The best French pharmacy products that are honestly so worth the hype

Beautifully fragrant and comforting, Nuxe's Huile Prodigieuse, a multipurpose dry oil, is a holiday in a bottle. It is luxurious, well beyond its modest price point, providing a silky, non-greasy lustre to shins, collarbones and even the ends of the hair. I've chosen the shimmer-infused (it's subtle, before you balk at the thought of 'body glitter') version as it's utterly gorgeous smoothed into the décolletage for summer, especially if you're wearing either a plunging or Bardot neckline.

Not all SPFs are created equal, but La Roche-Posay's Anthelios range is excellent across the board. I personally rate the Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid - the texture is almost feather-light and it dries really quickly, sitting seamlessly under makeup. I also find I can apply it around my eye area with minimal fuss - some other SPFs can make my eyes water whereas this one is comfortingly inoffensive. 

The Bordeaux-born brand specialises in vinotherapy, harnessing the power of the grape and using the extracts to create spa-worthy skincare. My deep affinity for Caudalie's 'Eau de Beauté', as the product is more glamorously known in France, began in the ever-tempting Space NK queue. In essence, it's a mist. The scent is botanical and invigorating, lovely for flights and warm weather. My only gripe? The original packaging was infinitely chicer than the new, modern design.

In the event of any minor skin emergencies - bee stings, irritation, sunburn - a multi-use soothing balm is so handy. La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast fits the bill perfectly, providing creamy comfort to "uncomfortable, damaged, or irritated skin" and encouraging speedy repair. If it's not already in my travel beauty arsenal, rest assured, I'll be rectifying the situation at the nearest chemist.

Another hero multi-tasker comes in the form of Embryolisse's Lait-Crème Concentré. It was originally formulated in the 1950s by a dermatologist, with the aim of delivering "essential nutrients to the skin". Makeup artists cottoned onto it, using it to nourish the tired complexions of actresses and models. I personally like it for a pared down makeup day when my skin is feeling dry - I wouldn't use it as my everyday base as it's quite rich.

Rooted in research, Institut Esthederm is one of the leading French suncare brands. The product range is so vast, almost to the point of it being overwhelming, that there's essentially a bespoke SPF to suit each and everyone's skin concerns. I like my natural freckles, but otherwise, I want an even tan, not to acquire patches of pigmentation - the Photo Regul Facial Sunscreen was my go-to all summer last year.

This makeup remover was the height of sophistication back in the early 2010s, a firm fixture in the quintessential beauty YouTuber's bathroom cabinet. It's hyper-gentle, including in the eye area, and the micelle technology works a treat, swiftly shifting all traces of makeup. Simply follow up with a gel or milk cleanser to balance your skin before completing the rest of your nightly skincare routine.

French pharmacy brands are renowned for their hydrating mists, sourced from the country's thermal springs. Avène's version, derived from dolomite rocks located in the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park, is my constant flight companion. It provides a hit of coolness, flooding the skin with moisture and restoring hydration levels.

I've been trialling Institut Esthederm's Tan Prolonging Body Lotion in place of my usual all-over moisturiser recently, and I'm really into it. After coming back from my holiday, I'm desperate to cling onto that bronzy glow before I dip back into my fake tan stash, and this is just the ticket. It absorbs quickly, makes my skin feel satiated without leaving any greasy residue and has a pleasant, lightweight, fluid texture.  

Leonor Greyl is a relatively recent haircare brand discovery for me, but I'm totally hooked by the Shampooing Crème Moelle de Bambou. Formulated specifically for long, dry, thick and frizzy types (guilty as charged, on all counts), it's a great detangler, making the rest of my haircare routine much smoother, literally. The scent - less important than performance, but always one of my considerations - is intoxicating and prettily powdery. Obsessed.