What is savoir vivre & what does it have to do with our first product line?

You may have stumbled across the word SAVOIR while scrolling through. That’s the name of our first product line, which includes our Cleansing Balm and our Verbena Toner. SAVOIR comes from savoir vivre, the French way of life, which translates to “understanding how to live”.

What does savoir vivre mean?

The term stands for enjoying life to the fullest, showing consideration for people and nature, treating each other with respect, and appreciating the small and large things in life. French people love life! This is not only about good food and enjoyment, but also about community and self-empowerment, cohesion and freedom. In this context, there is another expression that belongs to the French way of life like wine, baguette and cheese - laisser faire. In a modern sense, “let it be” implies the nonchalance and composure for which French people are admired all over the world. But it also shows something else: tolerance. Everyone can shape his or her life in the way that makes him or her happy. That’s a wonderful invitation to live a little more savoir vivre in everyday life, isn’t it?

How does savoir vivre express itself in everyday life?

We have put together a few little incentives for you, which should make the French way of life a little more tangible and hopefully also inspire you a little.

Gratefulness

Small gestures that express gratitude and appreciation strengthen interpersonal relationships and the individual relationship to the world. They show up in everyday life, for example, in respectful and polite interaction, small gifts such as flowers or handwritten letters, and inviting each other to meals or celebrations.

Culinary pleasure

Good food is a cultural asset in France, which also shapes the way we deal with food. In the end, it’s not only the taste that ensures culinary pleasures with a lot of savoir vivre, but also the origin, the quality and - in the best case - the shared enjoyment.

Conviviality

Community and hospitality are essential for the savoir vivre. The individual is nothing without the community and the community is nothing without the individual. This is evident in everyday life, for example, in conviviality. Cooking for each other, eating together, spending precious time together, enjoying with all senses or having deep conversations enrich life immensely.

Individuality

French people consider the way they dress to be an expression of their self-esteem and personality. One’s personal appearance serves as a way of self-realization. That’s why self-care and small beauty rituals are also integral parts of everyday life and savoir vivre.

Style & Elegance

We probably associate nothing more strongly with French culture than aesthetics and visual beauty. This is reflected in fashion, architecture, art and the design of everyday life. Style and elegance are a way to appreciate and express beauty in daily living. A well-groomed appearance is also perceived as a sign of self-respect and respect for others.

All aspects of savoir vivre that we mention here are by no means generalizations. They are cultural characteristics that naturally vary from individual to individual and are lived or not lived in different ways. Rather, they are meant to illustrate where savoir vivre can show up in everyday life.

What does savoir vivre have to do with BYUTYFUL?

Savoir vivre is closely associated with French culture and lifestyle, but these “concepts of life” are existing all over the world. And it is precisely these that we want to make tangible with BYUTYFUL. We are thinking, for example, of sauna in Finland, zen in Japan, la dolce vita in Italy or hygge in Denmark. All these cultural characteristics are ways of life. Attitudes to life that are deeply rooted in the people and their culture. Maybe you know this feeling, when you come back from vacation and you are still inspired by all the impressions of your journey. Imagine if you could prevent this emotion by feeling it every day on your skin and in your heart? Because we believe that our senses are the key to our heart!