Nothing gets a conversation going in the Who What Wear office (or should we say on Zoom calls?) quite like the topic of French skincare. From Avène and Bioderma to Nuxe and La Roche-Posay, some of the best skincare brands in the business consider France home. However, while such brands no doubt offer up some of the best formulas in the game (La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar range is, in my humble opinion, the best non-clinical range for breakouts that money can buy), I can’t help but feel like they have always lacked one simple thing.
You see, everything about France oozes chic, except for their skincare. The clear-skinned, glowing results are of course chic, but the bottles themselves? Let’s just say they’re not the sort of thing you’ll want to keep out on your shelf. Clinical-looking and, frankly, a little boring on the eyes, French skincare doesn’t possess the same pretty exterior as some of its global beauty competitors. And we know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but is a great formula and a shelfie-worthy bottle too much to ask for?
Enter Typology. Created by Ning Li, co-founder of Made.com, this new, Paris-based skincare brand is about to start making waves. First of all, let’s get the aesthetics out of the way because the products are, quite frankly, beautiful. The packaging is minimalistic in its approach but with an apothecary-style edge that is so chic I’m tempted to save empty bottles for decoration. Oh, and it’s all super sustainable too. Favouring recyclable materials and adopting environmentally friendly transport solutions (which is something often overlooked in the beauty industry), it’s safe to say Typology is hot on sustainability.
However, chicness aside, there’s no doubt that the most impressive thing about Typology is its incredible product offering. Not only are the formulas truly wonderful, but the brand’s approach to skincare is what makes it stand out amongst the rest. Whereas products from other French skincare brands risk overwhelming consumers with overly technical and scientific language (even I find myself reaching for Google sometimes), Typology seeks to totally demystify the industry. Not too dissimilarly from the likes of The Ordinary or The Inkey List, the products aim to give clear, concise guidance that doesn’t overcomplicate things.
Comprising seven ranges and a whole host of products within them (from cleansing bars and moisturisers to haircare and fragrance), Typology’s offering might be extensive, but its formulas are pared-back and simple. For example, the Raw range is made up of single-ingredient products that can be used alone or layered, the Ten range consists of products blended with 10 ingredients or fewer to champion only the essentials, and the Woman range is an easy-to-follow, four-serum regimen designed to cater to the skin’s needs at every stage of the menstrual cycle.
On a personal note, I can safely say that I’m loving every minute of using Typology. Since adopting a Typology regimen, my skin has been clear, glowing and generally healthy-looking. I haven’t found the products to be overly drying or moisturising. In fact, I’d say everything about the products I’ve tried is, in the words of Goldilocks, just right, including the price points. Specifically, I’m seriously impressed with the Micellar Water (which is understandably sold out at the moment, but I urge you to keep an eye out for any restocks), which doesn’t strip the skin and somehow makes my skin look more glowing after use. I’m also very much into the Niacinamide Serum, which takes down redness and deals with blemishes. In the traditional French style, things are fuss-free, results-driven and accessibly affordable. In fact, I don’t think I have anything bad to say at all.
