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My Updated Skincare Routine

Skincare RoutineIt’s been a while since I’ve done a beauty review, so I thought I’d share my updated skincare routine.

I had been using Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream and Biologique Recherche’s p50 lotion for over a year.  I was convinced I had found my holy grail moisturizer and toner and my search was over.  But like 95% of the beauty products in my arsenal, after about a year of use, they seemed to stop working.  I wasn’t seeing any visible benefits.  Maybe my skin got so used to both, they lost their efficacy.

And so a new search began.

Toner

I had heard great things about Moon Juice’s Acid Potion being a great alternative to p50 lotion.  While Biologique Recherche has one of the tightest quality control standards in the world and is considered very clean, the Acid Potion is officially green, clean beauty.

I’ve been using it for 4 months now and love it.  Unlike p50 lotion, I can feel it working every time I apply it (it tingles/burns).  A little goes a long way.  I put a few drops in my palms and pat it on my face and neck (no cotton ball).

I love that it’s easily accessible – it’s carried at Sephora, etc. – and comes in a glass bottle.

Final verdict?  I’d recommend Acid Potion over p50 lotion.

Moisturizer

At the end of the day, The Rich Cream ended up being too rich for me.  I tried switching to The Cream, but didn’t like it near as much.  For how expensive it was, I wasn’t seeing enough of a benefit to continue buying it.

I’m now using a combo of OSEA’s Atmosphere Protection Cream and Ere Perez’s All-Beauty Crème.  They clock in a $48 and $35 and leave my skin feeling so soft and hydrated.  I love that they’re both clean beauty.

Final verdict?  I love both and have re-orderd both several times.

Retinol

Due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, I couldn’t use retinol for years.  Now that I can, I chose this clean beauty version.

I use it two nights per week (start off with one night/week).  A lot of people will experience “purging” when they start retinol (your skin will break out and bring all of the yucky stuff to the surface).  Since I had been using p50 lotion, my skin was already well prepped so I didn’t experience this.

It makes my skin feel SO silky and smooth after applying.  It does, however, definitely dry out my skin (what it’s intended to do).  It comes with a hydrating serum they recommend using to cut down on the dryness.  It’s also offered in a mini size if you want to try it before committing to the $74 full-sized version.

The combination of these three products has increased cellular turnover, kept my skin smooth and hydrated and I love the results.

Final verdict?  I’ll be buying this again.

Biologique Recherche Product Review

Biologique RechercheIf you’ve seen any of my Sunday Series you know Biologique Recherche is a brand I’ve talked about a lot.

I discovered them a year ago because of their cult-following product, p50 lotion.  (More on that in a sec.)

What’s so unique about this brand – other than the insane efficacy of their products – is that the supply is heavily controlled.  You can only buy it online from two places – Paul Labrecque and Rescue Spa.  I buy mine via Rescue Spa and can’t say enough good things about their team – they are SUPER knowledgable and very quick to respond if you have any skincare questions.

Biologique Recherche is a French company founded over 40 years ago.  They employ a pharmaceutical-grade tracking system to their products – hence the heavily controlled supply I mentioned above. Each product comes with a proof tag.  So do NOT buy it off of Amazon, eBay or any other site besides the two above.

Their products are very close to being green beauty, which I love.  They stick to natural ingredients – like horseradish, wasabi and vinegar – as much as they can.

All of Biologique Recherche’s products come in sample sizes.  I recommend purchasing a sample size first to see if the product works for you.

Biologique Recherche Products I Love
p50 lotion

p50 lotion

I should save you the time and just tell you to BUY THIS PRODUCT.

It’s actually a liquid toner, not a lotion.  You can apply it with a cotton swab or just using your hands (like a man pats on aftershave).

At first, it should be used once per day.  You can soak your cotton swab in water first if it’s too intense for you.  Once you’ve built up a tolerance, it should be used twice per day.

What it does: exfoliates, balances, hydrates.

Think of it as a carpenter whittling a block of wood into a masterpiece.  It slowly strips away impurities and then rejuvenates what it finds underneath.

It comes in five versions: p50, p50 Original 1970, p50 V, p50 W and p50 PIGM 400.  I use the last one because it’s formulated to help the most with hyperpigmentation.

p50 lotion was my best skincare purchase of 2020.  I will use it for the rest of my life.

Masque Vivant

Masque Vivant

This mask looks and smells like chocolate syrup.  It contains live yeast extracts and its claim to fame is that it stops the aging process.  I can attest to this fact.  If you want to be Isabella Rossellini in Death Becomes Her, get this mask ASAP.

What it does: purifies, revitalizes, brightens.

I mix mine with baking soda to treat blemishes.  In the age of “mask-ne,” this is your best friend.

Lait VIP 02

Lait VIP 02This cleansing milk feels SO luxurious.  I’ve never had a facewash leave my skin feeling the way this one does.  It doesn’t just cleanse – my skin feels moisturized, tighter and looks brighter when I use it.

You massage it into your skin and then wipe it off with a wet washcloth.  I use these.

If you wear makeup, they recommend you double cleanse.  I usually use a makeup removing wipe first and then use this cleansing milk once.

This cleanser is best for those who live in harsh climates/are exposed to pollution.

What it does: hydrates, calms, eliminates impurities.

Serum PIGM 400

Serum PIGM 400

What it does: reduces and prevents the appearance of dark spots.

I’ve yet to find a product that effectively treats hyperpigmentation.  This is it.

If you have sun spots, age spots or melasma, I recommend trying this.  It does NOT contain hydroquinone or any other harsh chemicals, which is super important to me.

Serum Placenta

Serum Placenta

What it does: restores suppleness and tones; expedites healing.

This is a “do-it-all” serum.  It gives skin a constant boost for a glowy, soft effect.  AKA revitalization in a bottle.

Full disclosure: I purchased a sample size of this and did not buy the full-size once done.  I liked what it did for my skin, but the smell turned me off.

I’m one of those people that will tolerate anything for efficacy, but I liked the results I saw from the Serum PIGM 400 better, so chose that serum over this.

If you’re looking for an “all in one” serum, this is a great choice.