You must have read about models, celebrities, beauty bloggers, and magazines talking about chic Parisian look and French beauty. Even though we can argue that the elegant Beauty of French women is partly natural, beauty products do participate in it, and visiting France can be a good occasion to know more about it! So where can you find the best cosmetic stores in Paris? And which are the best beauty products you should buy if you visit France? We hope that this guide article will help you answer these questions!
Paris has long been the world’s capital of cosmetics, as a consequence, there are plenty of choices to buy beauty and skincare products in the City of Lights. French franchised beauty shops such as Sephora or Nocibé are well known worldwide and can be found in most of the French cities. In Paris, the “Grand Magasins”, Century olds department stores such as Galeries Lafayette have also giant beauty sections. However, from our point of view, the best cosmetic stores in Paris are the local Pharmacies. Indeed, most of them have parapharmacies sections, that are dedicated to cosmetics, skincare, and beauty. But why to buy beauty products in Pharmacies instead of regular beauty shops? If you have sensitive skin you must buy only your cosmetics in Pharmacies, as there will be able to provide you non-comedogenic products that will not hurt your skin. But even if you don’t have any skin problem, it is always better to receive advice from professionals: Pharmacists in France are trained to give you their advice on the best treatments for you. They can suggest the best products according to your skin type and characteristics.
Monge beauty shop is one of the best French parapharmacie in Paris. Monge parapharmacy is located at the heart of Quartier Latin (78 rue Monge). It is quite famous among locals and tourists because it has such a huge selection, and prices are significantly lower than other locations in Paris (plus the tax refund rate is higher there than other places in Paris). Besides, the staff is friendly and most of them can speak several foreign languages. You can use the O'bon Paris coupon there to enjoy a 10% discount: Click here to see the offer and download the coupon.
If you're traveling to the Europe beauty mecca anytime soon, here is a list of French beauty products you need to check out. Clear out some space on your vanity because these are some of the current best skincare and cosmetics, so grab them while you're in Paris!
We begin with a must-have Beauty essential from the famous French brand Nuxe. Huile Prodigieuse is an emblematic Multi-Usage Dry Oil Spray. This luxurious oil nourishes, repairs, and softens both your skin and hair.
How to use it?
The Nuxe Oil is a great alternative to use as a moisturizer. Not only does it hydrate your skin but it is packed with tons of rich nutrients to help revitalize your complexion. But you can use it in many ways: as hair oil, body lotion, massage oil, shaving oil...
Any beauty routine always starts with a good cleansing. Caudalie, the internationally famous brand from Bordeaux, has developed a committed cleanser with vegan, highly natural formula (97% natural origin ingredients). Fleur de Vigne Foaming Cleanser is a crystal-clear lotion that turns into a generous, airy foam that offers the skin a feeling of softness.
Its cleansing base is formulated without soap and synthetic agents, enabling it to gently cleanse the skin: it is suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive.
How to use it?
Apply to damp skin, with your eyes closed, and massage in circular movements all over the face, not forgetting the neck. Rinse with plenty of water.
Made of 98% ingredients of natural origin, this multi-purpose product can be used as a 48-hour moisturizing cream, a make-up remover milk, and a plumping mask. It's the perfect product to avoid bringing too many cosmetics while traveling.
How to use it?
-As a cream: a small dab is enough for a moisturizing boost and an immediate sensation of comfort.
-As a make-up remover: use the equivalent of two drops to activate its cleansing power when massaged into the skin. It dissolves makeup and impurities on the face and eyes with no oily finish. Remove with water or with a wet reusable cotton.
-As a mask: apply in a thick layer and leave on for 5 minutes once or twice a week for plumper and fuller skin. Remove the excess with a damp cotton. Its formula respects the skin microbiome, skin looks healthy and full of vitality.
Elixir des Vagues is a Booster, that enhances the benefits of your Serum and your moisturizer. Thanks to its high concentration of active ingredients, it can be used as a Serum as well. It boosts skin hydration through its highly moisturizing hyaluronic acid, which makes the skin more supple and comfortable, visibly plumped.
How to use it?
Apply morning and evening few drops on your face with your fingertips. When fully absorbed (wait around 2 minutes) you can apply your serum or your moisturizer.
