypris rose essential oil in the palm of my hand and then apply. It makes my skin look seamless, it takes away my fine lines, it makes everything fresh and radiant. As soon as my bottle is running out, I start to panic!”
Eye Want You Mascara in Clean Black
“I’m a designer so packaging matters to me! I love this red wand and I love what’s inside. A few swipes on top and bottom lashes for definition. It never flakes, but I like that it also comes off easily at night.”
Baby Cheeks Blush In Garçonne
“I have maybe three or four colors of this creamy blush stick. Garconne is my favorite shade on cheeks and I blend a little on the bridge of the nose. It’s the most real-looking flush on my tan skin.”
Lip Suede Lipstick in Lou Lou
“The smell of this matte lipstick is so delicious! I tap this deep bordeaux shade on my lips for a softer stain in the morning—it does not move! At night, I apply it from the bullet for a deep statement lip.”
Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm in Garçonne
“This lip tint is always in my bag. Whenever I reapply it, it makes all the difference in how I look, and it also layers beautifully over lipstick if I want a little more shine.”