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Last summer, on a pre-announcement trip to Paris, we dedicated our afternoon to picking up some of our favorite products to provide French to French. I don't know what. When we made the polène shopping craze another time (you think the highest doddies for the production line based on boutique parcels), we did manage to stop and the pharmacy would stock up on the US shelves of sunscreen and skin care.

Among the items we selected is A313 Pommade, a drug-grade vitamin A class of vitamin cream made from drug powders that is available on pharmacy counters in France. This French favorite is called "Miracle Cream" which addresses fine lines, dark spots and acne - used at least 3 times a week in the last eight months, and we can confidently say we've seen smoother, plump skin with A313 (more below).

Unlike the U.S. retinoids, A313 does not require a prescription. In fact, you can now get the same collagen-enhanced formula, but new, more absorbent textures are sold on Amazon - no air ticket required. (We recommend that you consult with your dermatologist before using this product.)

The A313's 50g tube (or 1.76 ounces) costs between 16 and 18 euros (or 18 to 20 US dollars) in France, but it's still a steal price, while $500 to $800, and you'll spend on the plane (don't forget hotels, restaurants and other travel expenses and other travel expenses). Another benefit in our books? Aluminum tubes and plastic caps are easy to recycle.

The products on Amazon come directly from the manufacturer, but are packaged in English. The active ingredient is 0.12% retinal palmitate, a form of vitamin A, which helps enhance collagen production, resolve pigmentation, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and smooth the texture of the skin.

The consistency of the cream we bought in France last year was similar to Vaseline, but was thicker and sticky. However, Pharmadévelopment said it has recently "improved" the texture of the "premium cream", which is smoother and absorbs faster than the Pomade version.

While in Paris, we had to ask the pharmacist to pull the A313 for us from behind the counter. We got clear instructions on how to use it: Start with a pea-sized amount weekly or twice, use only at night, always wear sunscreen, and be aware of any itching or peeling on the skin and other signs of sensitivity. (Dermatologists also recommend avoiding retinol and retinol during the summer.)

We followed the pharmacist’s advice and used A313 only about three times a week in the evening as the final step in our skin care routine. Since we started using it eight months ago, we have seen sun spots become less noticeable and our skin feels smoother, bouncing and moisture. Our olive combination skin has some rosacea on the sensitive side of the bone. The only irritation we experienced was the slight itching after applying it to the still wet serum, so we recommend waiting until your face is completely dry before using the A313. (We are currently using the texture supplements and essence of Tatcha, as well as Glen's L'Eclat Vitation Elixir.)

At the pharmacy, we also spent 20 minutes grabbing sunscreen from La Roche-Posay, Avène and Nuxe (European and Asian sunscreens are well known); Embryolisse's best-selling Lait-Crème Compiné; and pharmacy's body soaps and lotions (including our favorite Le Petit Marseillais Sweet Almond Milk Shower Wash). All of this is available on Amazon except for the French SPF - so you get your own Paris pharmacy experience (almost) at home.

It's still getting the A313 when it's sold on Amazon for $38.