Drying Lotion by Mario Badescu

The Drying Lotion by Mario Badescu is the triple threat of the acne fighting industry.

It is composed of ingredients such as camphor, calamine, and Salicylic Acid. This unique treatment aims to target, treat, and calm blemishes simultaneously.

Camphor has a soothing quality; making it a great treatment for chapped and inflamed skin. Applied topically, calamine helps to anesthetize and soothe discomfort in the inflamed area surrounding the pimple. Like aspirin, Salicylic Acid also aids in reducing pain and inflammation.

I purchased mine at Ulta for $17.00. In an odd, but convenient twist, the product is offered in both a glass and plastic bottle. The plastic might be more convenient for travel, but I personally opted for the glass option given the potentially reactive nature of these ingredients.

The product is somewhat of a pioneer. Like oil and water, the solution separates with a heavy sediment at the bottom of the bottle. The solution is meant to remain separated. The instructions advise to apply the product by vertically inserting a cotton swab through the mixture, straight to the bottom, and withdrawing without mixing. The cotton swab (and everything it picked up) is then directly applied over the affected area. It dries to a white, powdery finish.

You apply it before going to bed, sleep with it on, and in theory wake up with smaller (if not cured) pimples.

Right from the beginning I found the scent to be much too strong.

I hoped the strength of the scent was indicative of the strength and effectiveness of the product.

That was definitely no the case for me.

I used it on the same areas for 4 consecutive nights and did not notice any improvement.

Now I should mention that acne products, whether benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid based, have never worked on me. Unfortunately, this was no exception.

Funny enough, the fact that there is so much hype around this product makes me feel like I should say: it’s not you, it’s me. I would assume it has delivered enough results to earn the hype. Right?

This can be a very gentle, yet effective product for those whose skin tends to react well to salicylic acid based products. Not to generalize too much, but I would assume that if you are someone who finds salicylic acid products effective, then this is definitely worth a try.

Unfortunately, I’m still on the hunt.