The most common way to say 'skin' in French is la peau. But just like in English, the French language has a variety of words to describe this outer layer, depending on whether you're talking about a person, an animal, or even a piece of fruit! Whether you're navigating a French pharmacy for skincare products, describing a leather jacket, or peeling an orange, knowing the right word is key. Let's dive into nine different ways to talk about 'skin' in French to make your vocabulary more precise and natural!

1. The standard 'skin' – la peau

La peau is the most direct and common translation for 'skin' in French. Crucially, it is a feminine noun, so it's always preceded by feminine articles like la or une. This affects any adjectives describing it, for example: une peau douce (soft skin).

The term la peau is highly versatile. It is used to refer to the skin on humans and animals, as well as the outer peel or rind of most fruits and vegetables. This makes it the primary word you'll need in almost any context involving 'skin'.

In daily life, la peau is the standard term for human skin. It's used in medical, cosmetic, and general conversation. You will frequently encounter it in phrases related to skincare, such as peau sèche (dry skin), peau grasse (oily skin), or peau sensible (sensitive skin).

When discussing animals, la peau refers to their hide or skin, for instance, la peau d'un serpent (a snake's skin). For produce, it means 'peel' or 'skin', as in la peau d'une pomme de terre (a potato skin) or la peau d'une banane (a banana peel).

La peau is also central to many French idioms. A classic example is être bien dans sa peau, which means 'to be comfortable in one's own skin.' Another common, informal expression is coûter la peau des fesses, which means something is extremely expensive, equivalent to 'costing an arm and a leg.'

💡 * J'ai la peau très sèche en hiver. (I have very dry skin in the winter.)

• N'oublie pas d'enlever la peau du poulet avant de le cuire. (Don't forget to remove the chicken skin before cooking it.)
• Depuis qu'elle a déménagé, elle se sent mieux dans sa peau. (Since she moved, she feels better in her own skin.)
• Ce voyage va nous coûter la peau des fesses ! (This trip is going to cost us an arm and a leg!)

The 'hide' of an animal – le cuir

When discussing materials from animals, the French word le cuir translates to 'hide' or 'pelt', but it is far more commonly used to mean 'leather'.

In a technical or biological context, le cuir refers to the thick, strong skin of a large animal, like a cow or a buffalo, after it has been removed. It is the raw material before it undergoes the tanning process.

In everyday conversation and commerce, le cuir almost always means 'leather'. This is the processed, durable material used to make clothing, furniture, and accessories. You will encounter this meaning most frequently.

It's crucial to distinguish le cuir from la peau. La peau means 'skin' and is used for living beings (humans and animals) or for the thin skin of smaller animals. For example, you have la peau on your arm, but your shoes are made of le cuir.

When describing an object's material, you use the structure en cuir. For example, a leather jacket is une veste en cuir, leather shoes are des chaussures en cuir, and a leather belt is une ceinture en cuir.

💡 * Le tanneur prépare le cuir pour en faire des sacs.

• J'ai acheté une belle veste en cuir noir.
• Ce canapé est en cuir véritable, ce qui explique son prix élevé.
• Fais attention, la peau des serpents est délicate, ce n'est pas du cuir.

The 'peel' of a fruit or vegetable – la pelure

When discussing the outer layer of a fruit or vegetable that is typically removed before eating, the specific French term is la pelure.

La pelure is a feminine noun (une pelure) that refers directly to the skin or peel that has been, or will be, removed. Think of it as the 'peelings' you leave behind.

While you might also encounter la peau (skin), la pelure is more precise. You would talk about the pelure of a banana or an onion (things you discard), whereas you might eat the peau of an apple.

This noun is directly linked to the verb peler, which means 'to peel'. The logic is simple: when you pèle (peel) a potato, you create a pelure (peel).

Use la pelure when referring to the discarded skin of items like bananas, oranges, potatoes, and onions. It's the product of the action of peeling.

💡 * Jette la pelure de banane à la poubelle, s'il te plaît. (Please throw the banana peel in the trash.)

