French women have been beacons of aspirational beauty ever since stars like Catherine Deneuve waltzed onto a cineplex screen in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in 1964. But while her icy blonde hair, come-hither lashes, and ingénue looks became somewhat par for the course when it came to French standards of beauty, the fact of the matter is that such a narrow definition of what constitutes attractiveness (worldwide, not just in France) excludes millions of women and girls.
Today, thanks in large part to social media, the archetype of a thin, white Parisian lady is no longer the sole beauty standard. Style bloggers with a variety of skin tones, hair textures, and sizes are taking their rightful place at the forefront of the fashion and beauty industries, and showcasing that these outdated definitions of who is beautiful and who is less than are not—and never were—valid.
France’s reputation as the hotspot for stellar products, however, hasn’t changed one bit. We reached out to five French women of color (or expats living in France) for their makeup, skin-care, and hair product recommendations. Read all about their favorites below, as well as what "French girl beauty" means to them.
How do you define “French girl beauty”?
“Today still unfortunately in France the representation of beauty isn’t unique. She is white, blonde and thin and lives in a beautiful neighborhood. I hope that one day it will change because French beauty is plural. She is an Arab woman, black, Asian, white, Indian—born of diversity. She is curvy, fat, thin, tall, disabled; she is multiple. For me French beauty is all these women that French magazines or films never put in the spotlight.”
What is your favorite French skin-care product?
What is your favorite French hair-care product?
“[The] L’Oréal Paris Elseve Huile Extraordinaire [line]”
What is your favorite French makeup product?
How do you define “French girl beauty”?
“‘French gurl beauty’ means the most natural beauty, natural hair, not too much makeup (red lips or eyes only). For me it’s an attitude.”
What is your favorite French skin-care product?
“The Eau Thermale Avène Soothing Moisture Mask from Avène, or La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Anti Fatigue Rehydrating Eye Cream.”
What is your favorite French hair-care product?
“René Furterer Triphasic shampoo and program twice a year.”
What is your favorite French makeup product?
“My Terrybly Densiliss pressed powder from ByTerry or MAC Lipstick in Chili.”
How do you define “French girl beauty”?
“French girl beauty is all about accentuating your natural features and feeling confident in your own skin. It’s the ultimate effortless, yet chic makeup look that’s has come to be my go-to; a bold lip, barely-there foundation, jet-black mascara, et voila! C’est parfait!”
What is your favorite french skin-care product?
“La Roche Posay’s Effaclar line has done wonders for my oily skin. I use both the Effaclar Gel Facial Wash and Effaclar Mat Moisturizer. [They] keep my face shine-free all day.”
What is your favorite french hair-care product?
“Not sure what I would do without Klorane’s dry shampoo (preferably the one with oat milk!). I wear my hair in crochet braids all day, everyday, which means it’s absolutely necessary for me to have a good dry shampoo to freshen up in between washes. Klorane’s dry shampoo is my personal favorite.”
What is your favorite French makeup product?
“I’ll give you one better, a makeup trick. Whenever I apply lipstick (I’m a fan of matte, which never fails to dry out my lips) I always mix it with my Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm. It gives me the best of both worlds—a matte finish, with extreme moisture.”
How do you define “French girl beauty”?
“The two words coming to my mind directly are natural and effortless. I would say that skin-care comes first and that make up is all about revealing and enhancing your natural beauty. Also you definitely don’t want people to think you spent a lot of time doing your makeup, even if you did!”
What is your favorite French skin-care product?
“I strongly believe that skin-care comes first. So every night, I want to make sure my skin is super clean before going to bed. I love the Aqua magnifica by Sanoflore: it’s an essence which helps to release all the impurities of your skin.”
What is your favorite French hair-care product?
“Haircare wise I am super specific. I love the So Frizz Leave-in Conditioner by Niwel. The smell is amazing and it detangles my hair faster than any other products.”
What is your favorite French makeup product?
“Definitely Laura Mercier’s concealer. It matches my skin tone perfectly, it’s light, and I look like I didn’t use anything, so it helps to achieve the natural makeup look I’m usually looking to create.”
How do you define “French girl beauty”?
“To me, there is no such thing as French beauty. It’s a myth perpetuated by fashion magazines for years. French women have various beauties, therefore French girl beauty lays in our differences.”
What is your favorite French skin-care product?
“Biotherm hydrating body milk. I love its citrus fragrance and light texture.”
What is your favorite French hair-care product?
“Hic and Nunk hair lotion enriched with essential oils. It’s perfect for dry and curly hair.”
What is your favorite French makeup product?
“Every Irisé Paris’s blush. I use the golden one to discreetly add some colors and structure to my face.”
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