Mario Badescu • Control Cream • Moisturizers

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averge on 5/21/2013 2:45:00 PM more reviews by averge

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product! I have rosacea and cannot tolerate most products. This saves my life when I'm having a flare up of red/itchy skin, which tends to happen in the winter. This instantly soothes and moisturizes. I apply it under their herbal serum for a good moisture boost. It's rather cheap for a jar that lasts for quite a while.

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WMH22 on 4/18/2013 3:25:00 PM more reviews by WMH22

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I love this product. I had a bout with extremely dry eyelids and came across some reviews on this cream while looking for some relief. It worked so well on my eyes, I began using it on the rest of my face as well. My skin looks much better, clearer and more even toned as a result. Sadly, I went to reorder it on the Mario Badescu website only to find it was no longer on there. I called the company and they said they have discontinued the current formula but should have a replacement some time this year. :-( Hopefully it will work as good as the original....

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hedge272 on 4/5/2013 10:41:00 PM more reviews by hedge272

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Other    

I used to love this cream. At first, it really helped sooth the redness of my face and helped with acne. As time went on, its effectiveness lessened. When I had used up all the cream, I'd think about not getting it again. But my face became so dry and itchy, I had to get the cream. I'd feel immediate relief upon usage.

Now, I've really decided to quit this product. I've read other reviews about this product being addictive to your face. I really think it's true. My skin has been feeling extremely dry since I quit this cream. I'm trying to find more natural, organic products that aren't so addictive.

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jamboreeo on 3/12/2013 6:00:00 PM more reviews by jamboreeo

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

When my skin starts getting irritated, red, and when acne starts to pop up, I pull my control cream out. I use it only when my skin starts to act up. It is too heavy and thick for the day time but perfect for night time. I use a generous amount when my skin is going bonkers usually from that time of the month or if the weather is super dry from the winter. I use it for a few nights and my skin clears up and the redness calms down. However, if I use this too often consecutively, it can clog my pores so I only use when necessary. But this is one of my HG products and I will continue to purchase.

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phunkybtch on 3/9/2013 7:52:00 PM more reviews by phunkybtch

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

im not one to write reviews, but i love this cream. i've only been using it for 5 days, but i can already notice a difference! i think it has helped my face clear up and also wears well under my makeup. i'm not sure it has helped with my redness that much though... but hopefully after a few more uses i will be able to tell a difference. you have to rub it in for a while to get it to absorb into the skin but overall, great!

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ivyo on 2/6/2013 2:10:00 PM more reviews by ivyo

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is a miracle cream!! I was suffering from itchy, swollen, and very dry and flaky eyelids for weeks, and no amount of eye cream or moisturizer seemed to help. The skin around my eyes was so dry and wrinkly, it made me look 10 years older. I read about the Control Cream being effective for this condition. Although I was highly skeptical, I bought it anyway. Lo and behold, the itching stopped right away and I could see improvement to my skin just after 2 applications. Within 4 days, the dryness and wrinkles were GONE, and the skin around my eyes has been restored to its original smooth and plump condition. This cream is simply amazing!!
Just a tip - apply very thin layer on the affected areas. Too much product will cause it to migrate into your eyes!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

SwtSteph5417 on 1/19/2013 10:58:00 PM more reviews by SwtSteph5417

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

This is the ONLY product that helped my red, flaky, painful, dried out eyelids! One day I woke up and notice a little dry skin in the corners of my eyes. Didn't think much of it, just assumed it was the concealer I was wearing. Then it got worse. And red. And painful. To the point I went to the doctor hoping for some answers. He did nothing except give me a hydrocortisone cream, but after a few days I noticed it wasn't working first of all and second it was making my eyelids crepey. I stopped that and pretty much everything else. No makeup, face wash, lotion, nothing! The only things I was trying was eucerin(which I still use also) and Vaseline overnight. It still continued for four months. Almost killed me to not wear eye makeup. Lol. Anyway, I found a random review of this cream somewhere else and thought, what the heck. Within the first two applications the redness was way down and the pain was subsiding. Now the first application did burn a little, but don't get discouraged from using it, that's just the severely dehydrated skin. Within a week of twice daily use, it was gone! I've continued to use it morning and night after washing, and its been 5 months now. I hope this helps someone dealing with this horrible ailment.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* themarshmalo on 1/19/2013 12:11:00 PM more reviews by themarshmalo

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

This has been a skin saver for my allergy-prone eye area. I have very sensitive eyelids, and despite many doctors visits, no one ever quite figured out why my eyelids were getting puffy and scaly. I put this on in the corners of my eyes morning and night and it really helps with irritation. I noticed how much more irritated my eyes were when I recently went on a trip and forgot to take the cream. I ordered this as a sample on Mario Badescu's website where you can try 3 samples, but when I run out, I will definitely be purchasing a full-size container.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

linglongs on 4/19/2012 9:38:00 AM more reviews by linglongs

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Really worked for me however it is a little pricey for what it is but will repurchase

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MyNameIsHoney on 4/1/2012 4:47:00 PM more reviews by MyNameIsHoney

