From their chic trademark fringes to their classic wardrobe basics, there’s an undeniable allure about the beauty and style choices of French women. For me, though, there’s one specific area that I feel they’ve consistently excelled in more than most: skincare. Yes, French girls have seriously amazing skin, and it’s down to the array of hardworking skincare brands that they have access to.
Over the years, I’ve lost count of the number of industry-approved makeup removers and celebrity-beloved face oils that have been exported from France. Trust me—if it’s cult skincare products that you’re looking for, then French pharmacy brands are the best place to start. Luckily, many of these historic brands are now available on British soil, which means that French-girl glow has never been more achievable.
Ahead, keep scrolling for the eight skincare brands that French girls genuinely swear by for amazing skin (and to shop the best sellers from their cult collections).
Kicking things off with one of my favorite French skincare brands, Nuxe. It was founded back in 1989 (incidentally, my year of birth) and reached cult status just two years later with the launch of its now-iconic Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil ($48). French pharmacy brands often have a reputation for being basic but effective formulas, but Nuxe, in my opinion, is all about luxury and indulgence. All of the products are formulated to pamper both the skin and the senses and are infused with Nuxe’s trademark orange blossom fragrance.
This beautiful oil can be used on your face, body, and hair to keep your skin soft, hydrated, and glowing. Jennifer Aniston and Eva Mendes are both fans.
I remember buying this product as a student when $24 was an extortionate amount to spend on a lip balm, but I’ve never looked back. It will transform even the most parched of pouts.
Ideal for dry, winter skin, this hyaluronic acid–based treatment works alongside nourishing plant milks to hydrate skin overnight or as an intensive day moisturizer.
What would a French-skincare feature be without Bioderma? The brand’s micellar water is possibly one of the most famous skincare exports from France, with makeup artists and celebrities raving about it years before it was available here in the U.S. In fact, Bioderma has been creating science-led formulas for hair and skin since the ’70s, but when its micellar solution launched in the ’90s, the brand went from French-girl secret to global success.
Apply this cult micellar solution to a cotton pad and sweep over skin to gently remove even the toughest of makeup.
For dehydrated or dry skin types, this hydrating version contains Aquagenium, the brand’s patented biological complex that retrains the skin to lock in moisture.
Created with combination-oily skin types in mind, this micellar water uses Fluidactiv complex to help balance oil production levels and purify skin while cleansing.
Another science-backed French skincare brand from the ’70s, La Roche-Posay is a brand that I always come back to when I’m dealing with breakouts and I need gentle, effective products that I know will work. The brand prides itself on partnering with dermatologists to create formulations that work and all of the products are both noncomedogenic (meaning that they won’t clog pores) and tested on sensitive skin. Plus, the fact that I was actually recommended this brand by a dermatologist during a particularly bad bout of hormonal acne testifies to how trusted it is within the industry.
I have to test tons of products for work, but I always come back to this dual-action moisturizer when I want to give my skin a break. It not only minimizes the appearance of active blemishes, but it also works on unclogging blocked pores and reducing the pigmentation left behind by old spots.
A dermatologist recommended that I use this when I started using a retinol serum to help combat the redness and irritation that often comes alongside using such a powerful skincare ingredient. It’s super mild and makes a great, simple daily moisturizer for all skin types.
Thermal spring water is a key ingredient in all La Roche-Posay products thanks to its soothing, softening skin benefits. This can be used as a lightweight toner after cleansing or to refresh skin throughout the day for that French-girl glow.
Alongside their impeccable taste in beauty and fashion, the French are famous for something else: wine. And although Caudalie isn’t a brand that bottles vino, it does take inspiration from the same key ingredient, grapes. Founded in 1995 by a husband-and-wife duo, Caudalie is one of the first French skincare brands that I remember getting into. In fact, I have vivid memories of trawling Parisian pharmacies to get my hands on the cult Beauty Elixir (£32) after beauty insiders raved about its glow-giving skin benefits.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Victoria Beckham, and Holly Willoughby all swear by this cult French skincare product. You can pretty much use it however you want—as a toner, to boost glow, or to set makeup—but it’s the rejuvenating natural scent of orange blossom, mint, and rosemary that I love most for calming the senses.
