As an acne sufferer for the last 20 years, I’ve been plagued by bumpy skin, cysts, white heads, peeling skin, the gamut of acne problems. I’ve tried prescription medications, topical products, and even antibiotics. Never in all that time has my skin looked clear and beautiful—until seven months ago. I always had some sort of a blemish at all times. At the beginning of 2010, I decided to switch up my entire skin care routine. Sick of using pricey products with minimal results, I did extensive research on what else was out there. In my search, I found a line, Mario Badescu, whose testimonials from real customers outshone those of Proactive and the other anti-acne lines. In the seven months that I’ve been using the line, I’ve had very few zits. The reason this line works on my skin (I think) is that it balances out the usage of harsh products like salicylic acid with healing properties like Balsam Peru.
Unlike other products like Tea Tree Oil or Benzoyl Peroxide, which severely dry the skin of most people, Mario Badescu has a two-fold approach—their products kill bacteria causing acne, and 
calm swelling and redness quickly.
Here’s my tutorial for you. Last week I had two cysts that popped up and I was able to zap them off my face entirely in seven days. Here’s how I did it (and keep in mind that no one is paying me to write about this):
1. Problem: Cystic acne on my chin. (For people with small white heads, just use the Drying Lotion by Mario Badescu—$17—and you’ll be zit-free in two or three days. Also try a dab of the Drying Cream in the morning and at night—$12.)
2. Wash with Enzyme Cleansing Gel ($12) or use a basic cleanser like Cetaphil.
3. Once a day (morning or night), put a nearly dime sized amount of Anti Acne Serum ($20) on your face and massage it into your skin. Let it sit there for a few minutes until it has dried.
4. Apply Buffering Lotion to your acne cysts or zits ($17). Use just a small amount targeted on the blemish. Let that soak in for a few minutes.
5. Apply a small dab of Drying Cream over your cysts ($12).
6. Finish up with an oil-free moisturizer in the morning and an oil-free nighttime cream in the evening. (I use Mario Badescu’s Oil-Free Moisturizer SPF-30 for $26 and Seaweed Night Cream $20.)
7. As an extra precaution, before washing your face, try out the Drying Mask ($18) for 15 minutes on your skin. Then wash it off and do the above regimen. At night, you can fight cysts even more by finishing up the regimen then dotting the Drying Mask on your cysts.
*In one week, your cysts should be pretty much gone.
Mario Badescu products are sold locally at Beauty 360, 1700 Mission St., Santa Cruz, 457-2560, or at mariobadescu.com.
