Item: Mario Badescu Review: A Review of The 10 Best Mario Badescu Skin Care Products
Rating: 4.2
Author: The Derm Review

Mario Badescu is a European-inspired skin care brand that’s known for its low key packaging, clinical formulations, and affordable price point. Oh and let’s not forget the iconic Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, a bright pink liquid that promises to dry up a blemish overnight.

But do Mario Badescu products really work? In order to answer this question, we’ll discuss the formulation details, including the key ingredients in Mario Badescu skin care products and the research that supports (or doesn’t support) their use. We’ll also share some Mario Badescu reviews so that you can get an idea of what customers really think of these products.

What Are The Top 10 Best Mario Badescu Skin Care Products?

The Mario Badescu collection is a comprehensive line of products with more than 200 items, including day creams, night creams, eye creams, facial sprays and serums. Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 best Mario Badescu skin care products.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

If there’s one product from this brand that you’ve heard of, it’s the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. This acne spot treatment has developed a cult following of loyal customers, beauty editors, celebrities, and skin care professionals worldwide. Why? The bright pink formula can make a blemish basically disappear overnight.

The highest concentration ingredient in the Drying Lotion is isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol. This ingredient will definitely dry out a blemish, but it can also dry out your skin. Since this is a spot treatment, we think the alcohol in the formula is okay if you need to get rid of a zit ASAP. But it’s not something you want to be using on a regular basis.

Additional blemish-fighting ingredients in Mario Badescu Drying Lotion include calamine, sulfur, zinc oxide, and salicylic acid.

One thing you’ll notice about Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is that there’s a separation of pink sediment at the bottom and clear liquid on top, which may tempt you to shake the bottle. But no matter how tempted you are, don’t shake the bottle!

Think of it this way: The pink dot you make on your face works like a teeny overnight mask that gives targeted attention to your blemish. You want the product to be clay-like when it’s applied so that it goes on opaque and pink, completely covering the bump. When you shake, that sediment becomes diluted.

Bottom Line: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is an acne spot treatment that combines isopropyl alcohol with calamine, sulfur, zinc oxide, and salicylic acid to help dry out blemishes overnight.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray

Mario Badescu Facial Spray is a rejuvenating mist infused with herbal and botanical extracts that help soothe and hydrate skin, resulting in a healthy, radiant glow. It can be used to give your makeup a dewy finish, as a midday pick-me-up, or anytime you need to revive dehydrated skin.

There’s quite a few humectants in this formula, including propylene glycol, aloe vera, and bladderwrack extract. These ingredients bind moisture, thereby improving hydration in the upper layers of skin.

The one thing we don’t love about this formula is the inclusion of fragrance ingredients. While fragrance certainly creates a pleasant sensorial experience, these fragrance ingredients have the potential to cause skin irritation.

That’s because all fragrance ingredients (whether natural or synthetic) impart scent through a volatile reaction, and this natural reaction almost always causes a sensitizing reaction on skin. Even if you don’t have a full blown reaction to the ingredient, the damage may still be occurring every day.

Bottom Line: Mario Badescu Facial Spray contains hydrating ingredients that help to impart a dewy glow, but the inclusion of fragrance in this formula isn’t doing your skin any good.

Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum

Just as the name suggests, vitamin C is the key ingredient in Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum. In fact, the formula includes three forms of vitamin C — ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid — for enhanced stability.

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that helps to protect your skin from environmental free radical damage.Furthermore,research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it can. Vitamin C also helps to promote a brighter complexion with fewer dark spots and a more even skin tone by inhibiting melanin synthesis.

You’ll also find supporting ingredients in this formula, such as hydrating humectants, skin-softening emollients, and soothing botanical extracts like cucumber and ginseng.

Bottom Line: Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum combines three forms of vitamin C into one formula to promote a brighter, firmer complexion.

Mario Badescu Whitening Mask

This clay-based mask includes skin-brightening ingredients like kojic acid, licorice root, and mulberry extract. All of these ingredients work in unique ways to reduce the formation of dark spots while also promoting more even skin tone.

