I love Parisian skincare products and all things French. I was absolutely lucky enough to go to Paris this week. It was very hot (yay!) and I got very burned….
I’m not going to lie, I mainly went there to drink wine and eat food. My first stop was to go and visit the French pharmacies, who are known for their excellent skin care products and evidently, beautiful skin.
I discovered whilst in Paris that there are more pharmacies than there are Starbucks, which is to say there are A LOT of pharmacies.
I took some time out of sipping wine to talk to some of the ladies working at the counters about their skin care routines and here is what they had to say.
Most of the ladies (and men) prefer to splash their faces with cool water both morning and night instead of using harsh soaps or foaming cleansers. Some also say that it is best to use filtered water instead of tap water, that is of course, if you have the cash spare!
Cleansing
To get rid of daily dirt, pollution and make-up, the French opt for some of my favourite gentle cleansers. Caudalie micellar water is a favourite. This is perfect for sensitive skin in particular and removes even waterproof makeup.
If the Parisians are in a bit of a rush to get out of the door, next they will use a thermal water spray such as Avène. This is great for putting a quick blast of water back in to dehydrated skin in a hurry.
Brands such a Vichy, Bioderma, La Roche Possay and Embrolisse all play big roles in French women (or mens) skin care cabinet. They have beautiful and reasonably priced moisturisers, serums and eye creams that tailor to every skin type.
Personally, I would start with a serum by Vichy. I love using Vichy thermal Serum. It applies so easily as really nourishes your skin quickly. Allow that to soak in for as long as you can and then apply a moisturiser. Embrolisse is great for dry skin, but perhaps not the best for oily skin. For oily skin, try Vichy Normaderm face cream.
Water is God in France. Looking around Paris, everyone has water with them or at lunch (along with a glass of rosé it would seem!) to keep their skin hydrated. Its been said time and time again how important water is for us but seriously, checking out the Parisian woman’s skin, it is obvious that the benefits of their water intake can be seen on their flawless faces.
Style
I fell in love with the Parisian make-up style. It is undone, effortless and barely there – my kind of make-up. Their skin had very little foundation on it. Perhaps a little tinted moisturiser, BB Cream or my ultimate favourite right now, Chanel’s Vitalumier. Add a little bit of concealer to any blemishes, a few licks of mascara and the most key product of all – a red lipstick. This is applied without a lipliner and straight from the bullet. There are no ‘seven steps to lipstick application’ here, just quick, easy effortless lips.
art de vivre art of living