Q. Should I skip cleansing twice daily if my skin is dry? My skin always feels super dry and tight after washing my face, even more so now that it’s cold out.

It’s important to cleanse twice daily no matter your skin type and no matter the season—it’s just about finding the right face wash that suits your skin’s needs. So: if your skin feels dry, tight, or even sensitive after cleansing, it’s likely you’re not using the right kind of face wash.

Which leads us to…

Q. What’s the best face cleanser for dry, winter skin?

A. Mario Badescu aestheticians recommend using a cream or tissue-off cleanser. Both are gentle alternatives to bar soaps or foaming formulas: they get rid of the dirt, oil, and impurities, but leave your skin feeling soft and nourished.

Here’s how to find the best face wash that’ll keep your dry skin happy all winter long:

Got combo/dry skin and love a rejuvenating boost in your cleanser?

Try Orange Cleansing Soap, a comforting face wash infused with Orange Peel Extract that refreshes skin of light makeup, dirt, oil, and other surface impurities.

#MBSkinTip: If you love Enzyme Cleansing Gel in the warmer months but are looking for a winter alternative, you’ll love this face wash, too.

Got combination/dry skin that’s prone to uneven skin tone and texture?

You’ll love Seaweed Cleansing Soap, a fresh, creamy face wash formulated with marine botanicals. Surface impurities are washed away, but your complexion is left softer and smoother than before. Plus, there are real seaweed grains in there to gently buff away dulling dead skin cells.

Got dry, sensitive skin that looks dull?

Use Keratoplast Cream Soap, a unique cleanser that helps rid the skin of pore-clogging impurities without leaving skin feeling parched.

Got dry skin?

Start using Cucumber Cream Soap, a creamy, Cucumber-infused face wash that leaves skin feeling soft, fresh, and hydrated.

Got super sensitive and dry skin?

Try Cream Soap. It’s a simple, gentle formula that was created specifically for delicate skin. It’s an oil-free, fragrance-free, moisturizing formula that cleanses without overdrying skin.

Got super dry, parched, and/or mature skin? Or maybe you love wearing a full face of heavy makeup?

Your skin will love Cleansing Milk with Carnation & Rice Oil. Makeup and surface impurities are instantly wiped clean without stripping dry skin of essential moisture; instead, this oil-based cleansing milk ensures skin feels soft and nourished.

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Originally published as Q&A: Best Face Cleansers for Dry, Winter Skin from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

With an abundance of skincare options available, there can be a lot of confusion around the purpose of the products, their ingredients and the way to apply them. Regardless of their names, what matters in skincare products is what they are designed to do and what they contain. You are probably familiar with face toners and facial sprays (also known as face mists). But do you know they are two products that can take your skincare routine to the next level?

Are toners and facial sprays different?

Some of you may be wondering if these two products are different and whether you need them both. And the answer is yes.

Toners and face mists are different! Toners (also known as “cleansing lotions” in our line) are formulated to re-balance skin after you’ve washed your face while adding a weightless layer of complexion-boosting benefits to your skin. (Witch Hazel & Lavender Toner, for example, helps clarify and soothe skin in addition to sweeping away any remaining surface impurities.) Think of toners as part of your cleansing routine:  the non-negotiable part two after you rinse off your go-to cleanser.

Our Facial Sprays are formulated to replenish and refresh your skin. True, our mists are great multi-taskers, but their primary purpose is to boost hydration and infuse botanical benefits (depending on facial spray you choose) into your skin care and makeup, too.

What is a toner and how to use it?

Toners have a water-like consistency and are usually applied gently with a cotton pad after cleansing the face. Years ago, traditional toners used to be drying and quite harsh on the skin but this remains in the past. Nowadays, toners are packed with skin-loving ingredients and provide a variety of benefits:

1. Remove traces of impurities. It is really important to wash your face with a gentle cleanser and take off all the makeup, bacteria and pollution, built up throughout the day. Sometimes impurities can be a bit stubborn and toners come to the rescue to provide additional cleansing.
2. Balance the pH of the skin. Often an irritation might occur or the new products you are trying could be a bit too harsh on your skin. The right toner will calm the skin and balance its pH level after cleansing. As a result, the rest of your skincare products absorb and perform better, as well.
3. Target specific concerns. Face toners are formulated with actives and nutrients to soothe and replenish the skin and keep it youthful and healthy.