Mineral 89 is mainly made of Vichy mineral water (which includes fifteen essential minerals that help provide much-needed antioxidant protection) and naturally derived hyaluronic acid. It has a plumping, smoothing, and moisturizing effect on the skin. It multiplies the effects of the Serum you will use after. The lightweight, clear gel absorbs quickly without leaving a sticky or greasy feel.
How to use it?
Dispense two pumps per application before dotting it on the forehead, cheeks, and chin and using your hands to smooth across the face.
Double Serum is a bestselling anti-aging serum with a dual-chamber system that combines two age-defying formulas into one groundbreaking serum that reactivates the skin’s vital functions (the two-phase formula is inspired by the dual water and oil nature of the skin). Formulated with 21 potent plant extracts, it firms, smoothes, and boosts the radiance of the skin. The serum has a fluid texture and can be used by any skin type.
How to use it?
One pump per application of Clarins Double Serum is all you need to benefit from its anti-aging properties. You can first warm the mixture in your hands to bring it to skin temperature and mix both phases. Then distribute the product evenly over your face and neck, and make draining pressure to make the skin absorb better the serum. A small drop is enough for normal to oily skin and warm climates, a power shot is more suitable for dry skin and cold climates.
Inspired by the Double Serum, Double Serum eye is a new Serum focusing on eye contour. It visibly smoothes, firms, hydrates, and revitalizes the delicate skin around the eye. Puffiness and dark circles are visibly reduced. It is formulated with 13 revitalizing and anti-aging extracts, and is made of 96% natural ingredients.
How to use it?
Like Double Serum, you need to mix both phases between fingertips. Then apply it to the temples and gently press over the upper and lower eyelids (from the inner corner of the eyes, out to the hairline). Tap gently between eyebrows.
This multi-tasking dermatological serum contains 10% of Niacinamide (a form of vitamin B-3, an essential nutrient keeping skin smooth and moisturized). It evens, repairs and brightens skin tones, whilst improving the appearance and prevention of dark spots. It is suitable for sensitive or oily skin types.
How to use it?
Apply morning and/or evening 2-3 drops to face and neck, gently massage onto the skin, before moisturizing.
Serums are a great tool for treating specific skin concerns. They penetrate deeper into the skin layers and deliver powerful ingredients directly to the skin. Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum is suitable for all skin types and works to reduce the appearance of dark spots and signs of skin damage (including acne marks, age-related dark spots, pregnancy marks…). It also fights dullness and bolsters the complexion’s radiance.
How to use it?
You can apply a few drops of the serum both morning and evening after cleansing your skin, on face neck and décolleté (avoid the eye contour area). Leave to absorb before applying your cream.
Uriage is a brand that is often recommended by French dermatologists: the brand uses Thermal Water (of the spa town of Uriage-les-Bains, near the Alps) which has been used for 200 years for dermatological treatments. Their products are very efficient on sensitive skins. Bariederm Cica-daily high tolerance dermatological Serum strengthens, protects, and repairs damaged and fragilized skin. It is particularly recommended in case of dull complexion, discomfort, signs of fatigue, fine lines, small visible imperfections, or light redness.
How to use it?
Unscrew the lid and press the top of the white stop down before releasing it to fill up the pipette. Use the pipette to apply to the fingertips or directly to the skin, in the morning and the evening. Massage into a perfectly cleansed, dry complexion.
The absolute renewal cream, from the French luxury brand Darphin, restores Youthfulness from deep within and has a very powerful anti-aging effect. Skin is immediately moisturized, its texture instantly looks smoother and its complexion is more radiant. After 2 months of use, the skin looks firmer, Lines and wrinkles are reduced, and nasolabial folds are improved.
How to use it?
You can apply it Morning and night, by massaging gently onto face and neck. Its velvety texture makes it very pleasant to apply. It includes a premium stainless steel Massage tool that you can use to replenish volume and sculpt contours, resulting in a more youthful-looking appearance.
Made of 99% natural ingredients, the Cleansing Foam gently purifies and soothes the skin. It's a unique cleanser as it contains a prebiotic complex that provides the essential nutrients to maintain a balanced skin microbiota (which plays a major role in skin's health). Its generous and airy foam texture offers a real moment of pleasure upon application.
How to use it?
Apply on wet skin, massage, and rinse.
Integral Lift Day Cream strengthens the skin's structure by acting on its essential elements (collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid), but also on the glycoproteins that connect them. The skin regains its firmness, elasticity, and bounce, for a complete lifting effect. The silky, ultra-melting texture of the Firming Day Cream intensely moisturizes, while providing comfort and freshness to the skin.