• Les pelures de pommes de terre peuvent être utilisées pour faire des chips. (Potato peels can be used to make chips.)
• Il a glissé sur une pelure d'orange. (He slipped on an orange peel.)
• J'ai mis les pelures de carottes dans le compost. (I put the carrot peelings in the compost.)

The 'rind' of cheese or citrus – la croûte

The French word la croûte is the direct equivalent of 'crust' or 'rind'. It's a feminine noun used to describe the hard, outer layer of something, most commonly food.

Most frequently, you'll hear la croûte when talking about cheese (la croûte de fromage). French culture places great importance on cheese, and knowing whether the rind is edible (comestible) is key.

The term also applies to the outer peel of citrus fruits, though words like l'écorce are also used. Additionally, it's the standard word for the crust of bread (la croûte de pain), the crunchy part of a baguette.

Figuratively, the expression casser la croûte is a very common and informal way to say 'to have a snack' or 'to grab a bite to eat', literally meaning 'to break the crust'.

💡 * J'enlève toujours la croûte du reblochon avant de le manger.

• La croûte de cette baguette est parfaitement dorée.
• On s'arrête pour casser la croûte ?
• Ne jette pas la croûte du parmesan, tu peux l'utiliser dans la soupe.

The 'complexion' or skin tone – le teint

To discuss someone's complexion or the general appearance of their skin, the French word you need is le teint.

Le teint specifically refers to the natural color, texture, and appearance of the skin on the face. It's the direct equivalent of the English word 'complexion' or 'skin tone'.

This term is frequently used in conversations about health, beauty, and cosmetics. It's often described with adjectives like pâle (pale), clair (fair), mat (olive/dark), or frais (fresh).

Remember that teint is a masculine noun, so you always use le teint. Any descriptive adjectives must also be in the masculine form, for example, un teint lumineux (a radiant complexion).

You might hear the expression avoir le teint brouillé which means to have a dull or blotchy complexion, often due to fatigue or illness. Conversely, avoir un teint de pêche (to have a peachy complexion) means having soft, clear, and healthy-looking skin.

💡 * Elle a le teint clair et les yeux bleus. (She has a fair complexion and blue eyes.)

• Ce fond de teint correspond parfaitement à mon teint. (This foundation perfectly matches my skin tone.)
• Après une bonne nuit de sommeil, j'ai le teint plus frais. (After a good night's sleep, I have a fresher complexion.)
• Le stress peut donner un teint terne. (Stress can give you a dull complexion.)

The 'flesh' – la chair

In French, la chair translates directly to 'flesh,' referring to the soft substance of muscle and fat between the skin and bones of a person or animal. It is distinct from la viande, which specifically means 'meat' for consumption. You buy viande at the butcher shop, but a doctor discusses la chair when treating a wound.

Beyond its literal sense, la chair is frequently used in figurative, literary, and religious contexts. It often represents the physical body and carnal desires, contrasted with the soul or spirit (l'esprit). The phrase les plaisirs de la chair translates to 'the pleasures of the flesh.' It also describes the edible part of a fruit, such as la chair d'une pêche (the flesh of a peach).

A very common expression using this word is avoir la chair de poule, which literally means 'to have chicken flesh.' This is the French equivalent of 'to get goosebumps' and is used to describe the skin's reaction to cold, fear, or a strong emotional moment.

In general, use la chair for the flesh of living beings, the pulp of fruit, or in the expression for goosebumps. For meat that you cook and eat, the correct term is always la viande.

💡 * Ce film d'horreur m'a donné la chair de poule.

• La chair de ce saumon est d'une belle couleur rose.
• Le sermon portait sur la faiblesse de la chair.
• La chair de la mangue est juteuse et sucrée.

The scientific term for the outer layer of skin – l'épiderme

The scientific term for the outer layer of skin in French is l'épiderme. This word is used in medical, biological, and cosmetic contexts to refer to the outermost protective layer of the skin.

It's important to note that l'épiderme is a masculine noun. The l' before the word is a contraction of the masculine article le because épiderme begins with a vowel. Therefore, you would refer to it as un épiderme (an epidermis).

