What I buy repeatedly at the French Pharmacy
The French healthcare system is heavily subsidised and I’m not sure I’ve ever left a doctors appointment without a prescription for something, so it makes sense that you’re never far from a pharmacy in Paris. Thousands of little green crosses light up the streets, reassuring you that should you need to spend some time with a sympathetic ear (or someone to identify whether your foraged mushrooms are poisonous), you’re always welcome.
The entire system has been heavily regulated since the Le Collège de Pharmacie was created by Royal Decree in 1777 (replacing the la Maîtrise d'Apothicairerie) and La Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris is currently housed at 4 avenue de l'Observatoire where over 4000 students are enrolled in the six-year curriculum. All that to say they take it seriously and products that can be sold in pharmacies are held to a certain standard.
If you’re on the hunt for a wider selection of skincare then lookout for a para-pharmacy, which is where you’ll find all the best skincare products in one place, an Aladdin’s cave where you can wander the aisles imagining how your life would change if you bought this product or that. The most famous one is Citypharma, located in the heart of Saint Germain, which sprawls over multiple levels and has a notoriously hard to find exit.
After some trial and error over the years (it can be so overwhelming) these are the products that I buy time and time again and are worth the shelf space in my Parisian bathroom.
A-Derma Exomega Control Huile lavante émolliente anti-grattage
This product was recommended by our paediatrician when my children (who have very sensitive skin and occasionally eczema outbreaks) were born and the whole family has used it ever since. It’s a soap-free emollient oil that’s soft and soothing on the skin. I’m also sold on their sales pitch as “a 2-in-1 formula for softening children’s skin and simplifying mum’s life”.
Caudalie Vinoperfect Masque Peeling Glycolique
When I need an excuse to spend 10 minutes alone I put on this mask and firmly close the bathroom door. It brightens, refreshes and exfoliates and I visibly notice a difference (although that could just be my jaw muscles relaxing after a few minutes hidden from the children).
La Roche Posay Lipikar Baume AP+M
The best body moisturiser I’ve ever used. No notes.
On days I wear make-up (rare) I use this gentle cleansing balm to reset at the end of the day. Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic it seems to clean without leaving my skin feeling tight. Massage it onto dry skin and it washes away with water leaving no weird film.
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