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Mario Badescu Facial Spray Review

March 27, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Curious about Mario Badescu Facial Sprays? I am and had been for some time. Actually, I was on the lookout for some good facial sprays and this brand caught my eye. There seem to be a lot of raves about their Green Tea, Lavender and especially their Rosewater face mists. So, I couldn’t help but try them for myself. For starters, I kinda like the ingredients of these facial sprays and they seem to be light on the skin. Since I’m actually not a fan of thick, heavy, and oil-based face sprays because they’ll just emphasize the shine on my skin, I felt like these Mario Badescu mists seem like the perfect fit.

There are a couple of things I noticed about these facial sprays. First, they’re really quite versatile to use. They’re not just simple facial sprays, they can also be used as a toner or as a complement to your favorite moisturizer since these sprays add extra moisture to the skin and soften the dry patches of the face. So, in general, these mists are perfect for layering under makeup. Second thing is that these are perfect for spraying on our favorite facial sponge of the world – the beautyblender. Speaking of that, oh my, I do that quite a lot. I like the convenience of having a facial spray nearby so I could moisten my beautyblender with it on the spot. I tend to get lazy in wetting my beautyblender especially when I may not have access to the nearest faucet and I have to apply my makeup fast. I actually like the feel of my beautyblender that way as opposed to wetting it with water, because it sorta retains a firm texture which makes it easier for me to control my makeup application. Moistening it all over could make the sponge too soft. I love to smack that beautyblender on my face so I could have a more even, natural, and less cakey foundation on the skin. Lastly, as a facial spray, these really add moisture to dry skin, and they’re great as a finishing spray since they make the foundation look less harsh and more even. Also, these provide for a nice facial refresher during the day.

Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater (4 oz: $7, 8 oz: $12) – This face mist is great for all skin types, but actually all Mario Badescu Face Sprays are. This one, in particular, has a nice rose scent and it’s meant to rehydrate, clarify, even the complexion, and add a glow to the skin. For me, I didn’t notice the glow part at all, but I guess because my skin is already glowing in oil anyway, LOL. This facial spray actually did quite the opposite. It did kinda control the excess oiliness of my skin even though the effect is very subtle. This spray also moisturizes the skin and it feels light, non-sticky, and it didn’t give me any breakouts. So this is really nice for those with oily-prone or with problematic acne skin. Also, there are no harsh ingredients in this, like Sulfates, SLES, Parabens, etc.

Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber, and Green Tea (4 oz: $7, 8 oz: $12) – Smells fresh just like Cucumber and Green Tea, I like leaving this face mist inside my refrigerator, and I use this to hydrate my skin throughout the day. Try it, you’ll love it. This spray is also great for all skin types and I believe, apart from delivering extra moisture to the skin, this pretty much adds an invigorating effect, the type that wakes up the senses.

Facial Spray with Aloe, Chamomile, and Lavender (4 oz: $7, 8 oz: $12) – Talking about relaxing and soothing face mists, well, this is the one. Just like the calming effect of Lavender, I love using this spray at night especially before going to bed. My face tends to get dry at night so this spray helps a lot. I find this to be quite comforting and surprisingly very hydrating, probably even more hydrating than the Rosewater one above. This is also great for all skin types and free of any harsh ingredients.

In general, though the effects of these face sprays are very subtle and there’s really not that much difference among them, the important thing is we hydrate our skin and these deliver. So I highly recommend these facial mists. I like that they help to invigorate our senses, they’re mild on the skin, and that they’re pretty much affordable. The bottles are large enough for daily use and they could last for some time. The spray nozzles could use some improvement, but I’m cool with that.

The Mario Badescu Facial Sprays are currently available at Sephora, Ulta, Anthropologie, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off Fifth, Urban Outfitters and Amazon

Are you a fan of these? What’s your favorite Face Mist?

Favorite Body Cleansers And Body Scrubs

December 19, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi guys, I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas soon and I’ve been busy prepping my home and doing some last minute gift wrapping for my friends and families. This year, I’m playing Santa so I’ve got several presents to hand to. Oh, the joys of the holidays! Anyhow, as promised on my Insta, I’m sharing you now my personal favorites in body scrubs, cleansers and shower gels.

This post is a continuation of my roundup review of some of my favorite body lotions and body butters, seen HERE, as well as my fave dry body oils, HERE.

