9 Most Popular French Beauty Brands

Are you looking for the best French beauty brands?

We all want to look good, that’s why we invest in cosmetics and personal care products. And like most things related to fashion and beauty, very few do it better than the French. 

Aside from some of the most well-known fashion brands, France has also produced a number of the world’s top brands in haircare, skincare, fragrances, and cosmetics.

9 Most Popular French Beauty Brands

Let’s have a look at some of the most popular French beauty brands that provide top-notch products for your beauty and personal care needs.

High-end French Luxury Beauty Brands

1. L’Oréal

L’Oréal is a big name in the cosmetics industry. As a matter of fact, it is the largest cosmetics company in the world. 

Founded in 1909 by the French chemist Eugène Paul Louis Schueller, the company’s name was inspired by Oréale, the hair dye formula Schueller himself had developed. He formulated and manufactured his own products, selling them to hairdressers in Paris at the time. 

Today L’Oréal is the world’s leading manufacturer of hair color/care, skincare, makeup, and perfume, having acquired a number of subsidiaries such as Garnier, Maybelline, and Lancôme.

Check out this list of L’Oréal products here.

2. Lancôme

When it comes to luxury cosmetics and perfumes at higher-end prices, you will always find Lancôme on top. 

This French beauty brand, originally founded as a fragrance house by Guillaume d’Ornano and Armand Petitjean in 1935, has been part of the L’Oréal Luxury Products division since 1964.

The brand name “Lancôme” – chosen by d’Ornano’s wife – was inspired by the forest of Lancosme in the Indre valley in the old French region of La Brenne. Its rose logo was inspired by the roses in the said area.

Lancôme’s first products to have ever been launched were eau de parfums, followed by skincare products a year later and makeup and other cosmetics soon after.

Today, Lancôme remains one of the bestselling French beauty brands in the world. Their fragrances are to die for and personally use their Lancôme Miracle as my day perfume.

Check out this list of Lancôme products here.

3. Clarins

This French luxury skincare brand was founded in 1954 by a masseur named Jacques Courtin. He created his own treatment oils that were supposed to firm the skin, selling them from his Parisian salon. 

The brand name “Clarins” was inspired by a character Courtin played in a school play, believing it to be a good luck charm. In 1978, he changed his name legally to Jacques Courtin-Clarins.

In 1987, Clarins became the first French cosmetics company to abandon testing on animals.

Those refreshing cleansers and serums from Clarins’ facial skincare line are absolute must-haves in your bathroom!

Check out this list of Clarins products here.

4. Guerlain

This French company manufactures perfume, personal care products, and cosmetics. Founded by the perfumer Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain in 1828, Guerlain is one of the oldest beauty brands in the world. 

In 1853, Pierre-François Guerlain created a perfume for French Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, becoming “His Majesty’s Official Perfumer.” This was followed by more fragrances for other royalties such as Queen Isabella II of Spain and Queen Victoria of England.

I’m not really a fan of Guerlain fragrances, but I personally love Guerlain Meteorites! While they’re not really a “must-have,” you can’t go wrong with the loose pearls if you want some shimmer and sparkle on your skin. 

Check out this list of Guerlain products here.

5. Kérastase

A leading brand in luxury hair and scalp care line, Kérastase was created by scientists at L’Oreal Advanced Research in 1964. 

This  French luxury brand is well vouched for by the world’s top hairstylists, with claims that any product in the line will leave one’s hair healthy. This is thanks to Kérastase’ use of active ingredients and high-tech molecular complexes in every product they manufacture.

Kérastase hair care and styling products are distributed worldwide. They are sold in Sephora and at luxury salons. They can also be purchased over the counter at department stores in cities across the globe.

Check out this list of Kérastase products here.

Affordable French Beauty Brands

6. L’Occitane en Provence

More commonly known as L’Occitane, this international retailer of fragrances, personal care and home products was founded by Olivier Baussan in 1976. The company is based in The Provençal village of Manosque in southeastern France.

The company name “L’Occitane en Provence” translates to “the Occitan woman in Provence.”

It feels expensive, it smells expensive, then it must be expensive. But it isn’t! While L’Occitane is considered a luxury brand, its products are priced at a certain range. You can get a shower gel for only 3 USD and a tube of gel perfume for 24 USD.

My personal favorites are the L’Occitane conditioner and shampoo. They just smell so good that I don’t need to wear perfume even after a long day!

Check out this list of L’Occitane products here.

7. Yves Rocher

Founded by the French entrepreneur Yves Rocher in 1965, this company sells high-quality and eco-friendly perfume, cosmetics, haircare, and skincare products that are based on traditional recipes made in their laboratory in La Gacilly in northwestern France.

The ingredients are gathered from their 100-acre organic farm in the same location. 

Yves Rocher is not only known for its beauty products, it is also highly regarded for respecting the planet. And since its products are within one’s budget, Yves Rocher is definitely a luxury brand for everyone. 

Check out this list of Yves Rocher products here.

8. Garnier

Acquired by L’Oréal in the 1970s, Garnier was started in 1904 by French creator Alfred Amour Garnier. In 1960, Garnier became the first brand to create and launch a permanent home hair color.

Garnier brands itself as a “healthy beauty expert,” doing so by providing nature-based solutions to fight acne, UV, pollution, and fatigue. The company uses natural ingredients like fruits, seeds, and flowers in their beauty products.

Garnier, a mass market  beauty brand, is sold in various countries, targeting different skin types and cultures as well. It is especially popular in Asia.

Check out this list of Garnier products here.

9. Sephora Collection

I automatically get high when I step foot in Sephora. Few things are ever more satisfying than walking around its cozy aisles and getting swamped by some of the biggest names in luxury beauty.

Sephora is a French multinational retailer of personal care and beauty products. However, we are talking about its own private label here, which is Sephora Collection. 

Sephora Collection was launched in 1996. The brand was created in order for Sephora to be able to provide consumers with quality products at an accessible price point. 

So, what makes a trip to Sephora even more satisfying? It’s getting a liquid lipstick on sale for as low as 3 USD!

Check out this list of Sephora products here.