Why is everyone on TikTok talking about French parapharmacies?

If you have been to Paris in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, on the corner of Rue du Four and Rue Bonaparte, you may have noticed a large number of people waiting patiently in line. No matter the time or the weather. The result does not change, and there you will always find a crowd of tourists and locals thronging, anxious to discover the novelties hiding behind the door of that white building. Will it be an important museum or the new boutique of a luxury Maison? No, at 26 Rue du Four is CityPharma, a famous pharmacy and parapharmacy on three levels that attracts an average of five thousand people a day, a veritable institution in the Ville Lumiere that by word of mouth has become a cult place for the rest of the world. The secret of this success is the same that has transformed the parapharmacies of the capital and the rest of the country into a veritable social phenomenon capable of bringing together millions of beauty addicts under the hashtag #frenchpharmacy: a huge choice of products at half-price, often corresponding to 40%-50% less than the list price.

While many have only recently discovered them, the French have always favoured them over traditional perfumeries, as have beauty editors and skincare addicts who do not consider a trip to Paris complete without a stop in the aisles of the most famous parapharmacies. After all, where else can they find Bioderma, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, Avène, A313, Nuxe or Embryolisse's bestsellers such as Lait-Crème Concentré, a favourite of Fashion Week make-up artists, side by side and at reasonable prices? In just one shopping trip, one can grasp all the secrets of transalpine beauty and influencers such as Jeanne Damas, Louise Follain and Lou Doillon who, like their compatriots, favour the lessi s more philosophy not only when it comes to style, but also when it comes to cosmetics and skincare.   

French skincare takes a more minimalist approach than that of other cultures and focuses on allowing the skin to follow its own natural healing and regeneration processes rather than aggressively filling it with different treatments and products. The secret is to focus on basic but quality formulations that contain a few ingredients with proven efficacy, preferably clean and of natural origin. Among the key ingredients that we find in French pharmaceutical products and are the reason for their hype among beauty experts worldwide are hyaluronic acid for its moisturising properties, vitamin C that fights free radicals, French thermal water with its anti-inflammatory power, and anti-ageing and anti-acne agents such as retinol and bakuchiol. 

Some might argue that these same ingredients are currently found in products of any brand, price range and origin, so why buy them in a Parisian parapharmacy? The reasons are varied and range from having what seems to be a true French girl experience, which as such is conventionally shrouded in an allure of coolness, to having different brands available in one place, sold at steep discounts. Not to be underestimated is also that at a subconscious level buying a face cream or serum in pharmacies and parapharmacies gives the illusion of getting something reliable, effective and safe. This is why the phenomenon shows no signs of losing popularity. On the contrary. Despite the pandemic, two huge ones have been opened in Paris. The first, Pharmacie du Forum Les Halles, belongs to the Lafayette group and occupies 2,050 square metres in the heart of the city; while the second is La Grande Pharmacie de Saint Denis, which covers 1,500 square metres.