Carmen has been working at Mario Badescu Skin Care for almost 9 years. Carmen is one of our skin specialists working the front counter at our salon doing skin consultations and customer service. That is, when she’s not putting on lip gloss.

I don’t really consider myself a product junkie. I maintain a simple regimen that consists of a cleansing twice a day, toning twice a day, using a moisturizer each day and night, and a weekly mask. For a mother of two children, I consider my skin to be good/decent considering the minimal effort I exert towards maintaining it. On the other hand, however, I did experience noticeable changes after having my second child – changes for the worse.

I was lucky enough to not get what they call the “pregnancy mask” (melasma) after my pregnancy, but I did develop sensitive skin that was blotchy and red around my cheeks and chin. Unusually dry patches on different areas of my body developed as well. I decided to see a dermatologist to see what was going on and what I could fix to reverse these conditions.

Unfortunately, these patches turned out to be psoriasis plaques. The dermatologist told me that slight changes in the skin are of course common with pregnancy. Moreover, the dermatologist said that there was nothing that could be done to cure the condition besides for treating the symptoms themselves. I was prescribed medicated lotions that were very strong and further irritated my skin. Some dermatologists prescribe steroids to completely get rid of the psoriasis, but the side effects of the steroids are very harsh themselves. With no end in sight and no idea how to treat this condition, I began to feel more and more self-conscious about my skin.

Enter Mario Badescu Skin Care. I started working for Mario Badescu as a skin specialist and (of course) began using a complete regimen of Mario Badescu products, and these products yielded instant results. The Seaweed Cleansing Soap helps soothe my sensitive skin and smoothes away dry layers, and following it up with the Chamomile Cleansing Lotion helped to get rid of the red blotches on my cheeks.

Aside from what I use to treat my psoriasis, there are a few other Mario Badescu products that I simply couldn’t live without. When I use the Ginseng Moist Cream and the Herbal Hydrating Serum together my skin feels like velvet. My weekly masks are Enzyme Revitalizing Mask for moisture which I alternate with Calma Mask for the sensitivity. After I remove either one of these masks, my skin thanks me for it. My favorite and cannot-live-without body wash is Azulene Body Soap. Why is it my favorite? There is no fragrance and it just makes my skin feel so good.

To me, the best thing about Mario Badescu’s skin care line is that it is not made with perfumes, which often irritate my skin. By using a specialized regimen built just for my skin and my condition, and by not overdoing it with any one product, I am able to keep my skin looking great. These were my biggest mistakes with other lines, but I am happy to have finally found a line that works for me.

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