Mario Badescu Drying Cream $12 Review & Swatches

This Drying Cream is another item from the Acne Repair Kit.

I feel like this is the daytime alternative to the Drying Lotion and the Buffering Lotion since it supposedly can be used under makeup.

Here's a pic of the stuff in it's plastic tub. I know - it's not very pretty to look at.

The Verdict: B
I can't say that I've used this a lot. There is a really strong chemically smell to the Drying Cream so I just don't find myself reaching for this.

Aside from the smell, it's not spreadable or absorbed easily by the skin. This makes it difficult for me to use with makeup. The cream has a beigy-tan color to it and I find it doesn't work well with foundation.

Also, when I try to blend this in, it goes all over and onto areas of skin that don't have breakouts. The cream will dry out the unneeded areas and make the skin peely.

But does it work? Yes - it definitely helps to dry out pimples even faster when used together with either the Drying Lotion or the Buffering Lotion.

Swatches

Here's some of the Drying Cream before blending.

Here it is after blending. It's still sitting on the surface of the skin and leaves a white film over the skin.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion $17 Review & Swatches

This item is part of the Acne Repair Kit that I purchased.

The Drying Lotion is to be used on pimples that have formed into whiteheads. The product has 2 components to it: a clear watery liquid that takes up the top 2/3 of the container and a pink powdery sediment that is on the bottom 1/3 of the contents.

Just as the directions say, you dip a Q-tip vertically into the product until you reach the pink part. Then you dab it directly onto the pimple.

Here's a shot of the Q-tip with the product on the end and ready for application.

The Verdict: A
This product really does work! No wonder it has a cult following. As soon as it's applied, I can feel the pimple drying and tighten up.

This is to be applied in the evening and allowed to work overnight. In the morning, the pimple is pretty much gone. Depending on how BIG the pimple is, the whitehead is usually gone and the pimple itself is shrunken.

The best part is this product doesn't dry out the skin surrounding the pimple so you don't end up with that peely look.

Swatches

See how chalky it is? I wouldn't recommend applying this during the day since it can't be blended or covered up very well.

Product Packaging
The container for this product is a glass bottle with a screw top cap. Since the Q-tip is dipped straight down into the bottle, after a couple of dips there's a pretty noticeable dent in the middle of the pink sediment. I would have liked if the opening of the bottle wasn't a narrow neck. It would've made it easier to get around the edges to all of the product.

Mario Basdescu Acne Repair Kit $46

I picked up this kit over at ULTA when they had their 20%off coupon deal going on. I was looking for something that would calm down my skin. I dunno why but every fall when the weather starts to turn my skin goes haywire. O yea - Did I mention in Dallas, November is when fall really begins?

The kit includes 3 acne fighting champions: Drying Lotion, Drying Cream, and Buffering Lotion.

I'd already been using the Buffering Lotion for a while now and I've seen good results from it. You can read the full review by clicking the link above.

Product Packaging

The packaging of the kit reminds of phramaceuticals. Regardless I think it's very clean, neat and showcases the 3 products beautifully.

Caudalie Pulpe Vitaminee 1st Wrinkle Serum $59 Review

This Sephora only exclusive was recommended to me by an SA. Since I was on a mission to stop the fine lines forming on my forehead I decided to give it a try. I like this much better than the Kinerase C8 Peptide Intensive Treatment.

"The serum is highly concentrated in anti-oxidants to immediately correct the first signs of ageing and tired skin. Wrinkles appear smoothed and skin looks more supple and incredibly luminous. To use apply morning and night on face and neck avoiding the area around the eyes." ~from product packaging.

The Verdict: A

I've worked this into my daily regimen and I apply this under moisturizer. It's non-greasy, lightweight and has a fairly runny consistency which makes fast absorbing. There's a very light smell to it that is pleasant and not at all obtrusive. I mainly use this on my forehead and temples. I've got deeper lines on my neck that I'm still hunting for the right product to use.

