Skin like a Parisian’s without the plane ticket? Oui, merci.
The French know a thing or two about amazing skin, so we set out to learn their secrets, tapping experts and getting inspiration from A-listers along the way.
Whether seeking the retinol cream that you used to have to visit Paris to buy, or the only moisturizer Jane Birkin used, scroll on for top picks and insights.
“French women tend to be attracted by products that are efficient [and] science-driven, but with enjoyable scents and textures,” Laure Seguin, a French wellness facialist, tells us. Thanks to European regulations, French formulas are strict about “any ingredients that are potentially allergenic or endocrine disruptors,” she adds.
Keep reading (or click here) for more of Seguin’s tips for building an optimal routine, as well as ingredient insights from Dr. Jennifer Levine, MD, an NYC-based double board-certified facial plastic surgeon.
Pharma Développement A313
The balmy texture of A313 comforts skin that may be sensitive to retinol. Celebrities like Sophia Bush, Sienna Miller and Alexa Chung stockpile the cult-favorite French skincare product while in Paris.
A313 helps reduce wrinkles, smoothes irritated skin and prevents acne breakouts — and while it can be difficult to find in America, it’s available on Amazon.
Key Ingredients: Retinyl palmitate, arachis hypogaea (peanut) oil, tocopherol (vitamin E)
Avène Thermal Spring Water
In summer, it’s like a glass of water for skin; in winter, it replenishes moisture lost to harsh conditions.
Seguin also name-checked it, saying, “For mature skin, it is important to keep hydrated throughout the day, and one should always have a mist, which is very French too. Avène has a great one.”
Gwyneth Paltrow and Irina Shayk have both been linked to the formula, and Spencer Pratt once told Refinery29 he spritzes it on about “five times a day.”
Key Ingredients: Postbiotic microflora, minerals
Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
Avène brand fans also include Hailey Bieber and Sofia Richie, who both use the soothing Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream. Made for even post-procedure sensitive skin, the thick cream works as a protective barrier and is made without potentially sensitizing ingredients like fragrance, parabens, soy or wheat.
Key Ingredients: Thermal spring water, postbiotic, copper-zinc sulfate complex
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré
Made with shea butter and aloe vera, this multifunctional under-$20 moisturizer can also be used as a hydrating mask, makeup primer, or even makeup remover. It’s so incredibly popular that one tube sells every 8 seconds globally.
Scarlett Johansson, Sydney Sweeney and Karlie Kloss are among the stars who’ve praised its powers — and it’s the only skincare product French icon Jane Birkin would allow near her face, according to her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, aloe vera, soy proteins, beeswax
Embryolisse Lait Crème Sensitive Moisturizer
The hypoallergenic Lait-Crème Sensitive is a fragrance-free version of the bestseller, which reduces sensitivity while keeping skin plump, soft and hydrated all day.
Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, soy proteins, beeswax
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil
This multi-purpose, cult-favorite dry oil is made with botanical oils to soothe the face, hair and body, and also comes in floral and pretty shimmer versions.
Jennifer Aniston and Eva Mendes are rumored to be fans.
Key Ingredients: Argan, macadamia, borage, camellia, hazelnut, sweet almond
Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm
One jar sells every 28 seconds worldwide of this honey-scented lip balm that is popular with French women, makeup artists and beauty editors for its thick, rich formula.
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water
Celebs like Selena Gomez, Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham swear by this cult-favorite micellar for removing makeup even on the most sensitive of skin. Beckham loves it so much that she even collaborated with the brand on this limited-edition packaging (which is available on Amazon).
Key Ingredients: D.A.F. patented complex that removes makeup, pollution and pollen
Bioderma Bioderma Sensibio H2O Wipes
The travel-friendly way to bring micellar water wherever you go, from the gym to your Paris jaunt.
RoC Retinol Correxion Under Eye Cream for Dark Circles
While RoC is a pharmacy mainstay in America, the French-born brand stays true to its Parisian roots.
Many stars use the budget-friendly line, and Sarah Jessica Parker is so keen on it that she even became a brand ambassador.
“A true holy grail product for keeping my under eyes smooth,” she raved in an Instagram post in 2024, saying she keeps it with her “at home, at work, and during summer travel.”
RoC Retinol Correxion Anti-Aging Wrinkle Night Serum
“Easy to use and gentle on skin,” reads one five-star review of this Bethenny Frankel-approved retinol serum.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
From Christie Brinkley to Anne Hathaway, a long list of A-listers use La Roche-Posay sunscreens — but Sarah Jessica Parker may be the brand’s biggest famous fan, telling Today in 2018 that she’d been using Toleraine Double Repair for “at least 10 years.”
“It’s light, unscented, and just the greatest moisturizer I’ve ever found,” the “Sex and the City” icon raved.
With niacinamide to tame redness and prebiotics to restore the skin barrier, it’s earned nearly 40,000 five-star reviews on Amazon alone (including from shoppers who have rosacea and eczema).
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, prebiotics, thermal spring water
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser
This non-drying, fragrance-free, bestselling facial cleanser is formulated to remove excess oil without stripping skin. The brand also makes a Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser for drier skin types — and both versions have earned tens of thousands of five-star ratings.
