3 Chic Parisian Women Just Told Me Their Top French-Girl Makeup Tips (YW)

There's truly nothing like Parisian beauty. I know, I know—classic American romanticizing the French. But there's a reason people have long been enamored with a "French-girl" face beat: It's timeless, yet it somehow manages to feel fresh over time—especially in recent years, Paris-based aesthetician Sophie Carbonari tells me. "French makeup has undergone a subtle but powerful evolution," she shares. "It’s no longer just the minimalist aesthetic we knew in the early 2010s. Thanks to multicultural influences and voices like Aya Nakamura, we’ve moved toward a more inclusive and expressive beauty standard. What we see now is a kind of French makeup 2.0—a balance between classic effortlessness and contemporary boldness."

And then, of course, there's that coveted je ne sais quoi; French beauty is just as much a state of mind as it is a lineup of cream blushes and red lipsticks. "There’s a casualness to it," adds French makeup artist Violette Serrat, founder of Violette_FR. "People are always asking how to look effortless, and I usually say: The only way to look effortless is to be effortless. That’s really the secret. It’s five minutes in the bathroom, not fifty."

To help us all streamline our routines to that five-minute mark (or, well, close enough to it), I asked the chicest Parisian natives I know (Serrat, Carbonari, and Rouje founder Jeanne Damas) to share their must-have tips for 2025. Scroll ahead for the techniques and products these French women swear by—and the steps they deem wholly unnecessary.

1. Start With Simple, Gentle Skincare

When it comes to your base layer (which we'll get to in just a moment), the biggest rule is that your skin should look like, well, skin—and it all starts with an emphasis on skincare. Of course, everyone's skincare routine will look different depending on your main concerns and goals, but generally, the French like to keep it simple and ultra-hydrating. Damas even swaps a creamy SPF 50 for a traditional moisturizer to further streamline her routine. "It keeps my skin fresh, protected, and glowing," she says.

Carbonari, on the other hand, tacks on a few more steps (she is the aesthetician in the room, after all!). Still, her regimen is relatively bare bones: "On clean skin, I start with [the] Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion to deeply hydrate. I follow with The Ordinary Niacinamide Serum to calm inflammation, and then my go-to S Serum before applying any makeup," she shares.

2. A Sheer, Lightweight Base—Always

As you can probably guess, French-girl makeup involves a very minimal base—think sheer skin tints or strategic touches of concealer. "No primer, rarely foundation. That’s too many steps for us. We prefer just a bit of concealer where it’s needed," Serrat says. Carbonari praises Merit's Tinted SPF "for a lightweight, dewy finish," whereas Damas prefers a concealer-only approach. "I love seeing skin—not hiding it. It should feel breathable, never heavy," she shares.

3. Skip the Contour, But Be Generous With Bronzer

Carbonari, Serrat, and Damas all concur: French women don't typically contour. "Contouring isn’t big in France; it’s seen as too heavy," Carbonari shares, while Damas adds, "It feels too sculpted and artificial for my taste." Bronzer, however, is a beloved staple, especially if you're gunning for "that healthy, sun-kissed look we call bonne mine," notes Serrat. "Just a sweep with a big brush all over the face. Nothing too thought-out."

4. Blush Is Non-Negotiable. Highlighter? Sometimes.

A romantic, natural flush is very French coded. "I’d say if you invest in one product for the French look, it should be a good blush," declares Carbonari. Feel free to choose any type of blush you love, but cream or liquid formulations you can blend with your fingertips do tend to feel more effortless (and, thus, very French). Apply on the apples of your cheeks, advises Serrat, to "wake up" your features.

As for highlighter, it's more of a "nice to have" than a non-negotiable. If you do use it, Carbonari encourages applying with intention: "On the cheekbones, nose bridge, or even eyelids for a luminous, skin-like glow," she suggests.

5. Eye Makeup Is Lived-In or Completely Bare

With eye makeup, you'll have some variation. Some prefer a smudged, lived-in eyeliner moment, a pop of color (but never paired with a bold lip), or nothing at all on the lids. If you do wish to play up the eyes, make sure nothing looks too perfect. "I use a black or charcoal pencil close to the lash line and blend it with my finger to soften the look," Carbonari says of her own lived-in liner technique. "If I want to add a pop, I might use a dab of pink lipstick on the outer corners or under the eye—unexpected, but very fresh."

From there, a slick of mascara is always optional; Damas, for one, rocks a bare lash most days. "I just curl my lashes—it lasts all day and gives a fresh, open look," she notes.

6. Keep the Brows Natural

All three women I spoke to hail brow gel—and brow gel only. "We like brows that look natural but tidy," Serrat says of the soft, French-girl brow. A simple brush-up technique keeps them looking groomed without sacrificing your natural brow shape. "It instantly opens the eyes and gives structure without overdoing it," adds Damas.

7. No Matter Your Lip Color, Make It Just-Bitten

Finally, we have the elusive, coveted French lip. Like eye makeup, you can go as bold or minimal as you please; after all, French women love a strong red. If you do go the crimson route, just make sure to follow the "just-bitten" technique—or bouche mordue, in French. Either dab the lipstick on with your fingertip (Damas's preferred application), or follow Serrat's quick tutorial: Layer on a lip balm, blot it with a tissue, then add a bit of lipstick on top. (Her Bisou Balm is meant to recreate this technique with one, streamlined product.) Blur the edges with your fingertip to make it feel even more lived-in.

"For a neutral lip, it’s the same idea: nothing too done," Serrat adds. "A little balm, maybe a swipe of color dabbed on with a finger. It should look easy—even if it took a few tries to get it just right."

More Quick Tips and Key Details

Product recs and routines aside, I also asked Damas, Carbonari, and Serrat to share their top French beauty "rules" to keep in mind while creating an effortless look. Of course, makeup is meant to be fun, personal, and experiential; the word "rules" makes it sound a bit stringent, but think of the below as some rapid-fire guidelines—a French beauty manifesto, if you will.

• Choose one feature to enhance: "The main 'rule' is to highlight, not hide," says Carbonari. "Focus on enhancing the parts of your face you love most—maybe it’s your cheekbones, your lips, or your eyes."
• Make sure nothing's too perfect: That said, the features you do focus on should still feel a little "undone." According to Serrat, "It’s all about natural, fresh skin—what we’d call 'naked.' Nothing too technically perfect. A little bouche mordue (just-bitten lips), bushy brows, maybe a touch of color on the eyes—but never all at once. We have a saying: les yeux ou la bouche. It’s either the eyes or the lips, never both."
• Accentuate individuality: "Focus on what makes you unique—your freckles, your natural lip shape, your skin’s glow when it’s healthy," says Damas. "And always blend well."
• Start slow: "Be light-handed with products," advises Damas. See, it's always easier to add pigment than take it away—so start with less and build up the intensity as needed. Carbonari agrees: "Always keep a sense of ease in your application. It should feel lived-in, not labored," she says.
• No-makeup makeup is the goal: "We don’t like to show the 'how' behind our beauty," shares Serrat. "If someone says, 'Nice contour,' that’s not a compliment in our world. We’re going for, 'You look great—en pleine forme.' That’s the goal." Damas agrees: "You shouldn’t necessarily be able to tell you’re wearing makeup," she says. "Makeup is here to enhance—not to change you. Less is always more."
• Try not to get swept up by trends: "We don’t really follow trends. It’s not about what’s new or popular, it’s about what suits you. The makeup should never wear you," adds Serrat. "And when we do go bold—say, a red lip—everything else stays very minimal."