I'm a Beauty Editor Who Has Just Been to France—28 French Pharmacy Skincare Favourites I Really Rate

This is one of Hailey Bieber's favourite moisturisers. It's one of those cult moisturisers that you'll find in every skincare insider's bathroom. The reason for its popularity is that it works as a multipurpose product. It helps repair a broken skin barrier, soothes eczema, heals inflamed breakouts and can even be used on bumps and grazes. It creates an anti-bacterial "dressing" over broken skin to help create the ideal conditions for skin repair. I've used this on small patches of eczema and always keep a tube on standby for flare-ups.

As far as French pharmacy skincare brands go, Vichy is one of the most popular. This hydrating hyaluronic acid–based serum, in particular, is loved amongst editors. The lightweight gel consistency sinks in immediately, making it ideal for all skin types from dry and sensitive to oily and acne-prone. It intensely hydrates skin, plumping out fine lines and leaving skin glowing—it's like a tall glass of water for your skin. Not only is it competitively priced for such a high-performance serum, but a bottle will last a long time, too.

Loved by celebrities, editors, makeup artists and just about everyone on TikTok, this is a must-have moisturiser to add to your basket. The lightweight creamy texture leaves skin super soft yet sinks in quickly, making it an ideal primer for makeup. In fact, you'll often see this being used by makeup artists backstage at fashion week to quickly hydrate the skin.

Nuxe's multipurpose oil has become a bit of a modern-day beauty staple. This lightweight oil is great for adding a glowing sheen to limbs. It comes in this shimmer-infused formula as well as a clear oil if you'd rather something glitter-free. It can also be used to add gloss to the lengths of your hair and can be used as a facial oil, too. It also smells incredibly chic.

This list of French pharmacy favourites wouldn't be complete without mentions from Avène. Its products are ideal for sensitive skin types, and this moisturiser is particularly great. It has a luxuriously rich texture that melts into the skin to soothe sensitivity and irritation. It also comes in a lightweight emulsion formula, which is ideal if your skin is more on the combination or oilier side.

This might be one of the greatest lip balms in existence. If you want something velvety and long-lasting, I implore you to try this. It has a cosseting texture that envelops lips with honey, shea butter and sweet almond oil. It creates a protective barrier over the lips, so it's great as an overnight lip mask or when you want to shield your lips from chapping in cold weather.

When you're in a pinch (or just want softer, happier lips), this ultra-moisturising stick is the one you want. Keep it in your bag, your car, anywhere you might need quick relief and swipe on as required.

Both Victoria Beckham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely are fans of this face mist, and you'll most likely find a bottle on any beauty editor's desk, too. Use it to refresh your skin throughout the day or to add a dewy glow to your makeup.

The French are ingenious when it comes to formulations and this stick face mask is no different. Imbued with white clay (good for deep, gentle cleansing), simply swipe it on your face – clean and dry, thank you – and leave a thick layer on for five-ish minutes. Then, cleanse off with warm water and go about your normal skincare routine. Moisturised, firm skin awaits.

If redness, sensitivity or rosacea are concerns, then this is an absolute French pharmacy must. The formula is enriched with thermal spring water, which soothes inflammation and takes redness down a notch.

This unassuming ointment is a French pharmacy favourite. It's great for hydrating chapped lips, cuts and scrapes, healing dry spots and soothing skin irritation. 

You'll find this in just about any makeup artist's kit. Micellar waters work by effortlessly dissolving away makeup and grime from the day. Simply apply to a cotton pad and swipe over the skin. It's a great backup cleanse when you can't cleanse your skin in a bathroom, so it's handy to pack for festivals or long flights.

This is hands down one of my favourite SPFs. Most SPFs can feel heavy and cloying on the skin, but not this one. It has a watery, lotion-like consistency that glides onto the skin, sits well under makeup and won't irritate sensitive skin and eyes. The SPF 50 means you're also getting thorough protection—just remember to apply it every day to protect against sun damage and premature ageing.

Most products targeting acne-prone skin can get so aggressive that they also upset sensitive skin, but not this one. It has a gel-cream texture that melts into the skin, hydrating oily and combination skin just enough without feeling heavy. Not only does it help to reduce breakouts and acne scarring, but the mattifying formula helps to combat shine, leaving skin shine-free throughout the day.