The best part is that I am definitely seeing the results of this. I can crinkle my forehead without fear because as soon as I'm done "expressing" my skin bounces right back. I even stopped using this for about 2 weeks and the results didn't disappear from discontinued use.

Product Packaging

I love Caudalie's use of the inside of the outter packaging! They usually place helpful tips and illustrations showing how to apply the product on the inside.

The actual product packaging itself is aiite. I'm thankful for the pump dispenser but the plastic container doesn't let me see how much is left.

Kinerase Clear Skin Treatment Serum $79 Review

This elegant, lightweight therapeutic serum contains a proprietary blend of plant based extracts to reduce blemishes and control oil while visibly calming and smoothing the skin. A professional-strength dose of kinetin also treats and prevents signs of aging.

Regular use can help prevent blemishes without the redness, irritation and peeling commonly associated with acne treatment regimens. -per Kinerase website

The Verdict: D
I wanted this serum to work - I really did especially since the Kinerase Clear Skin Regulating Mask worked so well. The thing is the serum did work. It has a runny consistency, is fast-absorbing and is non-oily but I did feel some slight stinging on areas of broken skin. Saw a pimple trying to set up camp on my cheek. I dabbed some of this serum right on the spot and the next morning - gone. Not even a trace of a blemish and my skin wasn't dry or peely.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get over the funky cheesy foot smell. It's just horrible. My nostrils felt violated. If you value fresh oxygen and object to obtrusive malicious odors (cue siren and red light alarm) stay away! For the love of God stay away!

Another issue I had was the how the serum is dispensed. The best way to do it is to pump the product into the palm of your hand. I tried to pump a small drop onto the tip of my index and middle finger - big mistake! Stinky smelling goop squirted in all directions.

Kinerase Clear Skin Regulating Mask $56 Review

I got to try a sample of this a while back but never got around to posting a review. So here it is!

The Kinerase Clear Skin Regulating Mask ($56 for 2.8 oz) is a clay mask that treats acne-prone skin. It contains botanical extracts that draw out extra sebum and soothe the skin to minimize break outs. The mask is applied for only 5 minutes once a week and regular use will improve blemishes and conditions of acne-prone skin.

The Verdict: A-
The sample size I had only allowed me to use the mask once but I could feel immediate changes. All traces of oil and sebum were absorbed by the mask and some of my older acne scars were diminished and less discolored.

Even though I loved the results of the mask, it's meant for oilier skin than mine. I had to slather on moisturizer in order to rehydrate the skin on my cheeks/temples but for my T-zone this mask worked wonderfully.

I really am not doing justice to how impressed I was by this mask. Just go try a sample from Nordstrom and you'll see what I mean :)

Kinerase C8 Peptide Intensive Treatment $98 Review

Description stolen from Sephora's website:
In a clinical study, Kinerase's revolutionary SNAP-8 neuropeptide was shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 34.9% in 28 days. The added benefits of vitamin C, Kinetin, and green tea form a powerhouse antioxidant complex to provide the ultimate protective and restorative complexion treatment.

I tried this last March at Nordstom on my right hand and the results were immediate! All the little fine lines on the back of my hand were smoothed out and my pores were diminished too. So although I really really wanted to buy the stuff on the spot - I pulled in the reins and restrained myself. O and when I asked the SA to show me this product, she mentioned that my skin was too young to be concerned with wrinkles - I was so flattered! BUT unfortunately she was wrong.

I notice that when I crinkle my forehead, the lines that form take longer to disappear now then before. I took this as a sign that I need to take immediate action. I finally got some of this stuff during a Sephora promotion for 15% off and I've been testing this out to see the results.

The Verdict: B-
I apply this every night underneath my moisturizer on my forehead and neck area. I was tempted to just apply to half my forehead and half my neck so I could see the results and compare but I who wants to have half a wrinkly face? So I talked myself outta that terrible idea.

The consistency of this is a similar to a lotion. There is no greasy or oily feel and it's very fast absorbing. There is a very faint fragrance to it but I can't pinpoint what it is.

