The Bardot

For the past few weeks every time I peruse the virtual rails of my favourite high-street shops (a daily occurrence for me) I fall in love with so many bardot style tops and dresses. This 70s inspired boho style is a great piece for the warmer months. Yes, we have to admit that they are slightly debilitating so climbing, reaching things off high shelves and raising your hand to ask to go to the toilet are all strictly off limits I'm afraid. If, however, like me, you're not a professional window cleaner or monkey-bar enthusiast then I think we will be able to survive just fine. But, if the thought of not being able to lift your arms is simply out of the question then opt for one with straps and you'll be good to go. Whether it's black tie or beach chic, the bardot top comes in an assortment of styles to suit every mood this spring/summer. So, without further ado, here are some of my high-street picks.

Topshop



Zara




Mango



ASOS



Any of these catch your eye? Let me know in the comments!

French Pharmacy Part 3

Avene

Avene is one of my top picks from the French pharmacy (now stocked pretty widely in the UK). Like La Roche-Posay, their products target quite specific skin types to make your skincare personally tailored to your needs. It's mid-range in terms of price and you can guarantee their products are only packed full of seriously good stuff.

For moisturiser I always turn to Avene. I particularly love this light hydrating cream with SPF 20 for day time as it sinks in really quickly, works well under make up and most importantly has a decent amount of sun protection. It also comes in a rich hydrating version which is good for those with drier skin. It's a simple product that does a very good job at what it claims to do.

Bioderma

Another no nonsense skincare brand is Bioderma. You're likely to have heard of Bioderma's micellar water which caused a storm in the online beauty world. Micellar waters have been around in France for a long time now but have only really picked up the pace in the UK within the last two years. However, it's not their micellar water that I want to rave about today, I think the internet is saturated enough on that front.

Bioderma's hydrabio range is seriously good stuff for anyone with dehydrated skin. I love this hydrabio serum which can be used alone as moisturiser or can be used under your regular moisturiser for times when you need that extra boost of hydration. I use this pretty much every night and my skin drinks this stuff up. As it's a serum it feels weightless on the skin but packs a real punch.

Filorga

Filorga is a brand I had actually never tried before wandering into a French pharmacy. It is a lot more on the pricey side than the other brands I've featured but I think you can really tell when you use their products. The brand as a whole is certainly marketed as a kind of fresh from the dermatologist's lab kind of products.

Filorga's Sleep and Peel resurfacing night cream is an overnight treatment that contains six hydroxy acids (AHA and BHA) that help cell renewal and smooth the skin's surface. It's basically a very gentle way of exfoliating dead skin on your face and means you can wake up and your face looks brighter, smoother and healthier. The main thing I have noticed with this cream is that my make up applies really nicely on mornings when I've used this so, it must be doing something right. Don't let the scary name put you off and the fact that the phrase 'peeling effect' is plastered all over the packaging. In fact, it's not really as intense a product as it's marketed as and even on my sensitive skin I only felt the slightest tingle for a few minutes after applying and that was it.

Mixa

From the highest end of the price spectrum to the lowest, Mixa is a great affordable skincare brand that can be easily found in pharmacies and supermarkets across France.

I wear waterproof mascara most of the time so I need a really heavy duty eye make up remover which can be quite difficult to come across. This one from Mixa does a really good job of removing all traces of waterproof mascara and it's a really decent price as well. It is one of those duo phase make up removers, part water, part oil based, so it effectively removes make up but in the most gentle way possible.

Avene and Bioderma are now stocked in Boots, Filorga can be found at Marks & Spencer and Mixa can be shipped from beautyspin.co.uk.

French Pharmacy Part 2

Caudalie

Next up on French Pharmacy Appreciation Week, it's another one of my favourite pharmacy finds, French beauty giant Caudalie. You are likely to have already heard of Caudalie's famous Beauty Elixir which has amassed many celebrity rave reviews as an in-flight beauty staple, but today I'm going to big up some of their other, perhaps lesser known, products.

A similar product to the Beauty Elixir, the Grape Water spray claims to soothe and moisturise and I definitely agree. I actually find it to be much more hydrating and calming than the Beauty Elixir. It's also a lot cheaper too, probably because of the more straightforward packaging. I love using this as a toner after cleansing, before moisturiser as an extra layer of hydration, under make-up and over-make-up to freshen up foundation. It's a great multi-purpose product and, therefore, great for keeping in your travel bag for on the go.

