Mario Badescu Drying Lotion Review

The Infamous Pimple Healer

Here it is ladies, the infamous Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, the product that made Mario Badescu famous! I don't know about you guys but I've been hearing about this stuff for ages! It always has an ad in every magazine I see or has a write up as an "editors favourite" or "best skin care product". So, naturally I was curious... And had to try it out for myself! Heres what the Mario Badescu website has to say about this product:

"The Drying Lotion is a fast acting, effective acne spot treatment. Formulated with salicylic acid, calamine and other quick-drying ingredients, this product will shrink ugly whiteheads virtually overnight while you sleep. While other acne spot treatments can irritate and dry delicate or sensitive skin, this product is safe and effective for all skin types." 

How to Apply

First off, this is the most different (in every way!) blemish treatment I have ever seen! The idea is you dip a q-tip down to the bottom of the bottle (through the clear layer and into the pink layer) then pull it out and apply to the blemished area. Heres a photo of what it looks like once you take the q-tip out:

After you dip to the bottom, then remove

You end up with a saturated q-tip, bathed in a pink sort of "clay" looking substance. It actually looks really strange once on the q-tip, take a look:

I assume the idea of dipping the q-tip to the bottom and then back out is to get two layers of the clear liquid (below the pink layer and then above the pink layer). This is what it looks like after you apply:

It becomes pretty obvious as soon as you apply this that this is not a day treatment! haha You can only use this at night as you don't blend it in. You dab it onto the blemish directly and then let it dry and leave it on over night. The active ingredients in this blemish treatment are (from the website again):

"Isopropyl Alcohol,Deionized Water (Aqua), Calamine, Camphor, Colloidal Sulfur, Salicylic Acid,Glycerine, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Talc."

I was hesitant when I saw the first ingredient, alcohol. You by now know my feelings about alcohol but lately, I've been having trouble finding products without them! With that being said, I kind of overlooked it on this one as it is only a spot treatment and I apply it sparingly and over very little areas. The other active ingredients are good. Salicylic acid will help exfoliate the area and clean the pore out, Calamine & Camphor soothe, Colloidal Sulfer further fights the breakout and Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide and Talc all help with drying out the white head. Speaking of which, this is only really a treatment for small white heads. They have a few other products (Drying Cream, Buffering Lotion) for different types of breakouts. Lets move onto the pros and cons:

Pros:

- Dries up whiteheads overnight (It really does, it WORKS!)
- Non-drying
- Doesn't create flakey skin
- No Benzoyl Peroxide (I have an allergy, so its good for me!)
- Big Bottle - this will last forever

Cons:

- Only works for whiteheads - not other types of breakouts (under the skin, cystic, blackheads)
- Price: Expensive, $21.00 CAD
- Messy
- Can only be used at night
- Strong alcohol smell

Overall, this is a great addition to my arsenal of blemish-fighting products. Although it is not the "cure-all" I expected it to be! It works amazingly on the small, annoying whiteheads that pop up, but anything bigger or non-whiteheaded (?) lol it won't work on. You also CANNOT use this on open or ruptured blemishes (please don't try, I did (silly) and it hurt so bad!). This is a really great product to use in conjunction with the drying cream or buffering lotion to cover all your breakout bases! I am super glad that I spent the money on this, I've never had something help so much with whiteheads, its really amazing what it can do! Just keep in mind, it isn't for every blemish concern.

Final Verdict

I will repurchase this product. Although, I probably won't need to! This bottle is really big and you only use the tiniest bit each time (even if you use it on 1000 blemishes a night like me! haha), its a good investment to your skin care regime, especially if you struggle with mostly small whiteheads.

NOTE: A lot of cities don't have an actual retailer of Mario Badescu products. They have a great website (linked in my sidebar) that you can order off of and get your free samples! 

Deals & Steals: E.l.f. Conceal + Beauty SOS Set Review

Conceal Set

Hey Girlies! As you may know from my recent posts, I have not always had the best of luck with the e.l.f. cosmetics line. I recently purchased their Holiday Natural Eyeshadow Palette (click for review!) and wasn't entirely thrilled! But, I decided to press on, determined to find something I like from the e.l.f. line! With that being said, I this was my next purchase, the Conceal +Beauty SOS kit.

