Few things are worse than irritated, dry skin. Bouncy, smooth skin is the goal here, but tight and itchy? Not so much.

If your skin is in need of a boost in moisture and glow, add this recipe to your Friday night repertoire. Slip into your robe, have Spotify set at your favorite playlist, light a few candles—whatever suits your fancy, really—and treat you and your skin to a good drink. Make this a well-deserved R&R session if you’re staying in, and if you’re willing to brave the cold for an evening out on the town, let this be your prep for flawless makeup from application to finish.

Bottom’s up!

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Ingredients:

• Hyaluronic Emulsion with Vitamin C
• Rose Hips Mask
• Seaweed Night Cream
• Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream

Directions:

1. Every DIY facial starts with a clean complexion. Cleanse, exfoliate, tone with your trusty favorites—you know how the tune goes. (And if you don’t? We’ve got you covered—read up on our guide to DIY at-home facials!)
2. Hydrate and brighten. Start by massaging a few drops of the Hyaluronic Emulsion with Vitamin C into the skin. Any skincare expert or bona fide junkie will rave on endlessly about the benefits of Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C. Add Collagen to the mix and you have yourself an incredibly nourishing, nutrient-rich serum that helps restore skin’s natural moisture, improve clarity, and brighten the skin.
3. Bring back the dewy glow. Our Rose Hips Mask is a fall Mario Mask Must (can you say that three times fast?!). It’s perfect for sensitive or dull, tired skin in restoring moisture for a healthy, radiant complexion. We’re all about antioxidant Vitamin C for its brightening properties—and this mask is chock full of it.
4. You’ve got 20 minutes all to yourself. Are you singing along to Marvin Gaye or Barbara Streisand right now? We are. Do feel free to join us…
5. Rinse well with warm water and follow with, once again, your favorite toner. Take a good look in the mirror—this step is indisputably the most important of them all—and admire your skin for a few moments. Soft, supple, plump, and with a dewy glow to boot.
6. Are you headed out? Pat on your go-to moisturizer and start the second phase of the beautification process. Relish in the easy application and flawless finish—good skincare and beautiful makeup are inexplicably linked. (Remember that!)
7. If you’re staying in, lock in all that moisture and glow with the Seaweed Night Cream. It’s the most versatile and lightweight of our creams in that it’s oil-free and therefore non-greasy. Seaweed, Collagen, and Hyaluronic Acid help keep your complexion nourished and hydrated all throughout the night.
8. Don’t forget the eyes! Reduce the appearance of dry, tired under-eyes and help smooth the look of fine lines with the Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream. It’s one of our lighter options, making it a universal choice, but don’t hesitate to reach for something richer if you need it.

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Originally published as #MBRecipe: Solutions For Seriously Dry Skin from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

The Makeup Show is a magical event where makeup artists from New York City and beyond gather for two days of education, networking, and . . . shopping!

Every year for the last decade team Mario Badescu sets up shop and spends The Makeup Show days reuniting with our makeup artist friends, meeting new ones, and helping everyone who visits our booth choose the best products to use on their clients and themselves.

Want to know which MB products will be misted, dabbed, and patted onto celebrity skin backstage and in makeup trailers this year?

Here’s a list of our best-sellers from The Makeup Show NYC 2018:

10. Hyaluronic Eye Cream

Not only does this go-to eye cream formula moisturize without being heavy and smooth fine lines, it applies seamlessly onto skin creating the perfect canvas for concealer.

9. Buttermilk Moisturizer

This classic has endured for decades for good reason—the versatile formula provides a generous amount of moisture while being virtually weightless. Makeup artists love it for clients who don’t like when products feel heavy on the skin.

#MBSkinTip: Don’t like the feeling of rich night creams? Add Buttermilk Moisturizer into your PM skin routine instead to get skin-softening moisture without the weight!

8. Summer Shine Body Lotion

You don’t have to limit highlight to your cheekbones. Shins, collarbones, and shoulders can pop, too! Just apply Summer Shine Body lotion like our favorite pros do!

7. Herbal Hydrating Serum

This oil-free gel hydrating serum is quite literally a drink of water for parched skin. Its track record for hydrating even the most temperamental complexions without causing breakouts make it a makeup kit must-have.

6. Vitamin C Serum

This little bottle of magic is one of our most requested by celebrity makeup artists and not because they are finishing their bottles quickly, no. It’s because clients love it so much that the artists end up giving them the bottle to take home.

5. Glycolic Acid Toner

This toner is a favorite because it helps to gently reveal glowing, clear skin without being harsh. The mild formula contains brightening Glycolic Acid and Grapefruit Extract and is gentle enough to be used twice daily.

