2016 has been a tricky year for me skin-wise. For the first 4-5 months I was suffering from prominent acne down both sides of my cheeks. It was a reminder of just how crippling adult acne can be and I was determined to beat it.
2016 has been a tricky year for me skin-wise. For the first 4-5 months I was suffering from prominent acne down both sides of my cheeks. It was a reminder of just how crippling adult acne can be and I was determined to beat it. I’m a huge fan of Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion (read a full review HERE) and had some success with a couple of other products, so I decided to take the plunge and revert my whole skincare regime to Mario Badescu.
One thing I really like about Mario Badescu is their starter kits which allow you to trial an entire product line without shelling out a small fortune. I did quite a bit of research about all the various products available as the entire line is pretty extensive and ended up deciding on the Acne Starter Kit and Skin Brightening Kit.
The Acne Starter Kit comes with 5 travel sized products. It calls upon the effective powers of salicylic acid, sulfur, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera to help treat blemish-prone complexions. I’m going to talk about each product individually as not everyone will need to use the entire line and I want to touch on what each tackles in case you have a particular problem area you want to work on.
This is the cleanser I pretty much use on a daily basis. Despite it containing Salicylic Acid it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin and most importantly it’s effective. Also, it lasts really well, my tiny little bottle seemed to go on and on.
I know toners are slightly out of fashion at the moment but I love them. The Special Cucumber Cleansing Lotion is refreshing and effective at tightening pores without feeling drying or irritating. It also seems to last for ages, as I only need a little on a cotton pad.
As an evening moisturiser goes this is pretty great and covers all the basics; it doesn’t irritate my skin, very nourishing and sinks in with ease. Personally, I don’t like to use it in the morning because even though it’s oil free, I find it a little too thick, especially underneath makeup. In the summer months I feel as though it encourages my makeup to slip and slide all down my face.
I wouldn’t say this mask is bad but I personally wouldn’t purchase the full size product. It’s seriously drying, so to be fair it does exactly what is says on the tin and if you have very oily skin this could be great for you. My big issue with it is the smell is pretty hideous and it lingers, so often I can still smell it on my hands the next day. I just think there are so many better face masks on the market.
This is basically just another version of the Drying Lotion but what I like about this one is it’s flesh toned so you can use it under makeup for those really awful spots you want to eradicate ASAP. Like the Drying Mask, it doesn’t smell great so I apply with a cotton bud to avoid getting any on my fingers.
I feel like the name of this kit is a bit misleading, I almost wish it was called the acne kit instead, as this is what I credit my clearer skin to. I really liked using the acne kit for daily use but this one was incredibly effective at tackling my acne and had almost instantaneous results.
I really believe reverting to the Mario Badescu line as a whole has been a saviour for my skin but if I had to pick one stand out product this would be it. I only use this cleanser 3 times a week but I can see a substantial difference in my skin the mornings after use; the results are that effective. Just don’t get it in your eyes because boy does it sting! Also, I always make sure when using this, to finish off with a thick or intensive moisturiser or face oil as it’s very stripping, even on my oily skin.
My thoughts on this are very similar to the Special Cucumber Lotion above. The only point worth noting is this one is geared more towards sensitive skin.
This one I haven’t tried as I don’t feel at the moment my skin requires it but if you’ve tried it, I would love to know your thoughts on it.
As the Glycolic Foaming Cleanser is very drying, using this under your moisturiser is an absolute must. The vitamin C reduces discolouration, adds vibrancy and retains skin’s natural moisture, all of which I can happily account for being absolutely true.
I haven’t tried this yet as it’s suggested for mature and dry skin which aren’t either of my problem areas (yet). If anyone has tried it, please let me know how you got on with it.
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I hope this Mario Badescu skincare review was useful. I know it’s on the long side but I wanted to make this as comprehensive and helpful as possible. If there is anyone else out there that suffers from adult acne and has any tips please share them. Likewise, if anyone has any questions about my skincare journey let me know (leave a comment below or email me at enquries@thatnewdress.com) as I’m fully aware of how difficult it is and confidence destroying bad skin can be.
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