Twenty-four hours. That is all it takes to change a woman’s life. Or more precisely, her skin. Like a musical score where the notes sit side by side, harmonise, and intertwine without ever clashing, the repetition of gestures and beauty rituals works, second by second, to compose the perfect melody of a new kind: the symphony of the skin.
Honoré de Balzac

When we pay attention to a woman, whether she is familiar to us or a complete stranger, whether we rediscover her each morning, bump into her by chance on the street, or see her on a screen, our curious - and annoyingly critical -minds cannot help but stir a storm of questions. Is this flawless complexion the result of a lucky skin or the work of chronic cosmetic manipulation? Does this divinely radiant hair owe its sheen to commendable natural bounty, or to the rigour and deftness of practiced hands? Are those hands, soft as cotton, in their twenty-fourth spring or their forty-eight? All in all, do these details, which together form a whole called feminine elegance, come from good fortune, or from a long and studied ritual that takes place in the inner sanctuary of the bathroom?
The Officine Universelle Buly has followed, for the span of a single day, one woman among many. She is called is Suzanne, yet she readily bears any name, starting with yours. A great heroine in her own right and the undisputed mistress of her skin, she opens the doors to the intimacy of her life for a limited time, twenty-four hours, and reveals the timetable of her beauty without mystery.
A Woman After the Bath, Robert Fleury, 1843
Twenty-four hours in the life (and the skin) of Suzanne
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Wednesday 4 March 2026
7:00 a.m — The first sounds of the Parisian city – silent until then – come to disturb Suzanne’s light but dreamy sleep. Her eyelids open slightly, gently lulled by the soft morning light. She would gladly have lingered a while longer in conversation with Morpheus, but duty calls: she must get ready and perform her daily morning beauty ritual. Repeated, meticulous, and utterly essential in order to reveal her fairest landscape to the world: her angelic face.
7:18 a.m — After stretching her neck and shoulders a few times, she makes way to her adjoining bathroom, a sanctuary of self-love decorated according to her taste, and begins her morning beauty routine with disconcerting meticulousness.
7:22 a.m — Suzanne removes her night attire and with an iron grip, grabs her ionic brush, methodically running it over her entire body - still sleepy at this hour – in order to rid it of minor cutaneous excesses and provide it with the energy it needs to gently get through the day ahead.
7:27 a.m — She resolutely steps into her shower, which she enjoys lukewarm, often cool. For vitality, she’d say. With her Maltese Iris Huile de Savon, she lathers herself relentlessly until she feels completely clean. She then lingers there for a few stolen seconds of stillness, in this perfectly scented sanctuary
7:40 a.m — Once her body is brushed, her skin cleansed, and her spirit gently revived, it is time for moisturizing. Suzanne lets a few drops of her Mexican Tuberose Huile Antique fall into the palm of her hand before applying it over her arms, shoulders, hips, and lower legs. Her skin immediately glows and delights in its floral notes.
7:45 a.m — She carefully studies herself in the mirror, her faithful companion with its stern gaze yet friendly advice. Suzanne dreads it sometimes, especially on mornings after a short night when her facial features and insides feel out of sorts. However, she also knows how to appreciate its reflections. This ambivalence towards herself is fundamentally one of her greatest charms. On this day, Suzanne seems satisfied with her reflection and allows herself a discreet, modest smile. It is only after contemplating her face that the skincare waltz begins and her hands then set to work.
7:46 a.m — Using a soft cotton pad, she applies her Eau Superfine to refresh her complexion and bring out the natural tint of her cheeks. She then uses her fairy-like fingers to apply a small dab of Pommade Virginale blended with two drops of apricot kernel oil to her cheekbones, forehead, and delicate little nose. Lastly, she gives the finishing touch to her eyes by smoothing and softening their contour with her vide poche serum.
7:54 a.m — Aware that her face could not truly shine without a perfectly combed hair, Suzanne grabs her detangling brush with spikes and sets about the serious task of styling her hair, which, according to the rules of the art, is performed in a hundred repeated strokes. The scalp is stimulated and her hair swirls around, without a single stray in sight. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have enough time this morning. She only manages to complete fifty hair twirls and saves the other fifty for bedtime.
8:00 a.m — Suzanne prefers natural looks to artificial ones and applies only the faintest touch of make-up to her skin. A cloud of mattifying powder applied with a flower brush to even out her complexion and a small amount of poppy red aker fassi on her lips. It is on this colourful note that the scene of the first moments of the day draws to a close. She leaves the dressing room that she holds so dear, already thinking about their reunion that very evening.
8:22 a.m — Suzanne gets dressed without hesitation for she knows what suits her complexion and each of her outfits is meticulously prepared the day before. Standing in front of the tall mirror that dominates her hallway, she takes one glance at herself, straightens here and there a few strands of hair, and leaves her home, already nostalgic for this special moment with herself.
