French skincare stars swear by that you can buy online in the US
Skin like a Parisian’s without the plane ticket? Oui, merci.
The French know a thing or two about amazing skin, so we set out to learn their secrets, tapping experts and getting inspiration from A-listers along the way.
Whether seeking the retinol cream that you used to have to visit Paris to buy, or the only moisturizer Jane Birkin used, scroll on for top picks and pro insights.
“French women tend to be attracted by products that are efficient [and] science-driven, but with enjoyable scents and textures,” Laure Seguin, a French wellness facialist, tells us. Thanks to European regulations, French formulas are strict about “any ingredients that are potentially allergenic or endocrine disruptors,” she adds.
Keep reading (or click here) for more of Seguin’s tips for building an optimal routine, as well as ingredient insights from Dr. Jennifer Levine, MD, an NYC-based double board-certified facial plastic surgeon.
The balmy texture of A313 comforts skin that may be sensitive to retinol. Celebrities like Sophia Bush, Sienna Miller and Alexa Chung stockpile the cult-favorite French skincare product while in Paris.
A313 helps reduce wrinkles, smooths irritated skin and prevents acne breakouts — and while it can be difficult to find in America, it’s available on Amazon.
Key Ingredients: Retinyl palmitate, arachis hypogaea (peanut) oil, tocopherol (vitamin E)
This multifunctional moisturizer can also be used as a hydrating mask, makeup primer, or even a makeup remover. It’s so incredibly popular that one tube sells every 7 seconds globally.
Scarlett Johansson, Sydney Sweeney and Karlie Kloss are among the stars who’ve praised its powers — and it’s the only skincare product French icon Jane Birkin would allow near her face, according to her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg. (We swear by the fragrance-free, sensitive-skin version as our holy grail.)
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, aloe vera, soy proteins, beeswax
“They will blow your mind,” Drew Barrymore raved on her eponymously named talk show about the soothing, reusable Talika Eye Patches, adding, “Puff be gone — and I mean for the rest of the day!”
Bethenny Frankel found them during her visit to Cannes this year, while Liv Tyler keeps hers in the fridge to increase the depuffing powers, per her Vogue “25-Step Beauty and Self-Care Routine.”
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, shea butter, rosehip, wheat germ and avocado oils
While RoC is a pharmacy mainstay in America, the French-born brand stays true to its Parisian roots.
Many stars use the budget-friendly line, and Sarah Jessica Parker is so keen on it that she even became a brand ambassador (as have several “Housewives“).
“A true holy grail product for keeping my under-eyes smooth,” she raved in an Instagram post in 2024, saying she keeps it with her “at home, at work, and during summer travel.”
Key Ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid
Celebs like Selena Gomez, Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham swear by this cult-favorite micellar for removing makeup even on the most sensitive of skin. Beckham loves it so much that she even collaborated with the brand on this limited-edition packaging (which you can shop on Amazon).
Key Ingredients: D.A.F. patented complex that removes makeup, pollution and pollen
One jar sells every 28 seconds worldwide of this honey-scented lip balm that’s popular with French women, makeup artists and beauty editors for its thick, rich formula. It’s a red-carpet secret for perfected, smooth lips.
Key Ingredients: Lavender honey, propolis, botanical oils
Vichy uses volcanic water in this hydrating hyaluronic acid serum, which promises to plump and hydrate skin for a natural glow. English actress and model Poppy Delevingne told Grazia she loves it, saying, “It’s like a glass of water for the face.”
Among the 37,000+ five-star ratings, one devotee raved it’s “It makes my face glow without causing any issues.” (There’s also a Mineral 89 eye serum for an all-over glow.)
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, volcanic water
From Christie Brinkley to Anne Hathaway, a long list of A-listers use La Roche-Posay sunscreens — but Sarah Jessica Parker may be the brand’s biggest famous fan, telling Today in 2018 that she’d been using Toleriane Double Repair for “at least 10 years.”
“It’s light, unscented, and just the greatest moisturizer I’ve ever found,” the “Sex and the City” icon raved.
