There is a little part in every one of us – tell me I’m not alone on this – that secretly longs to roll out of bed looking like Clémence Poésy with her unstudied hair and seemingly last minute wardrobe decisions thrown together to (a slightly annoying) perfection. But instead of drowning ourselves in the pool of envy, we uncover the top French-inspired beauty secrets all in the name of a little New Year makeover – 2016, we’re ready for you.
1. Natural Waves
In keeping with their no-fuss beauty routines, French women favour flaunting their natural hair colour and texture over chemically treated tresses. The epitome of French beauty Audrey Tatou is a stunning display of how you can pull off a short-and-chic wavy ‘do sans the styling overload.
Try: L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Serum De Force for stronger hair and added shine.
2. Red Lips
If there’s one thing you prioritise from your list of 2016 resolutions, let it be to give the red lip a go. Parisian beauties are famed for their statement lip and pared down makeup as seen on Eva Green. Piercing blue eyes optional.
Try: NARS Semi Matte Lipstick in VIP Red for showstopping colour.
3. Back to Basics
Many times, what base makeup is to the most of us is the finished look for French women. Here, Léa Seydoux is a picture of minimalist perfection and proves that the lightest of makeup, naturally brushed-out brows and a pinched-cheeks effect are the way to go.
Try: Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation SPF40 for a light, flawless coverage.
4. Undone Makeup
Now is a good time to throw out everything you learnt about perfecting your features when it comes to makeup. The French way is all about looking effortless – think slept-in eye makeup and natural (but not unkempt) brows.
Try: Benefit Cosmetics Brow Zings for neat, natural looking brows.
5. The Anti-Countour Rule
Not to be mistaken for laziness, French women also go by the anti-countour rule in keeping with the simple, natural approach they take when it comes to makeup. Instead of using shadow trickery to highlight their features, makeup guru Terry de Gunzburg reveals that French women favour strobing, which uses iridescent beauty picks to naturally enhance the high points of facial features – think cheekbones and the bridge of the nose, where light would naturally hit.
Try: M.A.C Cosmetics Strobe Cream to highlight your features.
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