We all know that French style is known for its chic, effortless, "just rolled out of bed" fabulosity that leaves you wondering just how they have the same amount of hours in the day that we do. With that being said, it's probably not a huge surprise that their beauty routines are the same. So...what are their secrets? This is your French girl beauty guide to their favorite beauty brands, the best skincare products, makeup ideas, and more! Ready to get that French beauté?
French Girl Beauty Guide for Effortlessly Beautiful Skin
Skincare
Before you even start thinking about going on a makeup shopping spree, you've got to start with beautiful, healthy skin. Since most French women often wear little makeup, preferring to instead enhance their natural beauty, this is by far the most important step to mastering French beauty. They realize that taking good care of their skin is not only good for looking your best, but for feeling your best. In this case, beauty is skin deep!
Related: 13 Tips to a Healthy Lifestyle
Above all else, Parisian women value their beauty products and take their skincare routines very seriously. You won't find any harsh cleansers or heavy scrubbing here! French women have a simple approach when it comes to skincare, preferring a no-frills routine with products that really work. The French girl learns at a young age that moisturizer is the key to great skin, so finding one that works for you is a must. You'll also want to find a great lightweight sunscreen - sun exposure and harmful UV rays are no friend to the skin and will speed up aging and hyperpigmentation.
Favorite Skincare Products:
Bioderma Micellar Water
A top-rated product for gentle cleansing and/or removing your makeup. It provides instant freshness and captures impurities, but doesn't strip your skin!
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
A night cream that is widely used to help with aging skin. It repairs and renews cells and helps you wake up with younger, smoother skin.
Pâte Grise Creme Purifiante
A 70-year-old classic product for those pesky zits. This product unclogs your pores, reduces visible blemishes, and lets you wake up to clearer skin!
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Balm
A multipurpose heal all that you'll definitely get your money's worth out of. This is not only a fab lip balm - it can be used on your face, body, hands, and lips to soothe your skin and help with any dryness. It's rich, but not greasy, and can even be used on babies!
Homeoplasmine Cream
Banish dry skin and chapped lips with this cream! Not only does it moisturize, but it soothes and protects as well. A little goes a long way and you can even use it to heal a popped zit!
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré
Luxe moisturizer with a huge cult celeb following...perfect for dry skin and giving you that coveted glow. It's full of good-for-you, natural ingredients too!
Eau Thermale Avene Thermal Spring Water
This gentle spring water is perfect for a light refresher. Calm, soothe, and soften your skin, all the while providing it with antioxidant protection too!
NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil
This multi-purpose oil will earn a place in your beauty cabinet. With a blend of plant oils and vitamins, it adds a healthy shine to your body and hair..all the while adding much-needed moisture!
Darphin Intral Facial Toner
This gentle toner helps with irritated skin and redness. With chamomile being an ingredient, it soothes and calms the skin!
Once your skin is cleansed and moisturized, then you move on to makeup!
Makeup
Parisians typically view makeup as an option. It's not something they *have* to wear every day, and when they do wear it, it's usually very light and natural. This doesn't mean they don't like to have fun with makeup though! They just don't have a 30-minute makeup routine starting with primer and finishing off with a setting spray as most Americans do. It would also be pretty rare to see a French woman contour and wear bold brows and/or fake eyelashes.
photos via Anne-Laure Mais
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- To cover dark circles/spots you want a light foundation or concealer. Skip the contouring. Don't forget, you're going for natural here! Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is pricey, but a favorite product of French women. French girls use American brands too though! For a budget-friendly option, Sabina Socol recommends Glossier's stretch concealer.
- If you're going to do eye makeup, go for natural shades- like soft rose or brown for daytime.
- Do brows....but in a natural way! Try for a clear gel or a tinted gel instead of the whole brow contouring thing. Go for filled in yet hardly there.
- You can't forget blush! Cream blushes are especially great, melting into the skin to give you a natural look. Buff a tiny bit on the nose and chin too for a sun-kissed flush of colour across the skin. This is a great way to fake a holiday!
- Even if you barely apply it, mascara makes a world of difference! It makes your eyes pop and will go a long way in creating that look of effortless beauty.
- The "no makeup" look is a real thing and is a key part of the French girl beauty look. Sometimes they'll opt for completely bare skin, but they usually do a light base of makeup to look put together...effortlessly!
- At night and for special occasions, have more fun with your makeup and try out a smoky eye or consider doing a bold lip color, but a bare face. Red lips are a secret weapon...and an accessory! Mac's Ruby Woo is considered by many to be the perfect shade of red lipstick.
photo via Lina Ose 
photo via Anne-Laure Mais
And last but not least, never forget about your signature fragrance. Nothing trendy...just classic!
Iconic French Perfumes
Chanel No. 5
Chloe Eau de Parfum
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
Miss Dior Eau de Parfum
Guerlain Shalimar
Favorite French Girl Brands:
Bioderma
Caudalie
L’Occitane
La Roche-Posay
Klorane
Avène
Chanel
Guerlain
Dior
Nuxe
Payot Paris
To learn even more about French style, check out the ultimate guide to French fashion! Au revoir!
Ah! That's a lot of products it seems, BUT when I look at the vast amount of creams, serums, etc. in my cabinet, I need to just stop right there. Lol! I need to try a micellar water - I haven't yet. French ladies do have lovely skin!
Haha, right! It all seems to add up! 😉
yessss so many great products here! i love everything Darphin and love that Avene spray!
xx rebecca // thecrystalpress.com/blog
There are so many new ones I want to try!
This makes me wish I had even *decent* skin. I'd love to have a simplistic approach when it comes to skincare and makeup, but my skin is all sorts of terrible and probably always will be due to my chronic illness. Either way, it's still nice to take some tips from this and try them out for myself!
I understand the struggle! I don't have a chronic illness but I dealt with acne for years and thought I'd never get clear. I did a program that helped me tremendously. I'm not selling anything but let me know if you're interested!
Thank you for giving us these manifique product recommendations! I am pretty up to date on most American skin care proudcts, but definitely not French! I can't wait to sort through all your recommendations!
I'm glad you liked it! Now I feel like I need to understand more about American products haha!
Great tips! I have been placing more importance on skincare rather than makeup and I think it makes all the difference too!
French women are experts at effortless beauty and fashion! Love this round-up
Such a great post. I will add Caudalie too it.
I definitely needed to know more about French girl beauty so loved reading this post!
kileen
cute & little
I happen to have picked up some sunscreen from La Roche Posay last week so good! French women tend to be minimal and chic. So refreshing and beautiful
Minimal makeup is so my vibe!! I love easy beauty and I have been trying to keep my look as natural as possible.
Reading this post made me realize that I need to pick up more of the Embroliysse moisturizer. Such a great product!!
Writing the post made me want to try so many new products haha!
Really enjoyed reading this. I'm trying to get back into a good skincare regimen.
I'm so glad you liked this, Lily!
I'll be 66 at the end of this month. I retired last year and since Covid was going on, figured I may as well spend some of the extra time figuring out how to take good care of my skin. I landed on Caudalie and OH MY GOODNESS! Their products are amazing! I still can't go without foundation because of age spots but they're MUCH less than they used to be and the condition of my skin overall is good enough that if it weren't for those stinking spots, I could. They have just upgraded their Vinoperfect Radiance Serum which is the product that is helping with my spots. Maybe now it will get rid of them completely! We'll see!