Key Ingredients: Thermal water, ceramide-3, niacinamide, glycerin
Yon-Ka Paris Eau Micellaire Micellar Cleansing Water
Spa brand Yon-Ka Paris’ skincare is used for facials at the legendary Printemps spas, and its micellar water traps impurities, tones and protects skin, and provides anti-aging benefits.
Martha Stewart and Tracee Ellis Ross are among the famous fans of the French line, which just debuted at Nordstrom.
Page Six Style’s review: “I’ve never loved a micellar water until now. Yon-Ka’s doesn’t leave any residue, yet softens and brightens my sensitive skin, and it works shockingly well at removing impurities.” — Erica Radol, Page Six Commerce Reporter
Key Ingredients: Sea lavender, sodium PCA (a humectant), rose and chamomile essential oils
Yon-Ka Paris Lotion Phyto-Aromatic Treatment Mist
Seguin calls it a morning and evening “essential.” Made with soothing botanicals, this mist is a French skincare mainstay that hydrates and tones while also working as a makeup setting spray. It even had a cameo in Season 5 of “Emily in Paris.”
“Smells divine, balances skin PH, super refreshing for tired skin,” reads one five-star review.
(This one’s designed for dry or sensitive skin; there’s also a version for oily or combination complexions.)
Key Ingredients: Glycerin, essential oils, including lavender, geranium, rosemary, cypress, and thyme
Caudalie Beauty Elixir
A long list of A-listers swear by Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir, including Keke Palmer, Margot Robbie, Zöe Kravitz, Paige DeSorbo and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
The formula’s natural botanical extracts and floral waters work as a toner to tighten pores, enchance glow, set makeup and give skin a dewy finish.
Key Ingredients: Grape extract, orange blossom water, lemon balm oil, rosemary oil, mint oil
Caudalie Instant Detox Mask
In just 10 minutes, this best-selling detox mask clears impurities and balances sebum for a clear, fresh complexion — for all skin types.
Key Ingredient: Pink clay, caffeine
Vichy Laboratoires Minéral 89 Eye Serum
With a lightweight gel texture, Minéral 89 Eye Serum reduces under-eye puffiness and hydrates, minimizing fine lines and brightening skin.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, volcanic water, caffeine
Vichy Laboratoires Mineral 89 Fortifying & Hydrating Daily Skin Booster
Vichy uses volcanic water in this hydrating hyaluronic acid serum, which promises to plump and hydrate skin for a natural glow. English actress and model Poppy Delevingne told Grazia she loves it, saying, “It’s like a glass of water for the face.”
Among the 25,000+ five-star ratings, one devotee raved it’s “lightweight, hydrating and perfect for sensitive skin,” while another wrote, “It makes my face glow without causing any issues.”
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, volcanic water
Violette_FR Boum Boum Milk
This vegan moisturizer has also earned a cult following, including both beauty editors and facialist to the stars Joanna Czech, who calls it “very light but hydrating.”
The easy spray-on formula is designed to hydrate and rebalance the skin barrier.
Key Ingredients: Squalene, hyaluronic acid
Violette_FR Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick
With glowing skin, minimal but chic makeup is a must. And quintessential French “It” girl and Guerlain Creative Director Violette Serrat provides just that with her namesake beauty brand.
Bisou Balm is a semi-opaque matte lipstick that comes in eight shades and is meant to look alluringly imperfect on lips — like you’ve just been kissing.
Key Ingredient: French-girl vava voom
French Skincare FAQs
French Skincare Regimen Tips
According to French wellness facialist Laure Seguin, French women often follow a very strict four-step skincare routine: makeup removal, exfoliation (to ensure perfect absorption of the products) and hydration, followed by anti-aging care and face massage.
Seguin recommends the following:
- Start with a micellar water cleanse in the morning.
- Apply a skin-needs-specific serum, and wait 10 minutes before applying cream.
- Use a toner in the morning and evening, followed by a good day cream and night cream specific to your skin needs.
- In the evening, conduct a more thorough cleansing using a rich cleansing milk to eliminate impurities and remove makeup.
- Exfoliate at least once a week after your evening cleansing.
- Use a hydrating or purifying mask (depending on your skin type) up to three times a week, especially in winter.
French Skincare Ingredients Overview
Curious about the ingredient lists? We asked Dr. Jennifer Levine, MD, about the benefits of the following French skincare ingredients:
- Postbiotic microflora and minerals, thermal waters: “The microbiome for the skin/beneficial bacteria helps keep the skin healthy and maintains skin barrier health. These products can help maintain that and also refresh the skin midday.”
- Hyaluronic acid: “HA is a naturally occurring substance in the skin and is what gives the skin its hydration.”
- Lipids: “Lipids are fats [that] help retain the natural moisture of the skin.”
- Niacinamide: “It can brighten and strengthen the skin barrier.”
- Glycerin: “A humectant and an alternative to HA; some even prefer it to HA.”
Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping
This article was written by Erica Radol, Page Six Commerce Reporter. From identifying the top anti-aging skincare secrets the stars trust to dishing on the latest fashion collabs to finding a great deal on all of the above, Erica has a knack for reporting on – and even testing – Hollywood’s bestselling fashion and beauty products. Before joining Page Six in 2025, she wrote about entertainment, lifestyle and shopping trends for Us Weekly, The Daily Beast, Entertainment Tonight, Well+Good and Hearst.
Read the full article here
