Since my last trip to Paris, I’ve felt a rather unexpected pull. A desire to return to products I already know. To textures, scents, gestures that feel almost familiar. A kind of nostalgia… applied to skincare. The French pharmacy brands I used when I was younger. The products that, in many ways, started everything.
Because, at its core, that’s where Léonce Chenal began. When I first launched the blog in 2018, I only wrote about French beauty. Skincare, makeup, the small rituals that make everyday life feel a little softer. Fashion came later. Everything else followed. But that attention to detail, to texture, to sensation, to pleasure, has remained.
Over the past few months, the way I approach skincare has shifted slightly. For a while, I was very focused on formulations, on ingredients, concentrations, measurable results. And then, almost without noticing, something changed. These days, what I look for first is sensoriality; the texture of a cream, the scent of a serum, the finish it leaves on the skin. Even the gesture itself, at times. These are the details that make you want to come back to it, morning and evening. That turn a routine into a moment.
And perhaps, too, a certain form of letting go. The idea of “perfect skin” matters less to me than it once did. Perhaps because it doesn’t really exist. Skin shifts, reacts, evolves, with the seasons, with stress, with time. I’ve learned to accept those variations, those small irregularities.
I’ve also simplified: fewer products, fewer steps. And a more attentive way of listening to my skin, which has become slightly drier over time. It’s a routine that feels more intuitive, more flexible, something I adapt day by day. Because of that, the products I’m sharing here may particularly suit dry skin, or skin that has become drier over time. These are the products I’ve been using lately. A mix of recent discoveries, rediscoveries… and a few long-standing favorites.
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Cleansing
I alternate between two textures, depending on how my skin feels. The Avène Cleansing Foam, which I love for its lightness and soft scent. Or the Susanne Kaufmann Soothing Cleansing Milk, more enveloping, especially when my skin feels drier. On more tired evenings, I keep it simple with Bioderma’s Sensibio Micellar Water. And I always finish with a mist of Avène Thermal Spring Water.
Toning
Two options, again. Violette_FR’s Boum-Boum Milk, which I’ve used for years, for its hydrating feel and the subtle glow it leaves on the skin. Or the Active Treatment Essence by Vintner’s Daughter, a more complete formula that I reach for when I want something more active.
Serums
In the morning, the Susanne Kaufmann Hyaluron Serum, which I find very effective for hydration. In the evening, a few drops of Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum, mixed into my cream. It’s an oil I particularly enjoy when my skin feels drier.
Moisturizer
I choose based on what my skin needs that day. Dieux’s Instant Angel, rich and comforting when my skin feels tight. Susanne Kaufmann’s Nourishing Day Cream, slightly lighter and ideal during the day. Or Avène’s Hydrance Rich Cream.
Essentials
The Susanne Kaufmann Eye Rescue Serum in the evening. Violette_FR’s Balm Amour, which I used all winter and still keep close. And Aime’s SPF50, which I wear daily, all year round.
Body
Avène’s XeraCalm Shower Cream, gentle and almost comforting. And Susanne Kaufmann’s Arnica Body Oil, which I love for its lightweight texture and non-greasy finish.
Hair
Nécessaire’s Rosemary Shampoo and Conditioner, which I will likely repurchase. And Rahua’s Hydration Detangler, applied to the lengths, especially when my hair feels drier.