These brightening ingredients are formulated into a base of kaolin, a type of natural clay that helps to absorb excess oil and unclog pores. It also helps to gently exfoliate your skin as you wash the mask off.

Unfortunately, this mask contains a few problematic ingredients, including two parabens as preservatives and a synthetic fragrance blend.

Bottom Line: A clay-based mask that contains beneficial skin-brightening ingredients, but keep in mind the formula contains parabens and fragrance.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner

This is an alcohol-free toner that provides mild exfoliation thanks to the alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) glycolic acid combined with soothing aloe vera leaf juice.

While glycolic acid is known to improve skin brightness and clarity while reducing blackheads and bumps, we can’t recommend this toner due to the presence of parabens and fragrance.

Fortunately, there are plenty of other glycolic acid toners on the market, one of our favorites being The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toning Solution.

Bottom Line: An alcohol-free, mild resurfacing toner that uses glycolic acid to promote mild exfoliation, but keep in mind the formula includes parabens and fragrance.

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion

This is a lightweight, quick-absorbing solution specifically designed to target large, under-the-surface bumps.

Similar to the Drying Lotion, the highest concentration ingredient in this formula is isopropyl alcohol. While this type of alcohol can cause skin dryness and even damage when used long term, the Buffering Lotion is a rinse-off product so it should be okay if you need to get rid of bumps right away.

The formula also includes beneficial ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol, and allantoin. We love all three of these ingredients, but it’s better to use them in leave-on products. Since Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion is only meant to be left on for 15 minutes, these ingredients don’t have much time to provide benefits.

Bottom Line: Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion is a rinse-off treatment that combines isopropyl alcohol with niacinamide, panthenol, and allantoin to target large, under-the-surface bumps.

Mario Badescu Drying Cream

This formula is similar to the popular Drying Lotion, but the Drying Cream has a thicker, creamier texture with a few different ingredients, such as ichthammol.

Ichthammol, also referred to as “drawing salve”, is derived from sulfur. It works by softening skin cells, which allows pus to be drawn to the surface, thereby helping to get rid of a blemish quickly.

There are quite a few additional key ingredients in the Drying Cream formula, including zinc oxide, sulfur, beeswax, niacinamide, and panthenol. But, unfortunately, this is another Mario Badescu product that contains parabens and fragrance.

Bottom Line: Mario Badescu Drying Cream is a spot treatment for acne that uses ingredients like zinc oxide, sulfur, and ichthammol to dry out blemishes, but keep in mind this product contains parabens and fragrance.

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel

The brand’s best selling face wash is the Enzyme Cleansing Gel, a lightweight refreshing cleanser that helps to remove excess oil and surface impurities.

Like most cleansers, the formula contains surfactants as key ingredients. A surfactant molecule contains one end that is hydrophilic (attracted to water) and one end that is lipophilic (attracted to oil). This allows surfactants to attract and suspend oils, dirt, and other impurities that have accumulated on the skin and wash them away.

The name of this product includes “enzyme” because of the papaya fruit extract in the formula. Papaya is rich in an enzyme called papain.

Papain works on the surface of the skin to dissolve keratin, a protein found within skin that acts as a glue to keep skin cells together. By dissolving keratin, the papain enzyme helps to exfoliate the top layer of dead skin cells, leaving skin looking brighter with a more even tone. Exfoliating the skin also helps to prevent acne since the buildup of dead skin cells can clog pores.

Note: This cleanser includes parabens and fragrance.

Bottom Line: A refreshing gel cleanser that uses surfactants and papaya fruit extract to clean and exfoliate the skin.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser

The Glycolic Foaming Cleanser is meant to replace your regular cleanser 1 to 3 times a week in order to address dullness, congestion, and hyperpigmentation.

Glycolic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that exfoliates the skin by targeting corneocytes (dead skin cells that make up the stratum corneum) in a process called corneocyte desquamation. By enhancing their breakdown and increasing the separation of skin cells, the rate of cell turnover is increased, leading to smoother, brighter skin and a more even complexion.

