It used to be back in the day that one of the best parts about trips to Paris was also trips to French pharmacies. You could stock up on French Girl cult favorite products – often at a much more reasonable price. Nowadays you can find a lot of the best French beauty products stateside.

I love buying French made beauty products because regulations are much more strict in the EU than they are for personal care products in the United States. A lot of French beauty brands are also rather focused on simple yet effective formulations without a lot of fuss or marketing behind them.

Going to CityPharma in Paris is truly a favorite past time as it is a mecca for discounted French beauty products. Don’t miss it on your next trip to Paris and be sure to look out for the majority of the brands mentioned in this post! They also offer a variety of products that are exclusive to France and you won’t find in the U.S. so definitely worth exploring each and every aisle at this Saint Germain spot.

If you’re like me and love French beauty products, today’s post is all about my favorite ones you can easily purchase in the U.S. so you can satisfy your inner Francophile and transport yourself virtually to France through your beauty routine.

36 Best French Beauty Products

1. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

My favorite dry shampoo for nearly five years. This does such a good job of soaking up oil, giving hair texture and volume at the root. It’s not overly fragrant or powder-y, either.

2. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Sunscreen Gentle Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 50

France does pretty good mineral sunscreens and this one by La Roche-Posay is a favorite one of mine. It has titanium dioxide and zinc so it offers great protection and I love that it absorbs quickly and isn’t overly greasy. 

3. Bioderma – Sensibio – H2O Micellar Water

Sensibio H2O is the best selling cleansing and makeup removing micellar water that first made micellar waters popular as makeup removers. It removes impurities and makeup super gently. It’s in so many bathrooms around France and I prefer it to the U.S. brands that sell something similar.

4. Caudalie Detox Mask

This mask has gone viral many a time on social media for good reason. It clears out pores in ten minutes and doesn’t skin feeling overly dry or stripped. Great if you experience congested pores or breakout prone skin. Here’s the best way to use it.

Caudalie Beauty is a favorite French brand of mine and while I included a few of their products in today’s post, there are plenty more to love – especially depending on your skin type. Read my whole Caudalie Skincare Review.

5. Caudalie Vinopure Toner

My go-to toner to rid my face of breakouts. I use it as part of this combo.

6. Avene Thermal Spring Water

This spray soothes and softens skin and is amazing for those with sensitive skin. It’ll provide antioxidant protection and overall I just find it so comforting to apply.

I always have the minis on hand in my purse in the summer as it is a life saver when waiting for the subway on a hot day!

7. Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Beloved by makeup artists for being so multi-purpose, you’ll find women using the Caudalie Beauty Elixir all over France. As a setting spray, as a way to refresh makeup, as a therapeutic ritual –  you name it.

I prefer to buy it in the travel size so I can have one on me when I am on the go.

8. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

This nourishing face cream protects against free radicals and will leave your skin feeling calm, soft, smooth & comfortable. French makeup artists swear by this cream and always have it on their kits. Its also loved by many a celebrity and I love that it works so seamlessly under makeup.

I buy it in the mini size as it is great for travel since it is part moisturizer, part makeup primer.

9. Sisley Paris Under Eye Concealer

This concealer is expensive but it works so well to mask dark circles and signs of fatigue. I find it minimizes fine lines and any puffiness, too so it has great skincare benefits as well. 

10. Caudalie Vinotherapist Hand Cream

11. Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum

A magic little serum I apply every morning after cleansing. It brightens skin, is more potent than Vitamin C and majorly helps diminish dark spots and acne scars with regular use I have found.

12. Bioderma Lip Balm

Nothing fancy about this little lip balm. It’s soft and creamy and majorly helps hydrate and sooth chapped lips.

13. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5

Skin in need of major TLC? Reach for this balm. It’s like a fancy aquaphor for your face but more wearable. It’ll repair your skin barrier and help it recover from any irritation.

14. Caudalie SOS Cream

One of my holy grail skincare products. This silky rich cream is the ultimate dry skin savior. It calms redness, nourishes skin and helps to smooth and repair skin and any fine lines.

15. NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil

The OG oil I ever bought & loved. You can use this all over your body, on your hair, on your cuticles – really anywhere you’d like some healthy looking shine. I love that there’s no shimmer to this oil and how quickly it absorbs. French women love to add a few drops to their body lotion as well.

16. Christophe Robin Purifying Sea Salt Scalp Scrub

My scalp cleanser of choice – I use this as my shampoo. It feels like a spa treatment to use and detoxifies your scalp from any product build up or irritation. I’ve gone through more tubs of this stuff than I can count over the last ten years! It’s an Allure Best of Beauty award winner and I am always stockpiling the minis for travel as I can’t be without this stuff!

17. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat All-Over Brightening Concealer Pen

Cult status for years and years for good reason. I love this concealer that brightens while it conceals. I couldn’t believe what a natural, glowy finish it gave. 

