When it comes to beauty products that work, French pharmacies is where it’s at. I’ve discovered most of my current skincare faves browsing the aisles of Parisian drug stores, with Google Translate in hand. It takes a while for these products to arrive in Canada, but eventually some of them do, making it a lot easier to stock up without having to pay for a plane ticket. Embryolisse is one of those brands. A French pharmacy staple, Embryolisse was created by a dermatologist back in 1950, with its first product – Lait-Crème Concentré. Since then, the brand has become a cult-favourite. Lucky for us, Embryolisse is now available in Canada, with a range of skincare products well-suited to sensitive skin. Embryolisse formulas include ingredients of natural origin (shea butter, beeswax, aloe vera, soy) combined with cutting-edge dermatological active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and collagen to offer products that are effective but also suitable for even the most sensitive skin (hello, it me!). The company pays a lot of attention to ingredient dosages, ensuring that each product contains just enough of each active ingredient as to be effective, but not so much that your skin won’t be able to absorb it.

Last week, I attended a fun Embryolisse event, which introduced us to brand’s new arrivals, and treated all attendees to a mini photoshoot with pro photographer Vincent Lions. Makeup artist Angie di Battista prepped my skin with Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré before doing my makeup, and hairstylist Ian Russel added some waves to my hair before I was ready to step in front of the camera. There were lots of great outfit options on offer from Emma Boutique, but I opted to wear my own clothes – a Comme des Garcons Play shirt I was wearing that day, and a Saint Laurent polka dot dress. The photos turned out great, non?

But back to the latest and greatest from Embryolisse. I already use a couple of Embryolisse products from the Artist Secret series – like the Radiant Eyes stick (perfect for tired eyes) and Lashes & Brows Booster (gotta be more diligent about applying this daily but still love it), but this time I was introduced to the brand’s Anti-Aging skincare line. The thing about sensitive skin is that a lot of skincare products with anti-aging ingredients tend to be too harsh, causing breakouts and irritation. What’s different about Embryolisse Anti-Aging line is that it doesn’t promise immediate results, but a slow build to better, more youthful skin, with lower chance of causing an adverse reaction. I was especially intrigued by the Gentle Night Peeling cream with caviar lemon extract, which promotes gentle cell renewal every night. My sensitive skin can’t tolerate most chemical peels, so I am really excited to try this one…and a cherry on top – it’s really affordable!

If you’d like to try Embryolisse, you can find their products at Shoppers Drug Mart online and in stores.

What I Wore: 1 – Dress – Saint Laurent (Holt Renfrew), Boots – Dolce Vita (Shopbop); 2 – Shirt – Comme des Garcons, Cuff – Hermes, Earrings – H&M