The story behind Biotherm

Biotherm is one of the 500 brands owned by global beauty company L’Oreal, but the story behind Biotherm actually dates back to the early 20th century. During this time, the French doctor Jos Jullien discovered mineral thermal spring waters under Pyrenees mountain in the southern part of France. He discovered that these waters contained thermal plankton that could promote healthier skin, which is why he decided to use this unique ingredient to formulate skin care products. Today, thermal plankton is used in every single Biotherm skin care product.

What are the Best Skin Care Products of 2024?

What’s Inside Biotherm Skin Care?

The key ingredient in all Biotherm skin care products is vitreoscilla ferment, aka Life Plankton. Derived from the french pyrenees hot springs, this microorganism is said to possess extraordinary regenerative properties.

So is Life Plankton as beneficial as Biotherm claims it to be, or is this all just marketing hype? Let’s look at the research to find out.

Probiotics
First, you should know that vitreoscilla ferment is considered a probiotic. Probiotics include various strains of helpful bacteria that collaborate with your skin to restore the skin’s microbiome.

The microbiome is a population of many types of bacteria (over 10,000 different species) that are both good and bad. When there’s more bad bacteria than good, skin conditions like acne, sensitive skin, and bumpy, uneven skin texture can develop. Thus, vitreoscilla ferment can help maintain healthy skin by keeping the microbiome balanced.

Studies also show that vitreoscilla ferment may have antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory properties, and can help repair a damaged skin barrier. The highest concentration of vitreoscilla ferment can be found in the Biotherm Life Plankton Essence.

We recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Cream for dry skin because it combines ceramides with probiotics and soothing plant extracts to keep the microbiome balanced and skin looking hydrated.

Vitamin C
We’ve been hearing for years that Vitamin C is the best anti-aging ingredient. It’s a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals, the unstable molecules that contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.

Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots, evens out skin tone, and increases radiance. As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis.

It’s in Biotherm Life Plankton Elixir Anti-Aging Serum.

But our favorite Vitamin C serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.

Retinol
Retinol is the go-to anti-aging ingredient recommended by dermatologists and skin experts. It’s clinically proven to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve uneven skin tone, restore skin firmness, and shrink the appearance of enlarged pores.

The only downside? Retinol can often lead to side effects like skin dryness, peeling, and irritation.

It’s in Biotherm Blue Pro-Retinol Multi-Correct Cream.

Use retinoids at night. We recommend this retinoid oil serum. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, an ingredient that provides similar benefits with less irritation.

What are the best selling Biotherm products?

Biotherm offers products for every step of your skin care routine, including cleansers, makeup removers, exfoliators, toners, serums, masks, moisturizers, eye and lip care, and more. Since there are too many products to cover in one review, we’ll be discussing three of the best selling Biotherm products below.

Biotherm Life Plankton Essence is concentrated like a serum, yet lightweight like a cosmetic water in order to improve absorption. It was created to be the first step of your skin care routine in order to facilitate the application of the subsequent skin care products.

Biotherm Aquasource Gel is a facial moisturizer with a gel texture that is said to replenish the skin’s natural moisture reserves to restore its natural ability to glow. It is claimed to visibly transform even the most dehydrated skin and dullest complexions.

Biotherm Lait Corporel Body Milk is an anti-drying body milk that is said to hydrate to help reduce flaky skin, restore the skin’s moisture barrier, and improve its elasticity. The texture is neither sticky or greasy, and the formula penetrates into the skin quickly.

Where is Biotherm sold?

Biotherm skin care products are sold on the brand’s website, as well as numerous third party sellers, such as Sephora, Walmart, CVS, Amazon, and more.

What is the Biotherm return policy?

The Biotherm return policy states that if you are not completely satisfied with your Biotherm purchase, you can contact their customer service and return the purchased products within thirty days of the delivery.

Is Biotherm cruelty free?

Biotherm is not cruelty free since the brand is owned by L’Oreal, a company that tests on animals. L’Oréal does not conduct animal testing on their products or ingredients, nor ask others to test on our behalf, except when required by law. Since L’Oréal products are sold in China, they must test their products on animals by law.

Biotherm reviews

Biotherm reviews on the brand’s website are overall very positive. Biotherm Life Plankton Essence has mostly 4 and 5 star ratings, with positive reviews for this product saying that it is very soothing, healing, refreshing and comforting. One very positive Biotherm review says, “I never used a product for more than 4 months because my skin always reacted so badly. But this essence calm my skin down, reduce redness and irritation. I am on my third bottle. Can’t even believe it! Highly recommend this product for your daily skincare routine.”

Biotherm reviews for the Aquasource Gel are a mix of positive and negative. Positive reviews mention that it helps the skin to feel hydrated and soft. One positive review says, “My skin was fatigued, dry in the winter, acne filled, with an uneven tone. I hesitated buying this product because of the price. Worth it! I saw results in just 2 to 3 days.” Most of the negative reviews for this product are from customers who experienced breakouts after using it. For example, one reviewer says, “Never had a problem with breaking out till I tried this product, after a few days of using the product I broke out everywhere and immediately stopped using it to find that my skin cleared up right away.”

Biotherm Lait Corporel Body Milk has received mostly 5 star reviews, with many customers appreciating the smell and that the product is lightweight and moisturizes the skin well. Since this product has been on the market since 1972, there are several reviews from long term users who say that this is the only body lotion they will ever use and that they love how their skin looks and feels.

What are some alternatives to Biotherm?

If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. We recommend The Repair Serum, followed by The Moisturizer.