After bingeing all of her videos one evening (if you’re into beauty, this is a worthy endeavor), I found myself wanting to try out her routine and every one of her product recommendations. Violette’s warm, nonchalant approach to beauty is refreshing, and when it comes to product we align on a natural and efficacy-driven approach. One peep at her videos or Instagram and you’ll see that her skin always looks on point, glowy, and effortless, but don’t let the French vibes fool you! In this video, Violette outlined her nighttime routine which is far more involved than what I imagined a French woman would do (… although I have heard that the ultimate French woman beauty secret is to take good care of your skin so you can skip makeup), and certainly more extensive than my own routine. My MO is to invest in treatments and rituals that minimize the use of product, like eyelash lifts, facial gua sha, jade rolling, facial cupping, semi-annual microdermabrasion treatments, all of these help to keep the skin looking vibrant and healthy. Here’s the routine I stuck with for two weeks, with some modifications from Violette’s version: Next up was the mask. I tried and loved the sandalwood rose Pratima mask Violette uses. It’s a detoxifying mud mask that brightens the skin without stripping it of its natural oils, and would be safe to use even on sensitive skin. I masked with this once or twice a week, and when I wasn’t using it I used Cocokind’s chlorophyll calming mask, which is gentle enough to use every day. After removing the mask, I used Biologique Recherche’s P50 lotion on a reusable cotton round, which provides some light exfoliation, and a spritz of toner for hydration. Sometimes it was plain rosewater, others I used Laurel Whole Plant Organics facial elixir. Violette used Tata Harper’s floral essence. These homeopathic supplements come in glass tubes, so be very careful when breaking them open! I may have been over cautious, but always broke off the ends into a paper towel or a face cloth. Don’t forget to give them a good shake first. Breaking both ends of the ampoule helped the liquid come out more easily… otherwise the serum gets vacuum-stuck in there. I’d then pour it into my hands (you lose too much in a cotton round), rub them together, and press the serum into my skin and pull it down onto my neck and décolleté as well. While I pared down the routine after a couple weeks of diligence—the most I’ll ever mask in a week is three times, and that’s pushing it—I’m so glad I tried the ampoules! It’s the best serum hack I didn’t know existed. Merci, Violette!
