The French Girl Way to Approach and Treat Acne

In the U.S., "French girl beauty" has been romanticized for years. We are constantly inspired by their effortlessly chic aesthetic, tempted to cut our hair into French girl bobs or wear a classic Gallic red lip on the regular. But what about French girl skincare? How do they take care of their skin and keep it naturally glowing and seemingly blemish-free?

It comes as no surprise that the way the French approach skincare is not as simple as just using acne treatments. It's much more of a philosophy and lifestyle. To learn more, we turned to the source, of course. See below for how three French beauty experts navigate acne and treat breakouts.

It's a Holistic Process

Treating acne goes beyond using the right skin-care products. For the French, it's all about looking at the whole picture and considering what your lifestyle is doing to your overall health.

"I think back to the root and the cause of a skin challenge, focusing less on the consequences," says Violette, makeup artist and founder of Violette_FR. "I’ll ask questions like, 'What is acne? What does your skin need for it to be overall healthy before thinking of the consequences?' This train of thought is based on the skin-care knowledge I grew up with. From a young [age], I learned to seek expert advice from dermatologists, pharmacists, and estheticians. We were very fortunate to have pharmacies that were accessible to us, so I relied quite heavily on their knowledge and recommendations." 

"Prevention is better than having to cure the issue," adds Natacha Bonjout, a French pharmacist and founder of Bonjout Beauty. "The French believe that it is better to prevent acne from occurring in the first place rather than to treat it after it has already developed. They focus on using gentle, non-comedogenic skincare products that will not clog pores or trigger breakouts."

Bonjout goes on to say that you should consider implementing changes that will contribute to a healthier lifestyle overall to clear and treat acne. Her tips include drinking enough water every day, exercising, getting enough sleep, and eating a diet full of nutrients. She also recommends washing your bed sheets once a week, washing your hands often, and even taking supplements.

Keep Skincare Minimal

Regine Berthelot, lead esthetician for Caudalie, emphasizes that French skincare philosophy is all about the "less is more" approach. It's about looking at the causes of inflammation, removing triggers (like processed foods) from your diet, and avoiding products that strip or over-exfoliate the skin.

"I encourage clients to curate a skin-care routine focused on balance, like deep cleaning and treating without drying or clogging the skin," she says. "A simple, effective routine of cleanser, toner, serum, and moisturizer twice daily is a fantastic way to start."

"This ties back into our minimalist approach to beauty," adds Violette. "With skincare, we don’t want to feed our skin with excess products that have strong and powerful ingredients. It’s good to have our skin be able to learn and defend itself."

She recalls learning this lesson while pregnant and experiencing acne for the first time. It wasn't until she stripped down her routine that her skin started to clear up. "My skin was very inflamed, my skin barrier was damaged. Because I hadn’t dealt with this before (no acne or bad breakouts in the past), I panicked," she says. "Once I was calm, I realized that it’s all about focusing on taking care of yourself and not hiding from it. It wasn’t easy, but I realized I needed to practice what I preach and not use foundation on my skin. It went away after three weeks, keeping skincare minimal and allowing for my skin to breathe and heal on its own."

Beauty Is a Mindset

At the crux of French beauty is a relaxed attitude around beauty in general. Makeup, skincare, and hair aren't meant to alter your appearance with the goal of becoming what society deems beautiful; it's about celebrating your natural attributes.

"When I move to America, one of the first things I [learned] was to 'be the best version of yourself.' That's similar to [how it is] in France (it's very important to us), but the difference is that we want to learn to love the version of us right now," says Violette. "It doesn't mean we don't want to improve on it or that we don't want to evolve; of course we do. The point is that we don't want to chase a different version of ourselves. That's why we're often in the moment — in the present — with ourselves."

Bonjout agrees and says that the French have different skin ideals than the U.S. Where clear skin is often seen as the end goal here, people in France are more accepting of acne occurring and focusing on the products that will actually treat it over time as opposed to aggressive measures that will get rid of blemishes quickly.

"Acne is a major skin concern in French skincare, but it is not seen as the same kind of social stigma as it is in the U.S. market," says Bonjout. "In France, acne is simply seen as a common skin condition that can affect anyone — regardless of age, gender, or social status. As a result, people with acne in France are not as likely to feel self-conscious or ashamed about their skin."

"I know it’s easy for me to say, ‘Don’t wear foundation, love yourself. You are perfect.' I totally understand that for people, it’s harder, and they are pushed to wear makeup and hide. That’s ok too," adds Violette. "But I hope that by providing you with this advice, it inspires you. It’s resonating with you."

With all that in mind, incorporating the French attitude towards acne is pretty simple. Below are the trusted French brands that all three recommend to treat those blemishes. Scroll on to see what you can start using today.

 

Avène

To Shop: $21; ulta.com

Avène has been a trusted French beauty skincare brand for years, and according to Bonjout, its Cleanance line is a best-seller in French pharmacies. "I remember using [the Cleanance Cleansing Gel) every day when I was a teenager," she says. "And all my friends had it as well." Its newest launch, the Cleanance Acne Medicated Clearing Gel Cleanser, contains 2% salicylic acid to clear pores, remove excess oil, and exfoliate skin to keep breakouts at bay. It also contains Avene's signature thermal water, which is clinically shown to calm and soothe any irritation.

Violette_FR

To Shop: $46; violettefr.com

Violette created her range of products around the French philosophy of simple skincare. The Blemish Rescue is a concentrated serum made of ingredients like southern ginseng, rock rose extract, and carrot stem cells to reduce inflammation and reinforce the skin barrier to get you a clearer and healthier complexion.

"[It] really soothes, balances, and calms the sebum," she says. "Though it’s made of 96% naturally derived ingredients, this serum is powerful, which is why it’s used as a treatment base rather than a daily, everyday use."

La Roche-Posay

To Shop: $22.99; ulta.com

Bonjout calls La Roche-Posay's Effaclar line the French go-to for acneic skin. If you're looking for the ultimate acne spot treatment, she recommends the Effaclar Duo Dual Acne Treatment. "[It's] a corrective anti-blemish care that reduces pimples, blackheads, and marks," she says. It is made with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and lipo-hydroxy acid to clear away dirt and debris in your pores and reduce irritation.

Bioderma

To Shop: $18.99; dermstore.com

If makeup and debris are consistently clogging your pores, a breakout is inevitable. Micellar water, which is a key staple in a French skin-care routine, will help you gently and thoroughly cleanse your skin. For those who are acne-prone, Bonjout recommends the Bioderma Sébium H2O. "[It's] an anti-blemish micellar water that deeply cleanses the skin and reduces pimples, blackheads, and marks," she says. It also won't strip the skin of any essential oils to keep it hydrated.

Caudalie

To Shop: $42; sephora.com

Caudalie's Vinopure line is Berthelot's pick for a natural approach to treating acne. "[It] has natural ingredients that help reduce potential irritation and inflammation," she says, adding that the Vinopure Purifying Clay Mask, which has grape water and natural zinc and green clay, will absorb excess oil to keep pores clear and soothe any irritation.

To further promote a healthy glow, a monthly facial will supply a professional deep cleaning to prevent congestion and build-up. , Alternatively, incorporating a weekly exfoliating routine paired with an at-home mask will help keep skin smooth and clear.

Bonjout Beauty

To Shop: $120; bonjoutbeauty.com

Bonjout formulated Le Balm as an all-in-one serum that she says can replace multiple steps of your routine. It's made with 99% of plant-derived ingredients, squalane, and organic prickly pear oil to repair the skin barrier and enhance your skin's elasticity. As an added bonus, it's non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic, so it won't irritate skin or cause breakouts.