4. Enzyme Cleansing Gel

One of our artist friends told us that there are two things that get her out of bed when she has an early call time: coffee and Enzyme Cleansing Gel. This non-foaming gel formula is suitable for virtually every skin type and is, capital R, Refreshing!

3. Drying Lotion

Ah, pimples. The great equalizer. Yes, even your favorite model, influencer, or celebrity gets them from time to time, and when they do, there will be hundreds of makeup artists armed with a fresh bottle of Drying Lotion from The Makeup Show.

2. Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea

True story: we took this mist to fashion week so that makeup artists could give it a try before it officially launched, and the clean refreshing scent was so lovely it lifted everyone’s mood—even the models running in late with makeup on from their last show.

1. Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater

You can’t go wrong with a classic—and neither did the hundreds of makeup artists who left this year’s Makeup Show with a bottle of this favorite. Whether it is used to wet brushes or sponges, boost moisture, hydrate the skin before a touch-up, or as a finishing step after an application this reliable kit staple is beloved by makeup artists and their notable clients alike.

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How many of these musts are in your skin stash?

Originally published as The Makeup Show NYC 2018 Top 10 List from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

From travel sizes to retailer exclusives, here is a list of our favorite insider intel to help you shop smarter:

1. Loyal to Mario Badescu Drying Lotion but hate glass bottles? Our much-loved blemish solution is available in a travel-friendly, shatter-proof plastic bottle on Nordstrom.com.

2. Love your cleanser (toner, body lotion, or shower gel) so much you wish you could bathe in it? Well, we can’t fill a bathtub for you, BUT most of our cleansers and toners are available on mariobadescu.com in 16oz. bottles. And the best part? The double-sized bottles aren’t double the price. That right. Snag a giant bottle of your go-to cleanser and put the money you saved toward a new bottle of Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater! Strategy, see?!

3. Speaking of Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater, did you know you can buy it in a giant 8oz. bottle? Or a very cute, carry-on friendly 2oz Bottle? You haven’t fallen down a rabbit hole, Alice, this is all real.

4. Calling all jet Setters, gym goers, and bi-coastal babes! You can buy travel-sized Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater, Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 15, and Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea on Ulta.com.

5. Are you in the know? Mariobadescu.com shoppers have access to exclusive GWPs, discounts, and free shipping on orders over $35? Sign up here and be the first to find out about our special offers.

6. Wondering how to get Mario Badescu samples? There are two main ways. The first way is for customers who’ve never taken our online skin analysis. Simply fill out the information requested here and a free sample regimen will be sent out for you. * ** The second way is to select three free samples whenever you place an order on mariobadescu.com.

Now, which of these tips will you put to use first?

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*Sample regimen only available in the United States.

**Must pay $2.95 for shipping and handling.

Originally published as Mario Hacks: Travel Sizes, Free Samples, and Beyond from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Skin care is an investment in both time and money. Here’s how to make it worth your while so you can get the most out of your Mario Badescu Skin Care products.

Addicted to our Facial Sprays?

Next time you need to replenish on your favorite face mist, order our larger, 8-oz bottle instead. It’s twice the product—but not the price.

Make your Drying Lotion last a little longer.

If you find that the clear liquid in your Drying Lotion seems “run out” faster than the pink sediment at the bottom, change up your Q-tips. We recommend using the thinner, pointed cotton swabs that allow for even more precise application—and also absorb less liquid.

Mask more effectively.

When applying your masks, you an opaque but thin layer over your skin. Doing so will not only prevent product waste, but also help the mask dry (and therefore, work) more effectively in the 10-20 minute time slot.

Try multi-masking to get the most effective results.

Take a minute to analyze your skin. You’ll notice that different areas of your face have different needs. For example, your forehead might need more moisture, but your T-zone needs some decongesting action. You could slap on one mask and call it a day (and you’d still get an overall boost in complexion), but multi-masking enables targeted solutions for each area.

Learn how to multi-mask here.

Do you feel like your skin changes easily from day to day, season to season?

Keep a serum on hand to customize the way you moisturize. (Check out our guide on how to find the perfect serum for your type.) Instead of settling or crowding your medicine cabinet with multiple moisturizers, layer a serum into the mix on days your skin craves extra hydration or needs a boost in glow.

Remove your makeup, cleanse twice daily, and exfoliate regularly.

If you don’t do commit to the above, you’re allowing layers of old makeup, pore-clogging oil, and dulling dead skin cells build up. Which means:

• You may be more prone to blackheads and pesky breakouts
• Your skin appears uneven in tone and texture
• Any product applied afterwards (like your beloved creams and serums) can’t penetrate as well as they would if they were applied on clean skin.

