All the Best French Beauty Products (That We’ve Written About on the Strategist)

The Cut’s former beauty director Kathleen Hou says this Embryolisse cream is often the only moisturizer makeup artists carry backstage because it won’t irritate models’ skin. It doesn’t contain much fragrance, and the milky consistency makes it soothing for all skin types, Hou says. The formula also contains soy proteins, which firm and tone, leaving a soft finish that primes the skin for makeup. Makeup artist Helene Vasnier even says it’s her favorite for prepping men’s skin (which is thicker than women’s) because of its creamy texture. French British actress Charlotte Gainsbourg also told the Cut it was the single beauty product her late mother Jane Birkin used.

Bioderma’s micellar water — a cleansing liquid infused with “micelles,” or small balls of oil — is our top-rated makeup remover because it works on all skin types by drawing out imperfections without stripping skin, NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Hadley King says. On top of being “lightweight and nongreasy,” the formula is alcohol-, fragrance-, and paraben-free, dermatologist Dr. Y. Claire Chang says. Dr. Lily Talakoub, founder of Derm to Door, uses it and says it won’t leave skin feeling tight post-wash. It’s also the only product that can take off her hard-to-remove mascara “without losing any precious eyelash hairs,” Talakoub says.

This “beauty elixir” comes recommended by Nicole Scherzinger, along with two dermatologists — Dr. Stacy Chimento and Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank — who both like the face mist because it can perform double duty as a primer for makeup or as a setting spray. Frank says it gives a healthy-looking glow because it contains essential oils, including moisturizing grape extract, toning rosemary, soothing rose, and antiseptic peppermint, which “helps to tighten pores and reduce inflammation and breakouts.” Scherzinger describes the formula as “illuminating” and says it has a tingling sensation to “wake up” the skin. “I use it when I’m tired, especially when I’m done flying and need to freshen up,” she says.

Dr. Michelle Park, a dermatologist at Washington Square Dermatology, prefers this single-ingredient mist because it’s gentle enough for sensitive skin and can be used on rosacea or eczema, thanks to its thermal mineral water that “calms inflammation and restores the skin barrier,” she says. Although the formula lacks nutrient additives (unlike the mist above), its neutral pH gently hydrates skin, Park says, but she recommends “using a facial moisturizer after spraying this to lock in the moisture.”

In our guide to the best night creams, the Vichy LiftActiv Supreme is our favorite affordable firming option. Dr. Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, owner of the Dallas-based practice Houshmand Dermatology, says it’s great for those “with sensitive skin who are looking for effective anti-aging solutions at a reasonable price point.” The moisturizer contains vitamin C and glycerin for hydrated, brighter-looking skin, Denton-Hurst says, while Houshmand points to rhamnose, a naturally derived plant sugar, as the crucial ingredient because it effectively plumps and firms. “With continued use, the cream visibly reduces wrinkles” and produces a more even texture, Houshmand says.

Celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin likes the versatility of this blendable Dior concealer, which has full coverage and can be worn in place of foundation. The formula, which is infused with iris extract for hydration, is thick and creamy, so a little goes a long way, Strategist contributor Garrett Munce says. But Munce’s favorite part is that it truly lasts: “I applied this stuff first thing in the morning, and it was still in place when I got home 14 hours later,” he says. It can also be used to even skin tone under the eyes or in the T-zone, says makeup artist Lucy Halperin, who’s a fan of the product’s wand for mess-free applications. Halperin also appreciates the brand’s extensive color range, which includes 30 shades.

While passing through a European airport, Strategist contributor Sadie Stein uncovered this Clarins lip stain and was informed by a duty-free employee that the nondrying, water-based formula “would last for 300 kisses,” Stein says. Now, it’s become a step in her daily beauty routine as a quick way to appear more polished, Stein says. Like Stein, I’m also a fan of lip stains, but this is my favorite because it’s ultrapigmented yet transferproof. I also like blotting it on my cheeks for a flushed look, but when applied to my lips, it lasts all day, and, as Stein puts it, “When it does fade, there’s no ring around your mouth: It fades all at once.”

Since she was a teenager, Strategist contributor Susannah Edelbaum has used this Bourjois mascara, which her mom says is made in the same factory as Chanel. Edelbaum says it only takes two swipes to create a “dramatically better version” of her own eyelashes that never smudge, flake, harden, or clump. And when it’s time for removal, Edelbaum says the formula easily washes off. She also says it’s proven to be a great gift because it’s “high-quality, European, and unfamiliar.”

Makeup artist Amanda Shackleton says this L’Oréal mascara is the most dependable waterproof option in her kit, which is why she uses it on clients “when there’s even a remote possibility of tears,” like at weddings. Makeup artist Jen Myles and actress Sanaa Lathan both praise the budgeproof formula for building volume and thickness that “almost makes you look like you have false eyelashes on,” Lathan says.