Mario Badescu Cucumber Tonic Mask: My Honest Review
*Not Sponsored by Mario Badescu: I am just giving my own, honest opinion!*
Whether it's in preparation for a formal event, or just to relax and let the stress of life slip away, a face mask is my go-to skincare indulgence. But nowadays, there are so many masks to choose from, and you can drown in all of the options. There are sheet masks, clay-based masks, and even face masks made from 24K gold! In my opinion, go with the tried and true clay mask.
Mario Badescu is a wonderful brand that seamlessly blends affordability with high-quality, salon-worthy products. So, on my Ulta run, I picked up the Mario Badescu Cucumber Tonic Mask. It is designed to help combination/oily skin. My skin is also very sensitive, and is prone to redness. Upon reading the label, I come to find that this mask is designed to visibly reduce the size of your pores, as well as calm inflamed, red skin.
I will give my honest review of the application, feel, and results of the product! Let's see if it lives up to the description!!
Step One: I start by cleansing my face, removing all traces of makeup, dirt and excess oil. I used coconut oil to cleanse my face.
Step Two: According to the directions on the back, I apply a thin layer of the product onto my skin. (Thin layers are necessary; if applied too liberally, you may experience a slight burning sensation!) I smoothed it out across my cheeks, leading up onto my forehead. The mask glides on well, creating a cooling sensation to my skin! This is most likely due to the cucumber within the product, which is used to reduce redness and soothe skin. You may notice that the mask will collect in some areas more than others after application. This is because it deposits on larger pores, in hopes of purifying and reducing their size.
Step Three: Also according to the directions, you are to leave the mask on to dry for about 20 minutes. Here, I watched an episode of The Office for the 1000th time.
Step Four: After the 20 minutes are up, you gently wash the mask off of your face, using warm water.
Results: Once I dried my face with a towel, it was as if my skin took a deep breathe. My face felt totally refreshed and rejuvenated! The cooling sensation lasted after washing the product off, so that was a nice after-effect. I also noticed a visible difference in the continuity of my skin tone. Where I usually have discoloration on my cheeks, I had an even complexion! And the evening of my skin tone lasted well after I used this mask! For the rest of the night, my face felt evenly-balanced. Taking a close look at my pores, they did seem to be smaller in appearance. (Which is a God-send because I have HUGE pores!)
My Thoughts: I fell in love with this tonic mask, and plan on implementing it into my skincare routine! Following the directions, it can be used 2-3 times per week. It is so hard for me to find a good skincare product that won't wreak havoc on my sensitive skin. And because I was #blessed with sensitive AND oily skin, this mask is great because it reduces redness while controlling my oil production. My big ol' pores will no longer take center stage on my face, thanks to this mask.
It always fills my heart with such joy when I find a skincare product that I love. But trust me, I've kissed my fair share of frogs before I found my prince (Mario Badescu, you're the bomb). Let me know if you have tried this mask, or any other masks that are good for sensitive skin!
Thank you for reading!!
-Emily
