French women are well known for their laid-back approach to skin, hair and style. But, don’t let their laissez-faire outlook fool you — the French always seem to look elegant without trying too hard. Redheads can achieve this je ne sais quoi (translation: an appealing quality that cannot be adequately described or expressed) look and possibly slash some time off our morning routine.
SKINCARE
Skin is a top priority in France as many women prefer the natural look- sans foundation. They only cover up imperfections and spot treat where they need it. Some French women even leave dark circles under their eyes to add to their allure. Their theory is if you take care of your skin and it looks healthy, you have no need to cover it up. They often have extensive skincare routines that include: masks, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners.
READ: Skin Tips from Guru, Susan Ciminelli
There are some excellent French drugstore brands readily available in North America. Some of these include Nuxe, Biotherme, La Roche Posay and Caudalie to name a few. I have tested all of them, and as a redhead with extremely sensitive skin, they have helped to enhance the look of my sensitive redhead skin without aggravating it.
MAKEUP
They always keep their makeup to the absolute minimum and either focus on eyes or lips and never both at once. They favor natural-looking colors for the eyes such as browns and blacks. As for the lips, go for nudes, pinks or reds. They also favor blush in natural tones and apply it to the apples of their cheeks to look fresh and young.
HAIR
French women almost never color their hair unless it is going gray. They believe in the less-is-more approach and even go so far as to shun hair dryers and heat tools. They favor washing their hair at night and letting it air dry; this may make some of you redheads with frizz cringe. However, if you apply a leave-in conditioner with botanicals that help strengthen the hair shaft before bed, you can wake up with smooth and silky hair. Even just cutting down on the use of hair tools and drying alcohol setting sprays will do wonders for the health of your hair.
READ: 10 Ways to Nurture Your Red Hair
ACCESSORIES
The accessories are very minimal and they usually only pick one metal such as gold or silver and keep that consistent throughout their entire look.
STYLE
The French woman’s style is very simple and easy to emulate. They like clean lines and simple colors/shades in the neutral palette such as beige, white, navy, black, red, and grey. They never wear more than one pattern at a time and stick to one accent color. This makes getting ready in the morning a snap because almost all your outfits can be mixed and matched easily. Another key tip is to buy quality staple pieces. This allows your clothing to last much longer and you are able to wear them throughout multiple seasons without worrying about being “out of fashion.”
Rock it like a Redhead!
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