Paris Meets Seoul to Transform your Skincare Regime

For a perennial Parisian glow, look no further than your local French pharmacy for the best skincare products. In a longstanding tradition, French women have sought the advice of their pharmacist on how to best look after their skin. Indeed, in France there is a certain emphasis on trust; “selling skin care in the same place people get their medicine gives it credibility” says beauty journalist Megan Cahn.

However, with beauty trends celebrating skincare secrets from the Far East, and Korean beauty (or K-Beauty as it is called by those in the know) becoming more popular than ever, perhaps a beauty regime rooted in science and the pharmaceutical industry is missing a trick? Korean skincare is all about ingredients found in nature- quite at odds with France’s love for medical solutions.

Browsing my local pharmacy shelves for my next skincare hit, the bright green bamboo-infused range by Erborian caught my eye. Combining the pharmaceutical know-how of France with the natural ingredients of Korea, Erborian meets us in the middle with the hottest trends in skincare at the moment. So naturally, I had to try it out.

I decided on the bamboo range as I’d heard of the wonderful benefits it can bring to your skin (bamboo has anti-inflammatory and bacteria-fighting properties which improve the condition of your skin). Erborian have used both sap and fibre from bamboo, stating that “the sap contains amino acids, to help hydrate the skin, while the fiber contains proteins and lipids, to help maintain skin’s natural moisture retention.” The two products I picked up were the eye contour gel and the matte-effect lotion.

Erborian claim to bring innovative textures to their products, which is certainly the case with their pore-minimising lotion. Before use, you can clearly see powder that settles at the bottom of the bottle, an interesting but logical addition to a lotion that intends to mattify the skin. The product doesn’t have a scent, which I quite like, and certainly does make the skin smooth and matte after use, which makes me think it might not be the best product for those with dry skin. I have yet to notice my pores getting any smaller, but I have only been using this little over a week. This is the perfect lotion to put on before makeup as it cleanses and preps the skin ready for a flawless finish.

Having turned 25 last year, I decided it was about time I added an eye contour cream to my skincare arsenal. Erborian claim their moisturising, matte-effect gel “helps to visibly reduce the signs of fatigue: fine dehydration lines, under-eye bags and skin dryness.” I definitely feel like the look of my under-eyes has improved, and feels more hydrated after use. Again, the matte-effect helps give my concealer a smooth finish. The gel texture spreads on very easily, and you do not need much product to cover both eyes, so it will probably last me a while too.

I love the meeting of East and West that Erborian brings to the Skincare scene. I am interested to see if Parisiennes incorporate K-beauty into their regimes with as much fervour as they have with French mainstays such as Nuxe, Vichy and La Roche-Posay.

What are your favourite skincare tips? Tell me in the comments below!