Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

May 24, 2010

Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion ($17, 1oz) is for acne spot treatment made with a blend of Calamine and Salicylic Acid to clear up and soothe whiteheads overnight. A small dab of this lotion will heal and dry pimples quickly with its unique blend. Salicylic Acid is a widely used ingredient in acne targeted skin care because it helps to exfoliate the top layer of skin and penetrates deep into the pores and Calamine is an oxide that helps to soothe your breakout to prevent scratching which can make the more red. This product is great for itchy mosquito bites, razor bumps, and ingrown hairs.The best time to use this is before bed after cleansing and moisturizing. DO NOT shake the bottle and apply only the pink sediment on the skin because this product works better then the pink sediment is more concentrated. Apply a dab of lotion directly on the whitehead using a cotton swab and do not rub it in. Let it dry and rinse off in the morning.

For me using this product did not completely clear the pimple over night. As the name says it did seem to dry up the pimple a little. With continued use through the second and third day I was able to see skin around the area begin to heal. There was less swelling and redness. When I used this I did not apply moisturizer on top of the problem area as directed to do so. It seemed ok to not do this but the skin around that area will be more dry and when you go to apply concealer on that area it will be flakey and more obvious that there is a pimple there. Upon applying the product it is cool on the skin but does sting. I do not know if other people get the stinging sensation but it does sting for a few seconds and this is the most sting I have felt from any spot treatment before. I don’t mind the stinging because I feel that the product works better the more it stings as it dries out the problem area. I thought it was strange to dip the q-tip all the way down to the bottom layer because the q-tip would absorb the first salicylic acid layer and be wet when I pull it out but the middle portion of the q-tip dried up quickly.

As for the packaging it is just a simple cap on top of a glass container. I wish this product was in a plastic container instead of glass so I do not need to worry about it falling off my desk and breaking, and also to bring it with me when I travel. Also, I wish the label was smaller or transparent so I can see the two distinct layers and know when I have reached the pink sediment layer without having to rotate the bottle looking for the small space between the label. (Edit: I learned that you can get a plastic container at Nordstrom and Ulta, and you can request one in the comments section at Mario Badescu’s site)

Overall I do recommend this product for those with acne as it works well. It is a little expensive but worth it. Just don’t double dip your q-tip into the bottle and contaminate it with bacteria from your face. Always use a new end. Also, if you toss and turn a lot at night try to apply this a little before you go to sleep to allow the product to absorb into your skin as it does get rubbed off.