Over the past six years, the balance on my Boots Advantage card has hovered permanently around the £2.36 mark — testimony to the fact that when it comes to buying beauty products my purchases are limited to weekend-away-I’ve-left-my-moisturiser-at-home-emergencies and travels to foreign soils where the allure of exotically named products combined with their hard-to-source status tempts me to hammer my credit card rather than root around the complimentary contents of the Psychologies beauty cupboard.

One such occasion was during a press trip to Paris last week. Before boarding the Eurostar back home, my beauty industry colleagues and I made an early-morning dash to a nearby pharmacy to stock up on the high-quality, skin-friendly and affordable ranges that these health and beauty institutions are famed for. Within 15 minutes we had each spent an average of £30 on an assortment of must-haves — hardly exorbitant, but when you’re lucky enough to have a job where you don’t have to pay for products it’s a big deal. While I surprised myself with my relatively modest spending spree, the thrill of exchanging hard-earned cash for coveted purchases was a priceless reminder of the emotional and monetary investment that accompanies every beauty purchase.

My health and beauty shopping list:

• Bioderma Créaline H20 cleansing wipes (bioderma.com)
I’m a confirmed cleanser-and-water girl, but the gentle texture and formula of these wipes make them the perfect lazy-girl alternative.

• Homeoplasmine (available at blisslife.co.uk)
Dubbed ‘The French 8 Hour Cream’, at 10 euros this multi-purpose salve is an affordable alternative for hydrating and healing troubled complexions.

• Oscillococcinum (also available at victoriahealth.com)
If your schoolgirl French is on a par with mine, ask the pharmacist for ‘Oscilo’. This homeopathic remedy stops flu-like symptoms in their track.

If a trip across the Channel isn’t on the horizon, enjoy the French pharmacy experience with La Roche-Posay,  Vichy and Lierac products, all available on British soil.