All the French-Girl Beauty Secrets From "Emily in Paris" Season 3

Among the many charms of Emily in Paris, fashion and beauty inspiration reigns supreme. With each delightful new season (including the third installation, which premiered on Wednesday, Dec. 21), there are an array of outfits to unpack, phone cases to buy, and lipstick colors to copy—along with plenty of hot guys and macaroons to drool over. There are enough catchy one-liners (more Sylvie, please) from our charismatic leading ladies and eye candy—both sartorial and otherwise—to keep everyone interested. But the fanciful hair and makeup is truly the cherry on top of the cake (or gâteaux if you’re a local).

Emily’s newest season in the City of Light is no exception, offering a cornucopia of new looks (she has bangs now!), and according to lead makeup artist Aurélie Payen, there’s lots of experimentation happening with our favorite Parisians when it comes to makeup. Camille remains effortless as ever, adding a few adventures in graphic eyeliner to her classic "French girl" style, Mindy stays colorful and weird, doubling down on the scene-stealing outfits and exuberant glam seen in past seasons (she’s really into green eyeliner), and Emily pairs her new hair with uncharacteristically black and white ensembles and a renewed love for matte lipstick. 

Naturally, when we spoke with the Netflix hit's lead makeup artist Aurélie Payen, there was plenty to chat about. Ahead, we're breaking down all the best beauty looks from Emily in Paris season 3.

Camille

Of the show's ensemble cast, Camille (played by Camille Razat) remains the prototypical "effortless" Parisian. She owns a ton of neutrals, only focuses on her hair or makeup (never both), and loves basic black. You get the vibes.

"[Camille] is the fashionista French girl, that's for sure," says Payen. But that doesn't mean she can't get edgy with her beauty choices. "We had a lot of fun in terms of makeup this year," she adds about Camille's look. Among other standouts, you'll see her in a cool double liner in black, as opposed to a classic wing, fresh cheeks, and a little something unexpected (like the gold ear-adorned Schiaparelli jacket above).

To channel your inner Camille, make sure you start with a good base and extra moisture for glowing skin. Payen recommends taking extra care with the skin below your eyes ("I'm a huge fan of eye patches") and above the mouth (she likes "very cold" quartz rollers to buff and plump fine lines). Finish with Payot's Gentle Toning Mist ($23), which she used on the Emily in Paris cast, to refresh your face and eyes between layers.

As for lip products, Payen recommends a rosy Chanel Balm ($45) for lips "that you can put on your cheekbones as well" to give you that barely-there French flush.

Mindy

Fellow Emily in Paris ex-pat Mindy embodies "American glam," according to Payen. So, it's all about eye-catching looks, over-the-top color, and texture for the character. Basically, Mindy (played by the riveting Ashley Park) is not afraid to stand out in a room of subtle French girl bobs and sharp tailoring with her more-is-more ensembles (and that's why we love her).

A lot of the inspiration comes from Mindy's on-stage persona, explains Payen. In one notable example, the team used bright, green eyeliner for a "wow" moment in a scene where she performs—Payen loves Danessa Myricks for an LED liner moment. She also recommends adding a little rhinestone detailing (which Mindy also wears this season) for added drama.

Emily

Emily's style is divisive, to be sure, but that's part of her Chicago-meets-Paris charm. She loves to mix and match references from her home with newfound inspiration abroad. You just know her Instagram saved folder includes Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's, Jeanne Damas, and all the latest runway shows. It's a lot, but it's her thing. And the show's lead makeup artist agrees: Emily is happiest as "a mix in between" French and American styles.

When we first see Emily, she's wearing neutral, soft hues on her lips. And in season 3, her beauty evolution follows her personal one. "We're really playing with bold red lips, orange lips, pink lips—lips that we have never seen on her before," says Payen. It's a full-circle moment: A matte red lip is quintessentially French, and Emily's brighter, bolder lips symbolize her newfound freedom in Paris.

As for how to actually get Emily's look IRL, "it's a question of balance," says Payen. Emily's monochromatic outfits this season lent themselves to having fun with color in a way that's consistent with Emily's personal style, and she used matte lipstick for her more color-forward moments. But, above all, the makeup artist says to ensure your lips are prepped for lipstick before you commit. "For me, the most important thing is to work on the lips first. So maybe do a scrub if you have time." It'll give your color hold and keep it crisp for longer.

Overall, there's as much, if not more, beauty goodness to inspire you this season. And if the fuschia brights and black-and-white pattern play of Emily in Paris isn't you're thing, you can glean some skincare tips from the show, too. The scoop: Emily (and makeup lead Aurélie Payen, by extension) love a certain LED mask for gorgeous, even skin that's a perfect base for Parisian flush and a bright red lip—just watch the first episode of season 3, and you'll get it. You can shop Emily Cooper's CurrentBody LED Mask for $380.