Biologique Recherche Is So Worth It: Skincare, P50 and Facial Review

I’ve been writing this review of my Biologique Recherche facial experiences for 4 months. And I had been saving up to try this brand for much longer than that 🙂

Finally getting a Biologique Recherche facial was one of my goals for 2020. Another goal for 2020 was enlisting more professional help – 1) with skincare through an esthetician and 2) through a therapist I liked to help me with my ‘mom’ anxiety. And I’m happy to say by March 2020 I had accomplished both!

I had originally written-off Biologique Recherche as an option for me because the rumor was it was absurdly priced and I imagined it like just another scented luxury brand that hasn’t evolved. My feelings started to change drastically, however, after listening to Breaking Beauty Podcast’s interview with Dr. Philippe Alouche. I was so moved by the thought and effort his parents and now he, a medical doctor, puts into this family-run collection. I love that he spoke so much about “rebuilding the skin” to counteract everything else that is harsh and weakens it. Or his desire for customers “getting back to a fully functional epidermis to protect yourself”.

And these products are just exclusive for the safe of exclusivity: there are so many options and potent products that they are “prescribed” uniquely for individuals by highly trained estheticians, so it can’t be available anywhere.

Can Biologique Recherche help heal Melasma?

In my experience – YES!

My skin has never looked better or been more balanced.

Me

I’m so tired and stressed and frankly overcome by guilt for using skincare as an escape and a mental break to write about and think about because I’m so overwhelmed by so many problems across the world this year. Yet I’ve never gotten more compliments on my skin than now. And I’m wearing less makeup now in “quarantine” than ever before.

Biologique Recherche Skincare and Facial Treatments Review

I’m still evaluating their ingredients product by product as I use them. But overall they definitely use some natural and lots of botanical ingredients with synthetic ones (many of which I don’t have a problem with). So are they clean or green? It depends on your personal definition. I’m still waiting to hear back from the brand on ingredients sourcing etc. But Biologique Recherche doesn’t add scents which makes this a nice clean beauty choice for my sensitive skin.

The prices might surprise you for some of the products – some higher or lower than you may expect (more on that in my Serum de Teint review). But for example, the full size of Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 is about $110, but that’s just over $26 a month for 4 months.

---

I was so excited to find an esthetician I liked and that could also help be try Biologique Recherche finally (thankful for Meghan at Skin San Diego and Skin in the Ranch!) . We confirmed what I had long suspected: I have such an amazing collection of thoughtful, quality luxe skincare beauties but they weren’t working well together. My skin shouldn’t be as dry and congested as it was given the quality of my products and skincare routines.

I was thrilled Meghan said she would help me. identify the best routine for my current products too and assist me in choosing the best new products, regardless of if they were B.R. or not 🙂

I had been saving up and I was so excited to finally try Biologuie Recherche, their brightening facial and p50. Each Biologique Recherche treatment will be bespoke to your skin that day and you should budget at least $200 plus more for the tip.

---

At the start of my in-person Biologique Recherche facial, I tried dermaplaning for the first time. I think this definitely boosted the performance of my facial, but I think I only need this 3 times a year. I couldn’t imagine doing this one my own. Eeek!

Biologique Recherce Cleansers

After the dermaplaning, the Biologique Recherche Cleansers made my skin feel super duper clean! I believe first we used Lait U cleanser and then Lait EV. For my at-home facial in May, we used Biologique Recherche Lait EV and Lait VIP O2. I think this was my preferred cleanser combination. I was so amazed during both my treatments that my skin didn’t feel tight after cleansing. For so long I thought my skin feeling “tight” mean that it was clean [insert facepalm emoji 🙂 ]. It sounds like cleansers are the most requested products at my aesthetician’s group.

Biologique Recherche Brightening Treatments and Masks

I could hardly breathe I was so excited when I knew it was time for the Biologique Recherche P50 application. After the initial stinging subsided, I was surprised by the pressing technique used to apply it. I’m not going to lie the P50 application felt very strong at the time (this was probably the regular P50 or P50 Pigm) but she assured me if I bought one to take home it would be a lower strength 🙂 . Then we used the P50 Visage booster before applying masks for the in-person treatment.

The first mask applied I believe was the BioMagic mask. But that wasn’t as memorable to me like the green cold mask. This is an in-person Biologique Recherche professional treatment only. First, a mask lining was applied to my face and then the coolest jello-like mask was applied, followed by a jade bead mask.

For my at-home treatment – done via Facetime 🙂 – we started with the Biologique Recherche Masque Pigm 400 “sheet” mask (although it is more fabric than paper). I was actually able to get 2 uses out of it 🙂 followed by the Masque VIP O2. I had already bought this amazing oxygenating mask after I had a sample the month before. I’d say both of these masks are worth the splurge.

Biologique Rercherche Serums

The awesome and confusing thing about Biologique Recherche is the number of options one can use for a highly customized facial and skincare routine experience.

For the lovely in-person treatment in Rancho Santa Fe in February, after the masks, she applied Biologique Recherche serum Oligo Marines and serum Amniotic.

For my at-home facial, we mixed and applied 3 essential serums together: Oligo Proteines Marines Serum, serum Collagene Marin, and serum VG Tensil. These were all lovely but with most face serums it’s difficult to tell efficacy upon first use from this brightening, smoothing and tightening trio. My instinct tells me I’d like Oligo Marines serum the most on its own though 🙂

Biologique Recherche has a few sets of serum depending on the phase of the skincare routine, and they even have finishing serums to be applied after the creams. I believe in both facials we finished up with Serum Yall O2 (at the very least for the at-home facial). This gave my skin a nice plump and healthy look. One downside of losing weight with Noom this past year means my face though thinner looks like its lost elasticity. I definitely hope to buy it within the year after I finish more products from my current routines.

Biologique Rercherche Creams and Moisturizers

The Biologique Recherche cream options are even more overwhelming than the serums! And they are applied after the amino acid and peptide rich quintessential serums.

For my in-home facial in May, we used Creme Pigm 400, which I mostly use in the morning. Its very light and helps my skin glow! For my previous facial at the spa, Meghan combined and applied Creme Pigm with the more intensive Creme MSR-H.

One of the finishing touches of the in-person facial of course is SPF! We applied IS Clinical spf50 mineral sunscreen, and now I’m obsessed :). For my other favorite SPFs, check out my mineral sunscreen guide.

Facial Massage Techniques

One HUGE advantage of the in-person treatment vs the at-home facial kit was the amazing facial massage I received in person. When my facial was complete, not only did my skin look brighter, but my face had never looked so thin! Meghan taught me a few of the techniques and in addition, we had a session on facial gua sha but its hard for me to do the massages to myself. I’m trying to practice though at least so I can give my jaw muscles some extra TLC so I can prevent more future TMJ pain :). According to the Breaking Beauty Podcast, we have Dr. Allouche’s mother to thing for these techniques!

---

Where to buy Biologique Recherche in California and the US

You can technically buy these Biologique Recherche products online (see my links above to Shop Rescue Spa, a popular source) – hopefully, these stores at least make you do a virtual consult at first! I know my aesthetician offers virtual consultations 🙂 ! The treatments in person would be my suggestion at first, but obviously we are in different times right now with Covid. At the very least – DO NOT try to buy P50 yourself anywhere without a virtual consultation. There are so many different versions and a specific way to apply and get used to the product.

Biologique Recherche Before and After

See for yourself! Here are my before and after’s from my Biologique Recherche facials 🙂

---