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From cult pharmacy classics to ultra-luxe formulations and clean beauty staples, French skincare brands have earned a global reputation for good reason.

In a country where beauty and science go hand in hand, some of France’s top doctors and researchers have brought their expertise to the skincare aisle, which has led to some of the best French skincare on the market.

Even with all of the science-backed skincare, one thing that surprised me after moving to France was all of the organic and natural options (many of which are very affordable). A new wave of brands is also redefining French beauty with a more holistic approach to skincare. I’ve been seeing more wellness supplements and skincare-makeup hybrids coming out.

Needless to say, there is so much to know (and love) about French skincare.

Ahead, I’m sharing the best French skincare brands I’ve discovered while living in France, plus the French skincare products to buy from each of them. These are the names you'll spot in the beauty cabinets of many French women.

No matter your skin concerns, this guide has you covered with a list of the must-know French skincare brands.

French Pharmacy Skincare Brands

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La Roche-Posay

A staple in every French beauty cabinet, La Roche-Posay is known for its gentle, dermatologist-tested formulas. Their products often feature thermal spring water, which soothes and reduces irritation. The Effaclar line is a holy grail for acne-prone skin.

Bioderma

Bioderma gained cult status thanks to its Sensibio H2O Micellar Water, a gentle cleanser that removes makeup without irritating sensitive skin. The brand is rooted in ecobiology, a holistic approach that focuses on respecting the skin’s natural ecosystem.

Avène

Rooted in its use of thermal spring water sourced from the south of France, Avène is ideal for sensitive, inflamed, or rosacea-prone skin. Its fragrance-free formulas calm and repair the skin barrier. Cicalfate and the Hydrance are two of the brand’s most popular lines. I reach for the Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream when I need serious moisture.

Embryolisse

A backstage beauty favorite, the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré is a multi-tasking moisturizer loved by makeup artists. It delivers hydration, primes the skin, and even removes makeup. I’ve been using this moisturizer every day for years now (it’s really that amazing!). Beyond this iconic cream, Embryolisse offers other do-it-all formulas that are simple, yet effective.

Nuxe

Combining botanical ingredients with a “sensorial beauty experience”, Nuxe is best known for its Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil. The brand bridges skincare and self-care with luxurious textures and natural-origin formulas. A trip to the French pharmacy is never complete without something from Nuxe in my basket.

Read More: 10 Best Nuxe Products to Shop Now

Vichy

With roots in volcanic mineral water, Vichy offers results-driven products that target concerns from aging to acne. The Mineral 89 Serum is a cult favorite for strengthening the skin's barrier and delivering deep hydration. It’s been a staple in my own winter skincare routine for many years.

SVR

SVR is a French pharmacy brand focused on high-performance, hypoallergenic formulas. From brightening serums to retinol creams, SVR combines dermatological efficacy with sensitive skin safety. I keep a tube of their Palpebral Eye Cream in my medicine cabinet—it’s perfect for my sensitive eyelids.

A-Derma

A go-to for those with eczema, dermatitis, or reactive skin, A-Derma uses Rhealba oat extract as its hero ingredient. The dermo-cosmetic brand focuses on rebuilding the skin barrier and soothing irritation with uncomplicated, plant-based formulas.

Uriage

Known for affordability and effectiveness, Uriage is great for sensitive, dry, and eczema-prone skin. Sourced from the French Alps, Uriage Thermal Water is a key ingredient in every product. You can even buy it on its own as a hydrating face mist.

Caudalie

Famous for its grape-based antioxidants, Caudalie offers clean, effective skincare with a luxurious French feel. The Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum and Beauty Elixir are standout products for brightening and refining skin tone. I’ve lately been loving their new Vinosun Protect Invisible Stick SPF 50 for touching up my SPF throughout the day.

Biotherm

Biotherm focuses on hydration and anti-aging with the power of thermal plankton, an ingredient found in the spring waters of the French Pyrénées. Their cult-favorite Aquasource Hyalu Plump Gel promises you 500 hours of hydration in a single jar.

Darphin

Darphin is a high-performance French skincare brand that blends plant botanicals with scientific formulations. Their facial oils, serums and ultra-rich moisturizers are loved for visible results, while also offering a spa-like experience in your own bathroom.

Filorga

Originally developed for aesthetic medicine clinics, Filorga offers medi-cosmetic skincare with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides. It's ideal for anyone seeking plumper, firmer, more youthful-looking skin. Their anti-aging products are some of the most effective at the French pharmacy.

