Why French women age like fine wine (and how you can, too)

French secrets to beautiful aging to inspire American women

Picture two women in their 50s, one French and one American, strolling down a bustling city street.

While both are gorgeous, you can sense something different about the two.

The French woman carries herself with an air of grace and confidence in her years.

Meanwhile, the American woman, though sharp and stylish, seems more concerned with hiding her years.

Is this just a stereotype, or is there a deeper cultural difference in how aging is perceived?

As I entered my 50s and began to see signs of my youth slowly bidding adieu, the Francophile in me wondered:

What's it about French women's ability to glide into their later years so naturally and elegantly?

What exactly are they doing differently that we across the Atlantic are missing?

Here are my findings.

French women are bien dans votre âge (comfortable with their age)

French women aren't afraid of their aging faces because the culture supports them.

Because the French value maturity and see beauty as evolving rather than diminishing with age, they’re more accepting of the natural aging process.

Instead of being ashamed about aging, the culture makes it shameful not to accept yourself as you are.

Cut to American youth-obsessed American culture that treats aging as a disease to fight. Here, beauty lives only in the domain of youth and is something you lose with age.

It's so out of control that “Sephora Kids” as young as eight are using anti-aging products that damage their skin. I’ve met plenty of line-less women in their 20s who’ve already started “Baby Botox” to forestall future line creep.

"The French see aging as an art form rather than a flaw to fix,” says cosmetologist Polina Sheriff from Berlin Kosmetik, a Berlin-based cosmetic studio specializing in holistic beauty and skincare treatments.

“This cultural embrace of imperfections means that wrinkles aren't seen as enemies but as character lines — a life well-lived.”

In a culture that allows aging women to be seen, French women are encouraged to embrace aging with dignity and grace — now that's très élégante.

French women are bien dans sa peau (comfortable in their skin)

French women choose authenticity over perfection.

"The difference between French and American women is simple! The French ideal is to embrace authenticity. The American ideal is to chase perfection," explains makeup artist and beauty blogger Tracey Henton.

This is true because everywhere I look, across magazine covers and social media, the beauty standard is all about a flawless airbrushed look.

I’m constantly targeted by ads for products that spackle wrinkles and promise a photo-filtered look.

I also see little diversity or individuality. The focus is on a few specific looks, usually copying a handful of celebrities who often wear loads of makeup.

There's a sameness to it all, a follower approach over an independent attitude.

"I always notice a marked difference when I return to the US after a few months in France,” muses Kelly Koeppel, founder of Yuka+Face, an organic skincare line developed in France.

“The way women present themselves in America is often more trend-focused, leaning into a particular style of makeup or clothing that is prevalent, often at the expense of their true beauty.”

Clichés are vulgar in France, and adhering to trends is seen as trying too hard — it’s hard work trying to look like someone else!

Whether it’s a makeup look or a haircut, French women appreciate their faces and what makes them look and feel their best.

They become their own tastemaker instead of conforming to arbitrary beauty trends of the moment — très original!

Skincare over makeup: French women prioritize bien vieillir (aging well)

In France, a lack of wrinkles isn’t the standard of beauty we’ve come to know in America.

Instead, the French value a natural and elegant aging process, starting and ending with healthy skin.

French women start caring for their skin at a young age. They set good habits with simple but effective ingredients that help them maintain a natural glow as they age.

"For French women, good skin is key. When you take good care of the foundational elements, such as good skin and hair care, you can show off your natural beauty,” explains Koeppel.

"French women also prefer a minimalist makeup approach, prioritizing skincare over heavy foundation. They let their skin breathe and shine through!” adds Sheriff

Because American women generally want a perfect, flawless face, they tend toward heavier makeup, precision contouring, or exaggerated add-ons like false lashes.

Now, either makeup aesthetic is a matter of choice and not better than the other.

Yet, as I get older, I find that focusing on healthy, glowy skin and a less-is-more approach to makeup — especially foundation — makes me feel more radiant and youthful.

Like French fashion, the general beauty vibe is effortless and natural.

The idea is to enhance rather than cover up, use optical tricks, or look overdone.

It's about presenting the best version of yourself at any age.

Procedures? Juste une petite touche (just a little touch)

This is not to say that French women are above having procedures.

It’s just that they prefer to keep it on the down low.

They stay discreet because, in a culture that honors grace in aging, getting ‘work done’ is a taboo subject.

Following the prevailing ‘natural’ aesthetic, French women aim for subtle enhancements, asking for lower doses of fillers and neuromodulators (wrinkle-relaxing injections like Botox).

In the US, where injectables are quickly becoming the new ‘minimum beauty standard,’ it’s another story altogether.

Here, women tend to overdo it to the point of obviousness, demanding, according to one NYC dermatologist, that “she use the whole vial.”

When French women do opt for aesthetic treatments, it’s known that they usually wait until their 40s to start.

Compare that to a recent study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons:

Between 2019 and 2022, the number of people 19 and younger receiving neuromodulator injections increased by 75% and 71% in adults 20 to 29.

Oh my lord.

To me, a perfectly line-free and taut face at 50+ is a freakish sight, especially if there’s a jarring disconnect between the face and the rest of the aging body parts.

Nothing’s alluring about looking inorganic and frozen in time, as if you came out of a box.

Now, if getting work done makes you happy, go for it.

But maybe take it from the French playbook that makes people wonder, “What’s her beauty secret?” instead of thinking, “Who’s her plastic surgeon?” 😉

French women embody joie de vivre (joy of life)

There’s something to the French art of living, which is somewhat of a foreign concept to many Americans.

Enjoying and appreciating anything worth savoring makes life worth living, don’t you agree?

Yet Americans are quick to judge and say no to ‘bad things.’

They pile on the guilt of having an extra helping of ‘bad thing’ like it’s a federal offense (punishable by two extra grueling hours of workout or a week of being ‘extra good’).

Americans tend to treat their bodies like machines to optimize and hack, with quick fixes that often resort to dramatic measures to preserve youth or a slim figure.

Workouts and diets are often about losing weight (or fear of gaining weight) rather than maintaining health.

It’s easier to pop a pill, inject toxins, and apply a cream full of chemicals to look radiant instead of being radiant.

The main aim of exercise and diet is to look good first and to feel good only when we look good.

Embracing joie de vivre means slowing down and appreciating life's simple pleasures.

It means moving in ways that turn your body on, not torture it (unless that’s your kink — an article for another day 😈).

It means nourishing your body with high-quality foods yet allowing yourself to delight occasionally in ‘bad’ things without overdoing them and without guilt.

It means giving yourself the grace to be human and to live a little — no, a lot!

Living in joy naturally slows down aging for a healthy inside-out glow.

Je ne sais quoi — the French art of aging beautifully is you being you

It turns out that rather than being a secret, the coveted ageless French beauty aesthetic is the generosity of being true to yourself.

French women are comfortable with the idea that aging is a natural part of life, an event to celebrate rather than to fear.

They view their lines and changes as chapters in their personal stories.

They know being human is perfectly imperfect, and they use their uniqueness to their advantage rather than airbrushing it away.

A French woman would rather be a first-rate version of herself than a second-rate version of someone else.

Along with self-acceptance and self-awareness, they’ve mastered the art of self-care that extends beyond their famous skincare to living well every day.

Their relaxed confidence, their je ne sais quoi — their ageless “it” factor — radiates from their knowing that the most beautiful version of themselves isn't about chasing youth but the confident embodiment of who they've become over time.

How do you define beauty as you age?

If you could let go of one societal beauty standard, what would it be, and how would it change how you see yourself and move through the world?

Share your wisdom in the comments. ✨