Decoding Biologique Recherche P50 & How I Picked Which P50 Was Right For Me
Even though I had seen Biologique Recherche P50 turn up on 50 different Into the Gloss Celebrity Top Shelf stories, I didn’t take the plunge and try it for myself until last summer. I admit, I was skeptical at first and assumed it was another celebrity cult favorite— all hype and $$$, little to no substance. But then I saw beauty bloggers and friends singing its praises and I had to try it for myself.
Before I get into my review of P50, I’m sharing this post which has some background info on what is P50, what are the bagillion different versions of it out there, and how the hell I picked which one to try. I have split this post up into sections for easier access, but there are parts that won’t make as much sense if you don’t read the previous content.
Background
What exactly is Biologique Recherche Lotion P50? For the uninitiated, Biologique Recherche’s Lotion P50 (or just P50 if you’re iN tHe InDuStRy) is an exfoliating toner. Doesn’t sound like much but it’s built up a reputation over the last 40+ years, with everyone from Pixi to Glossier to Tarte trying to mimic it. They say it tingles and smells like vinegar but the miraculous results (smooth, healthy, glow skin) are all worth it for its devotees.
Original photo by Tim Walker
It’s the OG exfoliating toner as far as I’m concerned. Most versions have a blend of acids of lactic, salicylic, malic, and phytic, plus gluconolactone— the specific blend is dependent on the formulation. Some versions also feature niacinamide, vinegar, various plant extracts, NMFS, and phenol.
You apply it after cleansing your face. My preferred method of application is dispensing it on a cotton square and then swiping up my face and neck. I don’t rinse it off. Make sure you are applying sunscreen daily when using this, because it will make your skin more photosensitive (aka more prone to burning and sun damage.) Even if you apply it at night, your skin will still be more photosensitive the next morning— in fact it will be more photosensitive up to one week after application!
A Plethora of Options
There are currently 7 versions of the toner on the market:
P50 1970
P50
P50V 1970
P50V
P50W
P50T
P50 PIGM 400
There also used P50W 1970 but they have been discontinued it so we won’t talk about it 👋
America vs. the World
If you’ve ever shopped for P50 in the US (or, uh, if you’re reading this post), you have probably seen some versions with 1970 in the name.
Back when Biologique Recherche debuted their Lotion P50 back in 1970, it was formulated with phenol. In the 2000s, the EU banned phenol in personal care products because it was a potential mutagen, so Biologique Recherche went and reformulated the line to be phenol free and in accordance with EU regulations. But because the US has more lax laws, phenol is still allowed in personal care products here. The toner has a cult following here so Biologique Recherche continued selling the original toners, with phenol in them, under the 1970 line.
You can find Lotion P50, P50V, P50T, P50W, and P50 PIGM 400 across the globe but Lotion P50 1970 and P50V 1970 are exclusively sold in the US.
What is Phenol
That brings us to our next questions— what is phenol and why is it banned in skincare in the EU?
Phenol, otherwise know as carbolic acid, used to be very popular in medical settings. It’s a local anesthetic as well as an antiseptic. It’s become less popular to date because it can cause respiratory problems and skin irritation, depending on the concentration. It’s also an ingredient that is easily penetrated by the skin. Not to be too fear-mongery, but prolonged exposure to high concentrations of phenol can even lead to death. You can read the full toxicological profile on phenol, published by the CDC, here.
The concentration of phenol present in P50 1970 and P50V 1970 is nowhere near the amount needed to be lethal. That doesn’t mean there aren’t side effects to lower concentrations. The concentration of phenol in the 1970 versions of P50 is between 1 and 4%. And according to the CDC, even a 1-2% concentration of phenol can cause skin irritation, contact dermatitis, and burns through prolonged exposure. Because it has an anesthetic effect (aka the tingling many feel from P50 1970), sometimes users cannot feel it burning them at first.
