8 Skincare products you need from france
The Best Skincare Products & French Pharmacies in Paris
WHAT FRENCH SKINCARE SHOULD YOU BUY?
If you're looking for next level skincare, French skincare brands are the answer. Whether you're looking for affordable essentials made with quality ingredients or luxury products worth every penny spent, French skincare lines like La Roche-Posay, Nuxe, Cauadlie can cover it all. It's for that reason that one of the most common things to bring back from France when traveling abroad is skincare. If you're looking to purchase a few quality products to bring back home with you, then you're going to want to read this blog.
THE BASICS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FRENCH SKINCARE
The European Union is known for having strict regulations when it comes to cosmetics, whereas the FDA in the United States is not as stringent. While the EU has banned over 1,300 ingredients including parabens, formaldehyde, and phthalates, the US allows most ingredients except for 11 for cosmetic use. This means that French skincare is seen as safer and more effective compared to a lot of the brands that we're used to in the United States. The French are also more focused on prevention as opposed to correction, and they like the simplicity of less steps in their skincare routines so the products made and used by the French were created with these fundamentals in mind.
POPULAR FRENCH SKINCARE BRANDS
Odds are if you named your top five favorite skincare brands, atleast one or two would be French. A lot of the top French brands are sold not only across France but also across the world. Some of the most popular French skincare brands today include:
WHAT SKINCARE PRODUCTS SHOULD I BUY IN FRANCE?
There are countless great skincare products in France but a few stand out as the best products to bring home due to affordability, quality, and more. These include:
WHAT ARE THE BEST PHARMACIES IN FRANCE?
Most of the pharmacies in France carry a lot of the same products so the main difference when comparing multiple places is the amount of stock and the price of each item. After shopping at a few different pharmacies in France, I would personally say that the best pharmacy to go to is CityPharma. Known for its affordability, this pharmaceutical chain has large stores dotted across Paris and the rest of France and they carry all the popular skincare brands. When I visited CityPharma, I got a number of products from A313, Caudalie, Nuxe, and La Roche-Posay. I then went to a smaller, family-owned pharmacy to get more A313 and I was astounded by the price difference. CityPharma charged me €7 for a tube of A313 while this little pharmacy charged €20. Because of that, I would recommend just going to CityPharma. While it's a lot busier compared to other places, there's a good reason why-trust me.
WHY IS CITYPHARMA GOING VIRAL ON TIKTOK?
CityPharma is going viral on TikTok because of the chain's affordability and how large their stock is! People are absolutely loving all the great brands that they carry and the prices that go along with those products. TikTok also keeps showing lots of shoppers in the store so it feels like it's always busy and that everyone can't get enough of it. After seeing CityPharma on TikTok I decided to stop myself while on a girls trip to Paris and I must say...though we did find it to be INSANELY busy we all got a ton of great products from Caudalie, La Roche-Posay, Nuxe, and more. If I went back to Paris, I would go again and again!
ARE SKINCARE PRODUCTS CHEAPER IN FRANCE THAN THE UNITED STATES?
Yes, French skincare products are typically cheaper in France compared to the United States. This is because there aren't any import fees (since the product is made in the country) and because in France brands like Bioderma, Clarins, Caudalie, etc are considered everyday essentials where in the U.S. they're seen as luxury imports. This means if you're a fan of French skincare products, you should definitely buy them while you're visiting France! You'll notice a significant markup when trying to buy them in the states instead.
WHY IS FRENCH SKINCARE SO GOOD?
French skincare stands out because of the strict regulations the European Union has for products sold in the cosmetics industry. European products also place more emphasis on prevention over correction, minimal fragrances, and all-natural ingredients. Many of the French skincare brands are dermatologist-approved because of these qualities, where it's harder to find advanced skincare products with similar traits in the United States.
MY RESULTS AFTER USING FRENCH SKINCARE BRANDS
While I was on my trip to France in November I picked up quite a few skincare products from CityPharma. Specifically I bought four tubes of A313, La Roche-Posay hand cream, Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse gold shimmering dry oil, and Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Face Cream. Since then, I've been using the A313 every other night, the Caudalie face cream every single morning during my usual skincare routine, and the other two products more sparingly when they''re necessary. Overall I would say even though I love the results from all four evenly, I can't get over the deal the A313 was in Paris. I'm so glad I bought multiple tubes because I definitely want to continue using that product as part of my nightly skincare routine for a while and its 3x the price to buy it on Amazon here in Connecticut. I would recommend all four of these products to anyone, but I would emphasize getting the A313 the most.
WHERE TO BUY FRENCH SKINCARE BRANDS ONLINE
There are a few different ways to buy French skincare products from your favorite brands without going to France. Here are your options:
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