It’s no secret that the French have long mastered the skincare game, and that French pharmacy brands are on a whole different level! Darphin, first among equals of these French pharmacy high-end treasures, has a solid base that they have been building ever since that first potion created by Pierre Darphin 60 years ago in his beauty salon on the legendary Place Vendôme. Driven by a desire to combine their knowledge of pure, effective botanical plants, aromatic care and essential oils, they have created that perfectly tuned, cohesive series of products that just beguilingly invite you to have that spa experience in the comfort of your own bathroom. Not only offering luxurious textures that far surpass the normal French pharmacy offering, Pierre Darphin himself created several skin-sculpting and massaging techniques that not only boost the performance of the Darphin products, but also keep your skin glowing and healthy.

Off course nothing beats a pampering session in the luxurious surroundings of the Darphin Spa, but on those days that Paris just isn’t an option, I like to shut the world out, light a few candles and retreat in the silence of my own bathroom (Isn’t that the thing about silence? How you miss it dearly the moment it seems gone forever?) and indulge in a little skin-therapy. Indulgence is never a bad word in my book, and the Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood* is my indulgent starter par excellence, or as P likes to call it, our little Parisienne secret from the city of light.

Cleansing your face with the Darphin Aromatic Cleansing balm with Rosewood* isn’t just your basic, everyday wish-wash nighttime routine, it’s this complete sensory experience with the aromas of the Rosewood, Ylang Ylang and Sage relaxing you mind before you have even enveloped you skin in the softness of the balm. A little goes a long way with this thick, dense balm, so I just scoop out a little bit and warm it up a little bit with my fingertips. Softly press it on your skin with your fingertips, inhale deeply, and massage the balm all over your face, paying extra attention to those areas that need some extra TLC. As it keeps that dense and smooth consistency while you work it in, you needn’t worry about your skin becoming the next slip and slide of the season. Waterproof mascara doesn’t even stand a chance when taken on by this champ!

After about 2 or 3 minutes of a heavenly face massage, I gently wet a muslin or flannel cloth with some tepid water, and upon application on the skin, the water will partly turn the balm in a milk that is easier to remove. By this time, the antioxidant rich marula oil, the hydration from the jojoba oil and the purifying strengths of the aromatics will have done their work, leaving me with plump, relaxed, smooth and soft skin (I might as well coin the sentence “My skin but better” for the effects of this cleanser!). My perennial dry skin adores this cleanser, but friends whose skin is on the other end of the greasy spectrum are also raving about this jar, so it’s safe to say it’s a gem for each skin type. As said, it is a cleanser best kept for those little moments of indulgence and utter relaxation, and though it might not be the cheapest one out there, it is sure worth every penny!

Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm With Rosewood 40ml – €34,90
Available via farmaline