French Beauty

 

Discover the secret ways that French women look tres chic while playing up their best assets.The only thing more beautiful than France’s language are the people who call the country home. Looking effortlessly glamorous, no country better represents ‘chic’ than the French- they invented the word after all!We’ve uncovered the tips and tricks that Parisien women use to achieve that effortless-yet-put-together look. Better yet, it’s all deceptively simple, and can be easily introduced into your own routine. Intrigued? It all begins with skincare.

A Great Base

The French have a proverb, “mieux vaut prévenir que guérir”, which roughly translates as “prevention is better than cure”. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to the way they approach skincare. Skin health is prioritised far above makeup, with the thought process being that it’s better to have a great base than to have to cover up bad skin. This means that a focused skincare routine takes centre stage, using a day moisturiser and addressing any problem areas. French beauty brand Filorga is an example of this approach, with specific products addressing different skin complaints, from pigmentation to fine lines.It goes without saying that protecting against future damage is equally important in French-Beauty, with sun protection being a key tool to prevent ageing. There’s certainly no shortage of French skincare enriched with SPF, with brands such as Decleor and Caudalie offering great options with an SPF of 50+.

Balance Over Perfection

With a focus on a naturally beautiful complexion, it’s no surprise that full coverage makeup isn’t the look- du- jour. Instead, the preference is to play up your best feature, whether that be your eyes or lips. Eyes may be rimmed with eyeliner, like the much loved Givenchy Khol, but paired with a bare face and lip. For another option, light mascara might be contrasted with a bold lip colour (for the perfect Parisien lip, we love Dior Addict Stellar Shine in Diorfinity). Another clever way you can achieve the french contrast of looking both put together and effortless, is by playing down flawless makeup with a messy up-do.

Indulge The Senses

French perfume has a reputation for being well formulated and exquisitely fragrant. France also has the highest international perfume sales, so it's no surprise that perfume makes it onto our list of essential beauty secrets. Many women wouldn’t dream of leaving the house without a quick spritz of their favourite fragrance!While a signature scent will stand the test of time, having options certainly makes picking the day’s fragrance more enjoyable. And with so many iconic perfumeries, you couldn’t possibly settle for just one bottle anyway; Chanel, Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy being just a small selection of the many brands that call Paris home. Parisiens in the know have a core group of favourite perfumes, and choose which to wear based on the events their day has ahead of them, and their mood. Bright and playful? Powerful and bold? Matching fragrance to your day is the equivalent of lining up the perfect playlist for your commute.

Embrace The Waves

In general, women in France shun straighteners and salon blow-drying. Instead, they embrace their hair’s natural style and take steps to make sure it's the best it can be. Foregoing the cheap and cheerful hair products of the supermarket, they opt for a quality shampoo and conditioner from a brand such as Kerastase, and invest in hydration with regular hair masks. Choosing the right hair product for your hair is key to getting the best results, which is why French haircare brand Leonor Greyl offers specific formulations for various hair types and problem areas.

Multi-Purpose Products

The last on our list of French-Beauty tips is to invest in products that have multiple uses. Not only does this make your beauty routine faster and easier, but more of you gets to benefit from high-quality ingredients.A great multi-purpose oil can be used in all manner of ways. Tame flyaways and dry ends, apply under your moisturiser at night for extra hydration, or mix a little into your skin cream for day-wear in winter. Nuxe Huile is a shining example of this, with its rave reviews giving it an acclaimed title as an allbeauty Hero. This multipurpose oil is a blend of six plant oils, enriched with Vitamin E and can be used to nourish your hair, face and body. C’est bon!When it comes to being chic, the French certainly know their stuff. Will you be taking a page from their book, or following one of our other Global Beauty routines?