French Pharmacy Skincare Favorites (And Where to Buy Them!)

Hello + bonjour everyone! I’m Susan – a francophile, interior designer, small business owner, and twin mama. I’m excited to be guest posting while Joanna is on her European adventure! You can find my musings + links at fleurishing.com!

I could spend hours in a French pharmacy – you can find so much luxury there, at a reasonable price. For my last trip, I made sure to do plenty of research beforehand so that I could bring back some serious loot. I had planned to pay a visit to the largest one in Paris, City Pharma, but ended up finding these items at the one near my apartment in the Marais. Armed with my list, I didn’t deviate much from it, with the exception of #5, which came highly recommended from a very knowledgeable salesperson. I was impressed with how helpful everyone was (maybe they saw the length of my list)… I was able to test a number of products and was attended to with great care. Keep in mind many of these items can now be found in some shops in the states + online. Even if you don’t buy, be sure to browse when in France!

French Pharmacy Favorites — The Best French Skincare Recommendations:

1. Bioderma Crealine H20 – This cleansing water is incredible, and I’m so I glad brought back two huge (heavy) bottles of it…you can wipe your makeup off without rinsing! Micellar water is extremely gentle on skin, too.
2. Nuxe Reve de Miel – By far my favorite lip balm of all time (and I’m obsessed with lip balm)…it is so rich and smooth and smells + tastes amazing.
3. Avene Eau Thermale – A refreshing thermal water spray, which is basic but better than the others I’ve tried.
4. Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo – One of the best dry shampoos (so I’ve heard from stylists)!
5. Hormeta Huile Séche – this is the one I ended up with, despite having the Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse on my list. This radiant dry body oil shimmers without being greasy, contrary to the Nuxe. After testing both, I chose this, which was slightly higher in price but worth it after comparing the two. I’ve actually never worn body oil before, but it feels like such a luxury, and the sheen is lovely in the summer.
6. Darphin Cleansing Balm – If you’ve never tried a cleansing balm before I suggest you do! This is a popular one in France that got great reviews. What you do is you massage the balm on your dry skin for a minute or so. Enjoy the massage. Then you take a warm wet wash cloth and press it against your face for a few seconds. Then gently wipe away the balm. So luxurious and great for dry skin.
7. Roger & Gallet Rose Lotion – A luxurious basic…like everything in French pharmacies!
8. La Roche Posay – Anything from this brand is amazing. You can also buy this in the states, but since it’s also a French line, I figured it was worth mentioning.
9. Homeoplasmine – This is probably the most boring item on this list, but probably one of the most widely used in Paris from what I have read. It’s basically an ointment that you can use for anything! Cuticles, chapped lips, burns, dry skin, any kind of irritation you may have.
10. Vichy ProEven Daily Eye Corrector – A lightweight cream infused with caffeine… perfect for depuffing!

Shop these French pharmacy favorites:

So what do you think of these French skincare favorites? Have you tried any of them? I’d love to know what you think!

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