Foreign beauty products are a lot easier to procure these days thanks to Amazon and specialty stores, but that doesn’t mean we don’t stock up on the best a country has to offer when traveling abroad. From raiding French pharmacies to smuggling home Dead Sea mud, the fleeting access to these hard-to-come-by cosmetic commodities fuels the desire to stock up—and celebrities are guilty of hoarding foreign beauty products as well.
Collosol Eau de Lait
Is it a face and body cleanser, makeup remover or skin-softening bath soak? Actually, this French multitasking emulsion is all three! Only available abroad until recently, this gentle milk-like lotion dates back to the 1950s, when actresses flocked to a pharmacy on the Champs-Elysees to stock up for post-performance makeup removal. Today, leading ladies like Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton have made it a foreign beauty mainstay in their routines.
Talika
This French beauty brand was born in 1948, when its ophthalmologist founder created a plant-based remedy for World War II eye injuries that had an unanticipated side effect: Eyelash and eyebrow growth. This cream was the base formula for Lipocils, which remains a top-selling growth-stimulating treatment to this day. The brand has since expanded to encompass skincare, nail care and more—and Cate Blanchet, Margot Robbie, Mandy Moore and Uma Thurman are all devoted fans.
Leonor Greyl
The pinnacle of luxurious haircare, this family-owned French foreign beauty import has been taking shampoo, deep-conditioning masks, styling products and treatments to the next level for more than 40 years. From the coveted Masque Quintessence and classic Huile de Leonor Greyl, the natural formulas have become must-haves for models, hair professionals and VIPs around the world. Just look at the lustrous locks on Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Emma Stone.
JUARA
Want to take a jaunt to Bali without the long-haul flight—or leaving the comfort of your own home? A favorite of Drew Barrymore, this exotic line of skincare and fragrances is inspired by the rich culture of Indonesia—and combines ancient beauty rituals and botanical active ingredients like turmeric, ginger, kombucha, clove, turmeric, sandalwood and healing teas.
Emma Hardie
It takes serious skills for a facialist to amass a celebrity following, and once they do, a line of skincare is the next logical step. The British complexion guru for Lily James, Michelle Dockery, Jourdan Dunn and Poppy Delevingne, Emma Hardie’s gentle, holistic approach to anti-aging now includes an eponymous line of skincare, which just bowed in the U.S. Her Moringa Cleansing Balm, Lift and Sculpt Firming Neck Treatment and Midas Touch eye and face serums are beauty essentials for the who’s-who across the pond, and Hardie is already making a splash on our shores.
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