I'm an American who's lived in Paris for years. Taking notes from the French improved my skin and beauty routine.

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• It has undergone significant changes since I moved from Boston to Paris roughly six years ago.
• Women from France prefer to wear relatively natural makeup, so I've stopped wearing foundation or eye shadow on a daily basis.
• I've learned to accept and appreciate my natural eyebrows and to simplify my hairstyle.

Over the past six years, I've made some significant changes to my beauty routine.

I used to wear several different cosmetics in Boston, but I've since simplified my routine to just four products: a tinted face serum, a blush applicator, clear brow gel, and mascara.

Throughout my years spent in Paris.

I don't wear heavy foundation coverage anymore.

A mid-coverage option, like a BB cream, was always a part of my everyday makeup routine in America.

Since moving to Paris, I've worn a tinted foundation (sometimes mixed with moisturizer) on my face no more than five times a month.

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You'd struggle to find a woman without makeup in Boston at a bar on a Friday night. However, it's typical for a woman to be without makeup in Paris at a bar on a Friday night.

While in France, I finally felt like I had the freedom to go without makeup for the first time. It may sound a bit strange, but having seen so many women celebrating their natural beauty inspired me to join their movement.

I've learned to embrace my natural brows

Filling my thin, light-colored eyebrows with a pencil was a key part of my beauty routine in America.

Because my hair is so light and fine, I felt it necessary to fill in my eyebrows with makeup to keep up with the thick, defined-brow trend that's currently popular in the US.

Since moving to Paris, I just use a clear Benefit gel to create a smooth, glossy finish that doesn't budge.

I've cut back on using products for my lips.

But one of the first things I noticed when I moved to Paris was the scarcity of bright-hued lips.

While some women wear a bold red lip color, it's actually less popular than I thought it would be.

I always wore lipstick or lip gloss on a night out while living in the US, but since moving to Paris, I either go without making up my lips or I wear a lip oil.

I've moved away from really bright, eye-catching highlighters.

In the US, it wasn't unusual to see people wearing a shiny, glowing highlighter-like effect out at night.

I haven't used a highlighter in ages.

In France, I usually prefer a shimmery face oil, such as the one from NUXE Paris, or a multi-purpose balm for a subtle yet natural glow.

These products have dual benefits, serving as both skincare and polish to give the hair a nice shine.

Mascara is my go-to eye product.

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In Boston, I would try to pull off a bolder eye look since I was surrounded by women with beautiful smoky eyes.

Now I stick to just mascara. It makes getting ready so much quicker, and there's less makeup to remove at the end of the night.

I can finally stop pretending I know how to do eyeliner.

I focus on taking proper care of my skin rather than just wearing makeup.

Since going natural-faced is the aesthetic in Paris, French women appear to focus on skincare rather than makeup, and I've decided to follow their lead.

My skincare routine consists of a two-part process: one for the morning and one for the evening.

The products I applied included an eye massager with caffeine, a serum picked up at TJ Maxx that week, moisturizer, and an occasional sheet mask.

Now, I spend a lot of money on products from the brands I admire (my top choices are Typology and La Roche-Posay), and getting ready is mostly about skincare and a lot less about makeup.

I truly believe that my skincare regimen has significantly enhanced my skin's appearance, giving it a healthier, more radiant, and vibrant look overall.

I have been receiving higher levels of upkeep than previously.

I'm not sure whether it's a direct outcome of living in France or a natural consequence of the aging process, but I've started doing preventative treatments over the last five years.

Twice a year, lip fillers every couple of years, and treatments similar to microdermabrasion, called Hyrdafacials, every few months. I also get my eyebrows laminated on a regular basis.

The French woman's approach to preventing health issues focuses on making subtle and understated adjustments to promote a more balanced and natural look and feel.

to be honest, the extent of the work I've done is quite small, to the point where-most people might struggle to see a noticeable change.

I rarely wear a false set of eyelashes.

In the United States, wearing false eyelashes appears to be a common practice among many people, with some individuals putting them on every time they go out.

I'd wear false lashes if I felt in the mood on a Friday night and would always have a few pairs on hand at home to give my look a boost.

Since moving to Paris, I've worn false eyelashes a total of five times. Natural-looking styles are incredibly popular here, making false eyelashes a rare occurrence.

I only style my hair occasionally.

I've always been drawn to self-care, and I appreciate the convenience of spending less time styling my hair while in France.

I spent hours in the US curling, straightening, and styling my hair to achieve a certain look. In France, however, the preferred style is more natural and laid-back, with hairs often left untidied.

It now takes me about a quarter of the time it used to do my hair.

I either air dry my hair or style it with the Shark FlexStyle curling-wand attachment, and I brush my fingers through it.

I've taken to embracing my unruly locks and genuinely enjoying their untamed look.

This story was originally published on January 8, 2024, and most recently updated on November 19, 2024.

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