The rise of Amazon Prime has given college students in rural areas (read: me) an entirely new outlook on beauty shopping. With a couple of clicks, I can get skincare products that were once exclusive to French drugstores, or fabulous products not sold at the beauty giants like Sephora and Ulta. To sweeten the deal, they arrive in two days, and usually at a lower price.

shop my top picks below

Bioderma Créaline

Universally praised by the beauty industry, this French drugstore staple is my favorite makeup remover. Makeup wipes usually lead me to a breakout, but this gentle formula effectively removes even the toughest of eye makeup. It’s important to remove your makeup before using a cleanser, so the formula can do its job without any makeup in the way. I’ve gone through at least a couple of bottles, and my friends and family are hooked, too.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve Trio

Chapped lips are just a universal beauty faux pas. Smith’s Rosebud Salve is a tried and true favorite, and this trio is a great arsenal against the bitter winter wind. Keep all three for yourself, or break them up and give them to your friends as stocking stuffers.

Carlene K Shine Bronzer Body Glow

As mentioned several thousand times on this site, I am a huge proponent of the faux tan. Perfect for a night out, this body bronzer is über-moisturizing and rinses off in the shower.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concenté

Another fabulous French drugstore beauty product. This is pretty much the gold standard for simple, soothing, no-frills moisturizers (and it’s paraben-free!). Embryolisse has a permanent home in Karlie Kloss’s medicine cabinet, and it’s been rumored to be Jane Birkin’s cream of choice. Sounds like sufficient street cred to me.