This serum makes skin so damn luminous that it isn’t just French girls who swear by it—it’s the whole world. In fact, one of these sells every two minutes somewhere around the globe thanks to its ability to impart radiance into even the dullest of complexions, tackle dark spots, and even out skin tone.
A lightweight, fragrance-free eye cream that tackles everything from dark circles to puffiness can be hard to come by, but Caudalie has come up with the solution in the form of this eye-brightening lotion.
Founded in 1931 by Prosper Haller, Vichy has been creating cult French skincare products from the volcanic region of Auvergne for decades. The brand uses mineral water from the nearby springs as the basis for its formulations thanks to its natural ability to reinforce the skin’s natural defenses. Plus, the brand works with the best dermatologists and allergy experts to ensure that all products are suitable for even the most sensitive complexions.
I was recently recommended this product via Vichy’s AI skincare tool, but it happens to be one of the brand’s best sellers. It’s made with 89% thermal water, and you apply it to clean skin to create a moisture barrier. It just might be the secret behind that French-girl glow.
Formulated with salicylic acid—a chemical exfoliator that helps to unclog pores—this daily cleansing gel removes dirt, dust, and pollutant particles from the skin so that your complexion looks instantly fresher and clearer.
Created with more mature skin in mind, this hardworking moisturizer actually helps to boost the skin’s collagen production to help restore plumpness and elasticity for a smoother complexion.
Named after the region of France in which it was founded, Avène has a unique origin. The story goes that a horse with troubled skin was cured after drinking and swimming in a thermal spring in Avène way back in the 1700s. Rumor or not, it became the place for a dermatological facility where patients would come to be cured of various skin ailments with this magical spring water. In 1990, Avène as we know it was born—using the same water as the key ingredient in its French skincare products.
This product is a bit of a French skincare secret, but you’re likely to spot a tube in the bathroom cabinet of most French families. It’s a bit of a do-it-all product. Use it to soothe cracked skin, hydrate cuticles, reduce irritation, and calm sensitive patches.
If your skin is feeling a little parched as we come out of winter, this oil-free serum uses that famed Avène thermal spring water to provide the skin with continuous hydration for 24 hours. Genius.
Basically every French girl I’ve ever asked about her skincare routine has used this spring water spray at some point. Use it after cleansing, to set makeup, or to calm flushed skin throughout the day for a healthy-looking complexion.
Embryolisse was actually created in a Parisian hospital in 1950 as a way to hydrate and care for patients’ skin. It was then introduced to French pharmacies where the country took the multipurpose lotion to its hearts and, subsequently, the word spread. This basic moisturizer is now loved by A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow as well as French girls and our fashion friends.
French girls swear by this basic cream as a moisturizer, cleanser, makeup remover, and overnight mask. It’s just so versatile.
The same cult formula but in limited-edition New York packaging to celebrate that American girls can now get their hands on this iconic French skincare product. Seriously—how cute?
Enriched with hyaluronic acid; sesame and sweet almond oils; and vitamins A, E, and F, this regenerating treatment helps to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier for more radiant skin in just 10 minutes.
Founded in 1962, long before some of the other well-known French pharmacy brands, SVR was created by two pharmacists to cater specifically for those with sensitive skin. It was one of the original brands to come at skincare from a scientific, pharmaceutical angle, and it’s truly amazing. If you struggle with sensitive skin, I urge you to try out some of its products, most notably the suncare. Whereas some SPF formulas have a tendency to irritate sensitive skin, SVR has a way of creating sunscreens that feel like a second skin.
Formulated with super-hydrating hyaluronic acid to plump and boost radiance, this foaming mask is a real instant pleaser. It also contains polyhydroxy acid gluconolactone to help exfoliate with minimal irritation. Plus, on top of all of that, if you’re concerned about redness, it works to soothe stressed-out complexions, too.
If you find that micellar waters irritate your skin, this one could be the one for you. Besides getting rid of makeup with minimal fuss, it also contains soothing niacinamide to calm redness and irritation.
The most wonderful thing about this particular sunscreen, besides the fact it feels incredibly lightweight on the skin, is its beautiful matte finish. Whereas some formulas might leave skin looking shiny, this quick-to-absorb gel SPF acts as the perfect daily base.