Moral of the story: Start with a clean slate every morning and before bed.

.   .   .

Originally published as #MBSkinTips: How to Get the Most Out of Your Skin Care Products from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Become a multitasking mask master in just three easy steps.

Although we tend to identify our skin as one overall type, it’s a pretty broad generalization. Inspect further and you’ll notice that each area of your face is different from the next. For example, your forehead might be prone to dryness, but the center of your face tends to be on the oily side.

The solution? Multi-masking. If you aren’t familiar, don’t know how, or simply haven’t tried the technique, yet, now’s a good time as any to start. Multi-masking allows you to customize your at-home facial to accommodate all of your skin’s needs in one fell swoop.

Here’s how to multi-mask:

1. IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT ZONES ON YOUR FACE.

Most people tend to see two to four different “zones” on their faces. For example:

1. FOREHEAD: Prone to dehydration (if you’re dry) or excess shine (if you’re oily)
2. CHEEKS: Prone to dullness or uneven skin tone and texture
3. CHIN: Prone to congestion/breakouts
4. NOSE: Prone to excess oil & congestion

Take a few minutes to analyze your skin and map out each “zone.” If you’re not sure where to start, use our face mask map as a guideline!

2. APPLY THE APPROPRIATE MASK TO EACH ZONE.

This is where you can get creative and completely customize your at-home facial! Start by washing your face (or gently exfoliating first), then get masking.

• FOR OILY AREAS, TRY: Cucumber Tonic Mask
• FOR CONGESTED AREAS, TRY: Silver Powder
• FOR BREAKOUTS, TRY: Drying Mask
• FOR DRY AREAS, TRY: Rose Hips Mask
• FOR DULL AREAS, TRY: Enzyme Revitalizing Mask
• FOR AREAS PRONE TO DEHYDRATION OR DRY LINES, TRY: Super Collagen Mask
• FOR NORMAL/COMBO AREAS, TRY: Flower & Tonic Mask

Be sure to apply the masks in a thin but opaque layer to ensure everything dries evenly. Let the masks work their magic for 8-10 minutes, then…

3. RINSE WELL AND ADMIRE YOUR MULTI-MASKING RESULTS!

#Selfie optional. But first: follow with toner and your favorite serums and/or face creams, then finish with a liberal misting of your favorite facial spray.

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Originally published as How to Multi-Mask from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Perfect alone, powerful together.

Oily, troubled skin? Try this:

DRYING MASK + HEALING & SOOTHING MASK

This dynamic duo is a perfect case study of why opposites attract. Drying Mask targets existing breakouts to clarify angry, acne-prone skin, and Healing & Soothing Mask works to restore essential hydration and comfort compromised skin. When paired together, the two masks help keep skin in check—encouraging a clearer, healthier-looking complexion.

How to use them together: Start with clean skin. Apply a thin, even layer of Drying Mask on breakouts or acne-prone areas only. Wait 15-20 minutes for the mask to dry, then rinse thoroughly with warm water and follow with your targeted treatments or Anti-Acne Serum. Use Healing & Soothing Mask the day after to restore balance to your skin.

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Congested skin? Try this:

BOTANICAL EXFOLIATING SCRUB + SILVER POWDER

Keep skin clear with this blackhead-busting combo. Botanical Exfoliating Scrub gently buffs away all the dead skin cells, excess oil, and surface impurities so Silver Powder can work even more effectively at purifying pores.

How to use them together: Gently massage Botanical Exfoliating Scrub in circles all over (except the eye area, of course!) for 30 seconds, then rinse. Dampen a cotton ball or pad, dip it directly into the Silver Powder, and press the paste to congested areas (like your T-zone). Let it dry for 5-8 minutes, then remove with your favorite toner.

#MBSkinTip: Save 15% when you grab our Polish & Purify kit—which includes Botanical Exfoliating Scrub and Silver Powder, both full-size!

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Dry, Combination, or Sensitive skin? Try this:

HERBAL HYDRATING SERUM + ROSE HIPS NOURISHING OIL

This under-the-radar duo is soon to be an iconic power couple—mark my words. (To be fair, I first learned of this #MBSkinTip from our PR & Marketing Director and it has since changed by travel skincare game.)

You’ve got Herbal Hydrating Serum, a super lightweight, water-based gel that gives skin a dewy glow. Then there’s Rose Hips Nourishing Oil, a Rosehip-infused facial oil that absorbs quickly into the skin to instantly replenish dry areas and add radiance to dehydrated skin. Both are gorgeous formulas on their own—but together? Magic.