What is a facial spray?

Face mists can have a consistency quite similar to toners but they often come in a spray bottle, allowing you to gently spritz the mist all over the face and neck. They can be used pretty much anytime depending on the results you want to attain. Facial sprays are multi-tasking heroes that can be applied even on the go to achieve multiple effects:

1. Nourish and moisturize the skin. Face mists are usually formulated with moisturizing and soothing ingredients to boost hydration and prevent moisture loss.

2. Assist with your skincare routine. Facial sprays can be used between two steps of your regimen to enhance the effects of the products. Spritzing your facial mist after using toner and before applying your daily moisturizer will seal in the moisture and leave the skin looking visibly plump and radiant.

3. Freshen up makeup. Face mists can be applied over makeup, as well. Facial Sprays are versatile because they can be used anywhere, any time of the day to freshen up your makeup, to achieve a dewy look or to get a serious boost of hydration in a dry environment.

How do you use both toner and facial spray in your routine?

Here’s how to incorporate both products into your skincare routine:

1. Wash your face with a cleanser.
2. Pat skin dry, then dampen a cotton ball or pad with toner. Sweep the cotton across your face in upward options (avoiding the eye area) until the cotton comes up clean.
3. Liberally mist your face and neck with a Mario Badescu Facial Spray…
4. While your skin is still dewy, apply your serum/moisturizer. Doing so helps give ingredients like Sodium Hyaluronate or Hyaluronic Acid (or other humectants found in your skin care) more water to bind to and draw into the skin—therefore maximizing moisturization.

Facial Mist and Toner Pairings

Toners and face mists are packed with beneficial ingredients to transform the way your skin feels and looks. Adding your preferred duo of toner and face mist to your routine will visibly restore and replenish the skin, leaving it looking smoother, fresher and more hydrated.

The hydrating and pore refining Witch Hazel & Rose Water Toner and Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs & Rosewater have the antioxidant power of Rose Extract and the hydrating touch of Aloe Vera to restore skin’s brightness and fight the visible signs of premature aging.

For skin that looks tired and lackluster the following duo is just the right one for you. The invigorating Aloe Vera Alcohol Free Toner and Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea will wake up dull skin and reveal rebalanced and dewy complexion.

If you and your skin are feeling a bit stressed, our calming Witch Hazel & Lavender Facial Toner and Facial Spray with Aloe, Chamomile and Lavender will help you relax and enjoy a hydrated and brighter look of your skin.

Originally published as What’s the Difference Between Toner and Facial Spray? from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Congrats! You’ve come to the right place for fast-acting, clear skin solutions. But with not one, but three spot treatments in front of you, which of these Mario Badescu products will work best for your breakouts?

Surface blemishes? Use Drying Lotion.

Drying Lotion is the original, award-winning product that targets pesky surface blemishes while you sleep. It was formulated by Badescu himself in the 1960s and has since taken top shelf in medicine cabinets around the world.

Here’s how Drying Lotion works:

1. Whatever you do, don’t shake the bottle. It’s tempting—it’s the first thing most people do when they see it—but Drying Lotion is meant to work as a bi-phase solution.
2. Dip a cotton swab into the pink sediment. Here’s a tip: use the smaller, fine-tipped cotton swabs for more precise application. It’ll grab less product too, which means your bottle will last you a little longer.
3. Apply the product directly to any surface blemishes. Think of Drying Lotion as a tiny pink mask for every spot. Leave it on overnight and wash everything off come morning. Voila!

Small bumps and blemishes? Use Drying Cream.

Drying Cream is specially formulated to target and dry up those clusters of small bumps and blemishes. After you’ve cleansed and toned your skin, pat a small amount of the cream on those breakouts. The powerful Sulfur and Zinc Oxide formula works to clarify troubled areas so skin appears smoother and clearer the next morning.

Large and painful, under-the-skin bumps? Use Buffering Lotion.

These are the kind of bumps that hurt to the touch and feel deeply rooted in the skin. Because this type of breakout doesn’t come to a head, they require a little extra care. Enter Buffering Lotion, a unique solution to these blemishes.

