Using this face mask at night is a bad idea. It always make me crave strawberry cheesecake with a dash of cough syrup. Yum!
For my dry/oily/combination skin, clay masks are great because they absorb oils from the t-zone area. But I do worry because they can also further dehydrate the dry parts on my face too.
During application: very cooling, refreshing, skin tightening.
After rinsing: brighter complexion, removed oils from pores, tightening/lifting sensation, not drying.
Old vs new formulation (2018 vs 2021)
For those people like me who had forgotten had purchased this face mask back in 2018, this review is for you guys. Its been sitting in my cupboard for 3 years but it still looked good to use. Since then, this face mask had changed formulations, and that is completely normal!
Ingredients breakdown #1
| Ingredients | Function/Purpose |
|---|---|
| Aqua (Water, Eau) | Solvent |
| Kaolin | Absorbent |
| Seamollient (Algae) | Hydrating, Film Former |
| Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Starch | Absorbent |
| Balsam (Myroxylon Pereirae Resin) Peru | Fragrance |
| Zinc Oxide | Anti-microbial, Anti-inflammatory, Absorbent |
| Strawberry (Fragaria Vesca) Leaf Extract | Antioxidant |
| Propylene Glycol | Humectant |
| Sorbitol | Humectant |
| Titanium Dioxide | Colourant |
Ingredients breakdown #2
| Ingredients | Function/Purpose |
|---|---|
| Aqua (Water, Eau) | Solvent |
| Kaolin | Absorbant |
| Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Starch | Absorbent |
| Zinc Oxide | Anti-microbial, Anti-inflammatory, Absorbent |
| Sorbitol | Humectant |
| Propylene Glycol | Humectant |
| Dimethicone | Emollient |
| Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax) | Wax |
| Polysorbate 80 | Emulsifier |
| Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil) | Occlusive Moisturiser |
| Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Seed Extract | Moisturiser |
| Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract | Moisturiser |
| Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Leaf Extract | Antioxidant |
| Tocopherol | Antioxidant |
| Chondrus Crispus Extract | Hydrating, Film Former |
| Cera Alba (Beeswax) | Wax |
| Cellulose Gum | Thickener |
| Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil | Moisturiser |
| Sorbitan Sesquioleate | Emulsifier |
| Benzoic Acid | Preservative |
| Magnesium Aspartate | Moisturiser |
| Panthenol | Moisturiser |
| Potassium Aspartate | Skin Conditioner |
| Potassium Hydroxide | pH Adjuster |
| Sarcosine | Skin Conditioner |
| Sclerotium Gum | Thickener |
| Propylparaben | Preservative |
| Methylparaben | Preservative |
| Sodium Chloride | Binder |
| Parfum (Fragrance) | Fragrance |
| Citric Acid | pH Adjuster |
| CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide) | Colourant |
| CI 17200 (Red 33) | Colourant |
| CI 42090 (Blue 1) | Colourant |
Complete reformulation…
The new formulation has added heaps of new ingredients like emollients, waxes, extracts, preservatives and colourants. Just looking at the ingredients listing, I feel like the newer version feels and performs much better. It also has preservatives which is a crucial to all products especially a clay mask! Parabens will definitely help preservative this clay mask as clay have a tendency to support microbial growth as it is a natural/mineral.
The only ingredients that Mario Badescu’s face mask kept was the very few. And so I will be reviewing the highlight ingredients that are in both products.
Highlight Ingredients
Kaolin – highly absorbent clay, helps soak up oil and impurities from the skin. Could potentially increase the number of collagen fibres making skin more firm and less wrinkles. Of course this will be long term usage of kaolin face masks.
Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Starch – made from Wheat, this is another absorbent like Kaolin.
Zinc Oxide – known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and absorbent properties. This ingredient itself is not enough to preserve a clay mask. And I haven’t used it consistently to notice the reduction in inflammation or redness. Though my face feels nice using this face mask after a long hot shower.
Strawberry (Fragaria Vesca) Leaf Extract – high in anti-oxidants and rich in Vitamin C. But in a rinse off face mask, you won’t be able to get the benefits of this extract.
Propylene Glycol – A well known and effective humectant. This ingredient helps create a layer on the skin to trap moisture. See Mario Badescu Facial Spray if you love using Propylene Glycol!
Sorbitol – a humectant derived from sugar. See Redwin Sorbolene Moisturiser if you love using Sorbitol as a humectant!
Titanium Dioxide – nothing really special, it just gives the white colour to the product.
The Verdict?
As a face mask, this is great for removing oils and impurities. It also made my face brighter and temporarily more firm. In terms of the ingredients, I’d prefer the newer version with added beneficial ingredients like extracts, oil and most importantly preservatives that works.
If you happen to pick up the latest Mario Badescu Face Mask then it is quite good (ingredients wise).
My ratings on this face mask
Did this product work like it was supposed to?
How good are the ingredients?
How do you find the newer version of Mario Badescu Face Mask? Comment below.