For the entire year, we’ve followed the French girl formula like the beauty lovers we are. Thanks to the Paris Olympics this summer, the effortlessly chic, minimal makeup look popular in France has exploded. But now that summer’s come and gone, what is the perfect recipe for a French girl fall? We’re breaking out our berets and planning a Parisian autumn with this easy guide to the perfect French girl look for fall.
Featured Experts
- D’Andre Michael is a celebrity makeup artist
- Natalie Drescher is a makeup artist based in Miami
- Violette Serrat is the founder of Violette_FR
Makeup the French Way
So, how do we get the iconic French girl look?
From makeup to body care to hairstyles, the girlies in France have it down to a science. Simple, minimal makeup that plays in the no-makeup makeup space defines the beauty look, usually accented by a simple brown mascara, fluffy brows and a red lip.
According to celebrity makeup artist, D’Andre Michael, choosing the right red comes down to matching your undertone. You can decipher your skin tone in two ways, according to Michael. “If you tan easily, then you are a warm tone. If you burn or just get red when in the sun, then you are a cool tone,” he said. Additionally, with “cool skin tones, your veins will appear green, blue or purple. [With] warm skin tones, your veins will appear green.”
Warm tones look best with orangier reds, with more of a brick tone. Cool tones, on the other hand, thrive with cool blue lip colors.
Get Ready for French Girl Fall
But the fall is the perfect time to change this look with deep burgundy shades. The new launch from Violette_FR’s line of award-winning Bisou Balms is a great starting point.
“Our new shades embrace the complexity of our identities,” Founder Violette Serrat says on the inspiration behind the new shades. “Like the iconic black and white swan, we all possess contrasting sides that blend and evolve with our moods and emotions. Rose Latte and Bonbon Myrtille encourage us to explore and express the dichotomy within ourselves.”
Miami makeup artist Natalie Dresher agrees, noting that burgundy shades are especially in this year for autumn.
“A wine lip is THE moment right now,” Dresher says. “especially a glossed-over tint of plum with no defined edges. Patrick Ta’s Major Volume Lip Plumping Gloss in Want Her ($26) is the perfect fall French girl look with a bold lip but a bit of a deeper hue.”