These French Pharmacy Products Changed My Skin

After a six-year stint without European travels, I planned a trip to Paris with absolutely zero plans or a single skincare product to my name. I'll wing it, I thought to myself, fantasizing about the French pharmacies on every corner and the natural glow of muses (and French "It girls") like Jeanne Damas, Louise Follain, and Lou Doillon. When I arrived in Paris, I searched for quotes about the most ubiquitous French drugstore products—the ones all Parisian models and celebrities tout as necessities—and made a list in my phone. Little did I know, this trip would finally reveal to me the wonders of French skincare.

What Is French Pharmacy?

French Pharmacy is where the very best in French beauty and skincare products culminate in one place for purchase. French Pharmacy was founded by Dr. Marine Vincent, a French pharmacist who was just as intrigued by skincare as she was about beauty products. You'll likely recognize names such as Embryolisse, Avène, and Caudalie—which rank among the best skincare brands in France—but you'll also find Nuxe, Bioderma, Leonor Greyl, and Holidermie, all of which are available at The French Pharmacy online. If you are shopping in the U.S., you can have your order shipped to your door, or you can visit the brand's flagship store in Marylebone, London.

What I Used on My Face

After securing a croissant and noisette, and armed with my newfound research of French Pharmacy, I was ready to purchase a few life-changing skincare products. I found the nearest pharmacy and walked into what I can only describe as a wonderland of French goodness. It smelled faintly of fresh laundry as I wandered from aisle to aisle perusing the goods. I stopped when I found my first skincare product.

Avène Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser

"Once in a while, if I had a long day or wore a lot of makeup, I clean my face with Avène Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser ($34)," Louise Follain told us in an interview. I figured my seven-plus hours of travel qualified as a "long day" and popped the soap-free cleanser into my shopping bag. The gentle formula is made with French thermal spring water meant to remove impurities from your skin without aggravating it. Double points for the fact that it's both a face and body cleanser—because I brought neither.

Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water

"Micellar water is especially popular in France because of the notoriously hard water in Paris, which can be extremely harsh on the skin," notes Beverly Hills dermatologist Debra Luftman, MD. The cult status of Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water ($19) in particular, explains a lot. It works with the laissez-faire mentality French women have in regarding beauty and the bare but dewy complexion each one sports on a daily basis. I quietly slid my palm against my dehydrated cheek and scooped it up.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

According to makeup artist Carissa Ferreri, "There's something extremely special about the Embryolisse finish," that comes from the brand's Lait-Crème Concentré ($29). "It moisturizes the face while emphasizing a beautiful glow, but it never looks greasy." She continues, "I especially like to use it with a cotton swab to clean up any eye makeup residue under the eye for a clean canvas prior to foundation and concealer."

What I Used on My Hair

I opened my new skincare products and excitedly splashed, cleansed, and smoothed them on my face. Lo and behold, my skin looked incredible when I woke up. Maybe there really was something to this French girl beauty regimen. Still, there were more items on my list, this time for haircare.

Klorane

Though Parisians aren't huge fans of dry shampoo, Klorane ($24) is the exception, thankfully, because my hair needed a spritz. It's formulated with oat milk meant to soothe and protect. Plus, it gives the best volume, and as a girl with fine hair, I'll take all the lift I can get.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse

Because Louise Follain likes to apply Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse ($23) on the ends of her hair, it was the last must-have product I needed to find. I ran a dime-sized amount through my hair and rubbed the rest on my skin for a subtle sheen.

The Results

After all was said and done, my skin looked great, felt soft, and my hair was on its best behavior. On the seventh day of my trip, the last full day I had in Paris before my flight, I woke up to decidedly fewer fine lines around my eyes. I had been using the Lait Crème Concentré in lieu of eye cream, and it erased my first (and very pesky) wrinkle. I couldn't believe it. I metaphorically bowed down to the French pharmacies on my way to the airport and took every single last product home with me. My takeaway? French beauty is real, lovely readers.