French women are often touted as having a certain je ne sais quoi. While the very definition of that quality makes it inimitable, we can take notes from them on the skincare front. Lauded for their no-nonsense approach to beauty, the best French skincare brands are loved for their quality and efficacy at relatively reasonable price points. While there’s no shortage of active ingredients in French skincare, there’s an increased emphasis on hydration as a starting point, with the basis behind this being that well-hydrated skin is better equipped to resist external stressors; in turn slowing the onset of signs of ageing.
Related: Looking for the best French pharmacy product recommendations? Find our top picks here.
Whether you’re looking to build a solid skincare routine or perhaps strip a robust 10-step skincare routine back to the basics, these are the best French skincare brands worth knowing about.
1. Avène
Founded almost three centuries ago in the South of French as a bath house, Avène has a pedigree in caring for sensitive skin. The company started making skincare products in 1990, with the French skincare brand’s signature thermal spring water running across the entirety of the range. The Avène Eau Thermale Spring Water Spray is a forever favourite, while other key lines are designed to target specific skin concerns such as acne, dehydration, and ageing, while being respectful to the skin barrier.
Best products:
- Eau Thermale Spring Water Spray
- Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
- Cleanance Gel Cleanser
- Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm
Price: $
2. La Roche-Posay
Created by pharmacist in 1975, La Roche-Posay is beloved for its back-to-basics approach to skincare. The dermatologically formulated French skincare brand is known for its accessible prices and ability to be tolerated by even the most sensitive and reactive skin types, with its acne and eczema lines proving popular. La Roche-Posay is also known for its cult-favourite lightweight sunscreen, the Anthelios Invisible Fluid Facial Sunscreen SPF 50+. The brand derives its name from the town of La Roche-Posay, which is where its selenium-rich thermal water is sourced.
Best products:
- Anthelios Invisible Fluid Facial Sunscreen SPF 50+
- Cicaplast Baume B5+
- Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel
- Toleriane Sensitive Riche Prebiotic Moisturiser
Price: $
3. Caudalie
Born in the vineyards of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte in 1995, where founders Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas discovered the antioxidant-rich benefits of grape seeds, Caudalie products harness the benefits of nature’s finest ingredients to create clean, high-performance skincare. The brand’s Vinoperfect Radiance Complexion Correcting Serum makes for the ideal brightening serum for those who can’t tolerate vitamin C, while the Resveratrol-Lift range offers a natural (and pregnancy safe) anti-ageing alternative to retinol.
Best products:
- Vinoperfect Radiance Complexion Correcting Serum
- Vinopure Blemish Control Infusion Serum
- Vinoclean Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil
- Premier Cru The Cream
Price: $$-$$$
4. L’Occitane
In 1976 Frenchman Olivier Baussan, then aged 23, began using steam distillation to produce essential oil from lavender and rosemary, which he would then sell in open-air markets in his hometown of Provence. That same year, he resurrected the art of traditional Marseille soap-making in Manosque, using a soap factory donated to him (which still serves as a base to this day). Today, L’Occitane uses natural ingredients from the brand’s native Provence as well as further abroad to use in its formulas. Hero products include the brand’s patented Immortelle range (using the flowers of the same name grown in Corsica),
Best products:
Price: $$
5. Bioderma
Dermatologist-recommended skincare brand Bioderma is known for its products that work to preserve skin health by using ecobiology to tap into the skin’s natural mechanisms. Arguably the nation’s worst-kept secret, the brand’s Sensibio H20 Micellar Water works to remove even the most stubborn makeup. An apt solution to France’s notoriously hard water, micellar water is a gentle way to cleanse the skin without compromising the skin barrier. Bioderma also has effective products for those with dry, sensitive, and irritation-prone skin.
Best products:
- Sensibio H20 Micellar Water
- Atoderm Shower Oil
- Atoderm Crème Ultra Nourishing Moisturiser
- Sébium Gel Moussant Actif Anti-blemish Foaming Gel Cleanser
Price: $
6. Embryolisse
Created by a Parisian dermatologist in 1950, Embryolisse is a veritable household name (well, in the homes of beauty editors and makeup artists at least). Made with shea butter, beeswax, and soy protein, the Lait Creme Concentré is beloved for its multi-purpose properties, with the ability to be used under makeup as a primer as well as as a mask, moisturiser, and makeup remover.
Best products:
Price: $
7. Nuxe
A portmanteau of the words ‘nature’ and ‘luxe’, Nuxe was founded in 1990 by Aliza Jabès. The brand is a proponent of natural-origin cosmetology; blending ingredients from nature with scientific research. The iconic Huile Prodigieuse multi-purpose dry oil is what the brand is best known for, with Nuxe recently releasing a shimmery version, Huile Prodigieuse Or.
Best products:
Price: $$
8. Darphin
Founded in 1958 by master botanist Pierre Darphin, Darphin offers high-performance botanical-based skincare. The brand focuses on using pure extraction methods to harness the active ingredients within a plant, combined with a precise delivery system to promote maximum skincare benefits.
Best products:
Price: $$-$$$
9. Rogé Cavaillès
While it might be unknown abroad, heritage brand Rogé Cavaillès is a staple in many a French woman’s bathroom. Founded in 1855, Rogé Cavaillès is best known for its emollient-rich, soap-free hypoallergenic bath formulas, which are well-suited to sensitive skin.
Best products:
Price: $
10. Roger & Gallet
While not technically a skincare brand, it would be remiss to overlook perfume house Roger & Gallet. Founded by brothers-in-law Armand Roger and Charles Gallet in 1862, the brand prioritises natural ingredients in its fragrances, perfumed soaps, body lotions, and shower gels, and is particularly adept at creating nuanced yet wearable scents.
Best products:
- Rose Wellbeing Body Lotion
- Fleur de Figuier Wellbeing Fragrant Water
- Jean Marie Farina Eau de Cologne
Price: $-$$
11. Uriage
Nestled within the French Alps, Uriage uses the mineral-rich thermal water that flows through the alpine rocks. The French skincare brand’s products work to restore the skin’s moisture barrier, while being gentle enough to use on sensitive skin. Ideally suited to those prone to dryness, irritation, redness, and sensitivity.
Best products:
Price: $
12. Vichy
French skincare brand Vichy was born from the concept that the skin is a vital organ, and as such, requires scientific rigour and dedicated medical research to maintain and enhance its health. Since its inception in 1931, Vichy has become known for its exacting formulas, created in collaboration with scientists and dermatologists, that work to transform skin health and appearance. At the heart of each Vichy product is mineral-rich volcanic water. The brand’s hero product is the Mineral 89 Fortifying & Plumping Daily Booster, a hydrating serum that combines the signature volcanic water with hyaluronic acid.
Best products:
- Mineral 89 Fortifying & Plumping Daily Booster (hydrating serum)
- Mineral 89 72H Moisture Boosting Rich Cream
- Normaderm Phytosolution Intensive Purifying Gel (cleanser for oily and acne-prone skin)
Price: $$
Words by Arabella Johnson
