‘Tis the season for self-care.

Giving and gifting has been the theme since Thanksgiving—but in the midst of all the holiday insanity, we’re here to give you a gentle reminder:

Don’t forget to take care of yourself, too.

So: in the spirit of keeping things simple without forging the act of self-care, we’ve concocted an easy regimen for the whole of December. Its purpose? To keep your complexion in check no matter what life throws your way. Walk into any holiday party—and celebrate the new year—with your best face forward.

ENZYME CLEANSING GEL

Light, fresh, and dreamy on skin, this fruit-infused face wash is the perfect way to start and end every day. It’s designed to leave your complexion exceptionally clean without feeling stripped.

ALOE VERA TONER

Refresh and re-balance. This simple, soothing toner is the perfect post-cleanse boost that leaves your skin feeling calm and clean.

BOTANICAL EXFOLIATING SCRUB

Prepping before a big night out? Exfoliate to rejuvenate your skin with a fresh-faced glow—and to create a super-smooth canvas for seamless makeup application.

DRYING LOTION

This pink spot treatment should always be in your medicine cabinet—but on the off chance it’s not, add it to your skin care stash, stat. It’ll give you peace of mind knowing that you have an overnight solution for any surface blemishes that just might pop up.

BUFFERING LOTION

If you’re prone to large, under-the-skin bumps, keep Buffering Lotion within reach. Stress sometimes rears its ugly head in the form of a blemish, so be prepared, always.

OIL FREE MOISTURIZER SPF 30

Hydration and sun protection are key, even in the dead of winter. Keep your complexion balanced with a daily dose of Green Tea-infused moisture that leaves skin dewy—never greasy.

If you have parched skin, try The Moisture Magnet SPF 15 for a surge of hydration and a velvety-smooth finish.

FLOWER & TONIC MASK

All skin types need a regular deep clean—but in winter, it’s essential to balance pore-purifying benefits with something replenishing, too. This Gardenia and Evening Primrose-infused formula ensures impurities are lifted from the skin without leaving your complexion feeling dry or tight.

AZULENE CALMING MASK

Reach for this restorative mask whenever your skin is feeling angry, overworked, or winter-worn. This is a comforting formula that blends soothing botanicals and absorbent minerals to bring balance back to your complexion.

.   .   .

Originally published as Mario Monthly Edit: December Skin Care from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Welcome to #MarioMonthlyEdit, where you (yes, you) get a sneak peek at our current essentials. If you missed our last installment, check it out here.

‘Tis the season. Where there are chestnuts roasting by an open fire and last minute gift shopping, there’s dry, stressed out skin…which is where our December skincare edit comes into play. The secret to a glowing complexion—yes, even in the dead of winter—is in the products you pick. Nourish and protect your skin from harsh winter weather and intense heating systems, and you’ll look effortlessly dewy at every holiday party.

Here’s what’s in our medicine cabinet this December:

Orange Cleansing Soap

This is a creamy, Orange Peel-infused face wash that delivers mild exfoliation without leaving skin feeling dry or tight.

Alpha Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion

Let this be your twice-daily, post-cleanse go-to. This revitalizing, alcohol-free toner helps perk up dull skin, soften the look of fine lines, and even out skin tone. Plus, it features Aloe and Linden to deliver soothing hydration so your skin is left feeling rejuvenated.

Honey Moisturizer

It features—you guessed it!—Honey to deliver radiance-boosting moisture that lasts. Plus, it’s formulated with antioxidant-rich oils to further soften and smooth, leaving skin looking dewy all day long. If it’s particularly cold out or you’re feeling drier than usual…

Orange Protective Cream

…use this protective day cream instead. Though lightweight in texture, our Orange Protective Cream is specifically designed to help eliminate dryness and banish dullness. Nutrient-rich Beeswax helps safeguard skin from harsh elements (like cold, wind, and indoor heating) as Orange Extract rejuvenates skin to reveal a healthy, radiant complexion.

Olive Eye Cream

This is our most moisture-intensive formula, perfect for very dry under-eyes or for use as an overnight treatment. It’s ultra-rich and super concentrated—which makes for luxurious application every time. If your skin is on the oily side, you’ll still need to up the ante in the under-eye hydration department; swap out your fall eye cream for the Hyaluronic Eye Cream.