In P50 1970, it works to aggressively tackle the bacteria that often causes acne. It’s also works as a strong chemical exfoliant. Some people also enjoy the tingling sensation it provides.
I want to put out the disclaimer that I am not a healthcare professional and this is not medical advice. All this information is sourced from google. It is up to you to research and decide if you want to use phenol or not!
But which one to try?
The easiest way to pick which P50 is best suited for you, is to consult with one of the spas that carries the brand. Rescue Spa and Toska Spa both offer free, online consults where you can share your skin goals and they will recommend products for you to try.
I personally did not go this route, because I enjoy researching skincare. And I don’t like to be told what to do 😇 From what I’ve been told from readers, most of the American spas are quick to recommend 1970 versions of P50. As you may have gleamed from my post, I ain’t a fan of it. If you are also looking to avoid phenol, definitely point out in your consultation that you are not interested in the 1970 version, and they will recommend you something else!
While doing my research, I considered 4 main questions to determine which version would best fit my skin’s needs. First, do I want phenol or no phenol? Second, how strong do I want it to be? Third, what additional ingredients am I looking for? And fourth, what is my skin type (this question was least important as it’s mostly answered by the previous two.)
It was pretty easy for me to rule out phenol as I’m not one to risk my overall health for the sake of clearer skin. As far as “strength” goes, aka exfoliation power, I wanted something potent but not too potent. From my research, the toners in strength from strongest to weakest are P50 >> P50V >> P50W >> P50T. I have dehydrated skin so I wanted a formula with ingredients that would help soothe + hydrate my skin while exfoliating.
The options were 👉
Lotion P50 1970
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Phenol, Niacinamide, Vinegar (Acetum), Ethoxydiglycol, Magnesium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Arctium Lappa Root (Burdock Root) Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sulfur
Does contain: Phenol, Niacinamide, Vinegar, AHA (lactic acid), BHA (salicylic acid), and Sulfur
Does not contain: Much in terms of hydrating, soothing, or antioxidants
Best Suited For: Normal or oily skin types who don’t mind numbness + potential stinging. From what I’ve read, this is the absolute strongest exfoliant in the lineup.
Lotion P50
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Gluconolactone, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Citric Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Magnesium Chloride, Malic Acid, Vinegar (Acetum), Phytic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Cochlearia Armoracia (Horseradish) Root Extract, Arctium Lappa Root (Burdock Root) Extract, Rumex Acetosa Leaf Extract, Myrtus Communis Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Allium Cepa (Onion) Bulb Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Oil, Sulfur, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Does Contain: Niacinamide, Vinegar, PHA (gluconolactone), AHAs (lactic, citric, malic, & phytic acids), BHA (salicylic acid), a variety of soothing + conditioning plant extracts, and Sulfur
Does not Contain: Phenol
Best Suited For: Normal or oily skin types looking for exfoliation, minus the numbing from phenol. Unlike the 1970 version, this does contain ingredients to help soothe + condition skin while also exfoliating. While it does not contain phenol, it does contain sulfur which is antimicrobial and works against acne. Compared to the rest of the non-1970 versions, it has the most exfoliating power.
Lotion P50V 1970
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Phenol, Lactic Acid, Magnesium Chloride, Vinegar (Acetum), Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Does Contain: Phenol, AHA (lactic acid), Vinegar, Niacinamide, and BHA (salicylic acid)
Does not Contain: Sulfur, soothing + hydrating ingredients
Best Suited For: Normal or dry skin types who want “medium” exfoliation and want the sensation of phenol. This is very similar to P50 1970, but with a lower concentration of actives in the form of AHA (lactic acid) and BHA (salicylic acid). It does not contain burdock root extract or sulfur, both of which are anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.
Lotion P50V
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Lactic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Vinegar (Acetum), Magnesium Chloride, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Phytic Acid, Spongilla Lacustris Spicule Extract, Yeast Extract (Faex Extract), Cochlearia Armoracia (Horseradish) Root Extract, Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Seed Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Sulfur, Sodium Salicylate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Benzoate.
