Classic French style

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Lifestyle: The attributes of "French classic" style

The effortless chic of Inès de la Fressange, the independence and audacity of Coco Chanel, the freedom and positive sensuality of Brigitte Bardot, the androgynous simplicity of Jane Birkin... all these attributes can be gathered under a single name: "French classic" or "élégance à la française".

A Timeless Style

This style, which originated in the City of Light, has been just as popular since the beginning of the 20th century, and not just in France. Its timelessness is precisely what makes it so successful. It also increasingly aligns with current concerns about product sustainability, minimalism, and the uninhibited sublimation of everyone's natural beauty. This is true for fashion, but also for makeup.

This way of life is thus embodied in the lip, eye, and nail care products of the Le Rouge Français makeup house. Its products will give you confidence, enhancing your face and hands thanks to the power of plants. Organic, vegan, and ecological, they will introduce you to the exquisite world of natural elegance.

"It's not just about appearances, but about being and living your daily life and your passions." Le Rouge Français

The "French classic" or natural beauty

From fashion to makeup, French elegance is above all an art of living and a relationship with oneself.

Chic and timeless

When it comes to French elegance, we first think of clothing style. This is primarily characterized by its timelessness. The minimalism of each piece in a wardrobe allows for great versatility. Thus, basics like jeans, white shirts, well-tailored black jackets, cashmere sweaters, or trench coats form the backbone of the "French classic" style. They can be easily mixed and matched for everyday wear and any occasion.

These basics are accompanied by accessories that add a touch of originality and real soul to your outfit. This could be a belt, a bag, ballet flats, high heels, sneakers, loafers, jewelry, a hat, or a scarf.

But French chic doesn't stop at outward appearance. Minimalism and timelessness are also reflected in the quality of the clothing. The search for durable materials is an integral part of the process. Well-made linen, Tencel, and organic cotton fabrics are durable and have a simple, refined look that embodies that "je ne sais quoi" that makes all the difference.

Moreover, the "French classic" must also be comfortable. It's not just about appearances, but about being and living your daily life and your passions. There's no question of feeling stiff or having sore feet with every step. The quality of a garment is also measured by the well-being and confidence it brings us. Adherents of French elegance can thus stroll effortlessly through the city all day in ballet flats and stay warm in winter in lyocell or modal sweaters.

Finally, this style is accessible to all. While some allow themselves to buy pieces from major luxury brands, others find second-hand gems for a few euros. You can be chic, regardless of the size of your wallet. This is why this style is very successful in France and continues to spread internationally.

Highlighting your features and personality

French elegance is therefore a lifestyle and a way of approaching purchases. What we wear is an extension of ourselves, and this also applies to makeup. What we sometimes find under the terms "classic Parisian makeup" is defined as light eye makeup and elegant red lips. As with clothing, the goal of makeup is to enhance one's natural beauty and feel comfortable. Gone are false eyelashes, thick eyeliner strokes, or excessively luminous complexions.

The complexion is lightly unified with a BB or CC cream, but the natural skin remains visible. The idea is primarily to take care of it, not to try at all costs to hide imperfections by applying a thick layer of foundation. A little rosy blush on the cheeks can add color and vitality.

Eyebrows can optionally be brushed and emphasized with a pencil. However, this operation follows the natural shape and curve of the eyebrows.

The eyelid, meanwhile, is left as is or simply adorned with a light and discreet eyeshadow, especially if the lips are coated with a beautiful carmine red. When the eyes are a little more worked, the lower part of the face remains natural. Mascara then accentuates the gaze.

Le Rouge Français: The ultimate "French classic" brand

If there's one brand that embodies the "French classic" style, it's Le Rouge Français. Intelligence, subtlety, freedom, and respect are the strong values upheld since its creation in 2018 by Élodie Carpentier and her husband.

Quality over quantity.

During her pregnancy, the founder questioned the exact contents of the beauty products she used daily. Their effects on health, the environment, and the inequalities they created prompted her to act. A biotechnological engineer, Élodie Carpentier conducted research for several months to develop a way to create makeup where all aspects were brought to perfection. Color, hold, preservation, scent, texture, ecology, health... nothing was left to chance. The result is high-end products that align with the adage of French elegance: quality over quantity.

The materials are treated with the same finesse. A deep bond is forged between women and plants. The care taken for their well-being, their blossoming, and their sublimation creates a synergy that adds soul to their daily routines. Putting on makeup becomes a moment of gratitude towards oneself and towards nature, which offers so much beauty and benefits. As Élodie Carpentier so eloquently puts it, Le Rouge Français places flowers on women's lips.

Many consider the "French classic" style to be the epitome of elegance. As it aims to be open to everyone, its dissemination throughout the rest of the world is highly relevant. This is why Le Rouge Français is expanding internationally, and its products are already found in Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, the United States, and Hong Kong.

