Jesus in a Bottle: The Cult of Biologique Recherche P50
One of the most popular skin care products also contains one of the most controversial ingredients
In theory, an eight-and-a-half ounce beauty product that retails for over $100 should encapsulate the epitome of luxury skincare. Instead, Biologique Recherche’s Lotion P50 has been said to smell like everything from expired milk to formaldehyde to straight-up trash. Writer Jill Kargman even once described the product’s stench as similar to “something you’d pour in your car engine.”
With a decidedly unpleasant scent and extremely basic packaging, Lotion P50 certainly doesn’t have the normal makings of a cult-favorite beauty product. And yet, it has amassed an intense fan base over recent years. Beauty blogs are saturated with prophetic testimonials about how the product has radically changed their skin for the better. Glossier founder Emily Weiss once told Into the Gloss it gives her face an “overall glow like you can’t imagine.”
The product holds a lofty promise: By fully revamping the pH balance of the skin, Lotion P50 aims to shrink pores, hydrate skin, brighten dark spots, even texture, clear acne, and provide a trademark glow. Diana Yerkes, a lead esthetician at Rescue Spa, a luxury day spa that specializes in Biologique Recherche…
