French Skincare Routine

According to Clarins expert Christopher Truffa, “less is more” when it comes to French nighttime skincare. The goal is to use as few products as possible, that are as gentle as possible, to wake up with skin that is “clean, baby soft, hydrated, and rested.”

“We are big on pharmacies and buy most of our beauty products there,” adds French girl Clémence Polès, creator of the street style blog Passerbuys. Favorite brands include Caudalie, Nuxe, and La Roche-Posay.

The typical nighttime routine in France takes only two or three steps, though this expands with age. Twenty-something Polès sticks to a gentle cleanser, like Caudalie’s Instant Foaming Cleanser ($28) or Bioderma’s Créaline H2O ($26), followed by moisturizer. “And when I say moisturize, I really mean moisturize,” she says. “Face, body, hands—the whole deal.” At night, Polès typically opts for a face oil. Her favorite is Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse ($24), which she also applies to the ends of her hair.

Valerie Grandury, founder of French skincare brand Odacité, says that as French women enter their 30s, they start to add a few more products. “Night cream, eye cream, and a serum when you’re over 30 are all essential,” she says. Try Odacité’s Ac+R Youthful Glow ($55).