The cleanser also includes surfactants to remove excess oil and surface impurities, as well as soothing extracts like marsh mallow extract, chamomile extract, yarrow extract, and St. John’s Wort extract.

Note: This cleanser includes parabens and fragrance.

Bottom Line: An exfoliating cleanser that uses glycolic acid to address dullness, congestion, and hyperpigmentation.

Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream

This is a lightweight oil-free face cream that contains the seaweed bladderwrack as the key ingredient.

Bladderwrack helps soothe the skin due to its rich supply of B vitamins, calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, and silicon that contribute to its anti-inflammatory benefits.

This night cream also includes the hydrating ingredients sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed elastin, and soluble collagen. These ingredients bind moisture to the skin, thereby hydrating the skin while also helping it to look more plump and youthful.

But as you can probably guess by now, this formula is packed with fragrance and parabens, making this a product we cannot recommend.

Bottom Line: Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream features the seaweed bladderwrack as the key ingredient, with supporting key ingredients like sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed elastin, and soluble collagen.

Is The Mario Badescu Drying Lotion Right For You?

Before purchasing Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, here’s a summary of the most important factors to consider:

Key ingredients? Isopropyl alcohol, calamine, sulfur, zinc oxide, salicylic acid
Skin type? Acne-prone skin
Texture? Clay-like liquid
Fragrance? No
Cruelty free? Yes
Cost? $17 USD for 1 fl oz

What Are The Key Ingredients in Mario Badescu Skin Care Products?

There’s a range of key ingredients used throughout the Mario Badescu skin care collection, but most of the ingredients are pretty standard. For example, the brand uses AHAs, salicylic acid, sodium hyaluronate, vitamin C, glycerin, surfactants, emollients, and aloe vera. These are common skin care ingredients that you can easily find in products by other brands.

The brand’s acne spot treatment products, such as the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion and Drying Cream, are slightly more innovative, with key ingredients like calamine and ichthammol. These ingredients aren’t used often in the skin care industry anymore, but perhaps you recognize them from your grandmother’s medicine cabinet.

Yes, that’s right, both of these ingredients have quite a long history of use. Ichthammol was first discovered in the early 1880s, and the use of calamine lotion dates back as far as 1500 BC.

While these ingredients certainly have a long history of use, there’s actually not much research supporting their use for acne. Both ingredients work by drying out the blemish, which is a short term solution and doesn’t actually address the root cause of acne.

According to Healthline, using calamine lotion as spot treatment can help because calamine lotion has drying properties, it can help dry out pimples caused by excess oil faster. But overdrying acne can cause irritation and make acne worse, so calamine lotion should be used sparingly.

Now onto the not-so-good ingredients you’ll find in these products. As you probably noticed from our descriptions of the best Mario Badescu skin care products, this brand uses parabens and fragrance in nearly all of their products. So why is this a problem? Let’s take a look at the research.

Parabens are preservatives used to extend the shelf life of a product by preventing microbial contamination. The use of parabens in cosmetics and skin care products is controversial because there is conflicting research on the potential health consequences of long term exposure to parabens.

According to the parabens can act like the hormone estrogen in the body and disrupt the normal function of hormone systems affecting male and female reproductive system functioning, reproductive development, fertility, and birth outcomes. Parabens are easily absorbed into the skin, which means that continuously using products that contain parabens could lead to elevated estrogen in the body.

As for the fragrance used in Mario Badescu products, we already mentioned that fragrance has the potential to cause skin sensitivity. In addition, the use of synthetic fragrance ingredients can be a problem because the brand can use a proprietary blend of chemicals to create the fragrance, and they do not have to disclose which chemicals they use on the label. They are allowed to list this blend as “Fragrance (Parfum)” on the ingredient list.

A 2018 study by Women’s Voices for the Earthdiscovered that in over 3,000 chemicals reportedly used for fragrances, 1,242 were chemicals of concern – and that included at least 7 possible carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents.

How Much Do Mario Badescu Skin Care Products Cost?