How to use them together: The beauty of this combo lies in its ability to be fully customizable to your skin. Mix them together and you create a lightweight, hydrating serum that you can wear alone or layer with your favorite moisturizers or face creams.

Feeling a little dehydrated? Add a drop of Rose Hips Nourishing Oil to Herbal Hydrating Serum and pat it on any dry patches. Skin looking dry as the Sahara desert? Mix equal parts of both (or more of the oil) and apply all over, then follow with your favorite face cream.

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Dry or mature skin? Try this:

PEPTIDE RENEWAL SERUM + PEPTIDE RENEWAL CREAM

Products that were formulated together, stay together. Peptide Renewal Serum and Peptide Renewal Cream were designed to complement one another—and while each can be used on its own, this powerful peptide duo works synergistically to target visible signs of aging and support skin’s elasticity.

How to use them together: After cleansing and toning, apply 1-2 drops of Peptide Renewal Serum to your face, neck, and décolletage, then layer Peptide Renewal Cream on top.

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Sensitive skin? Try this:

AZULENE CALMING MASK + CHAMOMILE CLEANSING LOTION

For sensitive skin in need of calm and comfort, this is the perfect product pairing for you. Azulene Calming Mask is the mask our salon’s aesthetician’s keep on hand just in case a client has reactive skin. Also on hand at every aestheticians’ station? Chamomile Cleansing Lotion, the gentlest toner in our line.

How to use them together: Apply Azulene Calming Mask all over or in targeted areas, then wait 15-20 minutes. Once your mask has set and is ready to be removed, liberally mist your face with Facial Spray to soften the mask, helping to avoid unnecessary tugging or pulling on delicate skin. Rinse off the mask, then follow with Chamomile Cleansing Lotion to further balance and soothe your skin.

Originally published as Power Pairings for Every Skin Type from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

From travel sizes to retailer exclusives, here is a list of our favorite insider intel to help you shop smarter:

1. Loyal to Mario Badescu Drying Lotion but hate glass bottles? Our much-loved blemish solution is available in a travel-friendly, shatter-proof plastic bottle on Nordstrom.com.

2. Love your cleanser (toner, body lotion, or shower gel) so much you wish you could bathe in it? Well, we can’t fill a bathtub for you, BUT most of our cleansers and toners are available on mariobadescu.com in 16oz. bottles. And the best part? The double-sized bottles aren’t double the price. That right. Snag a giant bottle of your go-to cleanser and put the money you saved toward a new bottle of Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater! Strategy, see?!

3. Speaking of Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater, did you know you can buy it in a giant 8oz. bottle? Or a very cute, carry-on friendly 2oz Bottle? You haven’t fallen down a rabbit hole, Alice, this is all real.

4. Calling all jet Setters, gym goers, and bi-coastal babes! You can buy travel-sized Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater, Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 15, and Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea on Ulta.com.

Head to Ulta.com for carry-on friendly Facial Spray!

5. Are you in the know? Mariobadescu.com shoppers have access to exclusive GWPs, discounts, and free shipping on orders over $35? Sign up here and be the first to find out about our special offers.

6. Wondering how to get Mario Badescu samples? There are two main ways. The first way is for customers who’ve never taken our online skin analysis. Simply fill out the information requested here and a free sample regimen will be sent out for you. * ** The second way is to select three free samples whenever you place an order on mariobadescu.com.

Now, which of these tips will you put to use first?

*Sample regimen only available in the United States.

**Must pay $2.95 for shipping and handling.

Originally published as Mario Hacks: Travel Sizes, Free Samples, and Beyond from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater is easily one of the most sought after products in the line. Not only is it a favorite of our amazing loyal customers (hi!), but it has also earned space in the skin care collections of our favorite bloggers, YouTube beauty gurus, celebrities, and makeup artists. Even with all of the popularity that this item has gained, we are frequently asked how the Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater should be used.

Misting by the sea shore!

We totally get it, it hydrates, but isn’t a moisturizer, it tones, but isn’t a toner. So, how exactly do you use it? The answer to this question is that there are many ways to use our Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater, and everyone that we know has their own favorite use. What most people agree on is that the more you use it, the better, because every use makes us feel refreshed and ready-to-go!

Here are five of our favorite ways to use Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater:

#1 Boost hydration by misting evenly to cleansed, toned skin. Follow with your daily moisturizer or night cream.

#2 Mist Facial Spray as a final step after makeup application to give your makeup a natural dewy finish.

#3 Need a midday beauty reboot? Keep a bottle of Facial Spray handy to refresh your face and your mood!