I've been using this for about 2 months now and I haven't been seeing the results I'd hope for. Although there was an immediate change in the first week of use, after that initial week I stopped noticing any changes. The changes themselves weren't as dramatic as I'd hoped (or witnessed on my hand) but the wrinkles I saw before were diminished a bit. The lines on my neck are much more diminished than the ones on my forehead. I would re-purchase for use on my neck but I need to look to another product for the baby lines on my forehead. I think this is most effective on deeper set wrinkles and mature skin.

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion $17

Everyone's probably pretty familiar with Mario Badescu's pink Drying Lotion. This is the same version of the pink one except it's for cyctic acne. I'm one of the unlucky few who developes cystic acne and they always show up around that time of month.

The Verdict
So this really does work - It's not a miracle worker but you do get results. I applied the lotion to a pimple and overnight the pimple was reduced and no longer red. I was impressed because even though the lotion dried out the pimple, it didn't dry out my surrounding skin. Again the downside is it reduced the pimple but did not eliminate it. It just made it less inflamed.

Freebies

These little sample bottles are so cute! The SA included 2 pairs of these with my purchase - I thought that was nice of her. I haven't tried these out yet cause I'm really happy with my Shiseido stuff that I use daily. I'll do a full review later on these.

The Body Shop Haul

On this shopping trip I went to The Body Shop looking for a flannel washcloth that Lindi from over at http://www.bubzbeauty.com/ recommended.

Luxury Facial Flannel $6.50

I really didn't know what to expect of this thing. When I got to the store the SA helped me find this washcloth and it was packed in a ziplock baggy and was flexile and bendy. It did not look at all like..."cloth". It reminded me of a white shammy and looked silicone-like in texture. I was weirded out even more because the SAs had taken one out of it's packaging and it was dry and hard and looked like a piece of styrofoam. They assured me that once it touched water it would return to it's soft state and work just like new. But hey Lindi said it's fantastic so I bought it anyways. I was not at all disappointed by this thing. Remember I said it looked silicone-like? Well it works just like a rubber spatula for your face but it is also soft to the touch. I tried it with my normal cleanser and saw this guy in action. It wipes away all traces of the cleanser in one swoop! It's really amazing but I'd rather use it to wipe away a mask or something. I like splashing my face with water to rinse off my normal cleanser.

Vitamin C Skin Boost $26

Okay the SA told me that Vitamin C boost (one of their best sellers) would help diminish the appearance of acne scars. I really didn't have any faith in this product's claims but when she put some on my wrist I like the texture of it. It feels almost like a silicone primer. I figured if I could wear this as a primer without getting shiny and it's also doing good for my skin - why not? It also smells just like fresh cut oranges - which I happen to love. If you don't like orange citrus-y smells, it may be a bit overwhelming. Since it has that silicone feel to it, it really does help with evening out skin texture without the feeling of plugged pores.

The Verdict
I don't think this should be labeled a moisturizer. The gel texture of this sits on top of skin and is very slowly absorbed into the skin. Because of the slow absorption I'm loving it as a primer. It's weightless and does feel like it's clogging my pores. It leaves my skin silky smooth and prepped for makeup. Although it's not a cure, I find it does help smooth out dry patches around blemish so that makeup doesn't cake.

I'm not sure if it's working to diminish any dark spots- at least I can't really tell. I'm also still on the lookout for a primer as this one made me a bit shiny. I like to wear it alone when I'm in a rush just to even out the texture of my skin. I really really love the flannel washcloth though! I will definitely go back to get another one to stash away.

Freebies
I was pleasantly surprised when I went to check out and the SA added all these goodies to my bag! I received a Cloth Woven Makeup Bag filled with travel sizes of Strawberry Body Butter, Vitamin E Moisture Cream, Divine Calm Heavenly Shower Gel (not pictured), and Mulberry Hi-Shine Lip Gloss (not pictured). I gave the items not pictured to a friend before I could take these photos.

This smells just like strawberry icing! I need to be careful with this. The whole time I was wearing it I had a craving for cupcakes!


This is very fast-absorbing and non-greasy but nothing too special about it. I've been using it at night before bed.