Institut Esthederm

Known for its scientific, high-tech approach, Institut Esthederm formulates products that teach skin how to function better over time. The sun care line is especially popular for preventing photo-aging without harsh filters. You can find their products in many French pharmacies as well as beauty and department stores across France.

Lierac

Lierac brings real “beauty medicine” to the French pharmacy. Founded in 1975 by Dr. Léon Cariel, a dermatologist specializing in aesthetic medicine, the brand is deeply rooted in scientific research. Its products focus on addressing signs of aging, skin concerns like stretch marks, and menopausal skin issues.

Luxury French Skincare Brands

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Clarins

A staple in French luxury skincare, Clarins combines plant extracts with cutting-edge science. Known for its Double Serum and Total Eye Lift Eye Cream, the brand focuses on anti-aging, firming, and glow-enhancing products that French women have relied on for decades.

Lancôme

You might know Lancôme for its iconic perfumes and makeup, but they’re also a leader in the world of luxury skincare. The brand’s Advanced Génifique Serum is a global bestseller that boosts radiance and improves skin texture. Even Lily Collins, the star of Emily in Paris, uses it in her French girl beauty routine.

Biologique Recherche

If you know, you know. Biologique Recherche is the innovative and avant-garde brand that has reinvented skin care by combining biology and physiotherapy. Their cult-status Lotion P50 is often described as "a facial in a bottle."

Sisley Paris

An ultra-prestige brand from France, Sisley Paris formulates high-performance, plant-based skincare. Their Black Rose Cream Mask is a longtime cult favorite that helps the complexion instantly appear more youthful and energized. It’s even won numerous beauty awards over the years and remains one of the most luxurious masks on the market.

Chantecaille

This luxury botanical brand merges philanthropy with performance. Known for its plant-based formulas, Chantecaille is a favorite among those seeking clean, effective skincare with a luxurious feel. They also donate proceeds to conservation groups that protect wild species and spaces.

Chanel

A pillar of French luxury, Chanel brings the same quality to its skincare as it does to fashion and makeup. The Hydra Beauty and Sublimage collections, in particular, are not to be missed. Expect exquisite formulas and textures all cased in pretty packaging.

Dior

Dior’s skincare combines luxury with advanced science. The brand’s standout lines include Dior Capture for anti-aging and Dior Prestige, which uses the Rose de Granville to revitalize and strengthen the skin.

Guerlain

As one of the oldest beauty maisons in France, Guerlain brings luxury and innovation to all of its products, including skincare. The Abeille Royale collection, infused with potent honey and royal jelly, is the result of years of dedicated research into the skin-repairing properties of bee-derived ingredients.

By Terry

Founded by legendary makeup artist Terry de Gunzburg, By Terry is known for fusing makeup with serious skincare benefits. While the brand’s Baume de Rose Lip Balm is iconic, its skincare line, packed with rose extracts, hyaluronic acid, and glow-enhancing actives, is also worth adding to your beauty routine.

Galenic

Developed by the Pierre Fabre group, Galénic merges science with beauty. Every product is engineered to promote cellular regeneration and deliver visible, transformative results. It’s scientifically backed skincare with Parisian sophistication.

Cosmetics 27

Cosmetics 27 is a luxury, clean beauty brand focused on skin regeneration. Powered by Centella Asiatica and other plant-based actives, the line is all about restoring skin to its most radiant, balanced state. Don’t miss Baume 27, the brand’s original product, a rich, restorative treatment that targets signs of aging, boosts repair, and smooths wrinkles.

Orveda

Orveda is all about luxury skincare that works with your skin, not against it. Its vegan formulas use bio-compatible actives and cutting-edge biotech to revive the skin’s natural inner glow. A green, clean, French skincare brand to have on your radar.

Skin Office Paris

Founded in 2019, Skin Office Paris was created by top French experts and plastic surgeons to develop targeted solutions for the most stubborn cosmetic concerns. Their debut product, Eye Recipe, is a high-performance treatment that addresses dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, deeper wrinkles, loss of firmness, and drooping eyelids (all in one formula).

Natural French Skincare Brands

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Typology

Typology is a minimalist French skincare brand known for its clean, effective formulas made with natural, high-quality ingredients. The B Corp-certified brand offers a wide range of vegan, cruelty-free products from serums and moisturizers to tinted lip oils and concealers that cater to specific skin concerns without unnecessary additives.

