The American vision of French or Parisian beauty is full of red lips, baguettes and thin women with wispy bangs. This image leaves little room for women of fuller figures and darker skin or women who’d like to wear a color besides blue, white or red. These six women are people you should definitely be following on Instagram so their unapologetic take on what it means to be a French beauty can inspire on the daily.
Fanny Bourdette-Donon
Fanny Bourdette-Donon works on the International Communications team for Dior, and if you aren’t already following her what are you doing? Her Instagram looks are what beautiful dreams are made of: smokey eyes, 90’s glasses and iridescent highlighters. Not only are Bourdette-Donon’s makeup looks always unreal but her outfits are next-level and unstriped.
Aissa Maiga
French actress Aissa Maiga is no stranger to pulled back hair and a dangly earring– in fact, that seems to be her go-to look. Her classic style only further highlights her smooth skin and structured brows that should be all of our grown-woman beauty goals. Maiga’s looks are reminiscent of old French films but with a more modern and versatile approach.
Fatou N’Diaye
Blogger Fatou N’Diaye reps color in a way that I have never witnessed a French woman pull before. While her skin often seems clear of product– in keeping with the ever-touted French approach to makeup– her eye and lip looks are the antithesis of the casual Parisian woman aesthetic. N’Diaye is not afraid to draw attention to both the eyes and lips. She always pulls it off effortlessly.
Melodie Vaxelaire
While Melodie Vaxelaire does have wispy bangs, the model’s head full of curls makes them much more interesting. Vaxelaire’s Insta features artistic photos of her sporting headscarves and rocking glittery, purple platform heels all while casually relaxing into each shot.
Crystal Murray
A member of the thrilling Paris Gucci Gang, Crystal Murray is everything I wish I was at 15 years old. Murray is saturated with a kind of personal style that most people don’t develop until a bit later in life. Murray and the other three members of this “girl band” are a great source for daily inspiration on living your most authentic life.
Laetitia Lotthe
Laetitia Lotthe is the Global Brand Director at Commes de Garcons and a master at “ridiculous matching.” Lotthe is fond of bright hues like the neon-pink braids that have adorned her hair, and highlighter-yellow tees and jackets. Much like N’Diaye, Lotthe is not afraid of color and bears it all in her fits instead of on her face.
By Mikala Everett
Cover Photo from Velvet Canyon