1st Product - Tone Correcting Concealer

I picked up this kit at Zellers for $4.99, which is a pretty good price for 3 products! (Not as good as the US price, but still! haha) The first item this kit contains is the e.l.f. Tone Correcting Concealer. I hadn't tried any of e.l.f.'s concealers so I was really eager to test this out! 

Concealer Shade - Light Beige

Surprisingly, this kit only comes with one shade option. I've always been curious why companies do that, it doesn't seem like something that would increase sales! The shade it comes with is light beige, which is great for my light skin! I think it would be a good fit for anyone with light/light-medium skin tone as it is very forgiving and blendable!

Swatch

I find this concealer to have quite a yellow base, which is good for me because I have no pink undertones and hate when I get pink-based products! I'm quite impressed with how well this colour fits my skin tone, so that was a nice surprise!

Pros:

- Creamy, blendable

- Forgiving colour (will work on many skin tones light/light-medium)

- Not cakey

- Doe-foot applicator for precise application

- Dewy finish: good for undereyes

- Moisturizing

Cons:

- Sheer: not much coverage but good for under eyes

- Dewy Finish: not good for blemish coverage

- Contains ingredients known to potentially clog pores (mineral oil, microcrystalline wax)

- Again, so sheer, will not cover blemishes

Final Verdict

I'm confused about the marketing for the product. It is said to be a blemish covering concealer but no matter how much I built it up I couldn't get it to cover a blemish! That being said, I really like it as an under eye concealer or slight redness concealer! Its soft and blendable and gives a nice moisturizing finish to under the eyes! I wouldn't say "don't buy this" I would say, "don't buy this for covering blemishes" though! There are many other better concealers for blemish coverage (I'm sure some of e.l.f.'s other concealers work great for this!) But, I would recommend this as an inexpensive concealer option for light/sheer under eye coverage and moisturization!

Concealer Brush

The 2nd product in the kit is this cute little concealer brush! I was actually quite excited for this, I can never have too many concealer brushes! I also have had really great experiences with e.l.f.'s brush collections!

Synthetic hair

I think this is a great all around concealer brush to have! I really like the "smallness" of it for pinpoint application of concealer to blemishes! Its very easy to use, has great hairs and works well! I won't do a full list of pros & cons for this, its a good brush especially for a $1 USD! Another point, I'm not sure why they included this as the concealer has a doe-foot applicator but good for me because I like it and can use it with all my other concealers! :)

Zit Zapper

The 3rd product is the most exciting for me! I've been wanting to try e.l.f.'s Zit Zapper since I saw it on their website sooo long ago! I'm always on the look out for the "miracle cure" for my breakouts and am constantly trying new products! This is a really handy little stick you can take with you and apply throughout the day. I love that it is clear because that is rare for breakout busters!

Roller Ball top

It also has a super convenient roller-ball top! I love not having to touch the product, it makes it so easy to use! This contains some known breakout fighting ingredients and is great to use in the day time!

Pros:

- 1% Salicylic Acid - to fight breakouts and clogged pores

- Witch Hazel, Tea Tree oil - to further help with breakouts

- Clear: able to use during the day

- Non-Drying (Finally!)

- Price $1 USD!

Cons:

- Salicylic acid is a better preventer than treatment

- Roller-Ball (although I love it!) may not be very hygienic

- Contains Alcohol: not my favourite ingredient

Final Verdict

Honestly, this product isn't perfect. It does have a few cons but I really feel like in this case the pros outweigh the cons! Its a good option for people struggling with breakouts. I'm happy you can use it during the day with no signs that it is there! I will continue to use this, and I will recommend it for minor/rare breakouts. It probably won't help much with large breakouts or chronic breakouts! For the price, I would definitely recommend trying it out to see how well it works for you! It has worked for me (although I don't think the test was fair because it was "my time of the month" and nothing would help!) by decreasing the size of my breakouts. If you are curious at all, try this out! The price is definitely worth it! :)

Mario Badescu Skin Care Routine Review

Hey everyone! As you may know, a while back I went onto the Mario Badescu website and filled out an online "skin consultation" form! In doing so, they sent me a HUGE selection of deluxe sized samples tailored to my skin type and skin concerns! I find that to be amazing in a sampling program, most of the time they send you single use packets of things you probably don't even need or want! Mario Badescu goes above and beyond to ensure you can properly evaluate the products and how they work with your skin, even BEFORE buying! I have a link in my side bar for Mario Badescu, if you want your absolutely no-catch, free samples all you have to do is click! Easy as pie!

