Beauty Shopping: Paris

It’s the city of love, light and effortlessly chic beauty inspiration. Here are some of my favourite Parisian pitstops to stock up on famous French pharmacy products, luxury labels and niche pieces. Full city guide in the works!

Would any of these make it onto your itinerary? Please share any Paris beauty destinations you’ve stumbled upon in the comments below.

City Pharma

26 Rue du Four, 75006 Paris

6th Arrondissement

The most famous pharmacy in Paris with the biggest range and best discounts. Caudalie, Bioderma, Avene, Klorane and La Roche-Posay weigh down my suitcase on the way home! The tiny aisles are patrolled by women in white coats who can help you work through your French pharmacy wishlist. Visit early in the morning to beat the crowds, and browse the shelves in my Beauty Tour episode.

Oh My Cream

Nine boutiques in Paris

Also located in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Toulouse and Aix-en-Provence

A series of clean beauty boutiques with an emphasis on natural makeup and skincare are dotted around the city. The calm, quiet spaces hold an extensive edit of skincare, body and hair products from leading French and international brands. You’ll also find many of my favourite creamy, dewy makeup lines such as ILIA, Kjaer Weis and RMS Beauty. Take a look around in this Beauty Tour episode.

Galeries Lafayette

40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris

9th Arrondissement

The most beautiful department store in Paris is home to a host of high-end beauty counters under its ornate domed ceiling. You’ll find more than 170 brands inside the expansive space, with luxury favourites like Chanel, Dior and YSL, more modern options such as Fresh, Byredo and Aesop, plus the BY TERRY Palette Factory. Don’t forget to take in the spectacular view from the roof, or glass-bottom walkway if you dare!

Le Bon Marché

24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris

7th Arrondissement

The first department store in the world was remodelled in 2013, opening ‘Le Théâtre de la Beauté’, a theatre of beauty between its iconic central escalators. Traditional luxury brands sit side by side with more modern options, such as La Bouche Rouge’s range of refillable red lipsticks. You can also spot more niche labels in ‘La Petite Épicerie’, a separate beauty section on the second floor.

BY TERRY

36 Galerie Véro-Dodat, 75001 Paris

1st Arrondissement

This luxurious Parisian brand’s first boutique is nestled in a beautiful covered passage built in 1826. Browse the extensive BY TERRY range, including their famous Baume de Rose products, or design your own makeup during an Haute Couleur appointment for a bespoke beauty experience. The brand’s Palette Factory where you can press your own pigments is located in Galeries Lafayette (above).

Diptyque

34 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75005 Paris

6th Arrondissement

The address of this classic French company’s first store is written around the edge of every label on their minimal black and white candles. The flagship is a perfect place to compare their extensive range of candles, fragrances, room sprays and skincare. The ‘34 Boulevard Saint Germain’ candle even captures the scent of the space. Save some time to enjoy the chic surrounding streets and cafes of Saint-Germain.

Buly 1803

6 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France

6th Arrondissement

I stumbled upon this historic Parisian brand’s Saint-Germain store by accident in 2018 and was transported straight back to the 19th century. The compact boutique resembles a traditional apothecary, with a tiled floor, marble countertops and heavy wooden cabinetry. Shelves are lined with antique votives and vials, and displays of their famous scents, soaps, candles, diffusers and natural toothpastes.

Merci

111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris

3rd Arrondissement

This trendy three-storey boutique / bookshop / café in a restored fabric factory is a haven for homewares, fashion and stationery. There’s a tight edit of beauty bits tucked away on the second floor. You’ll find my favourite Olio e Osso tinted balms, haircare from Christophe Robin and Rahua, an international selection of skincare including Antipodes and The Ordinary, and other bathroom accessories.

Sephora Flagship

72 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris

8th Arrondissement

The global beauty juggernaut has thousands of stores in more than 30 countries, but Sephora was founded in Paris in 1969. Their very first store opened in this sweeping location on the spectacular Champs-Élysées in the late 90s. The flagship was the first Sephora I visited as a teenager and is still the largest I’ve ever seen! Explore the bright, busy black and white striped aisles in my Beauty Tour episode.

All photos taken by Matilda in 2018 and 2019.