For years, decades even, French girl chic has had us all in a chokehold. No matter how wild we go, how maximalist and weird, nothing has truly ever eclipsed that effortless charm, from Jane Birkin to Lily Rose-Depp. It’s not something anyone can quite explain, a certain je ne sais quoi if you will. There’s simply something undeniably cool and calm about French girl beauty that goes beyond a lit cigarette and some rouge lipstick. At the crux of this charm, we believe, are those effort be damned, ‘yes I just woke up like this’ locks. Here’s the ultimate product guide to attaining that fresh out of bed look this summer.
For Everyone
One of the most crucial elements to French girl hair is their natural, untouched locks. French women believe in letting their hair air-dry, which might seem like a horrifying proposal for those of us in a long-term relationship with our straighteners, curlers and dryers. Worry not – consider keeping your hair in a loose bun whilst it dries for a classic loose wave effect. If you’re averse to buns for any particular reason, consider classic braids that’ll keep your hair tidy and add a lovely kink to your hair once dried. A great hack, particularly for those with slightly kinkier hair would be to use a microfiber towel to remove excess water without causing any excess frizz.
For Curly and Natural Hair
As much as those of us with curly would love to simply roll out of bed with perfect locks, that’s simply not what was intended for us. Curls take care, especially those that suffer from difficult, frizzy hair. Luckily, here is a hack to keeping the French girl look easy and attainable. When you wake up use a moisturising serum such as the Leonor Greyl Paris one starting from your tips and working it up into your hair for a nice shine, this should control your frizz without making your hair look too oily and keep your hair hydrated between wash days. Consider buying a silk pillow or bonnet to avoid uncontrollable frizz in the morning.
For Oily Hair
Oily hair can be difficult, particularly when you want to pull off the effortless French look. Luckily, French women have perfected the art of skipping wash days, even suggesting that second- and third-day hair has the perfect volume. To get the look, spray a dry shampoo such as the KLORANE dry shampoo with oat milk at the root on your hair, shaking your hair around as you do to create volume. If your hair is still too oily, consider a classic French bun or braid – and make sure to leave some tendrils out!
Dry or Damaged Hair
Having dry or damaged hair can feel limiting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t too pull of French girl chic. Bleaches and excess heat styling can cause split ends, frizz and lack of shape to the hair, but luckily this can definitely be treated. Consider using a hair mask twice a week to aid in the growth and health of your hair, we suggest French loved L’occitane Whipped Hair Mask, SOS splendid ends treatment. Apply from midength to the tips of your hair in a downward motion, then wash off when done. Voila, effortless and healing.
Words by Giuliana Zamudio-Lopez
Header image: @jane.birkin