I don't know anyone who has tried this serum and not instantly fallen in love with it. It makes light work of brightening lacklustre skin while lightening dark spots such as sun damage or stubborn acne scarring marks. It also leaves skin seriously glowy—the compliments will roll in after a couple of weeks use.

This vitamin A-infused cream is so popular that some pharmacies have put a quantity limit on how many can be bought at one time. And it makes sense: this cream works to improve skin tone, laxity, dullness, spots and fine lines and costs just under £25. One thing to note: if you're using any vitamin-A product, daily SPF is a non-negotiable. Your skin is more sensitive and vulnerable to UV damage. Them's the rules.

If you have oily skin, you might be inclined to skip moisturiser. However, this mattifying formula leaves skin velvety soft, blurring over pores while helping reduce shine-inducing sebum throughout the day. It also helps prevent new breakouts from forming in the first place—it's truly a hard worker. It's no surprise that it's one of Bioderma's most loved products.

If you ask me, Vichy makes some of the best body SPFs. This hydrating SPF 50 formulation is suspended in a water formula with hyaluronic acid. Not only does this mean that it quenches the skin with moisture, but it also feels lightweight compared to a cream. Remember to top-up regularly in the sun and after swimming to ensure you maintain the SPF protection.

One of the most underrated products on the internet (yes, really), this body sunscreen is beautifully formulated and feels more like a luxurious moisturiser than a shield against UV rays and sun damage. It doesn't irritate sensitive skin – I've found that my skin only gets better using it – and resists the effects of water and sweat.

Sun protection is something not to be missed but carrying around one for you and one for your children or little ones might be a stretch too far – especially if you're trying to get it in your hand luggage, too. The Mustela Very High Protection Sun Lotion SPF50+ is ultra-protective (what we like), spreads and absorbs easily and is resistant to water and sweat, as well as friction from beach towels and clothes.

One of the great life hacks is heading to the infant and baby section in a French pharmacy. Not only are the products formulated elegantly but they're suitable for adults just as much as littles. This cleansing gel is the one I'd add to cart – it's hypoallergenic and doesn't strip the skin of essential oils.

Anyone with dry skin will know that keeping it hydrated is a full time job. From the rich creams we slather on to the mists, serums and masks we spritz and spread, there's little that gets missed in trying to push as much moisture into our skin. But, if you're not starting in the shower, you're missing a trick. This soothing body oil is gentle enough for eczema-prone skin and helps to maintain the integrity of the skin barrier (a compromised skin barrier is the root of many skin concerns) and protect from bacteria and environmental aggressors.

I have incredibly dry and eczema-prone hands, so I always keep a tube of this on my bedside table. The balm texture ensures long-lasting hydration, and the inclusion of vitamin B5 and thermal spring water act to soothe skin inflammation.

When my skin gets very irritated and upset, I always return to this. It does a great job of gently removing makeup without stinging sensitive skin. It leaves skin feeling soothed and comfortable. Use this with a flannel and lukewarm water to gently cleanse the skin.

A sensitive, flaking scalp can feel irritating to deal with. Fortunately, we're living in a time of myriad solutions, including this brilliant Vichy shampoo, created to slough away the majority of skin flakes, gently exfoliate the scalp and minimise dryness between washes. How, you ask? By a clever combination of salicylic acid (an exfoliating ingredient) and selenium disulfide (a nourishing one).

While most of the products in this list are skincare, it wouldn't be right to not mention haircare brand Klorane. This dry shampoo makes light work of absorbing excess oil while giving lengths texture and body. It's a staple for French-girl hair.

Natural deodorants often get a bad rap. Critics say they're not strong enough, stain light-coloured clothing or require messy application processes. Well, not this Caudalie gem. Its scent is delicate yet unisex, making it the ideal base for perfume and fragrance to be layered on top, and comes in a roll-on format for straightforward use.

Hard, dry feet are never the goal, especially during the summer when sandals and Birkenstocks call us to go socks-free. This cream is something of the holy grail for rough skin, whether it's on your heels, soles or the sides of your feet. Shea butter helps to soften skin while salicylic acid helps promote natural exfoliation. New feet, incoming.