When In Paris | French Pharmacy Haul
- This post was drafted in January (lol) but I figured I should still post it! -
I was last in Paris over four years ago and suffice to say, I was in over my head with what to get at a French pharmacy. I’m not sure I still have the best grip on things, but I was definitely a lot more prepared this time around. This time around I also am fortunate beyond belief to work with so many brands that graciously send me products. I’ve discovered new brands and really solidified the things I needed and wanted to try. Personally I know I can be a kid in a candy shop when I’m among skincare products so I went in with a list of products that I was interested in snagging + what they cost in the U.S. That would help me determine if it was worth it to buy and lug it all the way back home with me.
I went ahead and included the price comparisons of what I purchased the items for vs. what they would cost in the U.S. I used the currency conversion for the timeframe when I was there (December 2019) and also took into account the VAT Refund that we claimed before we left to come home.
When I went in, the main items I knew I wanted to pick up were from Caudalie, Marvis, and La Roche Posay for restocks/backups.
Caudlalie is definitely cheaper in Paris and while it's not significant, it was worth it in me and T’s book to stock up on our favorite Vinosource SOS Deep Hydration Serum (we got three lolI also picked up a backup of the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum since that one can be pricey. They had a deal with a 2-for-1 deal for the Hand and Nail Cream and pack of Lip Conditioner - these are both staples for me.
** Vinsource Serum: paid ~$24 each, compared to $49 price tag in the U.S. Savings of more than half.
** Vonoperfect Serum: paid ~$39, compared to $79 price tag in the U.S. Half off, not shabby at all.
** The hand creams came out to ~$9.50 for both, while it would cost you $15 for one in the U.S. - ouch.
** The Lip Balm trio came out to about ~$6.50 for the trio pack, when it would originally cost $12 each ($36 total) - huge save.
Marvis Toothpastes are definitely cheaper in Europe as well so I took it as an opportunity to stock up - I can’t remember but I do believe they had a promo so it was even more of a steal. I got myself almost a year’s worth of backups and only recently ran out 😂. I jokingly noted on IG that Marvis was my holy grail and to sponsor me and they actually did send me a package ❤️. But tbh the Marvis Whitening Mint is the only toothpaste I like and I honestly never want to be without it.
** Each tube came out to be ~$5.50 USD, which is a huge save compared to the $13.50 price tag here.
The last time we were in Europe, we randomly stumbled into a pharmacy and T and I were helped with a kind SA who helped us each pick out some products from La Roche Posay. He ended up picking up a tube of the LRP Hydreane Riche since he didn’t pack a moisturizer and this ended up being his favorite product ever. He often gets a rash from many products so he’s super weary about trying new products. Sadly this specific product isn’t carried in the U.S. (of course lol) so T has had friends visiting Europe pick up a tube or two for him to have (what a princess lol 😂).
When I was last in Europe I had picked up the LRP Effaclar A.I. Targeted Imperfection Corrector - this one uses niacinamide (rather than benzoyl peroxide which is used in the LRP Effaclar Duo Acne Treatment). This has been my go to when I feel a spot forming and helps keep them at bay. Again this is one I haven’t been able to find in the U.S. so I was definitely eager to get a restock of this.
A few things I was curious to pick up (partially due to others talking about them) were:
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil | This one is much cheaper in Europe as well and those that have it rave about it. I can definitely see why. It’s a dry oil so it quickly sinks in and doesn’t feel greasy. It also smells incredible and I constantly want to slather myself in it. I was happy to find out that this has a spray nozzle rather than a pour out or pump - it definitely is easy to spritz where needed rather than find myself with a liquid mess. (It actually looks like Nuxe’s US website is giving out a free 30ml of this oil for any order over $60.)
** This came out to ~$21, about half the price of the ones sold in the U.S.
La Roche Posay Respectissime Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover | I have yet to try this *eep* as I’ve been working to finish the open ones I have (y’know, not really wearing any makeup these past few months lol’). But I’ve heard this is amazing and gentle and I love a good bi-phase makeup remover.
** This came out to ~$10.50, not a huge saving but still some compared to the $16 price tag.
A313 (~$3 USD)| This is one you need to get behind the counter when checking outThis one is a clinical-grade Vitamin A that’s sold over the counter and designated as a “cure all”. People claim that this works well for acne, hyper pigmentation, and anti-aging. I haven’t played around with this one too much, but we did use this on T as he had some weird skin rash that left a brown raised patch of skin - this has been the only product we’ve tried that has actually helped reduce the appearance of this. A little goes a long way so we’re barely made a dent in our tube.
Homeoplasmine (~$5 USD)| This is also one you need to get behind the counter when checking out. I kick myself for not getting 2 tubes of this because this is pure magic in a tube. I was religiously using this as my lip balm and had the softest lips. Stupid me dropped the lid while applying in my car and I haven’t been able to find it since 😂 So now I’m stuck using this in the mornings only as I can’t take it out on the go with me anymore. This is also supposedly a secret tool in may MUA kits before they apply lipstick on their clients. This is also a mild antiseptic and can be used on wounds/cuts, people also recommend using this around the nose area when you have a cold. I haven’t had a cold this year so hopefully I won’t have to use this for that reason, but in case I get one I’ll be sure to test this out.
Klorane | I’ve always heard lots of great things about the Klorane dry shampoo so when I saw a 2-for-1 deal of this (and for dark hair !!) I had to try. I’ve been using up some other products I already have but I’ll post about my impressions once I’ve tried these.
** I scored the duo for ~$11.50 USD, in the U.S. it would cost about $20 for one. Another steal.
** NOTE: I know with COVID, traveling is the furthest thing from everyone’s mind, but hopefully one day again we will be able to travel freely again. Until then, all of our wish lists can continue to grow 😇
Nonetheless I’ve gotten back into blogging more so I’ll be creating a mini-series called the Paris Guide - snippets of some of our favorite places we visited/ate/drank at!
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All items mentioned were purchased on my own.
This post contains affiliate links. Feel free to read more on my disclaimer.