Lately, I've been finding myself accumulating a lot of products that smell awful. Beyond awful. Foul and disgusting smelling products. The thing is, they're actually good enough to warrant putting up with the revolting odor.
Sunday Riley Good Genes
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What it smells like: a wet dog covered in baby vomit
What it does: Good Genes is a chemical exfoliant with lactic acid as it's active ingredient. Chemical exfoliants dissolve the dead cells on the surface of your skin, so when you wear this overnight you wake up with softer skin that's clearer with less visible pores over time. This was my gateway chemical exfoliator, as lactic acid is a gentler acid and a great one to use to build up your tolerance (unfortunately it's that same lactic acid that smells like sour milk). I definitely noticed smoother skin and an improvement in clarity and texture after a few uses.
Biologique Recherche P50
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What it smells like: a salad dressing made from vinegar and formaldehyde
What it does: This is one of those products that once you hear about, you start noticing in articles everywhere. P50 is a cult classic exfoliating "lotion" (but really a toner). This has the watery consistency of a vinegar, but it's the phenol that makes it smell like trash. This potion has been dubbed "Jesus in a bottle" and it's probably been the most transformative product to my skincare routine. I don't feel I get clogged pores or blackheads anymore and I definitely notice a difference in my skin. This isn't a product to start right away though, as you'll want your skin to be used to stronger acids first. Here in Canada, only P50T (a lighter formula) is available, so I smuggled this back from Rescue Spa at my last NYC trip on the advice of my facialist and now I'll never go back.
Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil
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What it smells like: floral-scented feminine hygiene products
What it does: This one doesn't smell as bad as the others, it just smells so strong. If you're someone who doesn't like perfumes, you'll want to avoid it since the scent is so strong it gives me a headache. I received a sample of this mask and while I wasn't a fan of the scent, but it gives me an entire good-hair-week so I picked up the full size during the spring Sephora sale.
My husband says this smells like an "old lady" but I refuse to use this term since perfume trends are so cyclical. The babies of today will describe Grandma smells as the Gourmand scents of the early aughts like Flowerbomb and Pink Sugar instead of powdery florals that were popular in the forties and fifties.
Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant
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What it smells like: a decomposing fish coated in vegemite
What it does: THIS ONE IS THE WORST SMELLING OF ALL OF THEM. Unfortunately, it's also the best so I've been putting up with the stink. If I hadn't read such rave reviews about it before I tried it, I wouldn't have even put it on my skin after opening the tube. This is just so good. It's a thick disgusting brown gel that they recommend mixing with baking soda. Some people say it smells like chocolate, but those people must be monsters because this stuff is just foul.
The effects are practically magic. The owner of Rescue Spa stated that "if you use this twice a week you'll never age" and after reading this I decided to become a vampire and try it. After I use it my skin looks clear, bright, moisturized but not oily, and just generally more perfect. It's the only mask though that I'd recommend waiting an hour after eating before applying anywhere near your face. 💩