Rose Hips Nourishing Oil

We love Rosehip—so much so that we keep on in the office, in our medicine cabinet, and in our bag to help smooth dry patches and revive dehydrated skin.

Special Hand Cream with Vitamin E

Dry, chapped hands are the worst—which is why we decided to repackage our signature hand cream in a travel-friendly tube you can take anywhere on the go. (And at $8 a tube, it makes for the perfect stocking stuffer for everyone!)

. . .

Need more solutions for seriously dry skin? Check out this #MBRecipe to help revive parched skin!

Originally published as The Monthly Edit: December Skin Care Essentials from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Only people who suffer from extremely dry skin know the struggle that comes along with it: the uncomfortable tight feeling, flakiness, and even irritation.

Extremely dry skin can be rough (note the irresistible double entendre), frustrating, and in some cases, painful. Since the cold air and indoor heat that winter brings can suck even more moisture out of already parched skin, we thought we’d give you a rundown of the luxuriously rich, moisture-dense creams and cleansers that we reach for to alleviate that dreaded tight feeling and also soften with vitamin-rich oils, protective natural butters, and nourishing botanicals. These are the “big guns” so to speak, the indispensable products you reach for when nothing else will help.

Cleanser:

Cleansing Milk with Carnation and Rice Oil– This oil-based cleansing milk will dissolve makeup and impurities from the surface of the skin while adding moisture. Just massage onto skin and wipe off with a cotton pad—no water necessary.

Cream Soaps– If the concept of a waterless cleanser is something that you can’t wrap your head around, a cream soap is a great way to go. These non-foaming cleansers won’t strip delicate skin and are mild enough for sensitive types.

Eye Cream:

Dermonectin Eye Cream– The beautiful silky texture of this eye cream allows it to glide on and meld seamlessly onto the skin without feeling heavy. And please don’t take this eye cream’s silkiness for weakness; it contains a super softening blend of Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Peanut Oil along with youth-boosting peptides to replenish moisture to the eye area.

Special Eye Cream V-This rich, nourishing eye cream contains Peanut Oil to nourish and Beeswax to seal in moisture and provide enduring dry skin relief that will last all day or night.

Day Cream:

Kera Moist Cream– The word that comes to mind when we use this cold weather favorite? Lovely. This delightful cream restores moisture levels with vitamin-rich Avocado and Rose Hip Oils while Lemongrass Extract brightens and Oatmeal soothes.

Hydro-Emollient Cream-This classic formula is known for amassing a cult following amongst flight attendants during the 70s and 80s. It was so effective at preserving their skin by defending against drying cabin air during long intercontinental flights that the attendants would scurry out of their East Side apartments in New York City and into the Mario Badescu Skin Care Salon to stock up before heading out to one of the local airports to catch their flights. The secret to this coveted formula is its rich blend of vitamin oils and water-binding Collagen along with Beeswax to protect the skin from harsh elements. Use it in any harsh weather situation wind, dry climate, even to protect against swimming pool chlorine.

Cream X– In addition to the allure of its mysterious name, Cream X certainly does the trick when it comes to moisturizing ultra-dry skin, especially for those experiencing uneven texture and flakiness. This gloriously rich formula contains Salicylic Acid to smooth rough spots, Vitamins A and E to nourish, Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, and Beeswax to ensure long lasting moisture.

Night Cream:

Protein Night Cream– We love this night cream because it manages to protect the skin and sink in at the same time. Apply before bed and wake up feeling soft and refreshed. Collagen and peptides work to encourage plump, hydrated looking skin.

Revitalin Night Cream-One of our most densely rich formulas designed to deliver intense moisture to dry and delicate skin. This buttery, balmy cream will nourish and protect skin from moisture loss while you sleep. A blend of oils and butters soften and protect while Glycolipids and Glycoproteins help restore moisture to the skin’s outermost layer. We suggest warming the cream with your fingertips before gently pressing onto extremely dry skin.

Originally published as The Best Skin Care for Extremely Dry Skin from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Mario Badescu’s Chicago-based Account Executive, Lauren Cummings, brings her effervescent personality, can-do attitude, and encyclopedic knowledge of all things beauty-related everywhere she goes—and boy, does she go.

