8 Most Hyped French Pharmacy Products That Don't Require a Trip to Paris
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Whenever a skincare junkie takes a trip to Paris, a shopping spree in a French pharmacy is practically a must. French beauty is famous around the world, and pharmacy staples mean you don't have to break the bank to get some of the most coveted products. Those lotions and potions might be behind that mysterious je ne sais quoi of women in France.
Our top picks:
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Best face moisturizer: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
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Best retinol: Avène Retrinal 0.1 Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream
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Best hand cream: L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
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Best eye makeup remover: Lancôme Biphasil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover
Luckily, you no longer have to board a plane to get the best French pharmacy skincare staples—many of them are now available stateside. To ensure you're shopping the very best, the Good Housekeeping Beauty & Personal Care Lab put them to the test so you'll know exactly what to add to your cart.
1) La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer
Despite its lightweight texture, this delivers deep moisture after just one hour, according to the brand, working to restore the skin barrier and balance the microbiome, courtesy of ceramides, niacinamide, and glycerin. In GH Beauty Lab testing, 95% of testers agreed that this product absorbed quickly, they liked the texture, and said it left skin feeling smooth and hydrated. In fact, according to our Corneometer data, it increased skin hydration by 28% over six hours.
"It's the best moisturizer I've used in a long time," a tester said. "I liked the non-greasy feel on my skin. After applying, my skin felt very smooth and soft, and that feeling remained all day." However, some testers did complain that it pilled and caused breakouts.
- Absorbs quickly
- Nice texture
- Leaves skin feeling hydrated and smooth
- Increased skin hydration by 28% over 6 hours
- May pill
- Some testers said it made them break out
2) Avène Retrinal 0.1 Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream
Get your beauty sleep with this retinol cream that works to visibly minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while you slumber. It contains retinal, a form of retinol which is known to leave skin feeling dry, yet testers said it left skin feeling hydrated and didn't cause redness or irritation. The formula also contains niacinamide to improve skin barrier function and hyaluronic acid for hydration and elasticity.
In Lab testing, it earned perfect scores for absorbing quickly and nice texture, and earned the top scores for leaving skin feeling moisturized and firmer, as well as for skin tone appearing more even and brighter. "I love how quickly Avène Retrinal 0.1 absorbs into my skin without feeling heavy or greasy," a tester said. "It's gentle and doesn't irritate my skin, even with regular use. Most importantly, it really works—my skin looks more balanced, and my fine lines are noticeably less visible." Keep in mind that it might not help lessen the appearance of visible age spots.
- Absorbs quickly
- Nice texture
- Leaves skin feeling moisturized and firmer
- Skin appears more even and brighter
- May not help reduce appearance of age spots
3) Embryolisse Lait-Crème Sensitive
Formulated for sensitive skin, this fragrance-free moisturizer that doubles as a makeup primer has been a go-to for GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann . It "has been my ultimate choice for the past year, "Wizemann says. "I like its smooth application, quick drying, and skin-plumping effects, and it sets a solid base for makeupwithout causing a cakey appearance or accentuating fine lines."
Made with vitamins and essential fatty acids to nourish skin sans irritation, the hypoallergenic cream can also be used as a soothing face mask. Note that one shopper did find the consistency to be runny, though.
- Has fatty acids and vitamins
- Quick-drying
- Doubles as a makeup primer
- Consistency on the runny side
4) La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen Body & Face SPF 100
Made for both face and body, this silky sunscreen earned top marks in the Beauty Lab—especially among testers with dark skin tones—for leaving no white cast. It also scored highest for feeling lightweight and non-greasy, without leaving a film or residue, while keeping skin hydrated. Testers gave it perfect marks for not feeling tacky, not interfering with makeup, and not causing burning or stinging.
"I loved that it was not greasy and heavy like many sunscreens can be, especially the ones intended for swimming," a tester said. "It also did not leave a white cast on my face and absorbed very well into the skin. It was weightless and even on-the-go, I forgot that I was wearing an SPF 100 sunscreen." But it may leave a slight sheen—one tester noticed "shininess throughout the day" on their forehead and nose.