French pharmacies do some excellent tanning products and this is one of them. Caudalie's Soleil Divine gradual self-tanning cream is used in place of a night time moisturiser. I have sensitive skin that often reacts badly to facial tanners so I need to err on the side of caution when wanting to bronze up the old visage. This works really well for me and gives my deathly pale skin a healthy tan over night. It does, unfortunately, have the dreaded fake tan biscuit scent but personally it doesn't bother me and it definitely doesn't stick around all day. It applies evenly and can be used for consecutive nights to deepen your colour.

La Roche-Posay

I feel out of all the French pharmacy brands, La Roche-Posay is one of the most well known. This French skincare brand has finally made the perilous journey across the English Channel and can be found on our shores on the shelves of Boots! It's a famous brand for a reason. It has a no nonsense attitude to skincare. La Roche-Posay use gentle ingredients that effectively target very specific skin concerns such as rosacea, acne and eczema. While it might not have the most flashy packaging, the stuff inside means serious business.

One of my favourite from la Roche-Posay is Serozinc, a zinc sulfate solution that cleanses and soothes (yes, I did read that straight from the bottle). This is a hailed product for keeping angry spots at bay. I have combination skin so I like to keep this spray at hand to get rid of any bacteria that might be lingering on my face at the end of the day. I find it is most effective used sprayed onto a cotton pad and then pressed onto the face (focusing on the areas you are likely to get spots). I have also found this really useful for calming redness.

La Roche-Posay's Effaclar range is great for oily/combination skin, especially if you suffer from acne. This Effaclar Mat moisturiser is such a rare find because it is nourishing and hydrating for your skin but makes sure you won't look overly shiny. It controls shine and minimises pores while still giving your skin that drink of moisture it needs.

Caudalie can be found at John Lewis, Space NK and Cult Beauty whereas La Roche Posay is stocked in Boots and on esentuals.com.

French Pharmacy Part 1

Nuxe

Nuxe is one of the undisputed greats of French pharmacy brands. Their products have a luxurious quality with the reassurance of being packed full of wonderfully effective ingredients.

My first pick will be no surprise to any skincare-fanatic, Huile Prodigieuse by Nuxe is a multi-purpose dry oil that can be used on face, body and hair. First and foremost, it smells absolutely incredible. I love using this right after the shower as it instantly hydrates and nourishes but leaves no nasty oily residue. I then run what is left on my hands through the mid-lengths and ends of my hair, wet or dry. Skin feels nourished, hair feels softer and sits better, plus the subtle sweet smell will linger throughout the day. I also like to use it before bed if I feel my skin needs an extra dose of hydration. I dab this on my palms (a little goes a long way) then press gently onto my face. By morning your skin will have drank up all this oily goodness and your face will be left healthy and happy. A great product to pack for your summer holiday!

Another cult favourite in the beauty sphere, Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm is another classic. I particularly like this because, yes it is very moisturising, but it has a matte finish! It's surprisingly rare to find a really good lip balm that doesn't leave a sticky texture on the lips. I find this looks really natural and means you can apply other lip products easily on top. It's perfect if you often use matte lipsticks but you don't have the time for a regular lip balm to sink it. This will do the trick in seconds. My only qualm, and it is a small one, is that it can be difficult to get the balm out of the little pot without getting it lodged in your finger nails. However, I can't complain when there is a handy stick version available. Problem solved I guess.

Given my love for the Reve de Miel range from Nuxe I decided to give their cleanser a whirl. It is everything I expected it to be, thick, sweet and nourishing. It is the perfect second step cleanse, not quite enough to remove the bulk of your make-up but lovely and nourishing on your skin once most your make up has been removed. It's therefore perfect used as a morning cleanse. It's very softening and I would imagine it's suitable for all skin types.

A similar cleanser from Nuxe is this melting cleansing gel with rose petals. Like the previous one, I prefer this either as a morning face wash or a second step evening cleanse. It feels very luxurious and nourishing and doesn't leave skin stripped of all its goodness. As a big fan of rose scented products, the main reason I love this cleanser is the smell. I love washing my face with this first thing in the morning and taking a moment to breath in that fresh rose garden scent. Invigorating for the senses but gentle on the skin.

My last pick from Nuxe, is their 24hr moisturising body lotion with almond and orange flower petals. I bought this as part of a duo which included this body lotion as well as the matching body wash. This stuff feels so high-quality and smells so expensive. It's just the right balance of floral and fruity that errs on the sophisticated side and it's too in your face. The lotion is really hydrating and sinks in very fast so you can get dressed right away. The scent really lasts all day too, so much so that you could even go without perfume. What sorcery!

Nuxe is now stocked in Marks & Spencer (Hooray!) and can also be found online at feelunique.com.