The $12 retinol and other French pharmacy finds

Kirsten came back from a trip with a suitcase full of French-pharmacy-finds, and I put every single one through my ingredient test and did a yay or nay on the spot.

We get into what the French actually figured out (hint: thermal water and serious healing), the staples worth traveling for, the cult $12 retinol I love, and the one I’d leave on the shelf. Plus a little peptide tangent, because of course.

Grab your magnifying glass. Half this packaging is in microscopic French.

Enjoy!

If you want to skip to the good bits, click the links!

Catching up (and a peptide tangent)

01:10 — Kirsten’s trip, the designer boots that were NOT $575, fresh chops, and why I’m convinced the fountain of youth is peptides.

So what IS a French pharmacy?

03:42 — The London French pharmacy is a whole thing: little white coats and shelves of healing skincare.

Biafine: the French first-aid hero

05:05 — A French chemist’s burns-and-cuts cream from the ‘70s. Basically, the French version of Neosporin-meets-Vaseline. Great for scratches, post-procedure, scars, and a too-much-sun day.

French wisdom