This busy lady and her team spread #MBSkinTips around the Chicago area and beyond. We asked her which MB products are at the top of her list, keep reading for Lauren’s must-haves!

Lauren’s Favorites

Skin Type

I have classic Combination Skin. I am oily through the T-zone and dehydrated through the cheeks. I also live in Chicago where the sun shines really bright, but the winter winds can dehydrate my skin even more!! And lastly, my skin is prone to acne, and that can leave discoloration and unwanted texture. Yikes!!

Lauren’s 5

Glycolic Foaming Cleanser: This foaming cleanser is the perfect way to gently improve uneven texture and tone. It effectively exfoliates and cleanses my skin while helping to address any small blemishes on my face without overdrying my skin.

Alpha Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion: This toner gently exfoliates my skin, and helps to reveal a more radiant, glowing, lit-from-within skin. It smells amazing and because it is alcohol-free, it aids in replenishing hydration.

Cellufirm Drops: I use this heavenly product as my daytime serum. Cellufirm Drops immediately hydrates and visibly plumps my skin. I notice increased firmness in my skin, as well as a really smooth texture. This product also does double-duty for me as an under eye serum layered underneath Hyaluronic Eye Cream.

Honey Moisturizer: This daytime moisturizer is the perfect amount of moisture for my Combination/dehydrated skin. It absorbs into my skin rapidly, while creating a smoother more radiant complexion. I love a slight glow to my skin before I apply foundation, and Honey Moisturizer creates the perfect canvas for my makeup. For the cold, dry Chicago winters, I like to add a few drops of the Herbal Hydrating Serum. It allows me to boost the hydration level in my skin care, when needed, without switching moisturizers.

#MBSkinTip: When I know the weather is going to be especially harsh, I like to press a little bit of a denser moisturizer or night cream into my cheeks, after I have applied my typical skincare regimen.

Silver Powder: Because I wear foundation daily, and have an oily t-zone, I am prone to blackheads on my nose and chin area. I use Silver Powder to address this issue. It immediately starts to break down the congestion and the clogged pores and after 10-20 minutes my nose and chin are clear of all blackheads. Silver Powder is a twice weekly staple product for me.

Thanks, Lauren. Stay warm out there!

Originally published as #MBmy5: Lauren from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Holiday season is hectic. To-do lists at home and at work become longer and social calendars become busier. To turn the pressure up just a little bit higher, this is not one of those occasions when you can hunker down and power through all that needs to be done because the holidays involve showing face.

That’s right, nestled between working late to tie up loose ends before the New Year, and taking advantage of your favorite retailer’s extended hours for late gift shopping sessions there are holiday parties. To get through this marathon of a season in one piece I’ve learned to take a few precautions to preserve my skin, sanity, and (most importantly) my holiday cheer—at the end of the day the holidays are supposed to be fun, right?

Sleep. Eat. Hydrate.

Life simply works better when the basics are attended to. Do whatever it takes, schedule in sleep, set phone reminders to finish your water bottle before lunch, and keep apples and almonds in your bag so that you’ve consumed more than that grande skim latte (extra shot of espresso, please!) before 3pm. Skin.

Craft a skin strategy that will keep your skin glowing from today straight through New Year’s Day!

Here’s what I’m using this year to keep my skin bright, hydrated, and ready for holiday party pics or any instagrammable moment that comes my way:

Holiday Party Season Essentials

Botanical Exfoliating Scrub– The energizing mix of botanicals in this scrub makes me feel like I’m being extra kind to my tired skin. Use three times a week to keep winter skin flake-free and smooth.

Enzyme Revitalizing Mask– During the holidays I go for an extra shot of espresso and an extra dose of brightening. I’ve been known to gift this mask to new parents, frequent flyers, and college students during finals. Its ability to unearth a glow from even the most tired, dull skin is unmatched.

Herbal Hydrating Serum– This is my trusty year round skin-saving hero! The thought of not having a fresh bottle of this tiny miracle worker at hand during the season where my schedule fluctuates between chaos and frenzy is unfathomable. It is my favorite thing for helping to ward off cold weather dehydration without causing breakouts.

Eye Makeup Remover Gel (non-oily)– The late nights and early mornings of the holiday season make it very tempting to skip important steps like removing eye makeup. I leave a bottle of eye makeup remover out in plain sight, right next to my toothbrush, to avoid any temptation to crash without removing every trace of mascara first. I’ll thank me in the morning.