Unlike most spot treatments, Buffering Lotion isn’t a paste or gel-like product. Instead, it’s super thin and water-y in consistency, which enables it to sink quickly into the skin and target problems at the root—so don’t be alarmed when you first start using it!

For starters, do shake the bottle: you want the white sediment to mix with the liquid so it turns milky-white in color. For every spot you see, squeeze one drop onto a clean fingertip and gently pat it onto the blemish.

(Need all three solutions? Get our Acne Repair Kit and save.)

…so what’s the Anti-Acne Serum¸ you ask?

Anti-Acne Serum isn’t a spot treatment. It’s a super lightweight gel that’s designed to re-balance skin and promote a clearer complexion. Here’s how: Salicylic Acid (a powerful beta hydroxy acid) helps rid the skin of pore-clogging sebum and dead skin cells—which when left to accumulate, leads to breakouts—and allows Thyme Extract to clarify pores.

It’s easy to use too. Apply nightly on breakout and blackhead-prone areas to keep skin looking clear for the long-run.

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SHOP CLEAR SKIN SOLUTIONS

Originally published as What’s the Difference Between Drying Lotion, Drying Cream & Buffering Lotion? from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Flying is all very glamorous and adventurous until logistics come into play. It’s a funny thing about reality; it’s always getting in the way. There’s packing (ugh), TSA constraints, long queues, overpriced food courts…

And then there’s the inevitable waiting period: that ticking clock between take-off and rushing to the nearest bathroom at arrival to check the state of your skin.

If there’s one thing worse than inconsiderate neighbors encroaching on personal space, it’s the havoc that cabin air seems to always wreak on every complexion.

So—why does skin freak out when you fly?

All skin types—even oily ones—are vulnerable to experiencing discomfort. Recycled cabin air, refreshed only by air taken from the surrounding low-humidity, high altitudes atmosphere, is incredibly drying on skin. Without the moisture needed to help skin feel comfortable, air on board just seems suffocating.

Combat dryness, flakiness, and tightness by keeping skin hydrated and well-moisturized.

If you have…

COMBO SKIN, OILY SKIN, OR A SHORT FLIGHT

A few spritzes of your favorite facial spray will help instantly hydrate and refresh skin. Use as needed throughout your flight and just before landing for an impossibly dewy complexion.

COMBO SKIN, DRY SKIN, OR A LONG FLIGHT

Nourish dry and dehydrated complexions with a few drops of Rose Hips Nourishing Oil, a lightweight facial oil that helps boost radiance with Rosehip Oil and Rosehip Extract. Apply a few drops to target any areas prone to dryness, or massage all over your skin before taking off. Layer your favorite moisturizer on top, and don’t be afraid to re-apply your oil as needed.

DRY SKIN, MATURE SKIN, OR A LONG FLIGHT

Replenish skin and help guard against moisture loss with Hydro-Emollient Cream. Also famously known as the go-to “in-flight” cream for dry skin types or frequent flyers, this rich face helps lock in hydration and give skin a softer, smoother, and more supple appearance.

.   .   .

Skin doesn’t just experience dryness, unfortunately.

When it comes to travel, your skin may become more prone to breakouts due to:

1. Imbalance: When skin is thrown into extreme conditions and suddenly experiences intense dehydration, oil glands are kicked into high gear in an attempt to compensate for lack of moisture. Dead skin cell buildup and excess oil clog pores, making way for—you guessed it—breakouts.
2. Stress: When the body experiences stress, a hormone called cortisol is released. Studies have shown that there’s a direct correlation between increased cortisol levels and acne breakouts. Plus, stress-related habits (poor eating habits, lack of sleep, etc.) only add to the problem, causing sebum glands to secrete an oily, pore-clogging substance. Travel stress and long flights are simply no good.

.   .   .

