I am sure you have all heard about the famous Drying Lotion from Mario Badescu. It is a 2-phase blemish lotion with the active powder at the bottom with a pink clear liquid at the top – holy grail for many as a blemish buster. It works and I love it, that is why I am very interested in other products from Mario Badescu.
If you are in Auckland, you may have heard of APOTHEKA (previously Glamourpuss when they were in Nuffield Street – I have purchased the Drying Lotion, silver powder and the Buffering Lotion previously. Now they are located at 16 Osborne Street.) They stock some really nice brands like Pai, Blinc, Becca, etc. They recently had a facebook promo where you email them your skin type and they will customise a range of skincare samples for you to try suited to your skin type.
So here is what I got: Seaweed cleansing soap, Alpha-Grapefruit cleansing lotion, Collagen moisturiser SPF15, Hyaluronic eye cream, Seaweed night cream and Super collagen mask.
Mario Badescu samples for combination/oily skin
Seaweed cleansing soap: This cleansing soap is a mild and gentle exfoliating cleanser. It is great for all skin types, even sensitive skin. It removes light make-up and does not contain soap. I apply a small amount of this cleanser to my damp face and massage to cleans. Rinse off is easy and it doesn’t leave my skin too dry or feeling oily at all. There is no fragrance to the cleanser, but it does have a slight scent from its ingredients.
Mario Badescu Seaweed cleansing soap
Alpha-Grapefruit cleansing lotion: This is called a cleansing lotion, which is used as a toner. It minimizes fine lines and discolourations with citrus extracts. Aloe and seaweed extracts to soothe the skin. It is orange tinted and does not have any fragrance. It has a watery consistency which is made to be use with a cotton pad and wiped around the face after cleansing. This is great for sensitive skin and dull, dry skin.
Mario Badescu Alpha-Grapefruit cleansing lotion
Collagen moisturiser SPF15: This is an ultra-light moisturiser with SPF 15. Suitable for combination and sensitive skin, collagen helps to protect skin from moisture loss to keep skin plump and smooth. This moisturiser is a little thick when I first try it, but it does get absorbed and doesn’t leave a greasy film. Applied after the toner during the day (you can use a MB serum or your own serum underneath).
Mario Badescu Collagen moisturiser SPF15
Hyaluronic eye cream: The hyaluronic formulation helps to lock in natural moisture without the use of heavy oil. This eye cream has an aloe based formula that I would say would be a heavy weight cream for my preference. Suitable for all skin types, I would probably only use it during the night becuase of its heavy texture.
Mario Badescu Hyaluronic eye cream
Seaweed night cream: Suitable for combination, oily and sensitive skin, this nigth cream nriched with Seaweed, Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid to soften, hydrate and nourish the skin without clogging pores. I would apply this after my toner and serum at night. This cream has a green tint and its texture is silky smooth. It does take a while to be absorbed for my skin.
Mario Badescu Seaweed night cream
Super collagen mask: This mask is suitable for dry skin, combination skin and sensitive skin. This collagen and clay based mask is designed to tighten, nourish, and purify skin. Soothing Oatmeal helps to reduce redness and irritation on sensitive skin. This mask is really thick and it feels like it is semi-dried in the little pot already. It takes a couple of tries to get the product onto the skin. This mask dries slightly hard on the skin and washing requires a bit of help with fingertips. I do feel that it leaves my skin a little greasy, like there is a bit of moisturiser on my skin.
Mario Badescu Super collagen mask
Overall: My favourite is the cleanser and the moisturisers. The cleanser is gentle and does not strip my skin dry. The toner is really gentle but I don’t find that it does much to my skin. The moisturisers are moisturising but not too thick and not sticky. The mask is alright, but I don’t really like the after-feel. The eye cream is rather rich for my skin type, but if I use a little each time, it will not break me out. The first item I ran out was the toner, then the cleanser. I think the mask will be the next to go, then the moisturisers and then the eye cream. Generally, Mario Badescu products are gentle and fragrance free. They have a wide range of products that suits different skin types and concerns.
