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If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that I’ve been on a bit of a “skincare journey” over the past year.
During the lockdown, I decided to use all of the skincare tools in my collection, and this resulted in a massive breakout on my cheeks, and not just a one-time thing.
At first, I wasn’t thinking it was acne. It was red but not bumpy. I’m still not entirely sure what it was, but I switched to using specific products that kill bacteria and get rid of acne, and it has cleared up so much, so I assume it’s acne.
So, I’ve been trying all sorts of acne-treatment products to find out what works the best. My problem areas aren’t just a one-and-done breakout; it’s a constant battle (read my list of game-changing products).
But I’m always on the hunt for products to try, and about a month ago, I saw the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion in the sale section of Ulta. A few of the influencers I follow on Instagram SWEAR by this stuff, so I added it to my cart.
According to the Ulta website, this is the ORIGINAL on-the-spot acne treatment! This award-winning formula treats blemishes with a bi-phase solution and reduces the appearance of trouble-spots overnight.
Looking at the ingredients, the top 3 are Isopropyl Alcohol, Aqua (Water, Eau), and Calamine.
I have noticed so far on this “skincare journey” that products with calamine work the best to not only reduce redness and irritation but also to clear up the acne.
For the Drying Lotion, the directions are really specific. Since it’s a bi-phase solution, you can’t shake the bottle. It has to have the pink part settled at the bottom, and the clear on top.
Dip a Q-tip directly into the pink solution and dab onto the blemish without rubbing it in, let it dry, and keep it on overnight.
The first time I used this, I didn’t really notice a difference. But, like I said, the area of skin that’s an issue for me isn’t your classic set of zits.
But, I wanted to keep trying it to give it a fair chance.
Well, I gave myself an at-home facial (I’ll do a completely separate post on this) which involved doing some extractions. I had some luck with one of my problem areas, and then used the Drying Lotion again. This time, it worked MUCH better.
I believe that because there was more of a “head” on the zit, that helped. But also, I really GLOPPED on the treatment.
I made sure the Q-tip got to the bottom of the bottle and made a little mountain on top of the zit. I’ve used it a few times since then and the area continues to dry up and peel off.
I do think if you have a targeted area (not an under-the-skin pimple) and really pile it on, it works. If you have more under-the-skin type of zits, I would use the KILLA Kit Deep Zit Microdart Patch.
At full-price, the product is $17, but even though it’s a small bottle, it’s going to last awhile (even glopping it on). I was able to find it on sale for about $8 (when I bought it).
I would definitely recommend giving this a try!
This beauty review is not sponsored — nor are any of the reviews on this blog. I am a beauty and skincare junkie and enjoy sharing the products I love right here! For more reviews and similar posts, please subscribe to the blog by clicking subscribe on the right side of your screen. Cheers!
The Bitter Lemon 