So, first off, I used these products for a total of two weeks in replacement of my usual skin care routine! In the Mario Badescu sample packs you get everything you need for a new regime including cleanser, toner, exfoliator, day cream, night cream, treatment creams, eye creams and masks. (All the sample packs vary as they are suited to your skin so they only send you what you need and will work!)

My fellow beauty blogger and friend Pammy at "Pammy Blogs Beauty" also received some of these samples at the same time as I did and we decided to link our posts together in order for everyone to see a review of their skin type! :) My skin is oily, acne-prone and not sensitive, while Pammy's skin is normal to dry with some dry patches and rare breakouts. If that sounds more like your skin type, check out her review at "Pammy Blogs Beauty"!

So here is the rundown of what they sent me for my oily, acne-prone skin:

Cleanser: Botanical Facial Gel

Toner: Special Cleansing Lotion "C"

Exfoliant: Almond & Honey Face Scrub

Day Lotion: Aloe Moisturizer SPF 15 

Treatment: Drying Cream

Mask: Healing & Soothing Mask 

Eye Cream: Ceramide Eye Gel

Cleanser

Botanical Facial Gel

- I tested this for about a week, which was how long the sample lasted

- It is gentle, smells nice and is non-foaming

- Strange consistency to get used to but once you do, its a nice cleanser

- Doesn't remove makeup as well as I would like, I had to remove my makeup first then it was great!

- I needed to use a larger amount of the cleanser than I would with a foaming one

- Does not leave your skin feeling tight nor like it hasn't been thoroughly cleaned, great balance!

Verdict:

I like it. Its a good cleanser for oily/combo skin as long as you do not wear a lot of makeup! I would like this a lot for morning cleansing as it is really refreshing and doesn't leave your skin feeling tight but also doesn't leave it feeling greasy at all! I'm not sure if I will purchase the full size. I did like it a lot but prefer an all around makeup removing cleanser I can use both day and night!

Toner

Special Cleansing Lotion "C"

- Acne fighting toner

- Contains sulphur to fight breakouts

- Is Alcohol based (drying for some, including me!)

- Intense, would be good for very bad acne or chest/back breakouts

- Dried out my skin quite a bit

- Did help dry up breakouts

Verdict:

This wasn't my favourite. I don't like to use anything with alcohol on my face as I've read a lot about it being a free-radical for your skin and can accelerate aging. I've also read that over drying your skin can lead to increased sebum (oil) production causing even more breakouts. In those cases, I will not be repurchasing this particular toner but am very interested in purchasing another one of their alcohol free toners (which they have a good variety of) and trying it out! :)

Day Lotion

Aloe Moisturizer SPF 15

- Light, fresh feel

- great, light consistancy

- SPF 15

- Oil-free

- Hydrating, soothing

- Light, almost no scent

Verdict:

This is a really nice, light SPF 15 lotion. Its hard to find a sunscreen for oily skin that won't clog the pores or make you feel excessively greasy! This works well on my oily skin, as long as I use a pea-sized amount. It is also good if you finish it with a mattifying primer or powder to keep you shine free through out the day. This would be a fantastic option for normal/combination skins as it provides a light moisture and an SPF. I definitely like this for everyday light hydration with a dose of SPF! I will buy this in the full size (provided I can find it in my city! haha)

Acne Treatment

Drying Cream

- Sulphur based drying lotion for cystic/deep rooted acne breakouts

- Not excessively drying to surrounding skin (has an Aloe base)

- Much more gentle than Benzoyl Peroxide

- No bad "sulphur" smell, very light scent

- Provides minor coverage of redness

- Only need a TINY amount

- Spot treatment for Acne

Verdict:

One of my favourite products that I received! I don't often suffer with deep breakouts (mine are mostly small, surface whiteheads) but this cream helped everything! You only need the tiniest amount applied only to the breakout. I used a q-tip in order to keep the cream bacteria free (only used the q-tip once) and applied it precisely to my breakouts. One really different aspect to this cream is that you can use it on open breakouts ("popped" ones) to speed the healing time! You can also use this day or night, during the day I take a small amount and blend it over the area and at night I concentrate a dab directly on the blemish! Highly recommend this for anyone with Acne-prone skin and will DEFINITELY be purchasing the full size of this!

