Review: Mario Badescu Drying Mask

I am fairly new to the Mario Badescu skin care line. I purchased this product for $18 at Ulta Cosmetics around 8 months ago, but did not routinely use it until about one month ago. I was watching one of my favorite youtube gurus, pearlythepug, who mentioned that she used this product as part of her normal skincare routine (she has beautiful skin). A little light bulb lit up in the back of my mind as I remembered I had purchased this product that was probably sitting in my drawer waiting for me to give it some attention.

I am so glad that I rediscovered this product because it has made such a difference on my skin. It really helped speed up the healing process of the existing acne I had on my skin. I also noticed that the blackheads around my nose were much easier to remove after using this product. I use this product up to 3 times a week. I do notice that if I get lazy on my skincare regimen and skip out on this product I do end up with more break outs. So I know that having this product as part of my skincare really keeps the breakouts at bay.

Product Claim

According to the Mario Badescu website this product helps to clear up acne erruptions. The sulfur that is in the product helps to dry existing pimples. The calamine helps to soothe the skin and makes the product gentle enough to be used by most skin types.

This product definitely helps to heal acne. It dries the pimple without drying the skin. It does not leave dry patches on the skin as my pimples heal, in comparison to other acne treatments such as benzoyl peroxide. I cannot say that this product is "soothing" to the skin as I do not have overly sensitive skin. The directions on the Mario Badescu website directs you to leave it on for 20 minutes, but because it makes my face feel itchy as the product dries, I wash it off after 15 minutes.

Ingredients and Scent

Since the picture is not very clear here are the ingredients, which was also taken from the Mario Badescu website: Deionized Water (Aqua), Kaolin,Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Starch, Calamine,Ichthammol,Propylene Glycol, Colloidal Sulfur, Titanium Dioxide.

Information for definitions below were retrieved from www.ewg.org/skindeep/ 

• Kaolin: also known as china clay, this ingredient is also used to make porcelain and china. According to EWG's Skin Deep, it acts as an absorbent. It pulls out oil, dirt and other things that are clogging pores.
• Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Starch: also an absorbent. 
• Calamine: a mixture of zinc oxide and ferric oxide. It acts as a skin protectant. 
• Propylene Glycol: conditions the skin. According to Skin Deep, it has been associated with allergic contact dermatitis (which is perhaps why my skin itches when the product dries). 
• Colloidal Sulfur: acne treatment. 
• Titanium Dioxide: sunscreen ingredient.

This product strongly smells of sulfur. If you don't know what that smells like, to me the only way I can describe the scent is earthy. The scent does not bother me, but I can definitely see how it can bother some people. The scent also does not fade away after product dries on your skin.


Packaging


This product comes in a 2 oz jar. I really don't think this product can come any other way because has a very thick consistency and must be scooped out.


Texture

A little bit goes a long way. I only need about a quarter sized amount to cover my whole face, and only because I like to layer this product on thick. It has the consistency of mud (seriously!).

 

The product spreads easily on the skin and dries within 10 minutes.

 

Final Thoughts

After years and years of finding the right skincare regimen for my skin, I believe this is a product that will be a staple in my skincare routine. It has simple ingredients and it works. I definitely recommend it for people with acne prone, oily skin like I do. As I mentioned earlier, I do not have overly sensitive skin, so I am not sure if it would be suitable for people with sensitive skin. Ulta Cosmetics do sell the Mario Badescu skincare line, so I would ask for a sample and give it a try.

Review: Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Control Moisturizer SPF 30

I was super excited when I found this product at Walgreens. I actually did not purchase it the first time I saw it because it retails for about $17 + tax and I am always hesitant to try new products because I break out very easily. After a week of thinking about it and trying to find reviews online (there was none at the time since this product is new), I caved in and bought one for my sister and me.

Product Claim

As stated on the box the product claims that it is "clinically proven to help manage oily skin" as well as, "lightweight formula absorbs quickly and provides a matte finish." The most important claim, at least for me, was that it is "formulated for acne-prone skin."

As for managing oily skin, I did not find this product to control my oily skin. I tried this product alone under make-up (liquid and powder), and found my face to be oily and in need of blotting within 3 hours. I then tried this product first, waited for it to absorb, then applied my favorite moisturizer Origins Make a Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment, then liquid foundation and found my face to be oily and in need of blotting within 4-5 hours. So, to make the long story short, if you buy this product hoping that it will control your oily skin, don't hold your breath. If you have dry skin, normal skin, or combination skin, this product might work for you.

This product is definitely lightweight. I don't feel it on my face once it fully absorbs.

The product is very thin and applies easily on the skin. It doesn't really dry to a matte finish. I mean, if you look at it, it is matte, however, when you touch it, you feel something there. Make sense? As for the claim of being formulated for acne-prone skin, I have not noticed breakouts from using this product. I have used this for 2 weeks.

Ingredients and Scent

Knowing the ingredients is always important to me, so count on me to include ingredients in my reviews. Again, please do your own research =) But, if you have any questions on any particular ingredient, let me know and I will try to help find information on it for you. The following ingredients were retrieved from Skin Deep.

• Avobenzone: a sunscreen agent that absorbs UV light.
• Octisalate: a sunscreen agent that is known to be a weak UV absorber.
• Octocrylene: a sunscreen agent that produces oxygen radicals upon exposure to UV light.
• Isopropyl lauroylsarcosinate: binder, skin conditioning agent, emolient.
• Glycerine: solvent, humectant.
• Dimethicone: sylicone based used as a lubricant or conditioning agent.
• Diisopropyl sebacate: emolient, solvent.
• Silica: anti-caking agent, absorbent.

