From the French Pharmacie: Biafine

Biafine is a French legend. For one thing, it's one of the ubiquitous products that everyone has in France - like rubbing alcohol or polysporin here. French families apparently ALL have this in their homes to use on bumps, bruises, burns, chapped skin and lips, rashes, scars and sunburns. But it does have some beauty uses as well.

There isn't currently an English Biafine website, so everything I know about it I learned on blogs and by trying to translate from the website in my (quite rusty) French. But here's what I found out.

Biafine was originally developed for use in a hospital setting - on burn victims and those recovering after cosmetic surgery. It is used to aid with healing damaged skin - it helps to eliminate dead skin cells while boosting the cells that help to heal collagen and promote healthier skin. (It is not recommended for use on bleeding or infected wounds or rashes caused by allergies, however.)

There are two versions of this - and I ended up ordering them both because for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what the difference was. On their website the ingredients are identical. But, for some reason, in the US Biafine (original) requires a prescription while BiafineACT is available over the counter.

So, when they arrived, I eagerly tore into both of them to see if I could figure out what the heck was up. And I discovered...that they are exactly the same. The original Biafine looks like this:

BiafineACT looks like this:

They smell the same, feel the same and seem to do exactly the same thing. From what I can tell, the only difference is the packaging - aside from looking different, on Biafine it says (roughly translated) that it's for skin irritation due to radiation treatment, first and second degree burns and any other non-infected wound.

BiafineACT, on the other hand, is for the treatment of superficial burns, broken skin (I think), localized sunburns and non-infected wounds.

Honestly I'm pretty confused, so I'm going to go with it's the same stuff, but one is packaged with listed uses that seem more minor so that they'll sell it to you without a scrip in the States.

The tubes are huge, nearly 200 mL, and cost less than $30, so it's a great deal and will last you forever.

Now, so far this cream probably sounds very functional and more like it belongs in a first aid kit than on a chic Parisian's bathroom counter. But wait. There's more. Apparently this can also be used as a facial mask to help moisturize the skin and even skintone, according to one of the blog reviews I read. Which would make sense since it's essentially for helping the skin heal and regenerate. At the very least I'm anticipating getting a lot of use out of the burn-healing - I'm pale so I sunburn like a mofo!

I'm a huge fan of multi-taskers, particularly ones that are so cheap! I have a feeling this is going to be a bathroom (and pantry) staple from now on.

**If you want to get a bit more medical info (in English) you can check here or here- though I don't know who runs the sites or how accurate the info is, so please be sure to talk to a pharmacist or other medical professional if you have any concerns about using this on your skin!

French Pharmacie: The Secret to French Beauty, Part 1

French pharmacies are a dream destination for any beauty fanatic. They're full of swoon-worthy skincare products that you were swear were the fanciest and most expensive out there - but they're not. Some of them are downright cheap.

Before you ask, no, I haven't just returned from a trip to Paris (more's the pity), but I've been tracking down French pharmacie skincare lines in local stores and online over the years and have tried most of the big cult favourites. So I thought I'd share them with you guys and maybe introduce a few of you to the wonders of French skincare!

1.  Avibon
Avibon is a "pommade" containing vitamin A and retinol. It's basically a topical ointment. Used for skin irritation and as an intense moisturizer. This one has become pretty well-known since appearing on Gwyneth Paltrow's blog in her French pharmacie post. (Full review here.)

2. Nuxe -  Melting Cleansing Gel
I haven't used this yet, but according to the tube, it "cleanses, removes make-up and gently clarifies." I mainly bought it because it has an amazing, subtle rose scent.

3. Nuxe - Rêve de Miel Hand and Nail Cream
An intense hand cream for really dry skin. It has honey, sunflower, "precious oils," and vitamin E. It's pretty light in texture and absorbs quickly.

4. Embryolisse - Lait-Crème Concentré
This cream is a cult fave with makeup artists the world over. It's a particular fave of the ladies at Pixiwoo - nearly every video they make mentions it since they use it as their base and moisturizer. It has a similar texture to cold cream, a light, pleasant scent and can be used as a day cream, night cream, makeup base and cold cream. (Full review here.)

5. Biafine
Biafine was originally developed in a hospital setting to be used on burns and post-surgically to aid in healing. Apparently it's now a staple in most french homes for use on minor injuries, burns and as a beauty aid - moisturizer and night mask. The tube is HUGE (it doesn't say on the tube or box the volume of product, but I'd guess near 200ml) so it should last you awhile! (Full review here.)

6. BiafineACT
Very similar to the original Biafine, this one is available over the counter in the US (whereas Biafine requires a prescription). Can be used to soothe sunburns as well as abrasions and skin irritations. Like the original it can be used to sooth sensitive skin and help relieve redness and irritation. They both also aid in reducing scarring. (Full review here.)

7. Bioderma - Atoderm Lip Balm
I actually bought this ages ago when I first discovered that a local pharmacy was carrying the Bioderma line. It's a really basic lip balm for dry and chapped lips.

8. Nuxe - Rêve de Miel Lip Balm
This lip balm comes in a huge jar and has a lovely scent. One of the main reasons this one's pretty popular is that it goes on matte, so it's great if you don't like the glossy look, want to wear it under matte lipstick - even if you're a guy! Lasts for ages, too. (Full review here.)

9. Amilab - Baume Lèvres Réhydratant Régénérateur, Calmant
This is probably similar to Burt's Bees in terms of use and price point, but I like it so much better. It's softer and goes on without tugging the skin. Very creamy, not at all waxy and smells like creamsicles. (Full review here.)

10. Nuxe - Rêve de Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick
Not quite as good as the jar, but more portable, so it's great for throwing in a purse to use throughout the day. (Full review here.)

11. Homeoplasmine
Another makeup artist fave, this cream is used for severely dry or chapped skin pretty much anywhere, but is most often used on the lips. Makeup artists and models love it because it instantly relieves any chapped, flaky skin making lips smooth for lipstick application. Pretty cheap and comes in a huge tube that will last forever. (Full review here.)

These are really brief overviews of each product and what it does, but I will be doing full reviews of the products one at a time as I use them more!

What are your French pharmacie faves? Share in the comments!