In our new "Marylebone's local"s series, we talk to our favourite locals and businesses in the area about what they do, what they bring to Marylebone and their favourite spots. 

The French Pharmacy on New Cavendish Street offers the best of French skincare and French beauty carefully chosen and curated by founder Dr Marine Vincent, French Docteur en Pharmacie.

I am a French Doctor in Pharmacy with a special interest in dermatology. I came to London 16 years ago to follow my husband and never left! I always wanted to open a pharmacy and after a few years working as a pharmacist in London, I took the risk to open my first store, Make Me Feel parapharmacie in Clapham. The online store The French Pharmacy followed in 2019 and in 2020, I opened a private pharmacy "The French Pharmacy" in Marylebone. 

When I was researching for a central London place for The French Pharmacy, I discovered Marylebone and the village feeling when you get here: the little cafés, the lovely stores and delicious restaurants, and most of all, the community. I immediately fell in love with it, and only wanted to open the store here. 

The main difference for me is the availability of pharmacists in a French Pharmacie. There are always at least 2 or 3 pharmacists and they are at the counter to welcome you, dispense the medications in front of you. They are completely accessible to answer all your questions. In the UK, there is only one pharmacist who is extremely busy preparing all the prescriptions in the dispensary so you won't have easy access to him/her. That is really what I wanted to bring into The French Pharmacy. And of course, all the cult classic French skincare.

Of course, with my special interest in dermatology and the excellence in French Pharmacy skincare, we are mainly stocking French pharmacy brands. The ones you will know and find pretty easily such as La Roche Posay, Bioderma, and Avène, but also the niche brands such as La Rosée, Collosol, Embryolisse. We can also source specific items from France. 

For me it would be Caudalie, which is the quintessential French Pharmacy brand. It has been founded by a family who use antioxidants from the vine in all their products, and it is still an independent family-run business. Their formulations are particularly effective following years of research, the products are a delight to use, both in texture and smell, and they are trying really hard to be sustainable as well as using a really reasonable price point. 

A lip balm (Bioderma Atoderm), an SPF mist for touch ups during the day (La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF50 Spray), a small hand cream from Rogé Gallet. Then a water bottle, my phone, my kindle and a pen.

On top of the weather which can really dehydrate and dry the skin and dry it, the pollution can cause premature aging and the water (which is hard in London!) can dry it even more. My tip is to switch your shower gel to a wash with a shower oil (La Rosée shower oil, SVR topialyse). Then use a ceramide based moisturiser for the body at least once a day (Cerave moisturising lotion). 

For the face, it is more tailor-made depending on your activities, age, type of skins, sensitivity, etc. But a general rule is to not over exfoliate, use a serum to treat the skin, a cream to protect it, followed by an SPF. 

I think we don't overdo things. We prefer a natural look and embrace our imperfections. 

That doesn't mean we don't spend lots of time investing in ourselves and our routines but the outcome is to feel great, not to change. For example, LPG cellu M6, which is the ultimate treatment French women go to every month, is both super effective to redefine the silhouette but also as a wellbeing treatment. Of course, there are also cult classics such as A313, homeoplasmine, sensibio, embryolisse but I am not sure they are secrets anymore.

Le Vieux Comptoir, the food is amazing and this is a very authentic place. The owner is French and he will tell you all the about wine as only a passionate person can do!

Visit The French Pharmacy at 10 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 8UL ~ 020 7935 8300
Enjoy 10% off in store and online with code MANDEVILLEHOTEL10