Beauté

Before I begin, I must state that I am not French. However, I admire French women's attitude towards beauty. They avoid getting spray tanned to a shade that matches a bag of tangerines, don't pluck their eyebrows to Ziggy Stardust-esque baldness and keep make-up to a bare minimum to make the most of their natural looks.

How can they get away with this? It really is quite simple. French women generally take care to ensure that their hair and skin are in tip top condition; when this is accomplished, the rest will fall nicely into place.

Getting hair in great condition
Ok, so you're a straightening addict. It is perfectly acceptable. I have had to grow my hair long in order for it to fall into place quite naturally without raking the Trevor Sorbie's through it. Last year, I had an ill-advised "Alexa" crop, which was layered within an inch of its life and stuck out at different angles of my head like a bird's nest when not tamed into submission by straighteners.

If you must straighten, ensure you always use conditioner from the mid-lengths to the ends of your hair after washing. A good heat protection spray before straightening is essential. Tigi S-Factor Heat Defender is great for adding shine, plus it absorbs heat from the straighteners.

If you are feeling brave, try opting for a blow dry, without straighteners. Shampoo and rinse twice, follow with conditioner on the ends and remove excess water. Then add a pea sized amount of the glorious Moroccan Oil from the roots to the ends of your hair. This is an instantly absorbed, non greasy product that creates amazing shine. Add a quick spritz of heat protection to the ends of your hair and blow dry as normal. If you can get away with not straightening, using Moroccan Oil on a daily basis with your blow dry will gradually improve the health of your hair. The more you treat it, the healthier it becomes.

Suggested Additional Products:
Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment: Tigi S-Factor "Serious" Conditioner
Shine Spray: Tigi Catwalk "Your Highness"

Getting great skin
The first step is to find a 3 step skincare routine that works for you. Biotherm and Clinique are good brands to start with. Cleanse, tone and moisturise at the start and end of each day as a rule to protect and improve the condition of your skin. If you have oily or combination skin, a truly great and inexpensive product is Scrub Your Nose In It by Soap and Glory, which can be used a couple of times a week to minimise shine. If you have dry skin, a weekly moisture replenishing mask such as Biotherm Aquasource Mask is worth investing in.

A must for anyone is the inexpensive wonder product that is Avene Eau Thermal Water Spray. This can be used before moisturiser, to set make up or simply to freshen up during a long flight.

Suggested Additional Products:
Serum: Biotherm Source Therapie

Practical Tips

• Use good quality make-up. It lasts longer (a bottle of Chanel Vitalumiere can last from 12-15 months)and does not harm your skin, whereas cheap make-up can contribute to breakouts.
• Take omega 3 supplements to keep skin, hair and nails in great condition.
• Drink 2 litres of water per day whereever possible. Lots of fruit and veg also contribute to clear skin.
• Keep it as natural as possible, the French style is based on minimal make-up.
• Ornate hairstyles are unnecessary. Clean, tousled hair looks stylish.

Muses
Jane Birkin
Juliette Binoche
Kristen Scott-Thomas
Lou Doillon
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Melanie Laurent