Expertise serving refinement

Adherents of French chic expect a product to meet all the style criteria.

Mastery of color, minimalism, and versatility

The formulas are, of course, the focus of attention. A lipstick, a pencil, an eyeshadow, or a nail polish must first and foremost have an attractive color, reflecting what we want to express or highlight. The innovation of Le Rouge Français lies in the fact that the pigmentation comes solely from plants with extraordinary coloring powers.

As discoveries and formulations progress, new shades appear in the already extensive catalog of the makeup house with plant pigments. The first of these, Le Rouge Français, is the brand's flagship product. This color alone represents its identity. Derived from the rhizomes of madder root, an antioxidant plant, it comes from France where it has been historically established. Moreover, its vermilion color is technically complex to create and represents a real technical feat. Following the success of this shade, we can now appreciate other red shades like alizarin, but also browns, pinks, and nudes.

Le Rouge Français lipsticks last over a year and stay on the skin for 3 to 4 hours. It was after 18 months of research and development that the brand achieved a perfect, patented result.

To further advance the concepts of versatility, accessibility, and minimalism essential to "French classic" style, Le Rouge Français also offers "Cheek and Lips." This easily portable and finger-applied product allows you to add a touch of color to your entire face, in any circumstance.

A responsible beauty case

As for the packaging, it reflects its contents: luxurious, sleek, and practical. Its transparency allows you to see the remaining product at all times and represents the brand's approach. The bio-sourced lipstick tubes and glass nail polish bottles are manufactured in collaboration with the best glass artisans and companies at the forefront of innovation in ecological and future-oriented sectors. Refillable, they are designed to last a lifetime. This is why their design is timeless, reflecting the French elegance of their owner.

Updating the "French classic"

In 2020, an IFOP survey showed that 50% of women want to improve the quality of their skin and no longer use chemicals. They are increasingly committed to respecting the environment and animals and have become aware of gender stereotypes and the injunctions placed on women.

Today, beauty models increasingly take into account the diversity of women.

Times are changing and Le Rouge Français is accompanying this transformation. For most people, the "French classic" style remains associated with 1960s icons like Brigitte Bardot or Françoise Hardy. Today, beauty models increasingly take into account the diversity of women. However, the essence of French elegance remains the same, as it is about being in harmony with oneself and being comfortable with one's femininity. Thus, makeup shades, for example, must be able to enhance all skin tones. Consequently, this opens up new perspectives for brands and allows for the renewal of certain traditional techniques.

This is why Le Rouge Français has developed numerous colors and has also innovated by designing a lipstick that harmonizes with every skin tone.

Feeling beautiful in a healthy body

In recent years, numerous studies have exposed the dangers of makeup. Indeed, products contain many carcinogenic, allergenic, or harmful substances for the skin. Consumers are therefore very concerned about the ingredients in their beauty arsenal.

The house of Le Rouge Français always keeps women's health in mind. Since its creation, it has been about enhancing women, but also protecting them.

Thus, in addition to revealing the exceptional colors of plants in their products, these plants retain their benefits. This is made possible thanks to a meticulous process that preserves the plant's totum, meaning the entirety of the active ingredients of the part used.

Furthermore, the oils, waxes, and butters used as cosmetic bases also have virtues for your skin. Repairing, moisturizing, antioxidant, softening, emollient... they are the opposite of what can be found in conventional makeup. Here, there is no titanium dioxide, potentially carcinogenic for workers and consumers, and no mica containing heavy metals.

Sustainable products for a desirable future

In 2022, women also take a clear-eyed look at environmental issues. A cosmetic product can pollute or disrupt ecosystems in terms of sourcing, manufacturing, or end-of-life. Le Rouge Français thus chooses plants cultivated organically in France or endemic, meaning native to the regions from which they originate.

Moreover, the ingredients do not contain petrochemical substances which, being non-renewable, also require a lot of energy for the refining operation. The packaging also does not contain plastic, which pollutes the seas and disrupts the balance of ecological systems. This is why the brand's lipstick tubes, for example, are bio-sourced and eco-refillable according to a patented formula.

Elegance without cruelty

Finally, respect for oneself and the environment naturally extends to animals. The demand for vegan and cruelty-free products has never been stronger. Indeed, the fate of living beings killed or used as guinea pigs in laboratories has been made public by numerous associations, and we can no longer close our eyes to this fact. It therefore seemed essential to the creator of Le Rouge Français, Élodie Carpentier, to commit to manufacturing products certified free of animal-derived elements or tested on them.

The intelligence of the "French classic" style approach is thus found in all aspects of the Le Rouge Français brand, which also makes a point of controlling its entire production chain. The future of French elegance is in our hands!