Eye Cream

Ceramide Eye Gel

- Gel consistency
- Cooling, firming, soothing
- Hydrates very well
- Refreshes the whole eye area
- Reduces puffiness
- Only need the TINIEST amount

Verdict:

This could be my absolute favourite product I received! I am always looking for a great eye cream/gel because I struggle with both oily lids as well as occasional eczema on my eyelids. Both are very hard to work with trust me! haha I also find a lot of products irritate my eyes and make my eczema worse so its hard for me to find a good eye cream. This one is fantastic! It hydrates so much better than I expected from a gel! You only need the tiniest, tiniest amount I can't stress that enough! A little goes a really long way and my eyes still felt moist and hydrated at the end of the day and in the morning from overnight use! Amazing eye gel, will definitely be purchasing the full size of this! :)

Exfoliant

Almond & Honey Non-Abrasive Scrub

- Fairly gentle, facial scrub

- Amazing honey/almond scent

- Creamy & moisturizing

- Not very exfoliating/ minimal grains

- Not great for oily skin

Verdict:

First off, I am not a huge fan of scrubs. I find they exacerbate acne, especially raised white heads because they cause irritation. That being said, I did try this one out. It is really gentle but that is because of the very minimal amount of granules that cause the exfoliation. In that case I don't know how well it exfoliates. This may be a very good option for people who need minimal exfoliation but with oily skin, exfoliation is very essential to keep pores clean. This would also be a good option for dry skins as it provides hydration! This left my skin feeling a bit greasy and like I wanted to wash it again. I will not purchase the full size of this.

Mask

Healing & Soothing Mask

- Clay based mask

- Healing, soothing, calming

- Helps with reddened skin

- Helps heal acne

- Contains anti-inflamitory ingredients

- Doesn't harden

Verdict:

Love, love, love! This is an amazing alternative to a clay/drying mask that is usually the only type of mask that people with oily/acne prone skin can use! This doesn't dry on the skin but still seems to soak up any unwanted debris and excess oil. It seriously calms redness and leaves your skin feeling fresh and revitalized without any excess oil or greasy feeling! I have found this really helps, with regular use, to speed the healing of acne and acne scarring! If you have acne (and even if you don't) this is such a fantastic and different mask that I highly recommend! I will be purchasing the full size!

MAN! This was a long review! I'm sorry about the length but hope I helped anyone with their decision to try Mario Badescu or to find anything that will help with their oily/acne prone skin! Don't forget about Pammy's review for normal to dry skin at "Pammy Blogs Beauty"!

I have since purchased a few additional Mario Badescu products, the famous Drying Lotion (bi-phase, glass bottle with pink at the bottom, I'm sure you've seen ads in magazines for it!) and the Herbal Hydrating Serum (because of Pammy's rave reviews! haha) I will have reviews on these in the near future so keep an eye out! :) Thanks for reading guys!

CoverFX Clear Prep ((Review))

Clear Prep

I've never really been one to wear a foundation primer, even though I do wear foundation almost everyday. I think its because I've always been disappointed with the ones I have tried and it discouraged me from trying more. I had a bad experience with Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, Tarte Clean Slate and BareMinerals Prime Time. They all either made my face break out like crazy or felt too heavy on my oily skin! I recently was given a gift card to Murale, and being the product junky I am, didn't know what to buy because I pretty much have it all! The sales lady asked me if I had a primer and in wonderment, I said "nope lets find me one!" I was skeptical of course because of my experiences but she walked straight over to the CoverFX range and picked me out Clear Prep. Not only is this a foundation primer but also an Anti-Acne treatment (YAY!) with 1% Salicylic acid to fight breakouts at the same time! I was still a little worried it would feel heavy on my skin but when she applied it, it was so light and silky I was sold! My mom uses the Cover FX Anti-Aging primer (which I turned her on to) and loves it so I figure this would be worth a shot! Since I have got it home, I love it more and more everyday!

