Summer time is the best time! It means spending a lot of time outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. It also means being exposed to the sun a lot, which can cause a lot of damage to the skin such as dehydration and hyperpigmentation. Well don’t you worry, I got you covered with my selection of favorite French pharmacy products that are staples in my summer skincare routine. The best part is that these products won’t kill your budget. They are affordable and good.

If you’re new here you probably don’t not know about my approach to wellness and skincare. So to give you a quick recap, I’m very mindful of what I put inside my body and on my skin. I choose natural products and try to avoid chemical ingredients (Parabens, Phthalates, etc…) as much as possible. Now that being said, let me start by sharing my take on how to choose skincare products and maintain healthy skin.

SKINCARE TIPS:

Choose efficient key ingredients, that are the best to maintain a healthy skin such as: vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, collagen, retinol and NAD+ precursors.
Stay away from toxins, that can disrupt your hormones and cause inflammation such as: parabens, phtalates, sulfates, silicones, glycolic acid, lactic acid and mineral oils.
Always use a sunscreen on your face to avoid premature aging from the sun. I absolutely love SuperGoop Unseen Sunscreen and Matte Screen, that I use as a makeup foundation.
Don’t overdo your skincare routine. I personally believe that less is best. I apply only one serum after washing my face followed by my moisturizer and a sunscreen in the morning that’s it. Same in the evening minus the sunscreen of course!
Hydration is key. This should be your main priority for your skin in my opinion. Make sure to moisturize your skin enough and don’t forget to drink plenty of water.
Don’t forget the neck when you apply your face moisturizer. You don’t want to have a wrinkled neck at 40!
Massage your face! You workout your body to stay healthy, well you should do the same with your face to keep your face muscles in check too.

Now let’s dive into my selection of French pharmacy products that are staples in my summer skincare routine.

La French Girl Top Summer Skincare Picks at the Pharmacy:

1/ CAUDALIE VINOPERFECT

If you’re prone to hyperpigmentation due to the sun, causing dark spots aka sun spots on your face like I tend to have, you might seriously want to consider this product. I have to admit that most of the time I use a vitamin C serum during the summer to protect my skin against sun damage, but if you already have dark spots this is the product that will save your skin! This brightening serum helps reduce any type of spots you might have resulting in a more even skin tone.

2/ LAROCHE POSAY HYALURONIC SERUM

When it comes to key ingredients that are essential for maintaining a healthy skin, Hyaluronic acid is at the top of the list. I’m happy to report that this hyaluronic serum from Laroche Posay is very good. It does the job of keeping the skin hydrated and plumped at a very reasonable price. If you buy it in the US it's $40 for 30ml. If you buy it online on the website of the iconic French Pharmacy CityPharma in Paris, you can get a 50ml bottle for €40.

3/ VICHY AQUALIA GEL CREAM

I like this cream because of its light texture, which is perfect for summer time in my opinion. This cream keeps your skin moisturized and helps soften fine lines and wrinkles thanks to the hyaluronic acid. When it’s hot outside I don’t like having heavy creams on my skin. So this one is a perfect summer face moisturizer and it’s $35!

4/ NUXE CREME FRAICHE EYE FLASH

Let’s not forget about our eyes! This is the cream I’ve been using to moisturize the eye area. This product is certified organic as a nice added bonus and does a great job to awaken sleepy and fatigued eyes too, thanks to botanical caffeine. I bought this eye contour cream when I was in France in April. I paid €14 for it at CityPharma in Paris. Good news you can order online on their website and have it ship to your home! As a reminder CityPharma has the best prices of all Paris. This is where you want to buy your French pharmacy products at unbeatable prices! I put the link of their website here.

5/ NUXE CREME FRAICHE MASK

Again, I can’t emphasize enough how important hydration is for our skin. So, in the summer time I pamper my skin even more with a moisturizing mask once or twice a week depending on my skin needs. I like this one by NUXE. It’s just another great product for dehydrated skin and I paid €20 at CityPharma.

6/ NUXE HUILE PRODIGIEUSE

This oil doesn’t need any introduction. I’m sure you’ve heard about it. This is the number one oil that most French women have in their bathrooms. And I am no exception! Not only the smell is divine and makes you feel like you’re on a vacation by the beach but it’s also an amazing all natural multi purpose moisturizing oil for the body, face and hair. The 100ml bottle costs €25 at CityPharma. I use it mostly on the body.

7/ AVENE MOISTURIZING MELT-IN BALM

When it comes to body care, this is a great product that I currently use. It keeps your skin hydrated and soft. The fact that it’s in a jar is a big bonus in my opinion. I don’t know about you, but I find it very annoying to try to use the rest of a body lotion when it’s in a bottle. I believe we all loose a lot of product in those poorly shaped bottles. Anyway this is a great body lotion and in a jar! You can buy for €18 on the CityPharma website.