French Women Staying Fit and Stylish as They Age

Everyone has this idea that French women are beautiful with great figure and style.  So what is their secret?  A columnist from New York Times tried to find out and here are some of her insights.  

In France women love being themselves, no matter what age.  French woman take very seriously they way they care for their skin, hair, and body and they find it very enjoyable, not a chore like many of us.  

“Looking attractive, at any age, is just what Frenchwomen do, especially the urban ones. For Parisiennes, maintaining their image is as natural as tying a perfect scarf or wearing stilettos on cobblestone streets. Beauty is a tradition handed down from generation to generation.” “They believe: “Never neglect yourself, not even in the tiniest details.”  This is something that many women have to remember because often times we do neglect ourselves because of the busy schedules, work, school, kids, etc.  

A survey by the market research company Mintel found that 33 percent of French girls between 15 and 19 are already using anti-aging or anti-wrinkle creams.  Apparently it’s never too early to start!  French women will not come outside without sunscreen cream on their face.  

We often times think that French women don’t get fat, the fact is that French women won’t get fact; big difference.  Another surprising detail is that they do not really exercise; walking is their form of exercise.  They think of gym as torture.  French pharmacies are full of diet and figure-improving remedies and French women are not afraid to use them.  

Parisiennes are very fond of spas; facials and massages are some of the cures against wrinkles, cellulite, and saggy bottoms.  Some women, who are resourceful enough or have medical reasons, get the insurance to cover the bill.  

As far as makeup, French women prefer a natural look, no layers of foundation or heavy makeup.  “Frenchwomen spend about $2.2 billion a year on facial skin care — as much as Spanish, German and British women put together.”  If you use a bathroom in a French home, which by the way is not considered polite, you will see countless skin products, but you might not see soap.  

Plastic surgery…a tricky topic.  In America, women spend millions of dollars on face-lifts, breast implants, lip enhancements, etc.  A lot of them do it just to show off.  On the contrary, French women who turn to plastic surgery just want “to keep the natural beauty and charm of each individual woman, not to fit some current ideal of beauty.”

For French women, aging is more a matter of mind over makeup; they feel good about themselves.  A great quote from Françoise Sagan, French playwright, novelist, and screenwriter, “There is a certain age when a woman must be beautiful to be loved, and then there comes a time when she must be loved to be beautiful.”