At the Cannes Film Festival this week, you might well have seen my work. Not on the big screen, but on the red carpet.
You’d never know it was mine, however – and that is the point.
As one of the most discreet aesthetic doctors in Paris, I see all sorts of clients, from actresses and businesswomen to farmers and teachers. Some of my patients come from old money families while others are hairdressers.
But it’s not just the names of my patients I keep to myself. My aesthetic is low-key, too. This is the French way – a natural, minimalist approach that produces the very opposite of the shiny baseball forehead and trout pout you so often see in England.
Once a week I leave my Parisian clinic and jump on the Eurostar to bring this look to my patients in London‘s chic Marylebone. Here is what I tell them, condensed into a crucial six-step guide to anti-ageing, French-style…
The goal of French women is always to appear rested, luminous and effortlessly natural – never overfilled or frozen
Discretion is non-negotiable
In France, looking ‘done’ is the ultimate faux pas. The goal is always to appear rested, luminous and effortlessly natural – never overfilled or frozen.
Most French women would rather tell you they’ve just returned from a yoga retreat than admit to having had a few tweakments. When in doubt, a few fine lines are always better than a face that looks worked on.
‘L’allure’ over perfection
Rather than chasing every fine line, French women prioritise the architecture of the face and the overall appearance – what we call ‘l’allure’.
Parisian women don’t necessarily care about the odd forehead wrinkle, and wouldn’t be seen dead with a shiny, over-Botoxed brow. What they do care about, however, is a sharp jawline.
To avoid sagging jowls, treatments such as calcium-based injections (filler essentially) help redefine the contour and stimulate collagen production.
Ultrasound-based devices are also used to tighten and lift the skin naturally. These are great, creating thousands of highly focused stimulation points that will shrink within two months and tighten the treated area. In trained hands, it works wonders.
For my perfectionists, the cherry on top is to place a couple of sugar threads under the skin to enhance the lift without adding volume. (These are made of a material that melts in the skin, builds up collagen and improves skin texture – I love them!). This way, you don’t look artificially young – you simply look your age, but fabulous.
How to beat ‘smoker’s lines’
Most Parisian women I see smoke – and because their diet is designed to keep them slim, there’s little fat to support the skin around the mouth.
The secret to a beautiful look? Never inject the barcode lines (the half-dozen fine vertical lines on top of the lip), which is what creates the dreaded ‘trout pout’. I always opt for a direct lip refresh, instead – tiny injections of vitamins and hyaluronic acid that restore firmness to the lip contour and add a subtle, natural plumpness. The result is a fresher, more harmonious look. Et voila!
Prevention always trumps correction
French women tend to start treatments earlier to age better. And I am not against Botox – quite the opposite. Tell your daughter that tiny drops of Botox just before turning 30 helps protect the face from the downward pull of expression muscles. I inject directly into the muscles that pull your face down.
You wouldn’t spot Dr Antoni Calmon’s work at this week’s Cannes Film Festival – and that’s the whole point
Meanwhile, a mesolift – tiny injections of vitamins (C,E, plus amino acids, hyaluronic acid and other ingredients) – keeps the skin hydrated, nourished and glowing and is wise to do before it starts to decline. Repeat it every two months for the best result.
Skincare is sacred
French women are incredibly loyal to their skincare routines. They tend to trust their doctors more than flashy marketing and follow dermatologically backed options.
The rules are actually quite simple and straightforward:
Morning = Protect
There are two non-negotiables: a powerful antioxidant vitamin C serum and a broad-spectrum SPF 50+.
Tip: try the invisible dry gel SPF50+ from new skincare line PERS (£45 for 40ml, pers-skincare.com and harrods.com).
I also recommend La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF50+ 50ml (£20, boots.com)
Evening = Stimulate or repair
Either you stimulate your skin with a gentle retinol (0.3 per cent is often enough) or you repair it with a rich, long-lasting cream that creates an overnight cocoon to support regeneration. Like with perfume, once a French woman finds a product that works, she sticks to it.
Age with intention, never fear
There’s a cultural emphasis on elegance at every age. French women don’t try to look 20 at 50 – they want to look like the best version of themselves. Aesthetic medicine is never about denial. It’s a discreet tool for confidence, harmony and self-expression – nothing more, nothing less.
