Croissants, understated elegance and great skincare.. they’re all things synonymous with the French. The French know great skin, and French skincare  is so widely used that women rarely need to wear a full face of foundation, preferring to let their bare skin show through.

When buying skincare in France you need look no further than your local Pharmacy. As well as stocking a whole lot of medical supplies the French Pharmacy has sheves filled to the brim with high quality, affordable “soin, gommage and lait” most of which have reached cult status amongst beauty lovers around the world.

Without a doubt the Mecca of the Pharmacy is City Pharma, located on a busy corner in the beautiful St Germain the crowds are only matched by the sheer amount of products on the shelves. The sales assistants, in their white coats are eager to help give advice and provide products to help with any skin concerns you may have and they all were more than happy to speak English once I greeted them in French and asked for some help with language.

Many of the brands that you would be familiar with from Priceline or your local chemist are available however the range from each of these brands is tenfold what is available from Australia.

Pricing is also more reasonable particularly when you purchase some of the special bundled products (see video for more information)

Some of the cult products you NEED to purchase when hitting up City Pharma include

EMBRYOLISSE LAIT-CRÈME CONCENTRÉ MOISTURISER

The 24 hour Miracle Cream is France’s answer to the do everything product. Beauty lovers use this nourishing cream to cleanse, moisturise and as a sleeping mask to help rehydrate thirsty skin. The metal tube makes the product feel a little more medical than beauty product but Ive found it a wonder for my skin!

BIODERMA MICELLAR WATER

A firm favorite of beauty editors around the world Bioderma is the first Micellar water I fell in love with. This cult beauty product is sold in large multipacks ensuring that you always have a steady supply of this makeup remover, toner, face refresher miracle product.

AVENE THERMAL SPRING WATER

One of my favourite products of the year so far. This soothing thermal water helps to hydrate parched skin and is an absolute must for those travelling. Available in a variety of sizes, the women of France have been using this natural product for generations.

Check out the video below to hear more product recommendations!