The U.S. Obsession with the French Pharmacy
The lure for French beauty isn't new.
It’s the American way to adopt (some may say steal) trends, ideas, and fads from other countries—especially in the beauty world. The country that first comes to mind is France, as the French girl beauty has been the desired look of many for years. From claiming the look as effortlessly chic to dedicating an entire season (French girl summer) after the stylish women of France, it’s apparent they’re the minimalist icons of the beauty world.
In a time where people are opting for skincare—or minimal makeup—as opposed to full glam, the French are once again carrying the industry on their back. Their pharmacies are making headlines and filling medicine cabinets of the skincare obsessed and those looking for flawless skin with a subtle, natural glow—topped off with a bit of blush and lip tint.
If you don’t take my word for the obsession the U.S. has with the French pharmacies, I’m not the only one discussing the trend. In fact, retailers in our country are attempting to pivot how they market themselves in hopes to bring in those in love with the idea of a French pharmacy and the products they offer.
BOF recently published an article about bringing the French Pharmacy to American retail — noting how the “French girl beauty, as both a promise and value proposition, has always sold well globally, but the market for pharmacy-inspired skincare has never been more crowded — especially in the US.”
In January, ELLE published a piece on the 10 best French pharmacy products you can get right here in the U.S. The items include A313 Corrector Cream, Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre, and the Biafine Emulsion.
Just last week, Vogue writer Kiana Murden wrote an article about the products she buys when she goes to Paris—Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum, Nuxe Rêve de Miel Honey Lip Oil, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Spray, and others.
In February, The Guardian penned a piece about the key to French-style beauty. “Keep it minimal and effortless. Sort of..”
“Periodically, we fetishise French women’s effortless approach to makeup. And right now, when beauty is more minimal, the French aesthetic is trending again,” Sali Hughes says in her article for The Guardian.
The fascination of the French pharmacy has always been around, but the excitement over the differences between it from those in the U.S. has excelled thanks to TikTok. Skincare enthusiasts and dermatologists have shared their experience at the pharmacies and recommendations.
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In August 2023, Time Out published an article about why everyone suddenly became obsessed with French pharmacies—saying that the “fascination is primarily driven by American tourists, who are pleasantly surprised to discover popular skincare brands and beauty essentials are cheaper and easier to come by.” The article continued, “French pharmacies have long been known as havens for skincare, beauty and health, as well as a cornerstone of the community for many locals. Pharmacie du Cerf in Strasbourg, considered the oldest in France, allegedly dates back to the 13th century.”
In May 2024 Vogue published an interview with a French pharmacist, Natacha Bonjout, who said “In France, pharmacies really run the skin-care industry; When you have any questions about products, you always go to the pharmacy to find the best.” If you’ve been to a pharmacy in the U.S., you know this isn’t the case at your local CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens. My friend works at a pharmacy and he wouldn’t be able to tell you the difference between moisturizer and a serum.
One tip Bonjout gave to the publication for achieving the best (or French) skin is that “less is more.” She explained, “Your skin-care routine shouldn’t contain too many cosmetics from too many different brands.”
Seeing this correlation, many brands have expanded their reach in the US, who is the world’s largest consumer of French beauty, according to France’s Federation Union of the Beauty Industry. According to BOF, Avène began selling their products at Target, and already offered them at CVS, Walgreens, and Ulta Beauty.
In turn, this has inspired many American brands like Glossier began to sort of mimc popular French products like Embryolisse’s multifaceted Lait-crème Concentré and Homeoplasmine, which can be used all over the body, acting like Neosporin. As BOF mentions in their article (which clearly inspired this letter), there’s really no retailer experience that is the same as going to the French pharmacy—where pharmacists are able to guide you on which products may work best for your needs.
While the appeal to a French pharmacy is clearly there and in demand in the U.S., what may alter consumer shopping patterns once similar brands and retailers begin filtering throughout the country is the price. According to BOF, many French pharmacy products are sold at a higher price point than their US competitors.
“When La Roche-Posay and Avène entered the US market, both brands did so through dermatologist’s offices, where one is more likely to purchase a $34 gel cleanser.” The article continues, “That kind of price disconnect can be difficult for shoppers to grasp, though, at retailers like Target or drugstores such as CVS.”
Although many influencers and celebrities prefer the drugstore finds they purchase on a trip abroad, can bringing similar retail locations, products, and investment in skincare and beauty actually work in the U.S., where cheaper options are the norm in drugstores? In other words: Can such a luxe category survive in the U.S.?
Cosmoprof has announced plans to launch Beauty New York, four-day event from October 15. This is designed to create “the New York Fashion Week of Beauty,” per WWD. “It’s our fashion week for beauty,” explained Liza Rapay, Vice President and Head of Cosmoprof North America, and the founder of Beauty New York. “I wanted to do what’s right for the market, and for us beauty lovers, New York is where it all started in terms of modern beauty: Helena Rubinstein, Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder. That was the inspiration.”
Alexandra Daddario shared her minimalist beauty products and everyday lipstick in a recent Harper’s Bazaar YouTube video.
The L’Oréal Groupe has launched the L’Oréal Act for Dermatology, a five-year program led by the group’s Dermatological Beauty Division. The purpose is to “democratize access to skin health in support of the 2.1 billion people in the world living with skin disease.”
Gabrielle Union shared her everyday beauty routine in Vogue’s YouTube series, Beauty Secrets. Some of her go-to products are U Beauty’s The Mantle Skin Conditioning Wash, Thayers Witch Hazel, PCA’s Skin Pore Refining Treatment, 111Skin Black Diamond Retinol Oil, Therabody TheraFace Depuffing Wand, Shani Darden Skin Care Facial Sculpting Wand, U Beauty Resurfacing Compound, PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum, and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Blurred Matte SPF 30—and that’s not even half of it.
On March 11, those in the beauty industry gathered for a chat with Artemis Patrick, the first female CEO and President of Sephora North America. CEW Chair and Beekman 1802 CEO Jill Scalamandre led the conversation, where Patrick shared the vision behind Sephora’s store revamp strategy, brand evolution, and getting into the kitchen with founders.
Various benzoyl peroxide acne products are being voluntarily recalled for trace benzene contamination. According to the Food and Drug Administration, several lots of products are included in the recall: Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser, Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator and La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment. While it’s concerning, the FDA explained consumers face little risk from the products. “Even with daily use of these products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low,” the agency stated.
Love this! Especially because we French people still go to these pharmacies, 95% of the time, for our medications ah ah! Also you can find many of the same products in retailers like Monoprix at sometimes cheaper prices. A little tip: try the "Pharmavance" pharmacies because they have everything from gut health to skin care, and as they're a group, the prices tend to be lower than at the other pharmacies. And the staff really knows its stuff.
LOVED this read!