Mario Badescu is a mid-priced brand; the products are slightly more than your average drugstore product, yet they are far more affordable than luxury brands like Drunk Elephant and SK-II.

Just to give you an idea of the current prices of these products, the Mario Badescu Drying Lotions costs $17 USD for 1 fl oz and the Facial Spray costs just $7 for 4 fl oz.

Where to Buy Mario Badescu Skin Care Products?

Mario Badescu Skin Care products are sold on the brand’s website, as well as many third party online retailers, such as Sephora, Ulta, Walmart, and more. The brand also has a store locator on their website so you can find a retail location near you that sells Mario Badescu skin care products.

What is The Mario Badescu Return Policy?

The Mario Badescu return policy states, “At Mario Badescu, we work hard to ensure that you’re using the absolute best products for your hair and skin. However, we want to be certain that you are completely satisfied with your purchase. As such, we have a 30-day money back guarantee on our entire line of products purchased on MarioBadescu.com or in the Mario Badescu Skin Care Salon.”

Is Mario Badescu Cruelty Free?

Yes, Mario Badescu is cruelty free.

Is Mario Badescu Vegan?

Mario Badescu may offer some vegan products, but this brand is not 100% vegan.

Mario Badescu Reviews

Mario Badescu reviews on the Derm Review are mixed. You can find these further down the page.

Our Verdict

Overall, we think that some Mario Badescu skin care products are better than others, and we would recommend avoiding the products that include parabens and fragrance.

Pros

Products contain evidence-based ingredients like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin C, and more
Many positive Mario Badescu reviews
Mario Badescu is cruelty free
Affordable

Cons

Most products contain fragrance
Most products contain parabens
The isopropyl alcohol in acne spot treatment products may cause excessive skin dryness

FURTHER QUESTIONS

Is Mario Badescu Good?

Based on our research into the product formulations and the customer reviews, it’s clear that some Mario Badescu products are better than others. What works for one person may not work for another, and it may take some trial-and-error to see which products work best with your skin. But in our opinion, we’d recommend avoiding the Mario Badescu skin care products that contain parabens and fragrance.

Who is Mario Badescu?

Mario Badescu was a Romanian-born skin care entrepreneur who had a background in chemistry and cosmetology. He opened his eponymous New York salon in 1967 and quickly gained a loyal following for his European style facials. He later created a botanical based skin care line to compliment his facials. Today the Mario Badescu spa still exists in the same location in New York, and the brand has expanded exponentially.

How to Use Mario Badescu Drying Lotion?

If there’s one thing to remember about Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, it’s this: don’t shake the bottle! Before bed (after cleansing and toning), dip a cotton swab into the pink sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Dab directly on the surface blemish; do not rub in. Let dry and rinse off in the morning. Do not use it on broken skin.

References:
Nutrients. 2017 Aug; 9(8): 866.
Healthline “Does Calamine Lotion Treat and Help Prevent Acne?”
EWG “What Are Parabens, And Why Don’t They Belong in Cosmetics?” April 2019
Women’s Voices for the Earth “Unpacking The Fragrance Industry” 2018

Marian Original review: Apr 02, 2021. Reply

I recently have breakouts because of stress, mask and I think this new lifestyle that I have triggered my acnes. At first, I’m afraid to try Mario Badescu products because I have a sensitive skin and it may worsen the my acnes but because of the good reviews online, I took the risk. Its worth it!!! This is holy grail!

Kathy Original review: Sep 02, 2019. Reply

omg I have aging skin with pores beginning to get larger and splotches, this cleansing milk with carnation and rice oil makes my skin look smoother

Haley Original review: Jun 23, 2019. Reply

Nice article. I don’t really remember having many issues with acne over the years; I’ve tried products from Elf &, for the most part, they’ve worked pretty well for me. A while back, I had heard about Mario Badescu facial sprays from watching makeup collection videos on YouTube. So, I wanted to give it a try & I purchased some. At first, it seemed to be pretty nice on my skin; it felt calming, cooling, & it didn’t seem to bother it. Then, somewhere along the line, I started to notice that it felt more greasy/sticky on my skin & it wouldn’t really absorb or anything, it just kind of remained wet feeling & a little sticky.