Texture of the Primer

As you can see (I hope! haha) the texture of this primer isn't as thick as other silicone based primers which I really like. It absorbs really nicely and doesn't leave any feeling on your skin so there is no heaviness or stickiness. I find this primer really does help my makeup apply smoother (by filling in pores) and last longer! I even use this when I am not wearing makeup just because of its Anti-Acne properties, and it keeps my skin matte! Which is hard to do because I have really oily skin! I don't think I will ever be without this product now! If you have oily skin or breakout prone skin this would not only be a great primer for you but a great addition to your skin care routine to help prevent future breakouts!

Thanks for reading :)

How To: Acne Prone Skin

No more hiding behind makeup or hair or hands! Clear skin really is attainable and is simpler than you might think! I have learned these tips and tricks from various sources throughout the years and would like to share my knowledge with you! This is also my skin care routine and has really worked to heal my skin! I am acne prone and oily but finally have my skin under control!

First Step - You need a good GENTLE cleanser! You don't want anything that is going to strip your skin of its natural oils. Stripping your skin leads to more oil production and therefore more clogged pores and breakouts. This always scared me because I liked the feeling of squeaky clean skin. Some Cleansers I like are: NEUTROGENA EXTRA GENTLE CLEANSER, BOOTS BOTANICS BRIGHTENING CLEANSER and CLINIQUE EXTRA MILD CLEANSER.

Step Two: You need to exfoliate your skin. This may not be in the way you are used to. Scrubs can aggravate breakouts further and cause micro-tears in the skin, leading to increased breakouts. Not to mention they cause a lot of redness. Instead, use an exfoliating lotion. A great exfoliant for acne prone skin is Salicylic Acid. This is found in many acne products. Some great ones are: NEUTROGENA 3 IN 1 HYDRATING ACNE TREATMENT, CLEARASIL OVERNIGHT SERUM and CLINIQUE MILD CLARIFYING LOTION.

Step three: If you have persistent breakouts, you need to kill the bacteria on the surface before it can cause them. To do this, use a Benzoyl Peroxide. This is again very common in acne treatments but a good formulation is key to prevent the drying effects it has. Some I like are PANOXYL AQUAGEL, CLINIQUE ACNE SOLUTIONS LOTION and CLINIQUE EMERGENCY GEL/CREAM. Benzoyl Peroxide comes in different strengths. The lowest is a 2.5% (which is in the Clinique Solutions Lotion and can be found in Panoxyl's MILD aquagel) and is good for sensitive skins prone to drying. Next is 5% which is the average amount and the highest is 10%. Most people can't handle the 10% as it is very strong. Always start with a lower one and work your way up if needed.

Step four: A good moisturizer with sunscreen. Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide can both increase skins sensitivity to the sun so a good sunscreen is essential! Its pretty tricky to find a sunscreen that isn't greasy and won't cause breakouts. I've managed to find a few that work for me: CLINIQUE CITY BLOCK 25, NEAUTROGENA TONE CORRECTING MOISTURE SPF 30 and AVEENO ULTRA CALM SPF 30. Make sure to find a sunscreen that you like the feeling of so you will use it everyday!

Options: Start with an eye cream early! It's easier to prevent than to correct! I like MAC MOISTURE LUSH eye cream. Also, add a serum if your skin can handle it without feeling heavy or greasy. A serum will add extra healing properties like antioxidants to your skin to make it overall healthier and prevent/help correct aging. ISOMERS LABORATORIES makes great serums at decent prices for every age! I use the Copper-P and Vitamin C & E serums. Retinol is another great product for acne prone skin and is in the NEUTROGENA TONE CORRECTING MOISTURE. It helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and clear out pores at the same time.

I hope these help you out, they have certainly helped me! My skin is clear and healthy! Let me know your opinions, and add me as a friend :)

I originally posted this on my Luuux Page: http://www.luuux.com/health-beauty/tips-tricks-acne-prone-skin?blog_id=12048