How to use it?
Apply in the morning to the face and neck.
Filorga is a leading French brand of anti-aging products. Hydra-hyal hydrating plumping serum contains 4 types of hyaluronic acid to hydrate, smooth and plump skin. This hyaluronic acid ultra-concentrated sérum ensures multilayered skin hydration, for a feeling of lasting comfort. It is iIdeal for young dehydrated skins with thin fine lines.
How to use it?
Apply morning and evening the Hydra-Hyal Sérum after cleaning and before the day or night cream. Ideal for all skin types, even the driest and oily ones.
Optim-eyes is an intensive revitalizing eye contour cream. It has a 360º correcting action and is effective on 3 issues: dark circles, eye bags, and fine wrinkles. It visibly reduces signs of tiredness, revealing a fresh, rejuvenated look as soon as you wake up.
How to use it?
Apply Optim-Eyes, morning and evening, gently dabbing it around the eye contour with the fingertips. You can store it in the refrigerator to optimize the Anti-Puffiness Action.
This night balm exfoliates and smooths the skin surface while improving skin texture for a «resurfacing» effect. The product has a very natural formula (88% ingredients of natural origin) and does not contain peg, parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, phenoxyethanol, and silicones. Wrinkles and signs of fatigue seem to fade, the face appears visibly smoother and the complexion looks brighter upon waking.
How to use it?
Apply the unctuous balm before sleeping, as a night cream: it acts during the night, the best time for cell regeneration.
Targeting dehydration, wrinkles, and skin sensitivity, this mask deeply strengthens the skin's structure, helps it to regain its softness, and improves the complexion’s radiance. It delivers active ingredients essential to the re-lipidation and restoration of the skin: it nourishes the skin with innovative "bio-identical lipids" which are similar to the lipids naturally synthesized in the epidermis and which integrate perfectly into the skin’s structures.
How to use it?
The bio-identical restoring mask can be used twice a week on a cleansed and dry face. Apply a thin layer and leave for 15 minutes and rinse off with warm water
This Ultra-Soothing Gel-Cream is a nourishing skincare product recommended for very dry skins or irritated skins (with atopic tendencies). It restores lipids and provides long-lasting comfort for 24 hours. It has an ultra-fresh and ultra-light creamy texture which facilitates the daily application and absorption by the skin.
How to use it?
Apply once or twice a day on cleansed skin. Gently massage until absorbed.
This ultra-restoring and anti-mark cream are perfect to reduce skin marks such as epidermal alterations (wounds, tattoos …) or superficial dermatological operations (such as plastic surgery operations, for instance). Its formula is rich in Cicahyalumide, which helps to reduce marks, and natural extract of Peru creeper which soothes immediately, preventing scratching wounds, that can cause marks.
How to use it?
Apply 1 or 2 times a day to localized or widespread areas, according to your needs. It is also available in a travel size 40 ml tube that you can bring along in your handbag, to put it whenever you need it.
Cicabio cream is the first care to repair damaged and irritated skin (cracks, broken skin, peri-oral irritation, erythema of the diaper, chickenpox...), which accompanies each step of reconstruction, promoting a skin perfectly restored. It moisturizes, restores lipids, and reduces skin discomfort.
How to use it?
Apply a thick layer of Cicabio Cream to the damaged area, after cleaning and drying the skin. Use twice a day until the skin is completely repaired. It can be used both on the face, as on the body.
Developed to hydrate, rebalance and soothe fragile facial skin prone to redness, Biology AR is a dermatological product certified organic. It does not contain any fragrance and is adapted to skin prone to rosacea with 99% natural origin ingredients to ensure optimal tolerance. It reduces and limits the reappearance of redness and is also an anti-pollution protection.
How to use it?
Apply it once or twice a day on the face.
Usually, French people buy their toothpaste in supermarkets. But when they are searching for more quality and health-oriented brands, they usually get them from drugstores. The French brand Botot is the oldest oral care French brand: the mouthwash elixir was created in Paris by the doctor Julien Botot for French King Louis XV in 1755. The brand still exists nowadays and keeps making oral care products. We particularly recommend their Cinnamon Clove Mint toothpaste, and the concentrated mouthwash elixir, inspired by the original formula of the King's mouthwash elixir.