Then, after a while, I started developing texture on my skin; Comedone-like bumps in certain areas of my forehead, chin & jawline, as well as a few other areas of my face. I also began breaking out a lot more, the more I used it, (& I’ve used it A LOT). I’ve been trying to figure out exactly what’s been causing it; my diet is fairly healthy, I drink enough water, I use other decent skincare products, in fact, a lot of the products that I use seem to help clear my skin a little bit. But over time of using this spray, my skin has just gotten increasingly worse, no matter what else I’ve used.

Now, today, after reading dozens & dozens & DOZENS of negative reviews for this product, I now realize that this is probably what’s been causing all these excessive breakouts and texture. The majority of the reviews that I’ve read have all listed the exact same issues I’ve dealt with since using a bunch of different sprays from this brand:

Strange texture I’ve never had before
Uneven skin tone
Excessive breakouts, etc, etc.

Also, after reading about the lawsuit they went through with the steroids, it’s safe to say that I will not be repurchasing from them ever again. That’s just my experience, my opinion. It might work well for other people, & to them, I say good for you. 🙂 <3

Maggie Original review: Jul 17, 2018. Reply

Don’t use this!!! It is not good for your skin!! You are right about all the bad ingredients in it. I’m glad you read the labels cuz most people don’t

I have been in the beauty industry for years and this product is junk!
The sprays are food dye with water. Check out the ingredients!
The drying lotion is alcohol and calamine lotion! All that’s going to do is make it worse!

And I tried to claim that it’s natural because they put two natural ingredients in it. IT IS NOT NATURAL!!!!!
The reason the product is so inexpensive is because they put in cheap ingredients, none of this is high-end
I always urge people please please read the ingredients!

lily Original review: May 10, 2018. Reply

I’ve always heard great things about mario badescu,so i decided to give it a try, recently i have been using mario badescu acne products which came in a bundle. this product has completely destroyed my skin!! i wouldn’t consider my skin to have been sensitive, make sure you educate yourself on the product you are purchasing.

Christi Original review: Sep 02, 2017. Reply

I love Mario Badescu! I have oily, pimple prone, stressed, uneven skin tone, pores…name it i got it. LOL. Perhaps because I am not really into any special skin care regimen. Until recently when my acne came back.. I was browsing through an online store and saw good reviews about this brand which is not familiar (since i am an average income earner in the Philippines) for someone in my stature. They are selling expensive MB at high-end stores in Manila, but online you can actually buy it on repack portions (advantage living in the 3rd world haha), you just need to be careful choosing the seller as I have been a victim of online scams in the past. Anywy, i tried the MB anti acne starter kit. The acne cleanser smells and feels so clean (sterile), the cucumber lotion smells fruity and clean too, the moisturizer though its oil free tends to bring out oil on my face so I put very light amount, the drying cream blends well with my skin color (beige) and is effective in speeding up the drying process. I had to purchaee thr drying lotion and acne serum to complete the acne treatment as I read so many good reviews about these two products too. I only used the anti acne kit for leas than a week and yes, all my pimples dried up now. Unlike other anti acne products which tends to make your skin look erroded, MB delivers gentle yet so poweful formula. I couldnt be more grateful for discovering this brand. Now i am trying their anti aging regimen (glycolic cleanser, toner, collagen mask, moisturizer and eye gel) and I AM LOVING IT TO PIECES! Who cares anout the price anyway if it is truly worth every peso? ❤️❤️❤️

Ginger Original review: Feb 20, 2017. Reply

I have very dry sensitive skin, my face was flaky even though I exfoliate regularly and moisturize daily. I recently turned thirty and my same routine was not working anymore. Honestly the moisturizer plus my makeup would just look oily and cakey with little flakes of skin peeling up. I felt like old peeling wallpaper and it was embarrassing to have dandruff in my eyebrows.
That being said, I ordered the glycolic foaming cleanser, glycolic toner, cellufirm syrum and rosehip syrum. With that came a nice travel bag, rosewater facial spray and 2 free samples of my choice (i chose 2 masks, I haven’t used yet). So far, I love the products. They smell amazing. I wake up and my skin looks refreshed, I use the 2 syrums and spray as moisturizer and my makeup goes on nicely, I’m not greasy and the flakiness has gone away. The toner and syrums, I use twice a day, and the cleanser, twice a week (it can irritate the skin of overused). I use biore baking soda scrub on the other days but am thinking when it runs out I’ll choose another MB daily cleanser. I love this stuff and will be reordering in the future.

