There are countless reasons to admire the French — their impeccable fashion sense, their deliciously rich food and wine, their laissez-faire attitude towards life — but if you had to choose just one thing that stands above the rest, it's safe to say their beauty routines would reign supreme. All French women seem to have skin that's softer, glowier, and younger looking than everyone else, and it's not by happenstance. It's because their routines rely on natural skin-perfecters that effortlessly achieve radiant results. And thankfully, Bastide's new skincare products will help you do the same. Ready to get great skin the French girl way?
Recently revamped lifestyle and beauty brand Bastide has been working on something big for awhile now, and it's finally ready to unveil the fruits of its labor. The legendary French line, now owned by iconic hair expert Frédéric Fekkai and his wife Shirin von Wulffen, is extending its expertise into the world of skin care with its first two face products, the Beauté d’Argile Purifying Clay Mineral Mask and the Elixir II Nourishing Oil for Face & Décolleté. And unsurprisingly, Bastide looked to its French roots for inspiration.
"We were inspired by the way Provençal women take care of their skin. They look to nature and create their skincare routines according to the weather and the seasons," Co-Founder Shirin von Wulffen tells The Zoe Report. "The routine is always simple but the cornerstone is to protect the outer layers of the skin against aggressors and inflammation. The Elixir II and Masque d’Argile are both created with this in mind: Regenerating and protecting the skin so the skin retains its youthful glow and texture."
Bastide's debut face care products were developed over the course of two and a half years to act as foundational features of your routine that you can consistently count on. Both harness natural ingredients found in the nature that prove effective in protecting and soothing skin for a healthy, happy complexion that's in harmony with the environment around it.
"One element that was important to us when deciding what products to create was to make sure that these would be “go-to” items — the products you always reach for because they make you feel good and deliver on results," von Wulffen says.
For one, the Beauté D'Argile mask, $60, relies on clay from Provençal town Roussillon to gently extract impurities while red rice extract hydrates and promotes healthy collagen regeneration and French lemon and fig naturally exfoliate away dead skin for a radiant finish. Use a couple times a week as a clarifying and refining treatment for skin that looks and feels smooth and fresh.
The Elixir II oil, $105, is likewise packed with earth-derived goodness like evening primrose oil, tomato seed extract, pomegranate seed oil, provence melon oil, and Abyssinian oil to provide powerful, deep hydration, strengthen the skin's outer layers to prevent damage, and plump the face by prohibiting collagen breakdown. Apply liberally to the face, neck, and décolleté at night before bed and even in the morning ahead of makeup — thanks to its lightweight formulation, it'll sink in quickly so it's a seamless addition to your routine.
Bastide is already busy working on future additions to its new category and while there's no specifics yet on what those might be, you can rest assured they'll be as simple yet effective as the first two.
"We have some exciting products in the pipeline and are crafting with the same mentality that they can fit into anyone’s routine," von Wulffen shares. "Again nature is always our guide: We search for active natural ingredients and then formulate with local experts to create products that really work for our modern lifestyle."
Give your skin care regime a French infusion with Bastide's first two face products, below.
