Rocaille Raves: Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner

You know, as a combination, acne-prone skinned gal, I've tried my fair share of AHAs & BHAs and some might even call me an acid addict (no, not THAT kind of acid), so I was completely taken by surprise at how much I like this Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner ($18 for 8 oz/ larger sizes available); it has actually made a big difference in my skin within the two months I've been using it!

The Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner is alcohol-free and contains 2% glycolic acid, as well as grapefruit extract to exfoliate, stimulate and help reduce acne discoloration. It's recommended for dry, sensitive and congested skin, but it works great on my combination skin - I've actually started avoiding products aimed at oily/ combo skin as I find them a bit too harsh and drying on me. The ingredients list is short and sweet too, which is a huge plus; and I find the price point very reasonable, especially if you're looking for an exfoliating toner that can deliver similar results to Biologique Recherche P50, Apha-H Liquid Gold or Clarins White Plus HP Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel.

As you can see, the packaging is simple and fuss-free; I quite like the little leak-free 'spout' on the cap as it helps to avoid wasting the product; 5-7 drops is all I need for my whole face, and I've used up about 1/3 of the product in the two months I've had it. I use this after cleansing my face in the evening by wiping a cotton round satured with product all over my face, neck and chest, and then I follow up with a serum and face oil. It leaves the skin feeling smooth and hydrated, but slightly tacky to the touch; it goes away though if you'd prefer to use it under make-up.

 

Although it's recommended to use twice daily, I found that once is plenty for me - I do get a bit of stinging and redness after application, and using it too often causes my skin to peel and feel dry. But, once you straighten out the kinks - the results are worth it. After discontinuing oral antibiotics early this year, I experienced a bad bout of cystic acne, mostly on my chin, jawline but also on my cheeks. My dermatologist tried to treat it with another oral medication as well as retinoids; however, after six months of waiting for them to do anything, I got frustrated and stopped the prescriptions. In mid-September, armed with a $10 birthday gift certificate from Mario Badescu, I decided to try this toner - and since then, my cystic acne has diminished tremendously; I pretty much only break out around that time of the month now. I've also noticed less congestion overall (I suffer from a lot of small, flesh toned under-the-skin bumps) and a decrease in sebum production. Granted, I can't be sure it all boils down to this toner; maybe my organism started to tackle the acne on its own, or my hormones changed slightly. But now, I do know this: my skin likes chemical exfoliants, glycolic slightly more so than the salicylic, it likes regular, every day exfoliation, and using an exfoliating toner is much easier than a cream or a gel.

*EDIT*: After using this toner for about 7 months and nearly finishing the bottle, I believe my skin is now too sensitive to be using it on the regular basis. My skin might have changed from when I first started using the product, but now it seems to burn a bit too much, and causes quite a lot of redness. I also once accidentally overused it and came out in an eczema-like rash on my cheekbones and on top of the lips. So please proceed with extreme caution and if your skin is sensitive, maybe opt for a different exfoliant.

If there's one thing I could change about this toner, I could probably do without the grapefruit extract; I suspect I may be allergic to citrus essential oils in general, so next I may try the Paula's Choice liquid AHA exfoliants. Do you use an exfoliating toner in your routine? Or are there other exfoliators that you prefer?

LiLash: My Holy Grail Eyelash Serum

A couple of you were very kind to notice my 'Bambi' lashes on the Revlon Super Lustrous Shine lipstick post a few weeks ago, so I thought I'd share my, umm, not-so-new discovery - LiLash, an eyelash-growing serum I've been using for almost 6 months now.

I have to admit that, stupidly enough, I forgot to take the before pictures, so I can't really show you a side-by-side comparison; but believe me, my lashes are very noticeably longer and thicker now - I even had a friend comment on them yesterday and ask what I was using! For some background information, LiLash is a thickish, clear gel/serum that can be applied morning and/or night to stimulate lash growth. The actual hair-growing ingredient is the same active as in prescription-only Latisse, only in smaller concentration so that it can be sold over-the-counter.

Now, because it IS the same active ingredient, the makers of Latisse successfully sued the manufacturers of LiLash and as far as I've heard on the grapevine, LiLash is no more - although the retailers should have enough of a supply to last another 1.5-2 years, and then it's going to be gone for good - and I shall cry (and/or, desperately try to find something else that really works). But anyway - get it while you can, I already have my back-up!

As far as the results, you can see the first changes within the 6-8 week mark. I would say that for me, the changes were the most noticeable after 2 to 3 months of applying it every other day (it is recommended you apply it every day at first, but I tended to forget). At that point, which is when my lashes achieved their top length and thickness, I started applying the serum about 1-2 times a week for maintenance, which I still do. Naturally, I have quite full lashes but they're not very thick or super long, and I think with LiLash, the individual hairs got much stronger and they grow a lot longer now before they fall out. Another nice thing is that my lashes grow especially long in the outer corners while remaining shorter on the inner corners of the eye, which gives a more natural and lifted look. My lashes also retained their natural curl with the use of the serum.

For downsides, I do get a bit of redness on my upper lids after application, but it's easily concealed with make-up anyway. Also, after a few months of using the stuff now, I do occasionally get a weird gathering of lashes (like 6 lashes growing almost in the same spot, which is very troublesome when trying to separate them with mascara) or a very strange, crooked lash that curls in a different direction than all the other ones. I've recently also had a few of the very long lashes fall out in the same area, and now that spot looks a bit bald - but I suppose it's all to be expected and I can already see the baby lashes growing in there.

LiLash is definitely on the pricey side: a full size retails for $139.95, and I hear you can get the half-size for about $70-$80. Luckily, I have a friend with a cosmetologist licence, who's able to purchase the smaller size for me at a 50% discount. But even at full price retail, it's still significantly cheaper than Latisse prescription, or even lash extensions - and let me tell you, with a good brushing of mascara, my lashes can rival the more natural eyelash extensions now (or if you're lash-obsessed, you could even use LiLash together with your extensions). My smaller size has been lasting me 6 months now and I think I'm just starting to see the end of my tube.

All in all, I really love my LiLash and would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone who's trying to grow thicker, longer lashes (that would just mean everyone in the world, right?). It's going to be a really sad day when I won't be able to repurchase it anymore... and then the quest shall continue :)