Valérie’s French Skincare Tips She Swears By All Year Round
As a little girl growing up in France, beauty advice was bestowed frequently and often. For my grandmothers, it was just as important to care for my skin as it was to understand the criteria for selecting a baguette at the bakery. To be French is to know beauty.
Many years later, running a skincare company, I smile to myself when I hear my grandmother’s words escaping my lips. My personal evolution to Odacité has shaped my decided belief in what I put on my skin, but the techniques and tricks learned from beautiful French women will always live on. Here are a few tips and tricks that are tried and true for everlasting beauty.
TIP 1: Skincare is a French woman’s makeup. Make skincare your top priority.
From my Parisian grandmother, I learned the benefits of stimulating the skin. She advised to massage the face, placing pressure on the areas more susceptible to wrinkles, such as around the mouth, and applying products in upward movements. Lo and behold, she was instructing the practice of Gua Sha, a practice that I now swear by.
From my wild country grandmother, I learned the power of nature. For her, the quality of ingredients was of utmost importance. She advised to spend time in nature and to never underestimate the power of breathing clean oxygen. Both grandmothers believed that caring for your skin is far more important than any topical makeup or products, for them, it was lifelong nurturing practice.
French women regard pampering their skin, hair, and body as enjoyable. Today, we call that self-care. Any skincare routine is about consistency, just like exercise, a few sessions won’t yield results, but sticking to a routine long-term will deliver glowing skin. Make your skincare a sacred ritual, one only for you, that delivers self-love.
TIP 2: Think of your skin as silk… and treat it with the same care.
The first rule in skincare is DO NO HARM. Harsh exfoliation and peels are risky and can do damage in the long-run. The micro-tears on the skin open up an entrance to bacteria that can trigger breakouts, or bring on premature wrinkles and make the skin more prone to sun damage.
Instead, I advise in thinking of your skin as a silk skirt. Say you have a stain on a silk blouse, you would clean it with care, not an abrasive product. When cleansing your face, it’s very important to honor the skin barrier and use a cleanser which is gentle, yet effective, and respects the delicate nature of the skin.
TIP 3: Forget about perfection, age gracefully.
Beauty is ageless, as Coco Chanel said, “You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life.” For me beauty is about confidence in who you are.
When you are confident in your power, your passion, your beauty will shine. You’ll vibrate with that "je ne sais quoi."
Having skin that glows is a surefire way to emit French confidence. When our skin is radiant and clear, you feel good, and shows to the world. When skin is dull, lackluster, or breaking out, it can be a damper. This is why French women place skincare as a ritual, great skin starts with a consistent self-love.
French women are taught to embrace age and imperfection and to play with it. It’s not about wrinkle-less skin, perfectly blow dry hair or sophisticated makeup. Instead, it's about a bold lipstick paired with glowing bare skin… Designer stilettos with old jeans... and as my grandmother said, “when you have a pimple tie a beautiful scarf around your neck, people won't see the pimple, they will see the carf :-)
Perfection is overrated... imperfect is far more interesting. For me, it’s about embracing and feeling confident about who you are, while never neglecting yourself.
TIP 4: Being comfortable in one's skin instead of aging.
French women cultivate a sense of style and invest in themselves. We spend more on skincare products than the Spanish, the German, and the British— put together! Open their beauty cabinet and you will find day and night cream, eye cream, masques and exfoliants... I feel that the secret of the magical French aging is that French women take great care of their skin, cultivate their own sense of style and are careful about not gaining weight by eating small yet balanced meals.
After I had breast cancer I realized that aging was a privilege many don’t have... so I welcome each new day as a treat and opportunity to grow and improve myself. As years go by I feel more and more confident and grow bolder than I have ever been.
Embrace the years gracefully with a “je ne sais quoi” of fabulousness. Confidence isn’t developed overnight, surround yourself with people that want the best for you, take care and invest in yourself.
Recipe for a quick, bare, fresh, dewy skin:
- Lather Green Ceremony Cleanser into the skin with a light massage. Let it sit for a few minutes letting the fruit acid dissolve dead skin while the antioxidants of matcha green tea recharge your skin - This cleanser this is like a facial in itself.
- Luxuriate in the Face Mist with Aloe + Immortelle Hydra-Repair Treatment Mist. It’s like a tall glass of water for the skin.
- Once the skin is slightly damp, apply the Night Time Antioxidants Repair Serum our press favorite AKA “the fountain of youth worth falling for” by the Zoe Report
- Finish with the Autumn On The World serum for a good dose of Vitamin C.
- Massage it all in with the Crystal Contour Gua Sha to give that beautiful fresh glow.