Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser: Review

My facial skin is classified as combination as it contains oily, normal, and dry areas. However, for most of the year, my skin is generally more oily than anything else. During warmer times of the year, I need a little extra help in keeping my skin clear. To assist in this constant battle, I reach for my Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser.

This foaming cleanser is packaged in a plastic bottle with a flip-up spout for dispensing. As with most other Mario Badescu products, the packaging is simple and features a sticker on the bottle containing the name of the product, directions, and ingredients.

According to the directions, those with problematic or oily skin are to use this product in place of one's normal cleanser 2-3 times per week. If you have normal to dry skin, you'll want to cut this usage down to 1-2 times per week.

The cleanser itself is light beige in color, and is very runny. It's viscosity is very close to that of water, so dispensing can be tricky until you get used to it. I generally dispense an approximately quarter-sized amount onto a facial buffer or my fingers, then rub the product onto my facial skin for at least one minute (completely avoiding the eye area).

A little of this cleanser is all that's needed as it foams up very quickly and efficiently. The scent is not too bad, but could be described as medicinal. You definitely know you're using a product that means business, and is not concerned with being fancy at all.

Generally when I cleanse my face, I'll leave the cleanser on while finishing a shower to ensure the ingredients have time to get the makeup and dirt off of my skin. I would only recommend doing so with this cleanser if you have oily skin or you may experience some dryness.

Rinsing the product with tepid water, it always leaves my skin squeaky-clean and completely free of makeup and dirt. Luckily, the scent rinses away with the cleanser and does not stay on my skin. Once I pat my face dry, my skin appears refreshed and my pores are temporarily tightened.

I have occasionally experienced some dryness when using this product, but find that using a moisturizer does not negate the effects of this cleanser. My skin has that deep-clean feeling that feels particularly good after working out or sweating in general.

As a maintenance product, I think this is a great cleanser. During terribly hot southern summers, I've used this up to 5 times per week and found it a bit drying, so I now stick to the recommended 2-3 times of usage per week. This is a great product for a deep cleansing that will keep oily and acne-prone skin in check. If your skin is normal to dry, 1-2 times per week of usage should keep your skin glowing.

I do have one problem with this cleanser: on the back of the packaging, it states that the company recommends one keep this product in a cool, dry place. I wash my face in the shower twice per day. My shower is the complete opposite of cool and dry. I still find Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser to be an effective product despite the fact I do not keep it stored in a cool, dry place.

Just a note for or those who may not know: Mario Badescu Skin Care has been around since 1967. They have a very successful spa located in New York, and have many famous clients. You can purchase their products from their website, or at select stores such as Nordstrom's.