18. Kérastase Blond Absolu Strengthening Conditioner

Have color treated blonde hair? This conditioner is great for softening and strengthening. My blonde highlights love it.

19. Kérastase Discipline Heat Protecting Leave-In Treatment For Frizzy Hair

My go-to styling products for years. It makes hair more easily manageable and majorly helps with blowouts.

20. Christophe Robin Advanced Purifying Shampoo with Thermal Mud

This is a great detoxifying shampoo that you can use daily. Massage it into your hair and scalp and it’ll go to work to balance excess oils thanks to the Thermal Mud in the formula. It also supports scalp barrier function which I’ve found has been really helpful whenever my scalp is feeling extra sensitive or agitated.

21. Christophe Robin Purifying Conditioner Gelee

This lightweight conditioner instantly detangles while giving you sleeker, smoother hair. It works really well hand in hand with the Purifying Shampoo or the Scalp Scrub. If you have a sensitive scalp or dry ends – this is a great conditioner for you.

22. Christophe Robin Hydrating Melting Mask with Aloe

I first tried this at a friend’s house and I fell in love with it. You massage it in from root to tip and hair feels super revitalized afterwards. I particularly like to use this mask when my hair is feeling overly dry or damaged and I like that you only have to leave it on for two minutes before you get results. 

23. Embryolisse Active Night Peeling

This peel is designed to give you a “new skin effect” thanks to its exfoliating fruit acid extracted from caviar lemon. Skin will be super soft following use as this formula features nourishing macadamia and argan oils, shea butter and beeswax. Put it on and let it sit over night to wake up with baby soft skin.

24. Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash 

Glycolic acid in this body wash helps to gently exfoliate the skin to make it smoother and softer. Great if you experience KP, breakouts or rough skin. It is oil free and fragrance free as well which I love.

25. Embryolisse Anti-Aging & Puffiness Concealer

Creamy and with a nice and glowing finish, this concealer aims to help with puffiness and fine lines.

26. Caudalie Premier Cru Dark Circle Correcting Eye Cream

This luxurious, fragrance-free, firming and visibly brightening eye cream is powered by pearl brightening components, Viniferine and a formula that was designed to target the 8 signs of aging for younger-looking skin. I love the metal tip applicator for help de-puffing.

27. La Bouche Rouge Lipstick + Leather Case

La Bouche Rouge is a French brand that creates luxurious, vegan cosmetics with the environment in mind. Housed in recyclable stainless steel bullets, the signature lipsticks are free from harmful microplastics, parabens and silicones. The selection ranges from bold red to soft mauve, so there’s a shade for everyone. The lipstick refills can be housed in the brand’s gorgeous leather cases. 

28. Vichy Double Glow Peel Mask

This mask is so good for an instant glow. Use it before you have a special event or before applying makeup for an added glow factor. Formulated with volcanic rocks and alpha hydroxy fruit acids, it brightens the skin and reveals a more refined texture by very gently peeling off dead skin cells. And you can’t beat the $20 price tag!

29. Embryolisse Radiant Eye Cooling Stick

Soothe and de-puff or just add some much needed moisture to the skin in extra dry areas with this handy stick that’s perfectly portable.

. . .

30. Filorga Time-Filler Super Smoothing Face Mask

I always stock up on these sheet masks in Paris at the French pharmacy. Skin looks smoother and more hydrated after wearing one.

31. Nuxe Rose Micellar Water

This is so gentle and smells amazing.

32. Erborian BB Cream 

This is a holy grail, use every day product for me. The brand uses Korean ingredients but is owned by French skincare brand L’Occitane. In addition to their tinted products and color correcting products they also have a variety of cleansers and masks.

33. Darphin Intral Inner Youth Rescue Serum

This is such a good serum if you suffer from any redness. 

34. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm

I almost always had one of these “lipstick balms” nearby me in 2023. I wore shades 9 and 150 and 44 constantly all year long. This is my ideal kind of throw on and go lip product – medium-coverage and hydrating with a high-shine, balm-like texture that conditions and moisturizes the lips. It has a very je ne sais quoi quality to it.

35. Caudalie Premier Cru Skin Barrier Rich Moisturizer with Bio-Ceramides

My go-to night cream all of 2023. This is a rich moisturizer that visibly repairs the skin barrier and reduces the look of wrinkles with Caudalie’s TET8™ Patent, bio-ceramides and hyaluronic acid. My skin is so happy in the morning whenever I use this.

This cream is pricey but a little goes a long way and after regular use in 2023 I was only half way through my jar which is refillable!

36. Clarins V-Facial Instant Depuffing Mask

This mask is so great. It de-puffs in such a satisfying way I found myself reaching for it weekly! 

. . .

Do you have any favorite French beauty products? I would love to hear about them in the Comments! I am always looking for new ones to try.

Shop the Post

You May Also Like:

• The Best Credo Beauty Products.
• Clean Beauty Favorites Available on Amazon.
• The 20 Best French Skincare Brands.

This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase something from an affiliate link, I may earn commission, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work!