French Skin Care Products
A Real French Girl Reveals Her Top Beauty Secrets
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Dear French pharmacies,
If only you knew how much I miss you. You seem so close and yet are so far away. Rummaging through your old shelves for hours and finding new treasures was something that used to bring me joy, and leaving you for Boots is one of my biggest regrets . . .
OK, that might be a little dramatic, but I do miss French pharmacies. Luckily, the time when you had to beg your boyfriend to stop by one during your romantic weekend in Paris is now over — thank you, worldwide shipping! However, there's a catch. Sticking a label to a product does not guarantee its quality, and I do believe that, even though some of those products have been described as essentials by websites and beauty bloggers, most of them actually don't deserve that title. So as a French woman who has spent more hours than I care to admit in pharmacies, here are my six can't-live-without-them French skin care products.
PS: Am I the only one who doesn't understand why package tours to Parisian pharmacies still don't exist?
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré
If I had to only use one French product for the rest of my life, it would be the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré ($28). I have a very complicated skin (think combination, acne prone, dehydrated, and very sensitive), and using this product has considerably improved it. I use it morning and night, and it's as good a moisturiser as it is a primer and a makeup remover.
Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm
For people with dry, chapped lips, there's nothing better than the Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm ($15). It is the thickest, most luxurious lip balm I've ever tried, and it stays on for ages — if you apply it before bed, you'll still have some on when you wake up!
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution
Formerly known as Créaline ($31), the Bioderma cleansing water probably is the most famous French beauty product, and its fame is very well deserved. It was created to suit the needs of those who have sensitive, irritation-prone skin, and its alcohol-free formula soothes and cools as it cleanses. It is an easy yet effective way to take your makeup off (including waterproof mascara), and it maintains your skin's balance. I've tried a lot of different (read cheaper) cleansing waters that are also great, but I always come back to this one. And don't be put off by the price — a bottle almost lasted me a year!
Payot Pâte Grise
Probably not as well known as the other products, the Payot Pâte Grise ($20) is a spot treatment, and it's especially great for those pesky and really painful under-the-skin pimples, as it will help them come to a head. The product contains sweet almond, which relieves the skin and soothes sensitized areas, and it's suitable for even the most sensitive skins. Fair warning, though: the paste stains everything, so remember to protect your sheets whenever you're using it.
Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo
Looking for a new dry shampoo? Well, look no further. The Klorane Dry Shampoo ($20) is extragentle, and it works wonders. Formulated with oat milk, it helps to regulate sebum production and revives your hair, and it also preserves the pigments in coloured hair. Even Karl Lagerfeld uses it.
Homéoplasmine
I've been using this product for as long as I can remember. Homéoplasmine ($23) is a great multipurpose balm, and every French family has at least one tube at home. It soothes irritated skin and helps with insect bites or allergies, and it's also great as a lip balm. Don't hesitate to apply it under your lipstick, as it quickly dries to a matte finish.
