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 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.
EVELOM
Daily Protection Spf 50 Sunscreen
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum
Rohto Mentholatum
Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Hyaluronic Milky Lotion
Sophie Carbonari
The S Serum
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.
Chantecaille
Le Camouflage Stylo Concealer
Hourglass
Vanish Airbrush Concealer
Westman Atelier
Vital Skincare Concealer
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."