Does contain: PHA (gluconolactone), Niacinamide, AHAs (lactic, citric, malic, & phytic acids), Vinegar, soothing + calming plant extracts, Sulfur, and BHA (salicylic acid)
Does not contain: Phenol
Best Suited For: Normal, dry, or mature skin types looking for “medium” exfoliation, minus the numbing from phenol. I say “medium” because this isn’t as strong as P50, but it is definitely still stronger than many other exfoliants on the market. Biologique Recherche does not publish the free acid value, pH, or % of actives of any of their products, so I cannot definitively say how much weaker it is than P50.
Lotion P50W
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Magnesium Chloride, Malic Acid, Vinegar (Acetum), Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Cochlearia Armoracia (Horseradish) Root Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Sulfur, Allantoin, Sodium Salicylate, Serine, Urea, Sorbitol, TEA-Lactate, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Benzoate.
Does Contain: PHA (gluconolactone), Niacinamide, AHAs (lactic, malic, phytic, & citric acids), Vinegar soothing + calming plant extracts, Sulfur, Allantoin, Serine, and Urea
Does Not Contain: Phenol or BHA
Best Suited For: Sensitive skin types looking for gentle chemical exfoliation. This is the gentlest version of P50 sold in the US so it assumedly has the lowest concentration of active ingredients. The acid blend in this version is a bit different from P50 and P50V— it has PHA and AHAs but it does not contain salicylic acid. Rather, it contains sodium salicylate which is a salt form of salicylic acid. According to Paula’s Choice, it does not work as a BHA/ chemical exfoliant. In addition to the soothing plant extracts found in P50 and P50V, it also has allantoin, serine, & urea which also help hydrate and soothe skin.
Lotion P50T
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Magnesium Chloride, Vinegar (Acetum), Citric Acid, Cochlearia Armoracia (Horseradish) Root Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract, Serine, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Benzoate, TEA-Lactate, Sorbitol
Does Contain: Niacinamide, AHA (lactic & citric acid), Vinegar, soothing plant extracts, Serine, Urea, and Allantoin
Does not Contain: Phenol, PHA, BHA, or Sulfur
Best Suited For: The most sensitive skin types + people whose only option is P50T due to local regulations. While P50W is the gentlest version of P50 sold in the US, I believe P50T is even gentler. It’s not sold in the US, but rather in countries with stricter regulations on the pH of actives in skincare. I believe that includes some countries in Asia and Canada.
Similar to P50W, this does not contain salicylic acid but rather sodium salicylate. It also does not contain PHA, but rather sodium gluconate, which is a salt related to gluconolactone. I’m guessing this is done to adhere to local regulations, but I cannot find any reliable information stating that both these salts work as effective exfoliants.
Lotion P50 PIGM 400
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Gluconate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Magnesium Chloride, Mandelic Acid, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Magnesium Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Levulinic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Vinegar (Acetum), Sodium Levulinate, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol Denat., Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ascorbic Acid, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract
Does contain: Niacinamide, AHA (lactic, mandelic, phytic & citric acids), PHA (gluconolactone), BHA (salicylic acid), ferments, soothing +brightening plant extracts, Vinegar, and Vitamin C
Does not contain: Phenol and Sulfur
Best Suited For: Those looking for brightening effects. I’ve read mixed reviews on this version— some say it does nothing compared to other versions, some say its a miracle worker.
The Final Answer
After doing all that research, I ultimately decided to try out Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V! I definitely did not want to deal with phenol, so the 1970 versions were out. I also did not want the absolutely strongest version possible, because I didn’t want to risk over-exfoliation. Ultimately, P50V was the perfect fit for me. I will be reviewing my experience with it in my following blog post, but in the mean time hopefully this post helps navigate the intro to P50 process.