- Doesn't leave a white cast
- Makes skin feel hydrated
- Not oily
- Doesn't leave a film or residue on face
- Can leave skin looking shiny
5) Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover
A beloved skincare staple, this GH Beauty Lab test winner is known for removing every last trace of eye makeup, even waterproof mascara. The bi-phase formula contains both an oil and water phase to wash away all residue and leave skin cleansed. Gentle enough for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers, it earned a perfect score among testers for fully removing makeup. It also earned a high score for not stinging or irritating skin or eyes, not being messy, having a pleasant scent, and dissolving makeup quickly.
"It removed my makeup quickly and was non-irritating to my eyes, unlike some products I have used," a tester said. "I only needed one swipe to remove the makeup." However, one tester complained it left a greasy residue behind.
RELATED: Best Eye Makeup Removers
- Earned a perfect testing score for fully removing makeup
- Didn’t sting or irritate eyes or skin
- Isn’t messy
- Dissolves makeup quickly
- One tester said it left a greasy residue
6) Clarins Instant Smooth-Perfecting Touch Face Primer
Create a smooth canvas for makeup with this multitasking primer. It does double duty, smoothing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and pores with soft-focus pigments that blur. It also contains vitamin E to nourish and hydrate. In our Lab test of instant wrinkle fillers, this one came out on top.
"It blurred out the deep lines and made them less noticeable," one tester said, while another added, "It's moisturizing but not greasy. I was impressed with how it diminished my forehead wrinkles. The 'elevens' between the brows is a tough area, but I even noticed a slight improvement there." However, some testers found the texture too thick and didn't fully blend into the skin.
- Smooths the appearance of fine lines, pores, and deep wrinkles
- Hydrates
- Preps skin for makeup application
- Some testers found the texture too thick
7) L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Once you slather on this ultra-rich (but not greasy) hand cream, you'll see why it has a devoted following. Chock full of shea butter, it earned the top scores in our Lab testing, in which it improved moisturization by 32% over six hours. It was the highest-rated for making hands feel soft and look smooth, improving the appearance of chapped/cracked/rough hands, and providing lasting moisture.
"I like the smell, the consistency, and how soft it made my hands feel," one tester said. "I am a nurse, so I am constantly washing my hands and applying lotion. This hand cream was fantastic, and I'll be keeping it in my work bag!" But the scent was polarizing, with some testers finding it too strong and old-fashioned.
RELATED: Best Hand Creams
- Made hands look and feel smooth
- Improved the look of chapped/cracked/rough hands
- Provided lasting moisture
- Scent was polarizing
8) Vichy Pureté Thermale Micellar Water
According to beauty lore, French women exclusively use micellar water to cleanse their faces, allegedly because the hard tap water in Paris is known for irritating their skin. This micellar water came out on top in Lab testing, ranking the best for making skin feel cleanand earning the highest satisfaction score. It also earned top marks for being easy to dispense and spread evenly, not being messy, quickly dissolving makeup, not leaving an oily residue, leaving skin smooth, and not stinging or irritating skin.
"This product did not sting my eyes and worked great to remove waterproof eyeliner," one tester said, while another shared, "My skin felt very clean, soft, and smooth after I used the product. No tacky feeling as with many micellar waters." However, one tester said their skin felt sticky afterward.
- Scored top marks for making skin feel clean
- Quickly dissolves makeup
- Doesn’t sting or irritate skin
- Leaves skin smooth
- Some said it left skin feeling sticky
9) How we test French pharmacy skincare products
All products in this story were evaluated by the GH Beauty Lab through a combination of Lab testing and hands-on use by Beauty Lab scientists and editors. All but one product were formally tested in the Lab; the remaining pick is a longtime favorite of a Beauty Lab expert. Lab-tested products were evaluated using category-specific testing methods and assessed for ease of use, feel during application, and overall performance.
10) Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Celia Shatzman is the temporary beauty editor at Good Housekeeping and has covered beauty for 20 years, including all things skincare. She stocks up on French pharmacy skincare staples whenever she gets the chance.
GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann helped choose the products for this story. She has more than 16 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries. Since joining GH in 2012, Sabina has overseen countless Lab and consumer studies across skincare, haircare, and makeup categories.
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