The romanticised image of French beauty dates back to the era of the 1950s. It’s an aesthetic that has endured ever since, and at the mere mention of the words, you will likely have conjured up an image of minimal make-up with a swipe of red lipstick, undone tousled hair, and an effortless feel that belies the amount of effort required to achieve it.
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Violette Serrat both embraces yet defies this stereotype. Even before launching her eponymous label Violette_FR in 2021 and during her tenures as global beauty director at Estée Lauder and creative director of make-up at Guerlain, she was known for her expressive and artistic make-up looks, playing with colour and texture and always encouraging her legions of followers through her online tutorials to get creative with their make-up. She embodies the Parisian ideals by emphasising the power of imperfection and make-up as self expression rather than corrective.
While French beauty has long been associated with restraint, the new rules, according to Serrat, say you can be messy with your application. While retaining that nonchalant feel and eschewing looking too “done”, dab a pop of purple onto the cheekbone, swipe a glittery green onto the lids, line your eyes with metallic liner and never forget a strong lip.
Blurred make-up is a huge part of her aesthetic, and she tells me that this is inspired by her “coquette” grandma who lived in the countryside, yet every morning she would do her make-up and put her hair in rollers because, according to her, “you can meet your Prince Charming taking the trash out.” But crucially, she never would put on her glasses to do her make-up. When Serrat asked her about this, she would say, “Darling, that’s the whole point; I want things to be blurry. Everything looks better when it’s blurry.”
Below, Serrat breaks down a step-by-step guide to modern French make-up.
Good news: if cleaning your make-up brushes is a task that has remained on your to-do list for months on end, Serrat encourages us to use our fingers rather than tools for a more “lived-in” effect. This goes for any cream shadow or pigment. Her top tip? “Make sure the edges are always blended,” and to do this, use one finger to apply and another clean finger to soften. You don’t want to erase the shape, but prevent any obvious lines.
Plume Eyeshadow - Charbon Fumé
Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Easy Eyeshadow Sticks
For that signature French beauty lived-in make-up look, Serrat favours a smoky eye – and you can use just one shade to achieve it. Serrat lifts the eyelid and, with her finger, presses the pigment along the lash line. She says, “I like to go from the outside to the inside and press it up.” The darkest pigment should always be closest to the lashes and get softer as you travel up to the brow bone. Using the same finger with the pigment (but no extra product), she stretches the shade beyond the outer edge of the eye to “play with your features” and provide definition without hard edges. Go in the natural direction of the eye upwards and out for a softly lifted shape. This is possible without the need for liner or an overly precise cat eye. You can use a clean finger to blend out and a small Q-tip with micellar water to define and clean up the outer eye. And voilà, “a perfectly lifted look.”
For a modern take on the classic smoky eye, you need not add different shades, but in true Serrat style, she encourages getting creative and experimenting with colour. She likes to apply a green-grey in the middle of the eyelid for a subtle touch that shimmers when it catches the light.
Plume Eyeshadow - Poussière de Lune
As mentioned above, Serrat shies away from an overly defined liner, but that doesn’t mean you have to avoid it altogether. “I think some people may have the idea that we like liner in France, but it’s not really a thing,” she says. “If we do, it has to be more moody and not so pin-up.” Should you wish to incorporate liner, the modern French beauty way is to prevent it from looking too graphic. So instead of a sharp flick, apply liner at the outer corner of the eye upwards and layer with shadow to soften and blur. Remember the aesthetic is moody, not polished.
This is another opportunity where Serrat likes to bring a bit of colour into the equation. She explains that she’s noticed a shift among her Parisian friends who have “a clichéd look, but then add a coloured liner.”
After applying mascara – it’s important to do this first as it “allows me to see how much shadow we need on the bottom” – use a small brush and a small amount of pigment under the lower lash. The approach is “darkness at the lash line, and then it dies gently,” so concentrate the colour directly against the lash and blend out. You can then connect it with the outer corner of the eye to “add a bit more of an edge.”
In accordance with the rules of French beauty, blush is not used for sculpting; “we’re not going to do a full-on blush,” she tells me. Instead, it is used for creating a flush on the skin. “It has to look like skin; it’s ok to see blemishes, it’s ok to see dark circles. You can get creative with your lids and your lips, but no false lashes and the complexion and brows are on the natural side for that balance of being done and undone”.
Serrat says to concentrate the pigment on the areas where a natural flush would appear to give the illusion of warmth, taking Renaissance paintings as inspiration. You can also use a slightly warmer shade towards the outside of the cheek for a sun-kissed effect. To maximise its impact, start at the highest point of the cheek when you have the most amount of product on the brush and stamp rather than swipe. Do this in circular motions to build intensity gradually. Blend outwards for an airbrushed effect.
Plume Blush - Rose Fumé
Plume Blush - Souvenir de Volubilis
When selecting the shade of blush, it is not just a question of pairing with your skin tone – although she says, “I have olive tones so usually cool tones will look best”. Serrat advises considering what you are wearing and the overall colour story. For example, if your outfit is colourful, opt for a neutral or nude blush, whereas muted clothing can be paired with a stronger blush to bring life back into the complexion.
Blusher Duo - Sugar Coated
Can’t find the perfect shade? You can also mix them to customise the temperature. Add a purple-toned blush to make a warm shade appear cooler, or add a warmer shade to take the edge off a particularly cool blush. “It’s an invitation to become an artist,” she stresses, so think of your makeup as a palette rather than a set of fixed rules. If you’re still unsure, go for berry tones. “Our nude is more of a berry; we’re obsessed with berry as blush or lips. Berry is a very safe colour.”
If you have gone for a dramatic eye look, Serrat believes you should keep the lips neutral. A sheer, matte, blurring lip colour can neutralise the natural lip tone without creating another strong focal point. It’s not a question of making them disappear, but softly perfecting them in a way that allows the eyes to remain the focus.
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillow Talk
Much like with the eyes, Serrat takes a blurring approach to lip liner – you don’t have to create a sharp border. Use liner at the fullest, most voluminous part of the lip to enhance without outlining. Blur to leave the impression of fuller lips.
In continuation of the theme of balance, one of the most important French beauty rules is that if your make-up is looking more polished, juxtapose it with an element of nonchalance. For example, keep your hair relaxed or introduce a rebellious element into your clothing. A smoky eye with natural hair and a white T-shirt brings edge and polish. But avoid looking too cute. “I don’t think we want to be cute. We like the idea of a – rebellious and free-spirited.” The modern French aesthetic isn’t about looking overly sweet, and if you’re leaning too docile, “add a leather jacket.”