So, keep your skin in check with these essentials:

• Bobbi pins, clips, or hair ties: Keeping hair off your face can help prevent breakouts.
• Lip Balm: Apply a thick a layer and let the blend of nutrient-dense butters and skin-conditioning oils nourish your lips. Leave it on for the duration of your flight (as if it were a lip treatment mask), then blot the excess off before you land.
• Drying Cream: Feel a bump coming up? Dab a tiny amount onto the spot and blend well. Drying Cream is effective in helping dry up those small, under-the-skin blemishes and prevent them from getting any larger.
• Drying Lotion: … and clean Q-tips. Your favorite on-the-spot solution comes in a travel-friendly plastic bottle so you can fly with peace of mind. True, rocking pink polka dots in public may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we’re all for dabbing this Salicylic Acid and Calamine solution if you need to—especially for red-eyes or long-haul flights.

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Originally published as Q&A: Why Does My Skin Freak Out When I Fly? from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

Planning a trip to Visit the Mario Badescu Facial Salon in NYC?

Here’s what to expect!

Will my visit to the Mario Badescu Spa be a Zen-like experience?
Yes and no. This is a tricky question. I’ve first-hand had hundreds of barely coherent conversations with post-facial clients who are sleepily floating their way out of our doors after their Mario Badescu facial. Even more guests have told me that they’ve fallen asleep during their treatments. However (insert record scratch), there are a few things to consider. Our number one priority is to help your skin look its very best. There are many spas where the main goal is to help you relax. I really like those places. Those places are lovely. I even visit them myself. . .when I need to relax. When my skin is rebelling, the Mario Badescu Salon is the only place I go.
Why might a Mario Badescu facial not feel very Zen-like? Firstly, extractions pinch. Secondly, our bustling salon has been a skin care institution on Manhattan’s East Side for 50 years. That’s five decades of solid problem-solving skin care. And five decades of growth, in a residential building, in New York City–do you see where I’m going here? We’ve grown into every available square foot and currently have 37 treatment rooms. In fact, when we are completely booked we accommodate over 150 facials a day!
That’s a lot of clients (not to mention aestheticians, skin specialists, managers, and housekeeping staff) coming in and out of our door. There are some days when we are positively BUZZING and the activity is palpable. I absolutely love the energy and seeing all of our amazing clients (many of whom we know by name, hi guys!), but at those moments I probably wouldn’t describe the atmosphere as perfectly peaceful.

Where exactly is the salon?
The Mario Badescu Skin Care Salon is housed on the ground level of a residential building on Manhattan’s East Side. The address is 320 East 52nd Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues.
The salon is tucked away with our only signage being a plaque on the left side of the building’s entrance. Once you enter the building, there is a doorman who can point you in the right direction.

No facial? No worries!
You don’t have to be booked for a facial to come visit Mario Badescu’s flagship location. We have lots of customers who come to shop for products and get our in-house staff’s expert product recommendations. Fun fact: This is the only place that carries the entire Mario Badescu Skin Care line. So, please visit, don’t be shy. We’d love to meet you!

Originally published as Mario Badescu Facial FAQs from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

(Plus, the Difference Between This One & Our Original Facial Spray)

Drumroll, please.

This new facial spray has been a long time coming. Long, because our chemist is a perfectionist (a woman after our founder’s own heart), and because we wanted to find the perfect combination that satisfied your needs.

For years, you’ve asked for a new facial mist. Some just wanted something to add your collection of rosewater facial sprays; others were a little more specific. You wanted invigorating. You wanted an antioxidant boost. A mist that was less rose-y, perhaps—one that ups the fresh without the floral.

Check, check, check, and check. We’re thrilled to give you a first look at our latest launch: the Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea.

“What is it?”

It’s an invigorating facial mist that revives dull, tired skin with an infusion of nutrient-rich botanicals and Cucumber Essential Water. Aloe Vera and Cucumber—both rich in essential vitamins and minerals—deliver a cooling boost of hydration as Green Tea provides powerful antioxidant protection.

“Where can I get it?”

You can purchase Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea on MarioBadescu.com or find it at a store near you that carries MB! Shop it here.

“What’s the difference between the two Facial Sprays?”

There are a few differences; our goal was to formulate a facial mist that would complement the OG rosewater facial spray.

Both boost hydration. Both also feature Aloe Vera for its soothing properties—but these are the main differences:

Our cult-favorite Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater was created to give skin a hydrated, dewy glow. With radiance-boosting and soothing botanicals like Rose, Gardenia, Thyme, Aloe, and skin-softening Bladderwrack (a type of seaweed), this is the ultimate pick-me-up product that leaves skin radiant.

