8 French Pharmacy Skincare Staples Our Beauty Lab Recommends

Formulated for sensitive skin, this fragrance-free moisturizer that doubles as a makeup primer has been a go-to for GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann. It "has been my ultimate choice for the past year," Wizemann says. "I like its smooth application, quick drying, and skin-plumping effects, and it sets a solid base for makeup without causing a cakey appearance or accentuating fine lines."

Made with vitamins and essential fatty acids to nourish skin sans irritation, the hypoallergenic cream can also be used as a soothing face mask. Note that one shopper did find the consistency to be runny, though.

Made for both face and body, this silky sunscreen earned top marks in the Beauty Lab—especially among testers with dark skin tones—for leaving no white cast. It also scored highest for feeling lightweight and non-greasy, without leaving a film or residue, while keeping skin hydrated. Testers gave it perfect marks for not feeling tacky, not interfering with makeup, and not causing burning or stinging.

“I loved that it was not greasy and heavy like many sunscreens can be, especially the ones intended for swimming,” a tester said. “It also did not leave a white cast on my face and absorbed very well into the skin. It was weightless and even on-the-go, I forgot that I was wearing an SPF 100 sunscreen.” But it may leave a slight sheen—one tester noticed “shininess throughout the day” on their forehead and nose.

A beloved skincare staple, this GH Beauty Lab test winner is known for removing every last trace of eye makeup, even waterproof mascara. The bi-phase formula contains both an oil and water phase to wash away all residue and leave skin cleansed. Gentle enough for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers, it earned a perfect score among testers for fully removing makeup. It also earned a high score for not stinging or irritating skin or eyes, not being messy, having a pleasant scent, and dissolving makeup quickly.

“It removed my makeup quickly and was non-irritating to my eyes, unlike some products I have used,” a tester said. “I only needed one swipe to remove the makeup.” However, one tester complained it left a greasy residue behind.

RELATED: Best Eye Makeup Removers

Create a smooth canvas for makeup with this multitasking primer. It does double duty, smoothing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and pores with soft-focus pigments that blur. It also contains vitamin E to nourish and hydrate. In our Lab test of instant wrinkle fillers, this one came out on top.

“It blurred out the deep lines and made them less noticeable,” one tester said, while another added, “It's moisturizing but not greasy. I was impressed with how it diminished my forehead wrinkles. The ‘elevens’ between the brows is a tough area, but I even noticed a slight improvement there.” However, some testers found the texture too thick and didn’t fully blend into the skin.

Once you slather on this ultra-rich (but not greasy) hand cream, you’ll see why it has a devoted following. Chock full of shea butter, it earned the top scores in our Lab testing, in which it improved moisturization by 32% over six hours. It was the highest-rated for making hands feel soft and look smooth, improving the appearance of chapped/cracked/rough hands, and providing lasting moisture.

“I like the smell, the consistency, and how soft it made my hands feel,” one tester said. “I am a nurse, so I am constantly washing my hands and applying lotion. This hand cream was fantastic, and I’ll be keeping it in my work bag!” But the scent was polarizing, with some testers finding it too strong and old-fashioned.

RELATED: Best Hand Creams

According to beauty lore, French women exclusively use micellar water to cleanse their faces, allegedly because the hard tap water in Paris is known for irritating their skin. This micellar water came out on top in Lab testing, ranking the best for making skin feel clean and earning the highest satisfaction score. It also earned top marks for being easy to dispense and spread evenly, not being messy, quickly dissolving makeup, not leaving an oily residue, leaving skin smooth, and not stinging or irritating skin.

“This product did not sting my eyes and worked great to remove waterproof eyeliner,” one tester said, while another shared, “My skin felt very clean, soft, and smooth after I used the product. No tacky feeling as with many micellar waters.” However, one tester said their skin felt sticky afterward.