Bonjour my little bon-bons!
I know y’all are just pining to see the French Pharmacy Finds I recently procured whilst traveling in Chamonix, France. Read about the whole trip here!
I did an astounding amount of reaching in preparation for the French pharmacy not only to discover what those sprightly french gals are usin’, but also to enjoin myself from buying a bunch of crap that is cheaper in the U.S
My research indicated there were in fact a few brands that are produced in France and therefore, a better deal over there. Such brands include Bioderma, Vichy, La Roche Posay, Klorane and Caudalie. A fact I discerned to be true was that cosmetic brands that seem French, like Dior, Chanel and Clinique are actually MORE expensive to buy over there.
Furthermore, did y’all know that all cosmetic brands are usually owned by larger companies? For example L’Oreal owns YSL, Georgio Armani, Lancome, Kiehls, Urban Decay, Essie and The Body Shop. Shocking, I know.
Anywee, here is what I picked up at the Pharmacies in Chamonix:
1. Klorane Dry Shampoo
Hat tip to my pal Nicole for this recommendation! This dry shampoo cost about €10 and is formulated with Oat Milk. I got the version for all hair types because the other option was for dark hair only. Interesting they don’t make a blonde option…#hairscrimination.
2. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution
If you read my recent post about our trip to Whistler, you’ll know I finally found Bioderma! I paid $20 for the bottle and have been using it non-stop. To be honest, there is nothing totally spectacular about this stuff. What I appreciate about it is the simplicity. It has no smell, is great for sensitive skin and removes makeup nicely.
I picked up the giant 500 ml bottle of this in France because it was only €14!
3. NUXE Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm
This product is on EVERY french person’s pharmacy favorite list. The brand actually had a few things I considered buying, like the body oil. I decided not to get that because I’m not really that big on body oils and honestly, our suitcase had like 1 millimeter of space left.
4. Caudalie Beauty Elixir
I have wanted to get this from Sephora sooo many times but it’s $50. It smells like a spa and is very luxurious. I have used this a few times since we’ve been home and I can confirm: it is HEAVEN. It works amazing as a makeup setting spray and I just loooove it after I wash my face and before serum and moisturizer. I paid €29 for the big bottle!
5. Fletagex
This product used to be known as Avibon and Gwyneth regarded it as a miracle product for keeping wrinkles at bay. When I inquired about Avibon, the gal at the pharmacy went into the back and produced this stuff, saying “It eez the same.” DONE. The packaging reminds me of hemerroid cream but whatevs if it works. Also, it was €7 so the price was right too!
And that’s all I bought! I KNOW you guys. I could have filled a suitcase but given the fact that we packed our own skis and ski boots, there was srsly no room in our luggage for 44 ounce jars of face cream.
*Side note about clothes shopping in France:
All the clothing shops in Cham were filled with mountain stuff. Alot of Burton, North Face and ski stuff I don’t care about. The few non-outdoor apparel stores I went in were fascinating for one reason…the men’s section was in the front of the store.
In the US, most clothing stores that carry both mens and womens apparel smartly put the women’s section front and center. We spend the money. We like our stuff right up front. In most places, I find that the men’s section is either off to the side, in the back or just really tiny. Well NOT IN FRANCE. In most stores, like Superdry and Quicksilver the women’s sections were not only in the back but UPSTAIRS. I pointed this out to Bryan (who is the LAST person on earth who would notice a clothing store’s layout) and he was all, “that’s awesome!”. Ew.
My opinion? GO AMERICA!
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