Lauren Original review: Jan 11, 2017. Reply

I adore the seaweed night cream as well. I’ve been using it for about 2 weeks now and it has made a HUGE difference with my skin (naturally oily / large pores, no major acne problems). It feels so soft and smooth and healthy.

NC Original review: Nov 27, 2016. Reply

I have not tried Mario Badescu ..I wanted to buy the enzyme cleanser which smells heavenly and has neat things like papaya .. but what is throwing me way off is that is contains Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea all the no – nos .. so I do not understand why so many irritating ingredients in his products ?????

Demetree Original review: Nov 24, 2016. Reply

i started using this product about 3 weeks ago. I have adult acne that comes and go and i have sensitive skin. i see a change in my skin texture and PH already. i love the way my skin feels and look. It has a glow now. i use the cleanser , a toner and the drying mask. it’s definitely worth investing. i tried so many products and nothing has had my skin looking and feeling the way it does now. I”M SURELY LOVING THE SKIN I”M IN!!!!!!!!

ANnie Original review: Jul 13, 2015. Reply

I came here for a spa package my bf brought me, it included a facial, mani-pedi, and a body scrub…i don’t know why but they scheduled my body scrub AFTER my mani/pedi, i thought that was weird but i figure this is an established spa, they would know better than me…NOT! My nails were completely ruin by the time I leave the place!!! Money, down the drain….
To be fair, the ladies who did my treatments were very professional and nice…Svetlana, who did my body scrub was an angel, she took her time and she was soo funny! Made my tx very at ease.
At the end, i am definitely not going back for mani/pedi..facials i would only recommend it to someone who has skin problems…but the body scrub was nice, too bad they don’t have a vichy shower, r i would definitely go back

Mary P Original review: Feb 11, 2015. Reply

I have been using Mario Badescu products for many many years. I have dry, sensitive skin and tend to get Rosacia in winter. After trying many things and spending a small fortune I was given a gift certificate to Mario Badescu and have never looked back. The products are reasonably priced, they work well, and if you are ever not satisified with a product they will take it back and recommend something else.

Diana Original review: Dec 04, 2014. Reply

I’m new to Mario B’s line. I have quickly obtained multiple products to help with adult acne and wrinkles. I love the routine, the simplicity of the ingredients and how quickly results are noticed. The buffering lotion and strawberry scrub are wonderful! Thanks for being an affordable and effective skin care line.

Jdy blk Original review: May 02, 2014. Reply

I absolutely love these products! I have t-zone dry skin and I am using the keratoplast cream soap, the moisture magnet moisturizer, super collagen mask & facial spray with aloe herbs & rose water!. I see such a difference in my skin! I highly recommend!

Juji Original review: May 01, 2014. Reply

I am not a comment writer. But I love a
Mario Badescu that much! I’m Asian w dry sensitive skin. I’ve spent thousands of dollars in my 43 years trying all kinds of beauty regimens and this brand is hands down the best for your money. Clean, natural with no animal products and testing. It’s a brand with integrity and quality. I am a huge fan of the seaweed face soap, vitamin C serum (I swear to god it works!!), rose water face spray and the list goes on and on.

Megan Original review: Mar 20, 2014. Reply

I was wanting to try this in a sample as well but wondered where did you sign up for the free sample?

Andrea Original review: Feb 07, 2014. Reply

I have been using the anti aging kit because I was in need of an inexpensive facial line until I got $.It’s been 2 weeks and I can already see a difference under my eye.My lines aren’t as noticeable as before.The only things I would change are the packaging because it doesn’t grab your attention & the eye cream & moisturizer is a lil too oily.

