When I first arrived in the Big Apple – the famous among some circles, esthetician Joanna Vargas invited me for a facial. I was completely floored and felt extremely fancy and very special going to her Madison Avenue spa. Vargas is known for treating Julianna Moore, Sofia Coppala, Jake Gyllenhaal, and other frequents of the red carpet. The facial was wonderful; I highly recommend her technique! But one of the products that was recommended to me when I left was Biologique Recherché Lotion P50W (5.1 fl oz, $70) and I’ve been using it since. Lotion P50W is a gentle, balancing, vitamin-rich, facial-toning lotion that exfoliates, rebalances, and moisturizes skin.
The weird name starts with “P” for “peeling,” while the “50” represents the number of days it takes for skin renewal. It won’t clog your pores and is free of preservatives, parabens, silicones, and synthetics. The brand is known for its concentrated doses of active, organic ingredients from plant, bio-marine, and biotechnological extracts. It’s ideal for dull complexions, hyperpigmentation, dark spots, preventing wrinkles, and overall skin renewal.
The P50s were invented in the 1950s by its French founder and scientist Yvan Allouche and has been a celebrity-cult favorite since then. I’ve even read that Brad Pitt uses it. While most of the Biologique Recherché products are safe for pregnant women, the P50 1970 and P50V 1970 (the strongest of the P50s from the original 1970 collection) are not safe because they contain phenol. From the P50 collection, the P50V is recommended for mature skin and the P50W formula (that I recommend) is made for the most sensitive skin. It’s the most gentle formula (does not contain phenol) and is great for my delicate skin. I use it about 3 times a week. Beware: it does have a pungent, vinegar smell to it, but it’s a product that definitely works. Also, avoid using retinols or any other acid-containing treatments in conjunction with P50 or you run the risk of too much exfoliation. Used correctly though, it is truly “a facial in a bottle.”
