I Tried the Iconic Toner That Only Has Rave Reviews

I’d been eyeing the Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 Original “1970” Lotion for a few months before I finally took the plunge of buying.  Fresh off my 30th birthday and a skincare obsessed I was looking for the latest anti-aging thing I could try.  From $30 for 1.7oz to $103 for 8.5 oz, I splurged for the mid sized 5.1oz for $68.  I wanted to make sure I gave it enough of a chance to really see a difference in my skin.

I had read all the reviews I could find online and all were positive.  Sure they mentioned some tingling and a strong odor from the “1970” original formulation but tingling and smells weren’t going to turn me off from perfect skin. 

This was the holy grail according to beauty editors.  

And so excitedly I purchased and was giddy once it arrived at my apartment.  With 4.9 stars out of 5 with over 2500+ reviews on the Shop Rescue site - how could I not be?! 

Even though it’s dubbed a “lotion” the P50 acts more like a toner and is to be applied with a cotton pad in patting motion after cleansing.  Stinging was a side effect but this is the way P50 works, so I expected it.  I had also read that it caused redness for most people immediately once applied but that it subsided quickly.  What I didn’t expect however was lasting redness and bumps around my mouth.  In none of the reviews I read did I see anything about a skin reaction or prolonged redness or small acne like red bumps… but I thought maybe the pH of my face is that off and it’s beginning to purge some build up below.  I had just been traveling for a month so my skin was exposed to different water types and atmospheres so maybe I was just re-regulating?  

I decided to give P50 the benefit of the doubt and gave it another 2 weeks to see if my skin would get acquainted with it.  

Big mistake.  

Yes it’s a good idea to give skincare time to work, as it often takes 21-28 days for your skin to turnover… but if something seems to be angering your skin it’s best to stop new products immediately.  While I knew this, I was so hell bent on it working for my skin, I continued to use it until I finished my first bottle.  The redness around my mouth, especially on the skin between my nose and lips has a permanent red tint (almost like a red mustache) and little bumps which would maybe subside for 24 hours and then come back rearing their red little heads.  I had had a red rash for about 2 months when I finally called it quits.  I stopped using the lotion, after I convinced myself to buy a new bottle of the P50 lotion (not 1970) which is considered a bit milder and doesn’t boat the same strong smell.  

After a week of not using it, the redness is getting a bit better… but this time I’m going to give my skin a month break instead of a month long torture fest.