What we love it for:

• Boosting hydration in our moisturizing routine
• Misting over makeup as a final step for a flawless, dewy finish
• Rehydrating throughout the day, on the plane, everywhere basically

Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea, has a little more zing to it. Like your morning, wake-me-up green tea (literally), with extra benefits. Infused with nutrient-rich botanicals (like Aloe Vera and Cucumber) and Cucumber Essential Water, our latest instantly invigorates and tones to perk up dull or tired skin. Green Tea provides a protective, antioxidant boost—leaving skin fresh and revitalized.

What we love it for:

• Waking up tired skin in the morning
• Giving skin additional toning benefits after cleansing and toning
• Invigorating skin before, during, and after a workout
• Cooling skin on a hot, muggy day

So, which do I need?

It’s up to you! We recommend incorporating both in your regimen, but the beauty of these facial mists is in their versatility.

Here at MB HQ, we love starting the day with Facial with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea to wake us up, then misting the original rosewater facial spray throughout the day to revive dehydrated skin. We’re also toting the new one in our gym bags—it’s a must during and post-workout as a super refreshing and cooling boost. The Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater, however, take permanent residence in our travel bags (here’s why.)

Originally published as Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea: What It Does & How To Use It 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.

Q. Why does Mario Badescu call its toners cleansing lotions?

A. It’s a question we get asked often—and we totally get why. (Another frequently asked question that piggybacks off of this one is whether or not our “cleansing lotions” are in-shower body lotions. They’re not .)

“Cleansing lotion” is actually the classic name for toner. We’re keeping the label true to Mario Badescu’s original product names so his legacy remains intact and we remain authentic to the brand’s heritage.

Any more questions? Tweet us @mariobadescu!

.   .   .

SHOP OUR TONERS

Originally published as Q&A: Why Are Our Toners Called Cleansing Lotions? from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

You tote it, pack it, stash it, and sometimes even snatch someone else’s, but as much as this little life-saver is loved and used, the question we hear most frequently from our customers is, “Do I shake the Drying Lotion?”

Dip. Don’t Shake.

Ah, yes. To shake the Drying Lotion, or not to shake, that is literally the question. Ask anyone in our customer service department, or on our sales team, and they will tell you this is easily the most frequently asked question in Mario Badescu history. “Why?” you ask. “Aren’t there directions on the bottle?” you ask. Yep, there sure are. But it’s not that simple.

There is just something about that separation of pink sediment at the bottom and clear liquid on top that makes a segment of our customers feel like they just have to shake. No question about it, no need to consult the label. On the other hand, that same bottle makes some so apprehensive that they barely breathe when moving their Drying Lotion, lest they disturb the sediment and cause the solution dust up into the clear liquid above.

So, which is it? Drumroll please. . .

The answer is, no. You do not shake the Drying Lotion.

Think of it this way: The pink dot you make on your face works like a teeny overnight mask that gives targeted attention to your blemish. You want the product to be clay-like when it is applied so that it goes on opaque and pink, completely covering the bump. When you shake, that sediment becomes diluted. Voilà! You now know how to get the best results from your bottle of Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.

With that settled, we can’t help but wonder what Shakespeare would think of all of this? Much Ado About Nothing, perhaps?

Originally published as Drying Lotion: To Shake or Not to Shake from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.

A. We typically recommend using your mask 2-3 times a week. Masks are left to set on the skin for between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on which one you are using. (Always remember to follow the directions on the label!

Check out the Flower & Tonic Mask or Super Collagen Mask (these are top sellers for a reason!).

The Drying Mask is amazing for fighting Acne.

Whether you’re after a deep clean, intense hydration, a skin-perfecting treatment, or an instant lift, masks are essential to every basic skincare regimen. Facial masks can help target specific skin concerns – e.g.: acne, aging, dryness, hyperpigmentation, etc. – and will only help to improve your complexion.

Find your perfect masks here.

Originally published as Q&A: How Often Should I Use My Mask? from the Mario Badescu Skin Care Blog.