Melvita

A pioneer in organic beauty, Melvita was founded in 1983 by a biologist and beekeeper in the Ardèche, France. It has since become France’s largest certified organic beauty brand with over 400 products made with ingredients like floral waters and plant oils. Bestsellers include the Source De Roses Extraordinary Water Hydra Plumping Essence and the Damask Rose Floral Water.

Patyka

The French pharmacy, but organic. That sums up the vision of Parisian skincare brand Patyka. It brings together high-quality botanicals with eco-conscious packaging and a commitment to reforestation. Patyka’s organic, clean formulas are adapted to all skin types and ages.

Aime

Aime is the first French beauty brand to merge nutrition, supplementation and cosmetic skincare. A holistic approach to beauty, its philosophy focuses on improving the skin from within, with cult favorites like their probiotic capsules and glow powders. Their SPF Powder Foundation is one of my favorite products from Aime.

Ulé

A newer clean beauty brand, Ulé grows its potent plant ingredients in its own vertical farms near Paris. The result is high-performance formulas that harness pure, nutrient-rich actives with scientifically proven effectiveness.

Oh My Cream Skincare

Oh My Cream is a French clean beauty concept store curating some of the best clean beauty and wellness brands. They also have their own in-house skincare line, Oh My Cream Skincare, that includes expert essentials like gentle cleansers, hydrating creams, and targeted treatments. Clean, effective, and easy to incorporate into any French skincare routine.

Doré

Doré is the clean skincare brand inspired by the French pharmacy. Self-described as “the white t-shirt of skincare”, their collection is tightly edited to include only the everyday essentials, from gentle cleansers to nourishing moisturizers. Doré is all about making skincare feel simple, modern, and chic.

Demain

Demain is rooted in certified organic formulas that don’t compromise on efficacy or experience. Made in France, the brand delivers 100% natural, vegan skincare enriched with prebiotics and probiotics to nourish the skin and support the microbiome. Its inside/out approach pairs topical treatments with supplements for a more holistic approach to beauty.

Affordable French Skincare Brands

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L’Oreal

As one of the most iconic beauty brands in the world, L’Oréal Paris is known for its dermatologist-tested skincare at drugstore prices. Thankfully, it is easy to shop outside of France too. The Revitalift and Age Perfect lines deliver results on par with pricier products.

Garnier

Garnier is another French beauty giant known for affordable, accessible skincare. It’s a go-to for skincare newbies or anyone looking to simplify their routine. Micellar waters and makeup cleansing balms are among the brand’s most popular skincare products. I personally love their Hydrating Micellar Water (a nice alternative to Bioderma).

La Rosée

La Rosée aims to create the most natural and effective products possible to meet the needs of all skin types, including the most sensitive. The formulas are cruelty-free, eco-friendly, and often under €20. It’s one of my favorite affordable French beauty brands.

Cattier

Another affordable and organic skincare brand, Cattier is best known for its clay masks and gentle cleansers. It's a great entry point into French organic skincare without compromising on quality and effectiveness. You can find many of their products at the French pharmacy.

La Provençale Bio

La Provençale Bio is one of the most affordable organic skincare brands in France. Olive oil sourced from Provence is the key ingredient in many of the brand’s products. It’s available online and at Monoprix, Carrefour, and Nocibé.

SO’BiO étic

SO’BiO étic packs its skincare with precious organic active ingredients, that are sourced and selected in their purest and most powerful form. Its clean formulations focus on hydration, soothing, and barrier repair. A must-shop brand for sensitive skin and eco-conscious shoppers.

More French Skincare Brands to Know

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L’Occitane

Since 1976, L’Occitane has been concocting some of the most pampering skincare and bath products inspired by Provence. The French beauty brand is all about ingredients like shea butter, almond, and lavender that are both natural and proven effective. While best known for its body care, don’t overlook top-rated skincare products like the Immortelle Divine Cream and the Overnight Reset Oil-in-Serum.

Horace

The French grooming brand for men, Horace offers clean, effective products for all skin and hair types. Simple formulas, minimalist packaging, it’s also reasonably priced. You can find Horace boutiques across France, and I’ve even seen their products stocked at Monoprix.

Final Thoughts on French Skincare Brands

I hope this list helps you discover your next French skincare favorite. When I first moved to France, I remember feeling overwhelmed by all the new names and didn’t have any idea where to begin. While the French pharmacy is always a good starting point, there are so many other French skincare brands to discover.

What are your favorite French skincare brands? Let me know in the comments below.

A Complete Guide to the Best French Skincare Brands

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