If you’re not already addicted to legendary (and wallet-friendly) skincare brand Mario Badescu, then you’re about to be. It’s one of those brands that has a product (or 10) for just about everything. Dry patches? Shiny T-zone? Breakouts? Acne scars? You name it, Mario Badescu has a product for it.
But the question is, where to start? With so many Mario Badescu products to choose from it can be hard to know which ones will really help your skin, so we’ve tried and tested them all to figure out which will be the best for each and every skin type.
Dry skin
You experience:
– Tightness
– A dull/grey complexion
– Rough texture
– Flaky red patches
– Sore, itchy skin
When it comes to hydrating your skin, every little helps. A clever trick to boost hydration is to layer face mist on before and after your moisturiser to maximise its benefits. Spiked with aloe vera, rosewater, and thyme, this gives dull, dry skin an instant boost of hydration and radiance.
If you have dry skin, you’ll need to go the extra mile – which means making lip balm application part of your daily routine. The skin on our lips is incredibly thin, so it easily becomes dry and chapped – especially if you’re already prone to dryness elsewhere. This deeply nourishing balm will quickly repair dry lips.
Moisturising is obviously essential if you have dry skin, but it’s important that you get the right one for you. Specifically designed for dry skin, this rich cream uses hyaluronic acid to attract moisture to the skin and form a protective film over the skin. This film traps moisture and prevents it from escaping.
Oily skin
You experience:
– Shiny skin (especially on the T-zone)
– Enlarged pores
– Blackheads
– Breakouts
Designed to target breakouts and blocked pores, the Drying Mask uses natural minerals to cleanse and clear the skin. Ideal for minimising surface shine and absorbing impurities, while refreshing and balancing the complexion. Use twice a week to keep skin calm and clear.
AHAs (chemical exfoliants derived from fruit) gently slough makeup, dirt, oil, and buildup from pores to maintain balance and prevent breakouts while the refreshing, gel formula gives a super satisfying clean. It has rave reviews for good reason.
Combination skin
You experience a combination of:
– Excess oil
– Clogged pores
– Shiny T-zone
– Dryness on cheeks/jaw/hairline
– Flaky/red patches
When your skin veers between dry and oily, restoring calm and balance is the best way to get it under control. A soothing and refreshing blend of witch hazel, aloe, and lavender, this toner adds gentle hydration while removing excess oil without stripping skin of its natural moisture.
Gentle but exfoliating cleansers are ideal for combination skin but can be hard to come by. This formula efficiently cleanses without making skin feel dry or tight. What’s more, it doesn’t need water and can be removed with just cotton pads so your skin can get a good cleanse without feeling imbalanced.
Acne-prone skin
You experience:
– Blackheads
– Whiteheads
– Oily patches
– Painful/swollen red blemishes
– Cystic breakouts (under the skin spots)
– Congestion (patches of breakouts)
– Red marks (post-acne pigmentation)
If you’re dealing with a breakout, resist the urge to pick it (since this will cause more harm than good). Instead, apply this fast-acting treatment – the calamine, camphor, and sulfur dries up and shrinks the blemish (without irritating the surrounding skin) while salicylic acid clear the pore and zinc reduces inflammation and prevents scarring.
If you have acne-prone skin, resist the urge to use harsh scrubs and physical exfoliants – these will just irritate and inflame your breakouts further. Using this exfoliating acid instead is a much better way to treat congestion and will also help to remove deep-rooted blackheads, clear pores, reduce inflammation, and prevent scarring.
When you have acne it can be tempting to go in hard with strong products and harsh ingredients – but it’s important to remember that in most cases these will just inflame your acne and make it worse. This mask goes against the grain of conventional acne treatments – using natural-inflammatories like zinc, lemon, and otameal to calm swelling, redness, and pain.
Sensitive skin
You experience:
– Redness
– Irritation (easily triggered)
– Uneven tone and texture
– Reactions to products
This soothing spray combines three of the best-known anti-inflammatory ingredients (aloe, cucumber, and green tea) to help restore calm to irritated, sensitive skin. Mist on after cleaning or whenever your skin starts to feel reactive for instant refreshment.
Made with a gentle clay, rosehip oil, and zinc, this creamy mask is ideal for slathering on if you suffer from red, irritated skin. The results are instant – rinse off after 20 minutes to reveal a calmed, rejuvenated complexion.
If you have sensitive skin, it can be hard to find a moisturiser that effectively hydrates skin without leaving redness in its wake. This gentle formula lives up to its name, hydrating and strengthening skin from both the inside and out and instantly calming minor skin irritations.