As far as the scent, it has a very slight smell of sunscreen. Other than that, there is no other noticeable scent.

Packaging

The product comes in a pump bottle. One pump covers my whole face, and I use another pump for my neck and chest.

Final Thoughts

I have used Shiseido Ultimate Protection Cream for Face in the past and for some reason, after 4 or 5 months of use I started to break out so I stopped using it. After that I tried using Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sun Protection spf 55 and after 1 week of use I started to break out. So, for about 1 year now I have been trying to find a good lightweight sunscreen since my face is already so oily. I know how important sunscreen is for the face because after 1 year of not wearing sunscreen, I noticed my acne hyperpigmentation has gotten a lot worse as well as takes ages to fade away. So, hopefully I'm not speaking too soon by saying that this new Cetaphil sunscreen is my new favorite sunscreen. Hopefully (and I'm crossing my fingers), I won't all of a sudden start breaking out. If I do I will definitely update.

**Edit (1/17/13). While this product did not break me out, when the weather started to reach the Spring/Summer months, my makeup would just slide off my face =( For that reason, I stopped using this product and continued to use it just on my chest and arms. 

Review: Origins Make a Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment

For a very long time I have been in a hunt for a moisturizer that is suited for my very oily and acne prone skin. I have tried many brands under the sun (mostly drugstore) of which none has worked for me. I received a sample of the Origins Make a Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment from Macy's. I was actually at Macy's to try out VitaZing SPF 15 Energy-boosting Moisturizer, and the sales attendant insisted she try this on my face. Of course, she said she has been using this moisturizer for years and it has helped reduce her acne breakouts immensely.

Not thinking much of it, and not wanting to spend $38.50 for a moisturizer I'll probably end up returning anyway, I decided to ask for a sample instead. She gave me a sample that was good for a week.

After a week of use, I was sold and decided to purchase the full sized jar.

Product Claim

My acne breakouts are under control at the moment, however acne hyperpigmentation is a constant battle for me. I do not see any noticeable difference on my skin's hyperpigmentation issues. This product did not make the hyperpigmentation any worse or any better.

I did notice that my skin is less oily. I noticed that when I wake up in the morning the next day, my skin is calm, not red, more even in tone and not greasy. I have tried other moisturizers that seemed to exacerbate the oiliness of my face. This product definitely helped to balance the moisture level of my skin. Please note that I still have oily skin, however, it is not as oily as before.

So, figure out the needs of your skin. My biggest mistake in skincare is thinking that because my skin is oily, I needed to lather on products that mattify my skin. By really paying attention to my skin, I discovered that what I really needed was  a product that provided the right amount of hydration for my skin. By providing the right amount of hydration, my skin did not feel that need to produce more oil, which only contributes to acne and oilier skin.

Ingredients

Origins is formulated without (definitions were retrieved from National Institute of Health, dictionary.com and cosmeticsinfo.org):

• parabens: preservative
• pthalates: "Phthalates are used in a wide variety of products including enteric coatings of food and beverage containers, pharmaceutical pills and nutritional supplements, gelling agents, personal care products, medical devices, detergents, children's toys, nail polish, and many other applications."
• propylene glycol: "...properties which make them ideally suited for a variety of solvent applications." (Basically acts as a chemical in which other chemicals are dissolved into. For instance, sugar added into a glass of water --in this case, water is the solvent.)
• mineral oil: derived from petrolatum
• PABA: "a naturally occurring substance that is often used in sunscreen products."
• petrolatum: "Petrolatum occurs as a colorless or pale yellow semisolid. In cosmetics and personal care products, Petrolatum is used in the formulation of a variety of product types, including bath products, cleansing products, skin care products, makeup, shampoos, permanent waves, hair conditioners, shaving products, and suntan products."
• paraffin: "a white or colorless, tasteless, odorless, water-insoluble, solid substance not easily acted upon by reagents, consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons chiefly of the alkane series, obtained from crude petroleum: used in candles, for forming preservative coatings and seals, for waterproofing paper, etc."
• DEA: "...fatty acids derivatives of diethanolamine (DEA). In cosmetics and personal care products, these ingredients are used in the formulation of shampoos, hair dyes, bath products, and lotions."
• synthetic color
• synthetic fragrance 
• animal ingredients

So why is it important that Origins advertise the omission of  these ingredients? There is link between some of these ingredients to cancer, infertility, etc. Please do your own research and make informed decisions for yourself on whether or not these ingredients should be eliminated from your routine.

Packaging

The plastic jar is blue/green in color. Note that because it is a jar, you must make sure you wash your hands before you dip your fingers into the product. This prevents the product from being contaminated and growing bacteria that can potentially reduce the shelf-life of the product as well as potentially contribute to acne breakouts (if you are acne prone).

Front

Back

Texture and Color

The product is white in color and is a cream/gel consistency. It spreads very easily on the skin and is completely absorbed by my skin in about 3-5 minutes. It has a velvet or silky finish and is not greasy at all.

 

Final Thoughts

I would recommend this product to those who have oily to oily-combination skin. I use this product day and night after cleansing and toning. It has helped balance my skin from very oily to oily-combination. Although it is a little pricey, to me it's worth it because it does not contribute to my acne breakouts, thus improving the overall clarity of my skin in the long run.

Please leave any questions below.