Trend Alert: French Girl Beauty
The French girl; effortlessly chic, nonchalant, and sure of herself. French women seem to have a certain “je ne sais quoi” about them when it comes to beauty. But what is it about the French beauty aesthetic that has us all wanting to emulate it? Well needless to say, French girl beauty is a stylish approach to beauty that has continuity across all age groups, requires less effort than the beauty standards we’re commonly faced with, and is classic and timeless. However, first we must know what this style actually looks like. This is more difficult to answer than we may initially assume. Many of us will each have different ideas about what ‘French girl beauty” entails... from natural makeup to a red lip, to a winged eyeliner, to bobs, fringes and messy hair, the French girl doesn’t just have one singular look. Don’t get too overwhelmed though! We’re here with your ultimate guide and inspo to adopting a French girl approach to beauty...
SKIN
Because ‘French girl beauty’ tends to be minimal on the makeup front, taking good care of your skin is a must; French women take their skincare very seriously. Make sure you’ve got your skincare routine down pat, keep things simple, high quality, and consistent. Cleansing, toning, and hydrating your skin are the core essentials to maintaining skin that can get by without a lot of makeup. Also be sure to not to over exfoliate or strip your skin by using a foaming cleanser (unless your skin is on the oily side), as this can strip your skin of its natural oils. Before you apply any makeup or leave the house in the morning, it’s crucial you apply a good SPF. Tinted sunscreen is a great option, as it can give your skin some sheer coverage whilst giving the impression that you aren’t wearing any makeup.
MAKEUP
Where everyday makeup is concerned, the French ‘it girl’ keeps things minimal. This means ditching heavy foundation and opting for a lighter, more natural coverage product such as a tinted moisturiser or sunscreen. For an everyday look, simply add a touch of mascara, and a subtle swipe of a nude lipstick. You can also dab the lipstick with your fingertips and pat it onto your cheeks as a bit of rouge. On occasion, it is certainly appropriate to amp things up whilst still keeping your look cool and understated. One of the most iconic elements of the French girl beauty trend is the red lipstick. French women have been known for their love of red lipstick for decades, and it's still a staple in their beauty routines today. The key to pulling off the French girl red lipstick look is to keep the rest of your makeup minimal, so that the lipstick can take centre stage. Feel free to experiment with warmer, cooler, lighter and darker shades of red, to suit your mood, skin tone, or a specific occasion. Another favourite of French women in the beauty department is a statement winged eyeliner; think 1950s Brigitte Bardot. Again, pair back the rest of your makeup to allow your eyeliner to be the star of the show. Having a bold accent feature to your makeup look ensure that you’re turning heads without looking like you spent an hour getting ready.
HAIR
When it comes to hair, French women are all about the "bed head" look. They tend to avoid overly styled or overly polished hair, and instead opt for a more natural, effortless look. This means embracing your natural wave and not using too many styling products. However, having a bit of volume and lift at the roots never hurts. Using a sea salt spray or volume powder and scrunching it into your hair can give you a bit of natural volume, whilst keeping your hair looking relaxed. French women are also known for their "lived-in" hair colour, which is all about embracing your natural highlights and lowlights rather than trying to achieve a perfectly uniform colour. So feel free to skip a salon visit and own your hair colour... any excuse to not spend hours in the hair chair, am I right?
VIBE
The most important part of nailing the French girl beauty vibe is in how you carry yourself. Ultimately, the French girl beauty trend is all about embracing natural beauty, simplicity, and self-confidence. This aesthetic is more about a state of mind than a strict set of rules. The French women approach to beauty is uncomplicated, they don't try too hard to conform to a certain standard, but they are confident in who they are and what they look like. They add to and accentuate their own beauty, rather than go in with a hundred and one makeup products that cover it up. The French girl beauty vibe is hard to put into words, but the best thing to do is simply embrace your natural beauty and have fun with it!