#4 Use to moisten makeup brushes, sponges, or your Beauty Blender.

#5 Give your at-home facial a botanical boost! Liberally mist skin with Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater before applying your mask. Once your mask has set and is ready to be removed, mist the face one more time. This will soften the mask in preparation for removal to help avoid unnecessary tugging or pulling on skin.

Originally published as 5 Tips: Mario Badescu Facial Spray from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Are blackheads the bane of your existence? You’re not alone. A fast and furious stream of questions on this topic flows into MB headquarters every single day.  

No blackheads here!

Blackheads are not only frustrating because of the visible black dots they sprinkle on your face, but maddening because once they pop up, they kind of just hang out . . . indefinitely. Those prone to blackheads encounter more of a problem if their current skin care regimen provides a hospitable environment for blackheads to live. Unlike other kinds of acne, blackheads don’t flare up then fizzle out and disappear, nope, blackheads reside. They will live on your face until you shake up your routine in a way that makes your skin uninhabitable.

The bad news? There is no magic cure for blackheads. The good news? I’m going to give you a plan of attack that will send these unwanted guests packing.

Firstly, it is important to know what a blackhead is so that you can understand how to get rid of them. A blackhead occurs when a pore becomes filled with sebaceous material—the natural oily substance produced by your skin—and oxidizes. This is the same process that causes sliced apples and avocados to turn brown after being exposed to air for a period of time. This is also why blackheads are so darn visible.

To improve the appearance of blackheads we must make sure to not allow that sebaceous material to sit in the pore for too long. The best way to do this is to add a few simple elements to your skin care regimen that will help to do the following: absorb oils from the pore, dissolve, and/or polish away pore-clogging material from the skin’s surface so that it doesn’t have a chance to darken.  

For a winning blackhead-fighting skin routine, try adding one item from each of the categories below to your regimen:

Absorb

Silver Powder– This uber-absorbent powder has earned a cult following of loyalists who love it for its ability to attack blackhead-prone areas like the nose, cheeks, and chin.

Special Mask for Oily Skin-This mask is specially formulated to help prevent clogged pores (which lead to you-know-whats. . .) on skin types that are prone to excess oil production.

Tonic Masks– This entire line of masks is formulated with absorbent Kaolin Clay to help keep skin clear.

Dissolve

Glycolic Foaming Cleanser– Use this exfoliating cleanser 3 times a week to break down excess oil and dulling dead skin cells.

Alpha Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion– Give your skin a swipe of this classic brightening toner twice daily to keep pores in check and gently brighten with Grapefruit and Lemon Extracts.

Anti-Acne Serum– The Salicylic Acid in this non-drying serum works to penetrate and cleanse pores. Apply a thin layer over problem areas before bed and fight blackheads while you sleep!  

Polish

Botanical Exfoliating Scrub– Finely ground Ecuadorian Ivory Palm Seeds perfectly polish pores—use regularly so that oxidation doesn’t have a chance to occur and blackheads don’t stand a chance!

What’s your biggest skin concern? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, maybe we’ll write a post about it!

Originally published as How to Get Rid of Blackheads from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Your skin care arsenal is stocked. Cleanser? Check. Toner. Check. Drying Lotion? Check! And since you’ve done your research, you know not to shake the Drying Lotion (Still want to give it a shake? Don’t take our word for it.) You skin is looking good and you feel like this:

Then, when you least expect it, a blemish pops up! You know what to do. You reach for that bottle of zit-fighting magic, and before you can even register what is happening, you fumble. Your Drying Lotion slips, escapes from your hand, and your #catlike reflexes kick in (Luckily, you took those martial arts classes for that month in second grade! #thanksmomanddad) and you are able to catch the bottle before it crashes to the floor. Whew! But, ugh, not before your perfect bottle of layered pimple kryptonite is all mixed up. First you feel confusion, then despair sets in and now you are all:

So here’s where one of our most frequently asked questions comes in. Lots of you would like to know, “If my Drying Lotion is shaken, is it ruined?” The A. to that Q. is, no. Not at all. Simply set the shaken bottle on a flat surface then distract yourself with some TV, or better yet, a good book, and hang in there until it settles. “But will it still work the same?” you ask. Yes, it will. “It won’t make it less effective?” No, sir or ma’am. It will not.

Us? Oh, we’re just waiting for our Drying Lotion to settle.

So there you have it! The most anxiety-provoking conundrum in the battle for clear skin has been solved for once and for all. It seems that when it comes to Drying Lotion (and life in general) an occasional shake-up is nothing to worry about!

Originally published as Our Best Skin Care Tips: What Happens if you Shake the Drying Lotion? from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.