French Women Over 50 Swear By This Little-Known $13 Product for Perfect Skin

French women in their 50s are all about the double cleansing method—that's the key to getting a fresh pink lit-from-within glow. "More than often, it is not the wrinkles that give away your age, but the tones of your skin," says Fournier. "A pinky glow is a youthful glow." The way you get that glow is to fully clear away all the dead skin and pollutants "asphyxiating" your skin and muddying its tone. Fournier names Chanel's anti-pollution cleansing oil as the first product in the 50+ French woman's skincare arsenal.

Follow up your oil cleanser with a milky cleanser or micellar water. Fournier recommends Collosol's unique non-rinse product, whose formula is based on wisdom the brand's founder received from her mother and grandmother. Applied to a cotton pad, the velvety texture instantly removes any leftover makeup and debris. 

Naturally full lashes and brows are a priority for any French woman. But since our hair gets thinner with time, French women make sure to have a lash growth serum that strengthens the skin and lash root to encourage growth. Fournier recommends Talika's, which contains a special ingredient called Coleus Forskholii—this protects the natural lash color from graying.

Hydration should be the top priority for most women over 50, and French women know this. That's why most of them rely on a high-quality (but not too heavy) moisturizer like Embryolisse's iconic Lait-Crème. "This cult cream's history began in 1950 when a Parisian dermatologist combined shea butter, beeswax, and aloe vera to create a deeply nourishing, lightweight cream," Fournier explains. "To this day, it is an essential vanity must-have, especially when you are 50+."

Of course, skin hydrating is never a one-and-done endeavor. That's why French women bring a face mist everywhere they go. "French women have a traditional habit of misting themselves, and the one that you will see in every purse at any age is Avène Eau Thermale Spray," says Fournier.