The greatest secret to the French beauty routine is to master your base skincare and then simplify your makeup. And the result is just a natural beauty that allows your skin to breathe, glow, perspire, and shine like the star it is. And before we get into some of the products French women use on a daily basis we’d like to start with one key beauty ritual that involves no sponges, brushes, or exfoliants – your diet and lifestyle.
Your skin is like a flower bud. It starts out with all the potential for beauty, but when you add in stressors like pollution, stress, and an unbalanced diet, it may not blossom to its full potential. A few quick tips to give your skin the foundation to accept such a beauty routine, we recommend limiting your intake of sugar, stopping these unhealthy beauty habits immediately, eating a healthy balanced diet, and getting a full night’s sleep (almost every night – because sometimes a girl has to have fun).
And here is the rest of the story:
Step One: Face Prep Mist
Every beauty routine should begin with a face mist. There are a lot of great options, but if you’re a bit acne-prone, we highly suggest Odacite Rose + Neroli Hydra-Vitalizing Treatment. This can be used in place of soap and water and is also recommended to prep your skin in the morning in place of washing your face. This is especially true if you are currently washing your face more than twice a day (that is a no-no for most skin types).
Step Two: Serum Equalizer
I never used to use serum, because it always seemed like an unnecessary step. But if you are currently dealing with an unbalanced skin tone in any way, this can help in a big way. A few drops of Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum used immediately after face misting will soak in quickly and leave a radiant base that will virtually reduce your need to reach for that good old foundation.
Step Three: Eye Magnifier
I used to treat my eyes after my moisturizer, but it makes more sense to do it before. It gets all those essential nutrients into that area before you do an all-over general moisturizing. There are two creams that do an excellent job at reducing dark spots and puffiness. The first is Laboratories Filorga Optim-Eyes. This is a multi-age formula that treats a variety of problems and works quickly. The second eye cream is Dr. Barbara Sturm, which features a world-renowned formula that comes from Mother Nature herself. Ingredients like macadamia nut, sugar beet, and yeast help blend shadows, reduce puffiness, and will keep your face moisturized the entire day.
Step Four: Mad Scientist of Moisturizing
Beauty care companies know a lot about how to formulate a great overall face moisturizer, but only you know exactly what you are going to be in for during any particular day. This is why a lot of French women are choosing a great base moisturizer and then mixing it with some serums/oils to better arm themselves for the day ahead. If you have a favorite formula from the Caudalie line, you really can’t go wrong. For basic moisturizing, the Vinoperfect Brightening offers a lustrous canvas from which to express your character. If you require a bit more intense moisturizing to get through the day, their Vinosource will add up to 90% more hydration than most other brands.
The serum/oil of choice for a lot of French women is Odacite. One reason for this is its unique formulation which allows your moisturizer to glide over your skin, thus getting more coverage for less of the base product. The second is their range of options, such as their AC + R Acai-Rose which offers some extra resilience to skin that could be in for a bumpy ride (bad news, breakup, etc.), and their Ro + Y Rosehip-Ylang which works best on skin that has already been through that ride and could use a bit of deep-cover for those lines you never even knew you had.
And now that we’ve got that base layer rocking, we’re ready to add a ‘little’ makeup to that routine, and I do mean “a little”. Below is a detailed tutorial from Christen Dominique on how to alter your current ‘American’ makeup routine to take advantage of that fantastic base layer of skin we just set the stages for. Just be prepared to be patient with your instincts, as this will likely be one of those times your instincts resist the quicker and easier path.