Beauty Secrets Every Chic French Woman Knows

For French women, beauty begins at your “base”--which is to say, with your natural features: skin, body and hair. Have you ever noticed how these natural beauties seem to just radiate that youthful glow? It all starts with healthy, hydrated skin. Since the makeup trend for these women has long been “less is more,” they see skin care as a critical component of their beauty routine. The way they see it, the more beautiful your natural base, the less you need to do.

Mireille Guiliano, author of bestselling book French Women Don’t Get Fat, puts skin hydration at the top of her list of beauty secrets. She recommends drinking a full glass of water before bed and again immediately after waking up. Not only is this your skin's best weapon of defense, but it also works wonders for your diet, as we will often reach for empty calories when we mistake our body’s thirst for hunger.

All part of the French beauty principals of taking care of your “base features” before anything else, dental hygiene and a bright, white smile play a big role in the everyday regimen of women in the know. Take care of your smile by brushing after every meal, and don’t forget to floss! Regular visits to the dentist are a must and will help you in maintaining those pearly whites.

Also, brushing your teeth after eating has been known to prevent over-snacking between meals--doing double duty for both your smile, and your waistline!

Mathilde Thomas, the face behind the uber-successful natural skin care brand Caudalíe and beauty book The French Beauty Solution, feels strongly that when it comes to French beauty, the goal should always be to look as though you’ve put in less effort than you actually have.

A big fan of taking care of what you’ve got and emphasizing natural beauty, she highlights an old family recipe for shiny hair that she guarantees will give your locks that natural coveted lustre and sheen. For Mathilde’s hair mask, simply mix avocado, egg yolk, olive oil and rum. Apply it to your hair and rinse after 20 minutes.

In following with the Parisian-chic theme of moderation, the same rules apply to your hair care regimen. Over-washing can leave your hair dry and dull--to avoid washed-out strands, get into a routine of shampooing every other day (at most!).

French women find the American trend of contouring to be too heavy and “caked on,” preferring instead to avoid dark shadows altogether and focus only on lightly highlighting the face. Before you reach for that dark shadow and sculpting brush, try dabbing some highlighter on the bridge of your nose, at the corners of your eyes, along the top end of your cheekbones and on your cupid’s bow--you may find yourself satisfied without all of that extra work and contouring!

If there’s one bold makeup indulgence that French women have no issue taking part in, it’s a classic red lip. While they prefer to keep it light and natural when it comes to primping for a night out, they wouldn’t be caught dead without a fail-safe stick of rouge in their purse. One quick swipe and-- voila!--au naturel Parisian glam! Find one that works for you and remember to always exfoliate your lips before applying – the colour will go on more smoothly, last longer and you won’t have any flaking as the night goes on.

Did you know that sleeping with your face squished against the pillow each evening might be causing you wrinkles? It’s true--but luckily, there are ways to combat this, thanks to sleep solutions like silk bedding. The ideal sleep posture to prevent facial wrinkles and sagging is by sleeping on your back-- but for those of us who can’t break our bedtime habits, consider investing in some silk pillowcases, a fabric which experts claim causes significantly less friction against the skin than cotton.

Much like working out will firm and tone the muscles in your body, so does the benefits of working out the muscles in your face. This doesn’t mean you need to invest in a weekly facial – keeping those muscles in check is an easy at-home fix. Simply incorporate the concept into your morning and evening moisturizing routine. When applying cream to your face and neck, take your time and press the heels of your hands along your jawline in an upward motion towards your ears. Using your fingertips, smooth cream from the apples of your cheeks to your temples, and from the eyebrows to your hairline.

It’s a no-brainer that there’s something very chic, and very sexy about the right signature scent. Take some time to explore what’s out there and find a scent that makes you feel sexy--even if it’s all you’ve got on. Ooh la la!

Ever notice that French women seem to have an air about them that just oozes with confidence? You won’t find that bottled anywhere for sale-- this one comes from within. Being confident in who you are, and feeling secure in your own skin is something that can take a long time to master-- but once you’ve got the hang of it, that’s really all you need.