Mario Badescu Drying Lotion (Glass bottle) 29ml

Product Information

Even if I haven't found the perfect cadence to prevent over-exfoliation, I know that following up my heavy-handed practices with drying masks or cleansers just makes matters worse. But, the lingering whiteheads bug me. For this reason, I am on the hunt for a spot treatment I can use only on the active pimples that stubbornly stay for up to two weeks. This is the ingreidents list of Mario Badescu Drying Lotion; Isopropyl Alcohol, Aqua (Water, Eau), Calamine, Camphor, Sulfur, Zinc Oxide, Talc, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide).

Scott AM, Stehlik P, Clark J, Zhang D, Yang Z, Hoffmann T, Mar CD, Glasziou P. Blue-Light Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Ann Fam Med. 2019;17(6):545-553. doi:10.1370/afm.2445 Try tea tree oil, camphor, witch hazel, and willow bark if you prefer gentle or natural ingredients. In the case of hydrocolloid patches, the active ingredient works by pulling sebum, dead skin cells, and pus from the congested pores. Your big challenge is, this ability of isopropyl alcohol in your skincare comes at a cost; IPA fluidizes and disrupts the bilayer structure of the intercellular lipids. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 2003 Nov-Dec;16(6):393-404 Benzoyl peroxide is commonly used to treat mild acne, and this acne treatment gel is a great option if you're looking to incorporate this ingredient into your skin care routine. It's made of just 5 ingredients in total, and it can be used up to 3 times daily, according to the brand.

Key Ingredients

Yang Z, Zhang Y, Lazic Mosler E, et al. Topical benzoyl peroxide for acne. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;3(3):CD011154. Published 2020 Mar 16. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011154.pub2 Because of these differences, pimple patches tend to be less “aggressive” than drying lotions, so they may be the better option for sensitive skin. Try both options, and see what your skin likes best! 4 Acne Drying Lotions That Are Worth a Try Consider the treatment type you’d prefer when looking for an acne spot treatment. Some spot treatments are used overnight; others can be used under makeup. Drying lotions and hydrocolloid treatments are often used overnight and work to pull out and dry up congestion in the pores. If you can't resist the urge to pop your pimple, this is the time to reach for your spot treatment. After you've sufficiently cleansed the skin post-pop, opt for a lotion or gel that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Dr. Wolinsky explains this will dry up any remaining pus trapped in the pore. The larger and more noticeable a pimple gets, the urge to pop it seems to inevitably grow as well, and I completely relate. Despite all the advice we've read and heard from experts telling us not to squeeze and pop, it's just so hard to fight the urge, especially since pimples always seem to show up at the worst times (think before a big party or date night). With spring break, big festivals and other travel plans right around the corner, the stress of getting a pimple right now is absolutely pore-ibble.

Dark marks which take forever to fade – we scientifically call this post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) Boom – you’re now a science geek like me. Why I Don’t Recommend You Use Mario Badescu Drying LotionFirst of all, I do not want you to feel bad if you’ve used this Mario Badescu spot treatment before. I made very similar mistakes when I had active acne. It’s human to make acne mistakes like these – so the only thing I want you to feel right now is – yay – congratulations for being human and a sense of peace and calm that you’re now going to be doing much better things for your skin.

What you don’t realise is that long term it’s likely also making your spot scars and the dark marks pimples leave behind, way worse.

Acne drying lotions are designed to be used on active blemishes (like whiteheads), but not on pimples you have previously popped. What you don’t realise is that long term you’re making it extra likely your skin will break out in future– maybe in the same recurring place, over and over again. And guess what your skin has way more of when your skin barrier’s ‘dried’ away – inflammation. Boom. Drying lotions work by, well, drying out the pimples. They achieve this through the use of salicylic acid, along with a combination of powdered ingredients. Pimple patches do not necessarily dry out pimples; it depends on the kind of patch you choose. While some pimple patches will feature exfoliating salicylic acid, others will refrain from including exfoliating ingredients. Instead, they’ll focus on absorbing oils (and whatever gunk comes with), and reducing inflammation around the pimple (so it doesn’t look quite so angry). Almost exclusively your skin’s top layers are made up of oils and fats. Even if your skin type isn’t oily. Even if you don’t have spots and acne.

It’s not just my opinion, this is published science… so come find out how to avoid this number acne mistake and instead get healthy, clear, glowing skin that has you feeling calm, confident and in control 😀We also feature formulas from some of TikTok's favourite skincare brands, The Inkey List and CeraVe which both focus on getting rid of your spot without compromising your skin's barrier. Now that's Cosmo approved! If you’ve popped a pimple (and you know you should avoid that as much as possible, right?), don’t rush to cover the area in skincare products. Wash the area with a mild cleanser and moisturize with a gentle cream. Do your best to keep your hands away from your face, and leave your acne drying lotion out of this! Drying lotions vs Pimple patches