What are your tricks for powering through the busiest season of the year?

Originally published as Holiday Skin Saviors from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Haven’t crossed everyone off your list? This gift guide includes our favorite holiday sets, including limited-time exclusives!

For your Best Friend

Mario Face & Body

Mario Face & Body– This quad of Mario Badescu essentials is truly BFF-worthy. From our medicine cabinet must-have, Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater, to top-selling Special Hand Cream with Vitamin E, this collection is a one-stop beauty stash revamp!

Available for a limited time exclusively at Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters.

For Your Mom

The Brightening Kit– After the uber busy holiday season tell mom it’s her time to glow! This collection of complexion-boosting favorites has everything mom will need to super-charge her skin care regimen.

Your Brother

Men’s Grooming Basics– Give the gift that says, “I love you, bro, but the days of you stealing my face wash are over.” Pry his hands off of your skin care with kindness by setting him up with everything he needs for independent skin care success!

Your Co-Worker

Mask & Mist Duo

Mask & Mist Duo– Cristin from creative? Check. Kari from sales? Check. This set includes an irresistible duo of products that your cube-mate, work wife, and even your office frienemy will love.

Available for a limited time exclusively at Urban Outfitters.

The Beauty Product Obsessive

The Multi-Mask Trio– Everyone has one (a few if you are lucky). You know, that friend who always has the perfect universal shade of red lipstick at the tip of their tongue and has a potion for every skin care problem in their stash, at all times. If you are still looking for a gift for the skin care scholar in your life, look no further. This kit will have them mixing and matching their own customized facial treatments just like the aestheticians in our New York City salon.

Available for a limited time exclusively at Nordstrom.

Originally published as MB Ultimate Gift Guide feat. Set Exclusives from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

We’ve been spoiled here on the East Coast with 50-degree weather all of December—so now that it’s finally feeling like winter, we’re feeling the tiniest bit bitter about the cold.

So while we’re all trying to stay warm without leaving the house resembling the abominable snowman, let’s talk winter skin for a second. Colder, harsher weather requires an upgrade in the hydration and anti-aging department. (Dry skin tends to show fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging more, FYI!) To keep your skin protected and looking radiant all winter long, be sure to look for products that feature rich, moisture-intensive formulas.

Not sure where to start? Check out our January skincare edit or take a browse through our winter favorites.

 .   .   .

SHOP WINTER MUST-HAVES

Originally published as Winter Must-Haves from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Welcome to the first installment of #MarioMonthlyEdit, where you (yes, you) get a sneak peek at our current top shelf essentials.

New year, new you—isn’t that how the saying goes? Whether you’re an ambitious resolution-maker or just into making steady, feel-good goals, January is all about you. Refocus, re-center, and get your skin back to pre-holiday-insanity perfection.

On the top of the list (literally)? The Vitamin C Serum. Game-changer and #HolyGrail, this antioxidant-rich serum helps even out skin tone and texture while boosting glow overnight. If you don’t have it, get it. You need it. It’s the anti-aging serum that’s essential for everyone, no matter your skin type.

Also on our roster (from top to bottom):

• Cellufirm Drops: A must-have all-year-round, this skin-plumping serum comes especially handy in colder months when you need all the hydration you can get. Use it around the mouth, under and around the eyes, and wherever else you’re experiencing dryness—then, follow with your usual moisturizer, eye cream, or night cream (where applicable).
• Botanical Exfoliating Scrub: Colder, harsher weather tends to leave most skin types dry and flaky. This refreshing exfoliant (which features finely ground Ecuadorian Ivory Palm seeds, not plastic microbeads!) helps gently buff away all that dead skin cell buildup. (We love this one in the mornings as a pick-me-up—especially when it’s 16 °F and pitch black when we wake up.)
• Orange Cleansing Soap: Winter skin typically needs gentler options. We’re reaching for this creamy, AHA-based cleanser to help give us a brightening boost without leaving skin feeling dry or tight.
• Chamomile Cleansing Lotion: Seriously—winter weather isn’t kind to skin. This simple, gentle formulation boasts calming properties.
• Walnut Body Lotion: This is the stuff we marinate our bodies in come winter. This luxe, rich cream is designed to deliver maximum moisture to parched skin. We suggest applying this all-over nightly after showering so you wake up with super-soft, silky skin.
• Dermonectin Eye Cream: The delicate eye area is especially susceptible to winter weather wear-and-tear. Keep skin plump and moisturized with this emollient-rich eye cream.
• Almond & Honey Face Scrub: Fresh is nice, but sometimes we’re in the mood for warmer, creamier scents. This delicious scrub is our go-to for Friday nights and weekends in, when all we want to do is mask it up and curl up to a good book.
• The Moisture Magnet SPF 15: Moisture-intensive yet lightweight on skin, it’s easy to see why this creamy broad-spectrum moisturizer is a makeup artist favorite.

