It seems to me that French women are masters of simplicity. Sure, they always look chic and pulled together, but when you really deconstruct a Parisian’s look, it really is quite simple. You won’t find overly styled hair, super trendy clothing or heavy makeup. In fact, it’s typically the opposite—natural hair, swept up into a simple bun, classic tailored piece that fit her perfectly, and makeup that looks like it took her 5 minutes, yet she still looks flawless!

After finishing ‘The French Beauty Solution’, I was enlightened to why most of this is. The author’s explanation? French women are too lazy, ha! That made me like them even more because when it comes to my own morning routine and makeup, I’m pretty lazy too.

When I first started blogging, I felt like I needed to get better at doing my makeup and hair, and look pulled together and coifed 100% of the time like so many bloggers do, but it never really happened. At the end of the day, I hate spending time doing my hair and makeup. I’ve learned to embrace my natural look more and more lately and have come to love the way it looks. In addition to my super simple makeup routine, I’ve been opting for air-dried hair to keep my routine as low maintenance as possible. Not only is it easier, but it’s so good for your hair to get a break from the heat of blowdryers and curling irons!

Okay, now onto the main event—I’m sharing the tricks I picked up from that book to doing your makeup like a Parisian.

French Girl Inspired Makeup

1. Skip the Foundation

This was the best news I’d ever heard! I’ve never been a big fan of foundation—it feels heavy and thick and I never felt like it was doing my skin any favors. I ditched all my old primers and foundations that were still lingering in my drawer and now I use this tinted moisturizer with SPF. It provides super light, semi-sheer coverage and I love that it has SPF in it! Two steps in one—whoop! If I have some blemishes I want to cover, I use this coconut-oil based cover-up that’s light and actually seems to help my skin heal.

2. Just a Little Powder

You don’t need a lot, but a swipe of powder help skin look even and soaks up any excess oils. I have oily skin, so a little powder is always good in my book. I lightly use this “un”-powder to set my makeup.

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3. Simple Eye Makeup

I’ve owned countless eye shadows and palettes over the years, but I’ve never been big on actually wearing them. Frankly, some of them just look too complicated! If I do use eye shadow, I’ll just pick one color and wipe it over my lids and call it a day. But for everyday wear, I love this creamy gel eye pencil in brown or black and mascara. Before putting on my mascara, I gently curl my lashes to make them look more dramatic.

4. Blush That Gives You a Natural Flush

Blush is one of those things that I cannot go without. The perfect blush doesn’t look obvious, just like naturally flushed cheeks! Plus, when I don’t have any one, I feel like I look washed out. Finding the right shade is tough though. I used to opt for more pink blushes, but I just bought this blush in Tawny/Whisper and it is life-changing. It looks so natural and isn’t super pink. Instead it just looks more like a natural flush with bronze undertones. If we’re going out, I’ll also add some bronzer around the frame of my face and under my cheekbones, but not everyday.

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5. A Bold, but Classic Lip Color

Everything’s looking pretty simple at this point, which I love, but adding some color with a bolder lip color really seems to pull the whole look together and the French apparently follow this rule too! I used to hate lipstick because it dried my lips out, plus lipsticks contain a lot of toxic ingredients. But, I love the deep color they provide! I finally tried one of Beautycounter’s Lip Sheers and I’m obsessed! I bought the scarlet and it’s not super intense red, but just the right amount for me. It adds a nice pop! I always apply some lip balm before for extra hydration—this one is my favorite.

That’s it! It’s pretty quick, easy and perfect for everyday wear. No, it’s nothing wild, but I love that it’s classic and beautiful!

What does your everyday makeup look like? What products do you love?

BTW, my honest Dyson Supersonic hair dryer review, and how to easily clean your makeup brushes at home.