Juniper Original review: Dec 07, 2013. Reply

Try Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream. Whoever developed this cream has done a good job. This is my second favorite skin care product. I have repurchased this product 3 times now.

Maryann Original review: Nov 24, 2013. Reply

First off, I love the packaging–it is plain, no glitz, and keeps the cost down, which tells me that I am paying for the product, not the packaging which sometimes costs more than the product.
Secondly, MB offers a thirty day guarantee, something top shelf brands do not offer.

I have finally found a product that incorporates the best ingredients: peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, willowbark, ceramides. I was not expecting a miracle (I am 74) but MB Vit C serum has brightened my skin and hyaluronic acid keeps my skin hydrated and silky. I am hoping I will see some improvement with the peptide serum.

Bottom line:I am more than happy with Badescu products and intend to purchase other products in this line.

Lucio Original review: Oct 04, 2013. Reply

I have been using Mario Badescu products for a little while however do not see a lot of improvement in my skin. The products feel beautiful but I want something stronger that will help with my facial wrinkles. I will keep using these products and probably buy more because they feel so nice on my skin but I want to combine it with something more potent like a retinol cream.

Tillie Original review: Sep 19, 2013. Reply

I have been using Mario Badescu products for many years. I am a devote follower and have found no other product line that works like this one. I have acne prone, dry, sensitive skin and tend to get Rosacia. I have tried many, many different products and have had everything from breakouts, to rash response to allergic reactions with cystic pimples and swelling and fever. So I need to be very careful what I put on my face. Just because something says its for sensitive skin, doesn’t mean it’s mild enough for sensitive skin. Since I’ve found Mario B’s products my skin is wonderful. Every time I to. Out of product for a few weeks I start seeing the difference in my skin and run back to their products. I’ve used many of the products/ the Glycolic cleanser, the Kiwi Mask, the silver powder, the collegen mask, the oil free moisturizer, and many others. I’m never disappointed. This product delivers and doesn’t break your wallet. I admire the no frills packaging. Just tell me what’s in the darn product and what it’s good for. That’s what they do and I love them for it! I will never use anything else. Every time I’ve tried the stupid samples I get from Ulta I get disappointed and it reassures me I should never leave Mario B!

Lena Seva Original review: Sep 16, 2013. Reply

I use Mario Badescu seeweed cleanser and nights cream. Totally love it. I have sensitive skin and after using Mario Badescu product my skin looks refreshed in the morning.
I would recommend it to people with combination sensitive skin.

Petra Original review: Sep 08, 2013. Reply

I have used Mario Badescu products for a number of years and I have no lines or wrinkles. I found their products after walking past the boutique in new york a while ago and have been purchasing their products online. I highly recommend Mario Badescu if you like natural products that work.

Sidney Original review: Aug 26, 2013. Reply

They actually aren’t an organic line and you should by no means, eat their products. Their buffering lotion contains propylene glycol and isopropyl alcohol which are man-made chemicals and preservatives. This doesn’t mean Mario Badescu aren’t an incredible line of skincare with amazing results to prove it. I’m a huge fan of Mario Badescu. Just keep in mind that in order for a line to be organic, they MUST have a label proving they have certified their ingredients through the FDA. Organic products also have a very short shelf life because the ingredients, naturally, break down quickly. A lot of companies will use flashy lines that say something like, “plant based” or “organic essential oils.” Neither of these things mean they are 100% organic.

