I write about design-led travel, creative life, beautiful spaces, and lately, the odd detour into skincare and things I actually use. You can subscribe here if you’d like to follow along.
My sister has never had to think about her skin a day in her life. No acne in high school. Even tone. Small pores. So yes, I’ve been a little jealous! But this year, for the first time, she came to me for advice.
I have the opposite skin story:
acne as a teenager
a strange combination of oily T-zone with larger pores
and also sensitive, dry, rosacea-prone cheeks
Scandinavian on one side, grew up at the beach in Southern California on the other — so, lots of early sun damage…
plus I’m 46 now, and the wrinkles have started their thing, too
I don’t do injections or procedures (one exception below). I don’t get facials more than once every year or two. But I do have fifteen-plus years of being genuinely diligent about my ever evolving at-home routine, out of necessity rather than talent, and that diligence is paying off. That’s probably exactly why my sister, who is now also squarely in her mid-forties, asked me instead of someone who was just born with good skin. A few months into using pieces of my routine, she says her skin feels much more hydrated and looks less tired. I think it’ll matter even more for her as the years go on.
I’m writing this post because a longtime reader — we went on a hike together recently — asked for it after reading my “what I actually used for a month in France and Belgium” post. She wanted the more personal, lifestyle side of things, and specifically wanted to know about French pharmacy finds.
So: here’s the full routine, warts and all. Not everything below is French — some of it’s very unglamorous American drugstore — but there’s definitely a thread of French pharmacy finds running through it, which I’ll call out as we go.
I start by misting — this is the one thing I took from the Korean glass-skin routine, and it’s made a real difference. I use the Heritage Store Rose Water and Glycerin Hydrating Facial Mist (there’s a version without glycerin if your skin runs more oily). I mist my face, neck, chest, hands, and forearms — anywhere that regularly sees the sun.
Then Vichy Mineral 89 Hydrating and Plumping Daily Booster — a genuine French pharmacy find, made with hyaluronic acid and minerals from Vichy’s actual spring water. I’ve tried a lot of hyaluronic serums and this is the most hydrating one I’ve found by far, not cheap but nowhere near luxury pricing either. I love the way this one feels when I put it on, almost like I can feel my skin drinking it up and letting out a satisfied “Ahhhhhhh”.
Next, a vitamin C serum — I use Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum. The famous one everyone raves about is too expensive for me, and I tried Naturium’s stronger version and it irritated my skin, so I’ve settled on their classic formula, which I’ve heard is a solid pick and feels nice as it goes on.
Instead of a traditional moisturizer, I finish with a few drops of plain organic jojoba oil (I use the Cliganic brand, in a glass bottle with a dropper) — this only works because the water-based layers underneath already did the hydrating work. Oil on dry skin does nothing; oil on already-plumped skin locks it in.
A couple times a week, I'll mix a little Isle of Paradise self-tanning drops into that same jojoba oil before applying it — a small trick, but it does a lot to blend everything together on days I'm not wearing makeup, especially with the rosacea on my cheeks.
Daytime always ends with sunscreen. I do mineral over chemical since chemical formulas burn my eyes. I used Mad Hippie Hydrating Facial SPF for years but it’s started pilling on me lately, so I’m currently testing CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 — early days, will report back. (By the way, France is known for incredible sunscreens, but all the best ones seem to be chemical based, so… not for me.)
Same mist, same Vichy Mineral 89 — no vitamin C at night. Then, a few nights a week, Tretinoin (0.025%, prescribed by my dermatologist — I just started this a month ago and can already start to see a difference, so I wish I’d started years earlier, but sensitive skin made me nervous to try). Every other night I use Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid instead. Again, these go on my face, neck, chest, hands, and forearms — wherever the sun actually hits.
Same jojoba oil after that, and then the one product with real cult status: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm. I found it in France years ago, a long time before it was easy to get in the US. I skip my T-zone with it, but use it everywhere else — cheeks, eye area, neck, chest, hands. It locks everything in and smooths in a way I really love.
Exfoliation: Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, ideally twice a week, on a different night than tretinoin. I’m inconsistent about this one — working on it. Also, about once every week or two I’ll use Caudalie VinoPerfect Brightening Glycolic Peel Mask I brought back from France this spring — ten minutes in the shower, never on the same day as Tretinoin. My face feels super smooth afterwards.
T-zone maintenance: a Bioré nose strip once a week — sebaceous filaments are just part of having an oily T-zone, and the strips help keep them in check.
The masks: La Rosée 3 in 1 Regenerating Stick, a French pharmacy brand clay mask that comes in a little pink tube — somehow really works for both dry/sensitive skin and acne-prone skin. Instructions say 5 minutes; I usually leave it on closer to 45. I know you’re not supposed to, but somehow it felt like it worked better for my skin that way? Maybe it’s just me… I also love the Biodance Collagen Real Deep Mask, but haven’t settled on a regular routine for the time commitment involved.
Cleansing: I’ve been showering at night lately, and use a gentle cleanser in there — currently Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser, though French pharmacy favorite La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser is also great, so sometimes I’ll sub that one in instead. I use a konjac sponge to lather it in.
Lips: Lanolips got me through a brutally cold, dry winter a few years ago. (I tried dozens of lip balms before landing on this.) Then I noticed it’s just lanolin — the same ingredient in Lansinoh nipple cream, which is so much cheaper. So now I use that at home and still keep a Lanolips in my purse (because of the smaller, more manageable size). My sister took it one step further and found a giant tub of pure lanolin from a vitamin brand for about $10. (Tip: put the Vichy Mineral 89 — or any hyaluronic acid — on your lips underneath the lanolin for maximum effect.)
What I drink: lots of water, mixed with a hydration powder once a day, and liquid chlorophyll plus a scoop of collagen peptides in my morning matcha.
The one procedure I’ve done: laser treatment for broken blood vessels from rosacea, about ten and eight years ago. Super painful — like the hard snap of a rubber band on your face, over and over again. But it really worked and is not as expensive as people assume. I have some blood vessels back now and have thought about doing it again.
One more French pharmacy favorite: Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum. It really is as good as the hype says if you use it regularly — it evens tone and fades dark spots and redness. The thing is, it adds up pretty quickly, even if you buy it in France. I did the math and it’s actually more affordable for me to do laser once a year. Plus, the benefits from laser are even greater (and don’t add another step to my daily routine). I just have to actually make the appointment and then brace myself for the rubber bands.
Reminder: If you do happen to be traveling to France, all of the French pharmacy finds are noticeably less expensive over there, so load up if you can.
This was a reader-requested experiment! If it’s useful, I’d love to hear your own French pharmacy + other skincare finds in the comments.
And if you’d like more posts like this mixed in with the travel and design content, a ♥️ or a comment tells me to keep going. Merci, mes amis.
x Eva
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