I love body cleansers and body scrubs. I always look forward to using them everytime I shower instead of the using the good ‘ol soap bars which are kinda messy to use. I not only like the convenience of using shower gels, but I also love to buy them in different scents so I could alternately use them depending on my mood, the season, or what my skin currently needs.

These are my faves so far.

Korres Shower Gel (13.53 oz: $21 Korres site, $38 Amazon) – These have been my favorite go-tos because they come in several scents and they remind me of that nice fresh Mediterranean shower. My favorite scent so far is the Japanese Rose, Cassis Fig, Yogurt, and I still want to try the Guava one. These shower gels don’t foam as much but each bottle is large enough and can last a month or two. I love how these don’t dry my skin and it’s great to use everyday.

Philosophy Falling In Love Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel (16 oz: $26) – My newest love from Philosophy and it has a sweet warm vanilla scent. The bottle is huge and the cleanser itself has a light lavender shade which looks cute with its message of Falling in Love with yourself. This lathers well and it leaves my skin thoroughly cleansed.

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Smoothing Oil-To-Foam Body Cleanser (2.5 oz: $12.50, 8.4 oz: $29) – If you love the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Nourishing Dry Body Oil reviewed HERE, then you’re gonna enjoy this unique body wash. It first starts as oil then it transforms into a foamy body cleanser as soon as you rub it a few times on the skin. It is so moisturizing and perfect for those with dry skin. I tend to use this around this cold winter season to protect my skin from dryness.

Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Bath & Shower Gel (10 oz: $20) – This is one of my most favorite body washes of all time. This smells so fresh, so invigorating and just so good. I also have the body lotion version of this cleanser, reviewed HERE. I like using this shower gel all year round even though this has a Summer-vibe scent. I just love how this awakens the senses and it’s definitely foamy, energizing and just perfect in every way.

Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Cleanser (8.5 oz: $20) – Another personal fave of mine and one of the first few body washes I’ve ever loved and even keep using up to this day. This smells like fresh bursts of oranges and clementines. The only drawback is that this doesn’t foam much, so it’s costly to use without using a scrub or a loofah.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash (18 oz: $8.99) – My favorite drugstore body wash along with the other Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Yogurt Body Wash with Apricot & Honey. This is inexpensive, easy to find anywhere and this has a nice clean mild scent that lathers well. The texture of this is gel-like and it’s super moisturizing for daily use.

Scrubs

I haven’t experimented on several body scrubs since I tend to use them once or twice a week at most just so my skin won’t dry as much. Currently, there’s only two that I keep coming back to and these are from Aesop and Dove.

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub (6.1 oz: $35) – This is a pricey body scrub that is super grainy and totally exfoliating. I love the fresh green scent of this that’s just spa-like and it leaves the skin soft and smooth after every wash. Further reviewed HERE.

Dove Exfoliating Body Polish (10.5 oz: $5.99) – A well-made inexpensive body scrub that is loaded with moisturizing ingredients and it leaves the skin supple with a nice variety of fruity milky scents. My fave one is pomegranate. See some of the other scents reviewed HERE.

Have you tried any of these body cleansers yet? What’s your go-to body wash?

Favorite Face Wash & Cleansers

September 26, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

One of my favorite part in my skincare regimen is washing my face. There’s just something exciting and relieving of finally cleaning my face and getting rid of the day’s makeup, dirt, and excess oil. A clean face makes the skin breathe and be ready for nourishment. When it comes to cleansing my face, I tend to be very picky about the products I choose. I mostly do double-cleansing to get rid of my makeup, and that means using a cleansing oil or sometimes a cleansing wipe at first, then I would proceed to use either cream or gel facial cleansers, depending on my skin condition at that time or sometimes depending on my mood. LOL. Facial cleansers are so important for me because they’re basically one of the first steps to start the skin care routine and I like my facial cleansers to either jumpstart my day or calm me down at night. With that being said, I like some good well-scented facial washes that can awaken the senses or calm the nerves, the type that won’t make me get so bored after using them several times. I usually gravitate towards the citrusy or orange-scented ones, since they’re invigorating, or the ones with mild lavender or rose scents for the calming effect. I use the facial cleansers reviewed on this blog on a case to case basis. There are days when I reach out for mild cleansers, and there are also those days when I reach out for stronger more therapeutic ones. These are my favorite facial cleansers of all time.