The minutes pass by quickly and Suzanne feels no need to attend to her beauty again. When suddenly...
10:45 a.m — It’s time to give her mind and hands a short break. After washing her hands multiple times with the English Honey Savon Superfin (at various times throughout the day, as this essential hygiene routine sets its own schedule), shaking many hands, and writing countless words traced in calligraphy, Suzanne sees to the proper care of her hands with a small amount of Double Pommade Concrète, gifting them with all the softness they deserve.
12:32 p.m — Her inner clock - and the one she wears so gracefully on her wrist - seem to announce lunchtime. Suzanne grabs her miniature vial of Eritrean Myrrh Eau Triple, which she always keeps at hand in her bag, dabs it on her wrists, delights in its scent on her neck, and thus refreshes her trail... the promise of a few pleasant encounters. When applying her perfume, Suzanne keeps in mind a valuable piece of advice she was given as a child: “A good perfume should suit both the personality and the person, and should neither precede nor follow the wearer too intensely.”
2:12 p.m — After a comforting lunch and a short restorative walk, Suzanne slips into the restroom next to her office to brush her teeth and refresh her breath. Mint-flavoured Opiat Dentaire is the chosen ally of her smile. A post-lunch ritual that may seem superfluous, yet remains essential for proper oral hygiene
The afternoon unfolds in customary tranquillity, shared between the drafting of emails, conducting interviews of varying importance, and a few discreet checks of her appearance in a hand mirror, conveniently placed in the drawer of her writing desk.
5:05 p.m — A migraine suddenly disrupts the perfect harmony of her face, her features tighten, her brows furrow. Accustomed to such discomforts, Suzanne, armed with a relaxing skin feather, massages her temples in circular motions and thus regains her Olympian calm.
6:26 p.m — Suzanne writes her final notes, tidies up her things with care, and leaves the office. Between dusk and dawn, the sky has not yet donned its night uniform, so she decides to walk home and grant her body some additional movement. The air is icy, but it invigorates her spirit and sharpens her features. She has a natural instinct for anything - that can enhance her beauty in any way, so it’s only natural that Suzanne accompanies her walk with the Historic Beauty Rituals podcast.
7:17 p.m — Suzanne always feels the same emotion when she crosses the threshold of her front door, a mixture of cheerfulness and weariness brought by the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She finds comfort in the meticulous coordination of her movements: she takes off her shoes, removes her coat and jewels, tidies away the entire contents of her handbag, and lights her precious Campagne d’Italie Scented Candle, a perfect ritual for assured peace of mind. This ceremony gives way to her favourite moment: returning to her bathroom, sanctuary of her beauty rituals.
7:34 p.m — She enters it as if it were a temple, with a silent reverence. Suzanne begins by carefully cleansing her face with her hands using a small amount of the Baume Nettoyant Superfin. With each graceful movement, makeup, pollution, and the worries of the day all melt away. Her skin’s natural beauty reclaims its place.
Her supper is light so as not to upset her body or her dreams during the night. She longs to return to the comfort of her bed and lay her body to rest, but first...
8:57 p.m — The evening shower is brief and usually with hot water, as it encourages relaxation and sleep. As the water touches her skin, Suzanne feels increasingly serene. She then applies the Scottish Lichen Lait Virginal all over her body, drifting through its green and mineral scent into a waking dream. Sorely called upon, her feet receive a supreme treatment: a foot massage with the Pommade Concrète, before slipping comfortably into woollen socks.
9:25 p.m — Standing in front of her oval mirror, Suzanne applies her True Ionized Cleansing Water 1, enriched with hyaluronic acid, to finish cleansing her face before placing a few drops of raspberry oil. She leans in for a moment, examines herself, and notices a little uninvited pimple on the corner of her nose. Without the slightest hesitation, she applies a single drop of black seed oil, which will work its skin miracles through the night.
9:39 p.m — Suzanne resumes her hair care routine and mechanically completes the remaining fifty brush strokes, accompanied by a few drops of rosemary macerate, the promise of a serene scalp. The night brings counsel, especially when it comes to hair.
10:10 p.m — After a final three minutes visit to her bathroom (the time required for thorough teeth brushing), Suzanne slips into her crisp sheets and opens her bedside book, An Atlas of Natural Beauty. She learns about some ancient legends, jots down notes, and muses on her forthcoming recipes brimming with clays and flower powders.
11:56 p.m — It is a sudden yawn that transforms the Belle de Jour into a Belle de Nuit. She treats herself to one last act of care, a dab of shea butter upon her lips and hands, remembering even her cuticles, then surrenders herself to the stars, serene and entirely at ease in her own skin.
Alphonse Karr
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