The "100 Years of French Beauty" Video Is Our Favorite of Them All

Francophiles, it's here. After twenty plus episodes showcasing how women's beauty has evolved globally from Italy to Brazil, WatchCut Video has finally landed on France for the 25th episode of its "100 Years" series. (We assume it's been such a long time coming because the French are very particular…in the best way.)

Now, while the Parisian styles aren't a total departure from what we've seen from other countries—you know, finger waves for the '20s, cat eyes for the '60s, and moody lips for the '90s—that French je ne sais quoi is omnipresent throughout all the decades. It is the country that bore Édith Piaf, Brigitte Bardot, and Audrey Tautou, after all.

The most fascinating of all was, without question, the '40s as the video highlighted dual beauty looks: A ringlet-y lob, pencil-thin brows, and berry-strained lips for when France was occupied during WWII and victory rolls, pronounced arches, and cherry-red lips for Vichy France. A reminder of how deeply social circumstances can impact beauty, we appreciate the close attention to detail.

Now, grab a curling iron, Bordeux-hued lip color, liquid eyeliner, or dry shampoo and have at your decade(s) of choice.

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