French flawlessness doesn’t lie in expensive cosmetics or procedures. Rather, their beauty secret hides behind pharmacy counters.
British comedian Paul Taylor made an entire video on how obsessed the French are with pharmacies and how there are indeed an arguably excessive amount of pharmacies in France (22,000). (For perspective, there are approximately 3,041 people per pharmacy in France, and 4,861 people per pharmacy in the USA.) There is a really good reason behind the endless pharmacies: they carry really good products — especially beauty products. Here are six pharmacy essentials to start off your French pharmacy addiction:
1. Sanoflore Aqua Magnifica Skin-Perfecting Botanical Essence
This is your fairy dust, your secret potion, and simply a skin pick-me-up. A cocktail of nine essential oils, this essence calms skin immediately, offering it a healthy cooling effect. When your skin isn’t feeling oh-so-great, you can use Aqua Magnifica to restore it instantly.
2. NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Or
This is the ultimate beauty product French women swear by, a true cult buy. This oil is good for just about everything! Containing Vitamin E, Huile Prodigieuse rehabilitates tired skin and hydrates it. It can be applied directly to skin, hair, nails, and can even be used to to enhance a tan. The original mix leaves you with a subtle oily glow, but for spring days a bit of golden highlight can’t hurt.
3. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sport Sunscreen
This brand itself is a leading laboratory in skincare offering some of the most advanced products in the field. This particular sunscreen is a total steal because it is possibly the most pleasant, milky-smooth sunscreen out there! Heavy-duty, but oil-free, you can rub it onto the skin and it immediately dries, saving you from that coated-in-creamy-oil feeling. As a plus, even though it is fragrance-free, it has a distinctly elegant buttermilk scent.
4. Caudalie Grape Water
Wine itself is a obviously remedy to just about anything, but Caudalie has discovered that grapes and grape vines have a soothing effect on skin. With its signature grape water made from a fully organic formula from Bordeaux grapes, this mist hydrates dry skin, reduces sensitivity, and provides a refreshing spritz.
5. L’Occitane en Provence Roses et Reines Hand Cream
One of the most gentle rose products on the market, this cream has the most delicate rose scent. The cream itself is a mix of vitamin E and shea butter that nourishes skin and offers a bit of rejuvenation for your hands during any part of the day. It’s the perfect hand cream to massage onto your hands when you’re tired or stressed, simply to take a little break and smell the roses.
6. Bi-Oil
This is one of those oils that you should have hidden in your bathroom cabinet in case of any scars, imperfections, and even stretch marks. (Bi-Oil is the world leader in healing scars and stretch marks.) This oil offers a balanced treatment for hydrating and healing skin. The list of ingredients is an endless array of plant extracts and vitamins suspended in a non-oily mix, but these give it invincible power.
