pHformula

pHformula is a professional skincare brand based in Barcelona, Spain, that specialises in controlled chemical skin resurfacing — a method of treating the skin with acids applied by trained skin specialists rather than sold over the counter. It was founded by Petru van Zyl, a skin therapist originally from South Africa, and operates through Laboratorio pHformula Internacional, S.L. The company positions its products as pharma-cosmeceutical: pharmaceutical-grade formulations sold through clinics and skin specialists rather than ordinary retail.

The brand remains active and has expanded steadily since launch. According to its own account, pHformula reached more than 65 countries by 2023, and its published history records further market entries as recently as 2025 [2]. Its distinguishing feature is a proprietary delivery system, PH-DVC, which the company says releases acids into the skin in a controlled way to prompt cell renewal while limiting the irritation associated with traditional peels.

pHformula was created by Petru van Zyl, whom the company and independent profiles describe as originally from South Africa [8]. According to the brand, she developed acne in her late teens, trained as a skin therapist, and worked in clinics across Europe, Australasia, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and the United States. During that period she researched skin biology and cosmetic chemistry, concluding that conventional chemical peels were too aggressive and could not be tailored to different skin types. Van Zyl set out to replace them with what she called controlled skin resurfacing, and describes the approach as "not just a matter of applying acids to the skin – it is an art, an understanding and a passion".

Sources differ on when the brand began. pHformula's own "Our pH Story" dates the launch to 2009 [2], while the Australian trade publication SPA+CLINIC gives the founding year as 2010 [7]. The two-year gap may reflect that the company trademarked its PH-DVC delivery system and established its first distributors in 2010; the brand-site figure of 2009 is used here as the launch year. Van Zyl serves as founder and chief executive and directs the company's postgraduate skin-specialist education from Barcelona.

The company traces its formal history through a small number of milestones on its own timeline. It records the launch of pHformula in 2009, followed in 2010 by the trademarking of the PH-DVC delivery system and the establishment of founding distributors in Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. In 2020 it opened an education academy, the ART CLUB, in Barcelona. By 2023 the brand described itself as present in more than 65 countries, and its timeline lists expansion into Libya, Bahrain and Iraq in 2025 [2].

Reported figures for geographic reach vary by source and date. A founder interview cites presence in 35 countries [9], the 2024 SPA+CLINIC profile states more than 45 countries [7], and the brand-site gives 65-plus as of 2023; all describe broad, multi-region distribution across Europe, South America, Australia and the Middle East.

pHformula frames itself as a science-led, pharma-cosmeceutical brand built around controlled chemical skin resurfacing, which it defines as a non-invasive method with no downtime that triggers "an accelerated process of epidermal cell turnover and regeneration" rather than surface exfoliation [3]. Its stated research approach rests on four pillars — a scientific foundation, clinical evidence, collaboration with professional "opinion leaders", and quality control with regulatory compliance — summarised on the brand-site as "skincare is an art, backed by science".

The brand is sold and applied through a professional channel rather than direct retail. The SPA+CLINIC profile describes its audience as skin specialists, dermal clinicians and aesthetic practitioners, and notes more than 50 treatments offered at varying intensities for concerns such as ageing, acne, hyperpigmentation and chronic redness [7]. The company summarises its mission as redefining beauty by "empowering individuals to feel confident in their own skin", under the tagline "Your skin, our formula".

At the centre of the range is the proprietary PH-DVC (Delivery Vehicle Complex), which the company presents as its main innovation. According to pHformula, the complex combines a controlled delivery system with Boswellia serrata gum, a soothing plant-derived ingredient, and a cell activator it calls Respiderm, together producing a "homogenous and controlled proton release of the acids" that avoids the side effects of traditional chemical peels [3]. The formulations draw on several acid families used at high strength, including alpha keto acids, alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids and poly hydroxy acids.

The professional line is organised around targeted systems for specific concerns: M.E.L.A. powerclays for hyperpigmentation, C.R. complexes for chronic redness and rosacea, A.G.E. solutions for signs of ageing, and A.C. solutions for acne-prone skin. In-clinic treatments such as TCA touch and MESORESURFACING sit alongside a homecare range covering serums, daily essentials and prescription-style actives. The company says visible improvement can appear after a first session, with a recommended course of four to six sessions, and states that clinical studies on its C.R. Complex are underway toward independent certification [9].

A separate POINT range links purchases to charitable giving. pHformula says a portion of the proceeds from any POINT product supports Motor Neuron Disease charities selected by its global distributors, describing the range as created to raise both funds and awareness [5]. Beyond this philanthropic focus, the brand-site states no vegan, cruelty-free or environmental certifications.

pHformula is an active and expanding professional skincare company. Its most recent recorded activity is the 2025 entry into new markets listed on its own timeline [2], and it is supported by trade coverage from 2024. The company continues to run its laboratories and the ART CLUB academy in Barcelona and reports distribution across more than 60 countries.