Murad Essential-C Cleanser (6.5 oz: $39) – One of the first cleansers I fell in love with. This has antioxidants with vitamins A, C, and E. It has a nice fresh citrus-orange scent that will capture the senses and it also has little exfoliating beads. This cleanser is great for all skin types, and also does well with acne-prone skin or stressed skin and it doesn’t leave it dry. This cleanses thoroughly, takes out excess oil, and it leaves the skin soft.

Korres Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser (Mini 2.54 oz: $14, Standard 5.07 oz: $26) – This cleanser smells milky and has a creamy and luxurious feel. The scent is divine and it’s kinda relaxing. The texture is soft yet it lathers very well, so no need to use a lot. This is a great facial wash for any skin type and it’s mild enough for those with very sensitive skin. I love how this cleanser truly cleanses my face and it has a nice softening effect. Thumbs up to Korres for creating this.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser (5 oz: $20.50) – LOVE this so much. This is one of the most invigorating facial washes I’ve ever tried. The true orange scent of this will definitely wake you up and this has nice soft scrubbing beads that are gentle enough for daily exfoliation. This cleanser is perfect for anyone with oily skin since it has a gel-like consistency and it doesn’t dry the skin. This could also work for those with sensitive skin to use a few times a week. This is one of my holy grail face cleansers and this leaves my skin squeaky clean. If you haven’t tried this particular cleanser yet, oh well, I think that you really should.

SK-II Facial Treatment Cleanser (3.6 oz: $75) – This gotta be the priciest face cleanser I’ve ever tried and I like its soothing rose scent that calms me down at night. Like with most SK-II products, this particular cleanser has Pitera – a signature SK-II ingredient that is rich in amino acids and other minerals. This cleanser feels really mild and it has a very soft creamy texture which foams well and I usually use this on good skin days.

Olehenriksen The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser (1.7 oz: $10, 7 oz: $30) – One of the easiest face washes to use, thanks to its really practical packaging. This cleanser is probably the one I tend to reach out for when I’m in a hurry since this dispenses a nice foam that’s ready to use for the face. I love the refreshing citrusy scent of this, and the ingredients are brightening yet mild, also, this really cleanses the face thoroughly, and it removes excess oil and dirt like a charm. A little foam goes a long way and that means this cleanser can last a long time. Love this a lot.

Dermadoctor Ain’t Misbehavin’ Medicated AHA/BHA Acne Cleanser (7.1 oz: $30) – This is my fave cleanser for bad skin days. That is, whenever I have any breakouts that need care. This has Glycolic and Salicylic acids which are beneficial for acne-prone skin, and this cleanser can also be added for any acne skin care regimen. With that being said, this cleanser can reduce excess oil, and it helps to control zits. I like that this feels creamy and it’s one of those acne cleansers that my skin can tolerate since this isn’t so drying and this is soap-free, oil-free, and fragrance-free.

Face Reality Ultra Gentle Cleanser (6 oz: $21) – This cleanser was recommended by my Aesthetician. This has a nice soothing lavender scent and has a gel formulation that’s meant for oily-prone or oily skin type. This is a great very mild cleanser to use when you’re on an acne treatment regimen, or when going through an extreme breakout that requires a super gentle cleanser that won’t harm or hurt the skin.

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed (4.4 oz: $26) – This cleanser is just really good. It smells like clean cotton and it’s really invigorating. The texture is so creamy and it foams so well with only a little bit of product. It cleanses so thoroughly, taking off excess oil while softening and calming the skin. This is a really great cleanser for all skin types and the one I also highly recommend. Another amazing cleanser from Clarins and also a personal fave of mine is the One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract, which has a nice exfoliating capability. Reviewed HERE. I believe Clarins makes some of the best facial cleansers that are worth looking into.

Tatcha The Deep Cleanse (5 oz: $38) – Another Tatcha holy grail. I love the scent and overall texture of this cleanser. It has a gentle refreshing scent with a lightweight gel form. It’s mild on the skin yet it cleanses well, which makes it ideal for any skin type, be it for sensitive skin. It’s also lightly exfoliating with loofah fruit fibers, which takes off excess oil and dirt. This cleanser has the clean seal of Sephora, so it’s perfect for daily use without worries. The packaging needs improvement though since it’s kind of hard to control the amount of product that comes out of its squeezable bottle.

Bottom line, cleansing the face is a necessary step in every skincare regimen. Regardless of what type of facial cleansers to use, the important thing is to let the skin breathe and be free of excess oil and germs.

Stay tuned for more skincare favorites

L.O.V.E