.   .   .

SHOP MORE OF OUR WINTER MUST-HAVES

Originally published as The Monthly Edit: January Skin Care Essentials from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Conspiring to give you resolution tips!

What’s your resolution this year? Do you make them? This topic can be very polarizing, most of the folks here at Mario Badescu are firmly pro or against making New Year’s Resolutions.

When you think about it, there are many opportunities to start fresh throughout the year: birthdays, holidays, Mondays—but none seem to have quite the amount of gravity that the New Year brings. For many of us, New Year’s Day is the freshest of fresh starts on the calendar. So much so that it is during this time that we toss our old calendar aside and buy a whole new one to mark the occasion.

I decided a few years back that I’d made my last ultra-ambitious New Year’s resolution. Instead, I jotted a list of extremely simple, easily achievable goals that would have a lasting positive (though sometimes subtle) effect on my life. So no, 2016 will not be the year that I set out to become fluent in Spanish, or successfully eliminate all sugar from my diet. This is the year that I will keep hand cream with me at all times, and wash my coffee cup every morning before I leave for work. Dreaming big? No. Feeling good? Yep.

In the name of deliberately simple, feel-good goals for 2016 I asked a few of Mario Badescu’s veteran aestheticians to give skin care tips for the resolute among us! Here’s what they said:

Q. “What skin care resolution would you tell someone to make for 2016 that they would thank you for in 2026?”

“Mask more often!” –Elena, Mario Badescu Head aesthetician for 31 years

“Use toner. If you begin to use toner after you cleanse today, you will thank me in 10 years.” –Leah, Mario Badescu aesthetician for 16 years

“Eye cream is very important. It is important to find the best eye cream for you.” –Luba, Mario Badescu aesthetician for 18 years

Originally published as Resolution Made Simple from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

It’s currently 18  degrees in New York, and the folks at Mario are bundling up (and you know we’re protecting our skin from the elements!). It got us thinking: what would you need, skin-wise, if you were stranded in the arctic?

Most people know the basic essentials to bring when you’re stranded in a tropical paradise – some sunscreen and a skin-type appropriate cleanser and toner to combat dryness or oiliness – but what happens when you’re left to fend for yourself in a dramatically cold climate?

Here are my top three creative picks for beautiful, blizzard-ready skin that will make vacationers none the wiser to your chilling lifestyle:

Self Tanning Lotion Oil Free

Let’s just cut to the chase. I’m already quite fair-skinned, but with cold weather and lack of sunlight threatening to make me truly translucent, I would choose this glow-inducing lotion for face and body to emulate the effects of the sun. If you’re not in need of a bottled bronze, swap this product for one of our other enriching moisturizers.

Protective Day Cream

Wild chills and whipping winds can do quite a bit of damage to the surface of the skin. To stay protected from the elements, this non-greasy formula includes Balsam Peru, which is a soothing botanical that can help protect against irritation.

All Purpose Egg Shampoo

I know what you’re thinking, and no, you cannot use this all-purpose shampoo to make egg drop soup when you miss the convenience of restaurants. Rather, its versatility lays in the fact that it can be used as both a hair and body cleanser, so it’s the perfect two-in-one for quick travel.

Remember, these products would be in addition to the basic cleanser, toner, antioxidant serum, exfoliant and moisturizer I would have smuggled in already. I guess I really can’t choose just three.

What would you choose for your skincare arsenal?

Originally published as Deserted In The Arctic? 3 Must-Have Skin Care Products from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.