My French Skincare Haul

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When traveling to Paris, skin care is one must-have thing to buy. Here’s my French skincare haul.

The French are known for their skincare. I am always looking for products that don’t contain harsh chemicals or perfumes. Many, if not all of these French skincare brands are available here in North America, but when in Paris, you’ll find that they are almost 1/3 cheaper.

Some French Skincare Brands

Perhaps you are wondering what French skincare brands I am talking about. Since many are available here, you’ll probably recognize some of these names. However, for me personally, they always seemed too expensive and too luxurious even to consider buying.

Since I was in Paris and the prices were better, it was an opportunity to try out some of these products.

Now obviously there are many more brands. These brands seem to continuously and regularly pop up in my research.

Now everyone’s skin is different and has different needs. What may work for me, may not work for you. Lots of things need to be considered, like age, as well.

The Best Place to Buy French Skincare in Paris

Believe it or not, all of these brands can be found at the local pharmacy in Paris. Many flock to CityPharma, as well as Monoprix to buy these items.

CityPharma was located within walking distance from my hotel in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Once I checked into my hotel, it was one of my first stops.

Since many travelers know that CityPharma is the place to go, it was packed! I know that many will go first thing and it’ll be easier, but I couldn’t wait until the next day. I was prepared for it to be crowded.

Why Buy French Skincare Products in Paris?

As mentioned, the price of these products is literally about 1/3 cheaper than buying locally. This is in comparison to my local drugstore pharmacy, as well as Sephora.

As this was definitely on my shopping list, I did my homework. I researched all the big products and the must-haves that others insist upon. I wrote down prices in Euros as well as my local currency.

In addition to the cheaper prices, non-EU residents are entitled to get the Value Added Tax (VAT) returned. This is an additional 12% return. I needed to have my passport with me to show that I was not an EU resident and they did the paperwork for me which I submitted at the airport when I departed.

Okay – so 1/3 cheaper and then another 12% back! You can’t go wrong with this! For this reason, I checked one of our carry-on suitcases on the way home because I wanted to bring my French skincare haul home. Don’t forget that you are limited to the number of liquids you can bring on board. That is why I opted to check a bag on the way home. I had an Apple Air Tag in it to keep track of it as well.

Make a List!

The a-type in me is all about lists. To help you out with your shopping, here is a list of the basic must-haves when it comes to French skincare.

This list will help you when shopping. It provides a visual, as well as the names. Lists help me focus when shopping so that I know what I’m looking for and I won’t forget something. Plus, wait until you see CityPharma – it’s 3 floors! It’s very overwhelming. However, most of what you will want in terms of skincare is on the main floor.

Be sure to check out the CityPharma website. You can see what they have available, as well as the price so you can compare. I spent a lot of time on the website looking at products and comparing the prices to my local drugstore, as well as the Sephora website.

My French Skincare Haul

There were tons of products that were recommended and seemed interesting. I had to narrow it down and pick items based on my needs. I wanted all of the above, plus a few more things which I will explain.

Here is what I got.

• Caudalie 50+ sunscreen, Beauty Elixir and Lip Balm
• La Roche Posay gel cleanser and moisturizer
• Nuxe Men shower gel and after-shave lotion
• Nuxe dry oil and honey lip balm
• A313
• Homeoplastine
• Nym brightening gel and moisturizer

Honourable Mentions

There are just too many items I would have loved to have gotten, but I had to limit myself – not only financially but also because of suitcase space. I also picked up a few things for my kids that I thought I should also mention.

This post is mainly about skincare, but I thought I’d add in something about cosmetics too. Bourjois Cosmetics is a great French brand. I was told that it is manufactured by the same company that makes Chanel makeup but at a fraction of the cost. Bourjois cosmetics can be found at Monoprix, but if you want personal service, I went to the Bourjois store in the 2nd arrondissement.

So make your list. You may wish to include some of the things you read about here. There may be other items you want to try. Talk to the staff at CityPharma – they will make suggestions as well. I went in not knowing which eye cream or night cream I wanted to get. They helped me out by recommending the Nym brand to me.

Concerned about safety when you travel? I had a great little cross-body travel purse that I used in Paris. Be sure to check out this post.

I waited a bit before posting this because I wanted to see what the products were like. My definite favourites are the Nym products, as well as the Nuxe dry oil.

Wondering what fabric shopping in Paris is like? Check out this post.

Planning a trip to Paris? Want to remember my French skincare haul? Be sure to save this to your favourite Pinterest board.