These days, it seems there are more skincare supplements out there than you can shake a stick at. But, having been around for a little while, we remember the days when that wasn’t the case…unless we were shopping in France, where supplements were lined up on the shelves next to creams and cleansers as a matter of course.

So when we met the founders of 27 Rosiers as they were still developing their first products and they mentioned that they’d introduce supplements at the same time, it wasn’t a surprise. But we still wondered: why have beauty supplements been so popular in France for so long?  

Read on for our interview with their co-founder, Kevin, to learn why inside-out beauty has long been acknowledged in French culture. He also brings that point of view to the development of their topical products, whose textures are among the most elegant on our shelves — yet at prices that are among the most accessible.

Ayla: You've had supplements as part of the 27 Rosiers lineup from the very beginning. Do you think this is reflective of your French heritage? The notion of internal skincare seems to have a longer history in French culture than it does in American culture.

KEVIN: There is something about our French upbringing for sure. We have these memories of us as kids playing in the fields, picking the asparagus in the Spring, collecting colorful fruits from the trees in the Summer (and trying to get to the cherries before the birds at them all!!), finding mushrooms in the woods in the Fall. Wintertime was when our grandmothers would cook their comforting soups. There has always been a fruit or a vegetable associated with a season, and this habit of eating fresh, seasonal food is quintessential to France. Even though France is a relatively small country, it has a wide diversity of temperature and landscape from North to South, and this results in year-long diversity of food available locally.

Growing up like this, we’ve heard stories from our parents, from our grandparents: If you’re feeling sick, eat this orange full of vitamins. If you’re feeling bloated, drink celery juice. If you have a sunburn, use aloe. There’s always been a solution in nature, and we’ve grown up with this knowledge of what nutrition can do on a holistic level.

So it would only make sense that we use the power of micro-nutrition to create skincare that make a difference.

Ayla: What else do you think makes your products different from most others?

KEVIN: When you have in mind the benefits of nutrition as a whole, you no longer take a focused approach to skin. But you try and understand how skin is impacted by its ecosystem, aka by your organism.

And what’s fascinating is that, even though skins react differently, all skins need the same nutrients to be healthy — because skin is an organ, and most skins work the same way. Skin is meant to be in balance, but our modern lives have a direct impact on that balance, whether through stress, pollution exposure, lack of sleep, questionable diet, etc.

In order to restore and maintain healthy skin, our goal is to rebalance the skin, to put it back in its natural state and keep it that way. And yes, healthy skin is beautiful skin (reactions are a sign of imbalance), but healthy skin is a also skin that plays its primary role in protecting us from the outside world (skin is our first line of defense as we often hear).

Our approach is radically different. As opposed to classifying people in a skin type and offering products that will provide instant gratification, our formulas will restore the universal balance of skin. For the sake of instant gratification, too many products will have a very focused action and disrupt skin’s overall balance. At 27 ROSIERS, we understand the skin as a complete organ, and our products will feed and respect it globally.

Ayla: One of our favorite 27 Rosiers formulas at Ayla is your cleanser. It's perfect for spring and summer — deeply cleansing, yet it doesn't dry the skin. How did you manage that?

KEVIN: Fight Grime has been our best-seller since day 1. And it is a perfect example of what we mean when we say that we understand the skin as a whole.

Fight Grime is all about ingredient synergy.  

Typical deep cleansing products will be harsh for the skin and actually open its barrier, leaving it dry, red, and creating a door for bacteria to enter in through. We’ve kept Fight Grime sulfate-free and pH-balancing for non-drying cleansing.

We’ve also included a coconut oil-derived surfactant with moringa. Moringa will has the ability to decrease the adhesion of even the smallest pollution particles to the skin, which means that we do not need to use harsh surfactants to wash effectively.

Fruit acids and microbubbles work to remove excess oil and refine pores.

And glycerin and aloe vera work to hydrate skin and protect its barrier.

Ayla: Your moisturizers are also absolutely beautiful. Who do you typically recommend them for? (What's the best way to choose between them?)

KEVIN: First of all, everyone needs to moisturize, even people with so-called oily skin (which actually should be referred to as skin that naturally produces more lipids).

There are two aspects when it comes to moisture:

First comes hydration. Hydration is about bringing water to the skin. Water is the main component of our body (and skin), and all skins need it. Both Quench My Thirst and Ma Crème have a cocktail of humectants to attract, add, and lock moisture.

Second comes nourishment. Nourishment is about bringing lipids to the skin. Skins that feel dry and patchy, whether all year-long or seasonally, need lipids. Ma Crème is a rich balm that delivers intense nourishment.

So if you are on the oilier side, Quench My Thirst will feed and regulate your skin.

If you are on the drier side, Ma Crème will feed and restore your skin.

Now as we said, we are taking a holistic approach to skin, and both moisturizers will provide another level of balance for related concerns:

For people that experience sensitivities, dryness, rosacea, eczema, or flaking, Quench My Thirst is an incredible soother thanks to some key ingredients like rosemary, which works against inflammation, and orobanche rapum, which accelerates the renewal cycle of skin cells (244% increase of skin surface renewal shown in our clinical study!).

For people who are concerned with better aging, Ma Crème will effectively boost collagen production for skin that’s visibly plump. Our clinical tests show a 20% reduction of wrinkle depth after 12 weeks, and a 59% reduction in hyperpigmentation.

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Learn more about 27 Rosiers in our Brand Spotlight, and shop the collection here.