I have suffered from acne for nearly ten years and had never found a routine that made any visible difference. That is until a friend recommended Mario. I use his acne cleanser in the morning accompanied by his acne toner. I use a Bobbi Brown moisturizer but only because I had a full jar of it at home. At night, I use his enzyme cleanser as it removes makeup and the ingredients assisting the lihtening of my existing acne scars. I also use his Acne Serum, Buffering Lotion and Origins Night-A-Mins.. The Buffering Lotion is the most potent, results oriented and incredibly product I’ve ever used. I’ve worked in prestige cosmetics for over six years for companies such as Clinique, Origins, Ulta and Sephora. In all of these lines, I’ve never found a product that makes such a noticeable difference, so quickly, with so little irritation. The only other products I use are Origins Out Of Trouble mask and his Whitening Mask. This routine is guaranteed to make a difference for anyone if it worked for a chronic acne sufferer like me. As for the reviews based on his packaging? The bland packaging puts the focus on the actual product and is the cause for the low price point. The cost for flashy advertising, fancy boxes and witty names isn’t passed on to the consumer as it is with so many other brands. I actual admire them for this.

Ellen Original review: Aug 22, 2013. Reply

My skin has it all. Dryness, oiliness, sensitivity, eczema, psoriasis, wrinkles, and menopausal acne! I discovered Mario Badescu in Ulta. I called and ordered more products from New York and they were so helpful! Just started with seaweed soap and keratoplast toner and my skin feels amazing with no irritation! I like the no-nonsense packaging and affordability. I am a new devoted follower And I am throwing my expensive cosmetics in the garbage!

Laura Original review: Aug 22, 2013. Reply

I just started using the Mario Badescu line. I have Rosacea and when i break out, it is not a pimple here or there. I get really bad cystic acne and it spreads fast. And I am allergic to formaldehyde. Which js in EVERYTHING!! I went to Ulta to buy my Bare Minerals foundation and I started browsing the skin care lines to for one I can use on my weird face. I found a couple popular brands but when I started reading the ingredients list, I got scared. The list was long! And the more ingredients that I can’t pronounce usually means “don’t even think about it”. So I went around the corner and found this line. Simple. 5 ingredients that I can pronounce! No formaldehyde! And the back of the buffering lotion bottle mentioned its use for cystic pimples. I was sold! If you have an Ulta in your area, get a membership. You get points and you can use them towards your purchase. I didn’t know this until tonight, so my 1700 points saved me 73 $ at the checkout!!
When I came home I immediately washed my face with the cleanser I bought and used the astringent and lotion and already saw a huge difference jn the size of my cystic pimples! In a week I will know if this line can keep up with my sensitive, complicated, rather dry skin! I am so excited!

kaycat Original review: Aug 21, 2013. Reply

I love Mario Badescu products! I recently started using them a month ago, and truly notice a big difference. It’s like I got some of my old self back becuz my face looks more like it did five years ago. I’m almost 50 and always looked young for my age until about the last year or so when aging started to speed up. I notice mainly less sagging, better texture and more glow. The positive results showed almost right away and got even better over the course of a couple of weeks. I signed up for free samples package which was quite generous. Now I’m looking at their prices and think they are very good prices for such a premium product. The olive oil eye cream is $18, for example, and I feel confident getting it because I have used the generous sample. I like their scrub and collagen for a quick pick-me-up. I’ve tried Olay and lots of other things. I’d put it up there with Clarins and such products that I cannot afford.

Rachel Original review: Aug 14, 2013. Reply

I staryed with Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. I dont use this product anymore and dont even like it but for the time it was good. I still get acne and when I breakout I go straight to the healing and soothing mask and it reduced inflammation and takes the redness our of my zits.
I wish i could go into the Mario Badescu store but I live on the west coast.

Martina Original review: Aug 08, 2013. Reply

Mario Badescu should be charged 2-3 times more for its products. I would pay that much and that is how much they are worth. Look at all the other organic brands and see how much they charge, Mario Badescu products are very high quality and very natural. They are not all organic but they always try to use organic ingredients. I have been to their store and they have sample started kits that let you try the entire range.

Erin Original review: Aug 02, 2013. Reply

I have been using Mario Badescu for a number of years and really love their products. Mario Badescu contains naturlal organic ingredients and has a nice fruit and vegetable fragrance. Their facial masks are beautiful and their cleansers are very thorough but don’t try the skin. They maintain the skins natural ph level. I have many many Mario Badescu products and they have long expiry dates due to the natural preservatives in fruit.