How to use it?
You can use Botot water morning and evening after brushing your teeth, or whenever your breath needs. Pour a few drops into a glass of water and rinse your mouth with it by swishing vigorously.
French Oral Care reimagined: LEBON is a French high-end toothpaste brand, often considered as “the Hermès of toothpaste”. Its products are made in France, with organic and natural active ingredients.
LEBON toothpastes are not only healthy but also have elegant packaging and provide a pleasant experience. The range comprises 9 different toothpastes with natural and unique aromas from the French Capital of fragrances, Grasse. They all have evocative and romantic names: Back to Pampelonne (Mango and Mint), Cap Ferrat Mood (Fresh Mint), Villa Noacarlina (Cinnamon and Mint), Une piscine à Antibes (Liquorice and Mint), Tropical crush (Pineapple, Rooibos, and Mint), Sweet extravagance (Orange blossom, Rose, and Mint), Le White (Green tea and Mint), Fearless Freedom (Blackcurrant and Mint), Rhythm is Love (Ylang Ylang, Yuzu and Mint).
If you shop in French Pharmacies, you will also find quality food supplements. More and more supplements can be found online, but it is much safe to have professional advice about them. French pharmacists like to interact with customers and will be happy to answer your questions to make sure they are giving you the very precise treatment needed for your specific problem. Here are some food supplements they advise us for specific issues: joints pain, vitality, hair and skin.
This food supplement from the French Laboratory Arkopharma helps to quickly relieve joints pain and increases joints flexibility and mobility in the long run. It is a perfect gift for people who suffer from arthritis. Its complete formula contains highly concentrated Boswellia extract to maintain your joint comfort and normal joint mobility. It also provides Vitamin C (that participates in the formation of collagen to ensure the proper functioning of cartilage), Manganese (to support the proper formation of connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments), glucosamine (an essential constituent of the matrix of the cartilage) and Vitamin D3 (helps to maintain strong bones and healthy muscle functions).
How to take it?
Take 2 capsules per day with a glass of water, preferably with meals. It is advisable to take it for several months in order to have long-term results.
NHCO is specialized in the research on Amino Acids, which are essential to the proper functioning of our organs. Their bestseller Orthosamine can be useful for everyone, as it contains the perfect intake of all the vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids which are vital for well-being and maintenance of good health. One pillbox corresponds to a 6 weeks program, that can be renewed 2 or Three times a year according to need.
How to take it?
Take 1 capsule per day between meals (it's a 6 weeks program)
The Brand Biocyte became famous thanks to its very efficient collagen products. Studies show that supplements improve skin and are complementary to cosmetics.
Biocyte éclat extrême is designed for those who feel that their skin lacks radiance. This food supplement helps to improve skin radiance and reduce the appearance of dark spots and redness.
How to take it?
You can take 2 capsules per day (it's a 2 months program)
The growth, thickness, and strength of our hair are dependent exclusively on the health of the pilosebaceous follicle, which is the base of the living part of the hair. Hair loss often occurs as a result of disrupted nutrient input. Effluvium focuses on hair growth and vitality, thanks to a formula that concentrates 20 actives intervening at different levels.
How to take it?
It contains 168 capsules for a 10 weeks program. The first two weeks, take two capsules, two times a day (during breakfast and lunch). During the 8 last weeks, you can take only two capsules a day, during diner time.
Monge Pharmacy is very easy to find. Their Notre Dame’s main store is located next to Monge Square. You can take line 7 and get off at Place Monge, or take line 10 at Cardinal Lemoine, and walk for over five minutes. When we go to the Monge drugstore, it's easy to shop a lot that we'll have some big bags and small bags. So we can walk to the opposite side of the drugstore, the Bistrot du marché which is next to Monge Square, and take the taxi back to the hotel. And if you plan to dine nearby, you might consider the authentic French restaurant le Refuge du Passé, which is less than ten minutes' walk away. They are retro French restaurants hidden in Paris, which store the memories and charm of old Paris.
Author - O'bon Paris team
Photographs - Yuka Ishihara, Phan Thanh Thủy
Parapharmacie Monge Notre Dame
Address : 78 rue Monge, 75005 Paris
Opening Hours: Every day 8:00-21:00
Parapharmacie Monge Cannes Riviera
Address: 36 rue d’Antibes 06400 Cannes
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 8:30-20:00