With niacinamide to tame redness and prebiotics to restore the skin barrier, it’s earned over 41,000 five-star reviews on Amazon alone (including from shoppers who have rosacea and eczema).
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, prebiotics, thermal spring water
Avène brand fans include Hailey Bieber and Sofia Richie, who both use the soothing Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream. Made for even post-procedure sensitive skin, the occlusive cream works as a protective barrier and is made without potentially sensitizing ingredients like fragrance, parabens, soy or wheat.
Key Ingredients: Thermal spring water, postbiotic, copper-zinc sulfate complex
Spa brand Yon-Ka Paris’ skincare is used for facials at the legendary Printemps spas, and its micellar water traps impurities, tones and protects skin, and provides anti-aging benefits.
Martha Stewart and Tracee Ellis Ross are among the famous fans of the French line, which our editors also adore. Pair it with Phyto-Aromatic Treatment Mist before moisturizer for hydrated, glowing skin.
Key Ingredients: Sea lavender, sodium PCA (a humectant), rose and chamomile essential oils
A long list of A-listers swear by Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir, including Keke Palmer, Margot Robbie, Zöe Kravitz, Paige DeSorbo and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
The formula’s natural botanical extracts and floral waters work as a toner to tighten pores, enhance glow, set makeup and give skin a dewy finish.
Key Ingredients: Grape extract, orange blossom water, lemon balm oil, rosemary oil, mint oil
This multi-purpose, cult-favorite dry oil is made with botanical oils to soothe the face, hair and body, and also comes in floral and pretty shimmer versions.
Jennifer Aniston and Eva Mendes are rumored to be fans of the dry oil that gives skin a French Riviera glow and all-day softness.
Key Ingredients: Argan, macadamia, borage, camellia, hazelnut, sweet almond
This vegan moisturizer from quintessential French makeup artist and entrepreneur Violette Serrat has also earned a loyal following. That includes both beauty editors and facialist-to-the-stars Joanna Czech, who calls it “very light but hydrating.”
The easy spray-on formula is designed to hydrate and rebalance the skin barrier and is great for touch-ups on the go.
Key Ingredients: Squalene, hyaluronic acid
French Skincare FAQs
French Skincare Regimen Tips
According to French wellness facialist Laure Seguin, French women often follow a very strict four-step skincare routine: makeup removal, exfoliation (to ensure perfect absorption of the products) and hydration, followed by anti-aging care and face massage.
Seguin recommends the following:
- Start with a micellar water cleanse in the morning.
- Use a toner in the morning and evening, followed by a good day cream and night cream specific to your skin needs.
- Apply a skin-needs-specific serum, and wait 10 minutes before applying cream.
- In the evening, conduct a more thorough cleansing using a rich cleansing milk to eliminate impurities and remove makeup.
- Exfoliate at least once a week after your evening cleansing.
- Use a hydrating or purifying mask (depending on your skin type) up to three times a week, especially in winter.
French Skincare Ingredients Overview
Curious about the ingredient lists? We asked Dr. Jennifer Levine, MD, about the benefits of the following French skincare ingredients:
- Postbiotic microflora and minerals, thermal waters: “The microbiome for the skin/beneficial bacteria helps keep the skin healthy and maintains skin barrier health. These products can help maintain that and also refresh the skin midday.”
- Hyaluronic acid: “HA is a naturally occurring substance in the skin and is what gives the skin its hydration.”
- Lipids: “Lipids are fats [that] help retain the natural moisture of the skin.”
- Niacinamide: “It can brighten and strengthen the skin barrier.”
- Glycerin: “A humectant and an alternative to HA; some even prefer it to HA.”
Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping
This article was written by Erica Radol, Page Six Commerce Reporter. From identifying the top anti-aging skincare secrets the stars trust to dishing on the latest fashion collabs to finding a great deal on all of the above, Erica has a knack for reporting on – and even testing – Hollywood’s bestselling fashion and beauty products. Before joining Page Six in 2025, she wrote about entertainment, lifestyle and shopping trends for Us Weekly, The Daily Beast, Entertainment Tonight, Well+Good and Hearst.
