Acne Spot Treatments: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17.00)
The Drying Lotion is designed to be used as a spot treatment. It uses a combination of calamine and salicylic acid. (So when my boyfriend called me “Calamine-face”, he was actually correct!) Mario Badescu makes several different acne spot treatment products, each designed to combat a different type of acne. The Drying Lotion works best on whiteheads.
Since the spot treatment is pink, this is not something you apply before you leave the house! The best time to apply is shortly before bed. I have dark sheets, so I don’t really notice it smearing off at all while I’m sleeping, but those with lighter sheets (or sheets you don’t want this stuff on), just lay down a towel. I do find that this treatment works better and more consistently than other over-the-counter spot treatments I have tried. I wouldn’t say that it completely gets rid of your pimple overnight, but it does significantly reduce what you have.
You apply this product by dipping a q-tip into the glass jar, going all the way to the bottom (where the pink stuff lives), and then pulling it out. Apply it to any spots you need to treat, and you don’t really worry about rubbing it in or anything. It’s pretty easy, and the product dries within a few minutes, and it doesn’t come off that easily–it’ll take more than an oops moment to do it.
The product does smell like some real deal medicine/chemicals. If you look at the ingredient list, you’ll see a lot of heavy hitters like isopropyl alcohol, calamine, camphor, sulfur, salicylic acid, and so on. It works, and it doesn’t aggravate or cause the area to get worse, so I have no cause to complain.
This product IS drying, so use it with some discretion. I wouldn’t advise constantly treating the same spot over and over again. I do want to say that most acne spot treatments are drying, as this is the way they typically work, by drying the pimple so it goes away. I use Mario Badescu’s Hydrating Serum, which is like a super concentrated, clear moisturizer, on any areas that I feel are overly dry. I don’t find I get dry patches or noticeable dryness unless I’ve used it three nights in a row on the same spot (hence why I’ve learned and can tell you it’s better to alternate!). Hey, you do some crazy things when you want to get rid of your acne!
Next up in our Mario Badescu reviews… Buffering Lotion!
I have this, and yeah I wasn’t crazy about it when I tried it because I was expecting an “overnight miracle” (yeah right!) I agree with your review, and I wouldn’t use this often.
I liked it, and it works well enough for me. Nothing works overnight for me overall, LOL, so I’m happy with 2 nights.
I used to love this stuff. I used it when I was in middle school and during my Freshman year in high school. The only thing that would make me mad is that no matter how good screwed the cap on somehow the liquid inside like evaporated or something! So I would go through a couple of bottles and thats when I switched to something else that would last longer.
Oh no!! 🙁 That sucks!
What did you switch to?
I never read the ingredients but, when I would use it I’d always think that it reminded me of calamine lotion and chicken pox.
lol, I know, it’s so odd… but it works.
This stuff is great. It’s my go-to product for unexpected white heads
Ditto! So great!
I like this very much including the herby calamine smell. It really helps but its drying though, but it works so i don’t mind. it doesn’t smear or fall off on my bedsheets (make sure its dried before you go to bed but that doesn’t take long!) however, it’s quite hard to wash off with water the next morning.
My boyfriend doesn’t care for the scent, but I’ve grown used to it, thankfully! LOL!
I agree that it isn’t always easy to remove in the AM!
I have this too. I have been using it for yrs. It dosen’t work overnight but it does reduce the pimple you have and it either rubs off while i’m sleeping or can easily be rubbed off with a tissue or by washing your face in the morning.
I’m happy it works for you, Jen! 🙂 I never knew there were so many MB fans!
thanks for the review….more MB stuff please….thanks.