This term is a direct cognate of the English word 'epidermis,' which makes it easy for English speakers to learn and remember. Its usage is almost identical to its English counterpart.

💡 * Le soleil peut endommager l'épiderme. (The sun can damage the epidermis.)

• Cette crème est spécialement conçue pour hydrater l'épiderme. (This cream is specially designed to hydrate the epidermis.)
• L'épiderme est la couche la plus superficielle de la peau. (The epidermis is the most superficial layer of the skin.)

The 'film' on a liquid – la pellicule

The 'film' on a liquid – la pellicule

The French word la pellicule refers to the thin layer or 'skin' that forms on the surface of a liquid. This is the word you'd use for the film on hot milk as it cools, the surface of a soup left out, or on paint that has been exposed to air.

It's important to note that la pellicule is also the primary word for '(camera) film'. Context is crucial. If someone is talking about their soup, they mean the skin on top; if they're discussing photography, they mean the roll of film.

In its plural form, les pellicules means 'dandruff'. So, while une pellicule can be on your hot chocolate, des pellicules might be on your sweater!

💡 * Je n'aime pas la pellicule qui se forme sur le lait chaud. (I don't like the film that forms on hot milk.)

• Il faut remuer la sauce pour éviter qu'une pellicule n'apparaisse. (You have to stir the sauce to prevent a film from appearing.)
• Une fine pellicule de poussière recouvrait le piano. (A thin film of dust covered the piano.)

1. The Slang for 'Skin' (as in 'Save Your Skin'): Sa Peau

The French word for 'skin' is la peau. However, when used idiomatically, it often takes on a more serious meaning related to one's life or safety. The most direct equivalent to the English expression 'to save one's skin' is sauver sa peau.

Literally translating to 'to save his/her skin,' sauver sa peau means to escape a dangerous, difficult, or compromising situation, focusing entirely on self-preservation. Just like in English, it implies getting out of trouble, often by a narrow margin.

Remember that the possessive adjective must agree with the subject. You don't just save 'sa peau'; you save your own! For example: Je dois sauver ma peau (I have to save my skin), or Nous avons sauvé notre peau (We saved our skin).

The opposite of saving your skin is risking it. The French expression for this is risquer sa peau, meaning 'to risk one's skin' or 'to risk one's life.' This further emphasizes how peau is used as a metaphor for one's life in French slang and idioms.

💡 * Le voleur a abandonné son complice pour sauver sa peau. (The thief abandoned his accomplice to save his own skin.)

• Face au danger, son premier instinct a été de sauver sa peau. (Faced with danger, his first instinct was to save his skin.)
• Tu as risqué ta peau en entrant dans ce bâtiment en feu ! (You risked your skin by entering that burning building!)
• Il tient trop à sa peau pour accepter une mission si périlleuse. (He values his life too much to accept such a perilous mission.)

Are there other ways to say 'skin' in French?

Are there other ways to say 'skin' in French?

Our list has covered the essential French words for 'skin', from the general peau to more specific terms. However, French, like any language, has a rich vocabulary with more specialized, technical, or even poetic terms you might encounter.

You can expand your vocabulary by searching for terms in specific fields. For example, look up “vocabulaire de la peau en dermatologie” (dermatology) or cosmétiques (cosmetics) to find more nuanced words.

When you find a new synonym for peau, be sure to check its definition and see it used in context. A word used for an animal's hide (la dépouille) won't be the same as one for the delicate skin on your face!

Pay close attention as you read French beauty magazines, watch product reviews, or listen to conversations. You'll naturally pick up on the subtle and varied ways people talk about skin.

If you're looking for more technical terms or idiomatic expressions, the Larousse or Le Robert dictionary entries for peau are fantastic resources to explore.

I hope this guide has helped you feel more comfortable in your own linguistic 'skin'! To finish, here's a perfect French expression: Être bien dans sa peau, which literally means 'to be well in one's skin' and is used to say you feel good about yourself. It’s a beautiful reminder of the connection between language and well-being.