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

Bought this on the recommendation from a friend, after I experienced an episode of dry, flaky eyelids. I was in grad school and working full-time at a challenging new job, and I'd been very bad about not removing eye makeup before bed. As a result, my eyelids took revenge by developing dry patches that kept spreading. It started in the outer corner and eventually into my crease and even along the lashline. I'd sworn off eye makeup for a good couple of months (not good for me because mascara and a bit of eyeliner are the minimum), and I tried several other moisturizers at night before bed. They'd control the itch for a day or two but not sustainably. After literally a week of using this, my eyelids were back to normal. The product is silky, almost semi-gel like, glides on smoothly, absorbs into my skin, and I use it every day under eye makeup and under-eye concealer, and every night before bed. It is expensive, but since I am using it only in the periorbital area, it's lasting a long time for me. If I had to use it all over my face, it would be an issue. Still, I had to order it from Amazon because it's not available in Canada, so the S+H cost nearly doubled the price! Not sure if I will repurchase...I might try another MB eye cream first to see if it also gives me this type of protection for a lower price.

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jj192 on 1/10/2012 8:56:00 AM more reviews by jj192

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Anyone who suffers with rosacea is usually desperate enough to try anything no matter how expensive something is (OK, within reason!). I have tried countless products and I've read countless reviews in search of a 'cure'. I've discovered that rosacea is a bit of an enigma when it comes to finding an HG product: what works for some might be a total disaster for others!

I used Control Cream for years but I was always on the lookout for something better. Whenever I tried something that gave me a flare-up (which happened a lot and on an epic scale) I always went back to Control Cream as I could rely on it to calm my skin and return it to 'normal'.

It has a heavy and thick consistency so I would only wear this as a night cream. I would often get bumps with a flare-up and this smoothed my skin and reduced inflammation and redness.

However I learnt that one of it's ingredients, Balsam Peru, was pretty bad for skin and it really put me off using it. I didn't have a reaction to this product at all but I'm quite fickle when it comes to staying loyal to a skincare product and I just felt with this that i could do better for the price.

I haven't used it for about a year now and I've finally found a routine that works for me, I just need to stick to it and stop being such a product-tart!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

AlohaPandaXOXO on 12/26/2011 4:13:00 PM more reviews by AlohaPandaXOXO

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm very fair, so any pimple or redness really shows up on my skin. I bought this in a pack from Ulta for sensitive skin which helped me save some money, but this product was definitely the standout overall. I've used this as a spot treatment on healing pimples, flaky skin, scabs etc and it really helps things heal quickly and tone down redness. Is it a miracle worker? No, but it's worked for me better than anything else in terms of actually healing the skin.

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x3gem6 on 12/5/2011 4:45:00 AM more reviews by x3gem6

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

When I first used this product my skin looked and felt amazing. I never had so many compliments about my skin in my entire life. I don't have rosacea but I do have a lot of redness on my checks and on the side of my face, using the control cream made it disappear and I had really clear skin. I thought I found the best moisturizer ever. I used it for the past 2 years consistently day and night. This year I notice that it had stop working and my redness was coming back. I was still sticking to the same routine nothing different- MB keratoplast cleanser, MB calma mask (2 times a week), and MB control cream.
I decided to switch my skin care. My skin became the worst. I was so red, bumps all over my face, driest skin imaginable, and my face felt heated all the time. I tried to not use the control cream but it was so hard, so when I couldn't take it anymore I would put a little on. Basically the cream was like a drug and my skin became addicted. I had 3 other friends and family members that used this and the same thing happened to them. I'm finally free of the cream but my skin is still so dry and moisturizer I'm using now is Biore hardday's night (this is really good for moisturizing and redness).

As for the cream itself, it was thick, had a weird scent, and was not moisturizing enough for the winter.

Tips If you were to purchase this:
- Use it sparingly!! It's amazing at first but long term use can lead to your skin becoming prone to it and it's a horrible experience to get off of it.

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sweetiegracie on 12/3/2011 4:40:00 AM more reviews by sweetiegracie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is a very bland moisturizer, but is very mild so it should work for those with very sensitive skin. It did not break me out, but the moisturizing properties were sub-par, which is why I'm only giving it 3 lippies. I would not go out of my way to purchase it, but I did read in a magazine that Nicole Richie (at one point) used this moisturizer and loved it.

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dwong678 on 11/23/2011 2:33:00 AM more reviews by dwong678

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I have found a miracle product. After 24 hours of applying this wonderful cream twice a day, my eyelids have returned back to normal. My eyelids very dry, flaky, red, and inflamed-nothing I have ever experienced before. It may have been a makeup allergy or the cold dry weather, but nonetheless I looked horrendous and was desperate for a cure. Luckily, I came upon this amazing product online and after reading excellent reviews, I hurried to the closest Nordstrom and bought one. I am so glad to have come upon this product and will definitely recommend it to anyone with skin problems.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* edgexofxdesire on 10/17/2011 3:10:00 PM more reviews by edgexofxdesire

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Olive, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This has absolutely saved my skin. I've been dealing with eczema on my brow bone and under my bottom lashline since June and it started getting pretty bad a few weeks ago. I couldn't get a dermatologist referral for a few months, so I did some research and a lot of people recommended this for severe dryness and eczema. I was a little wary of the $30 pricetag, but I bought it anyway...thank goodness! I've only been applying this on my eyes (the same way I do with my eye cream) at night and the results were immediate...I'm talking "wake up the next day and the problem is completely gone" immediate. The dryness, the itchiness, the redness, the crepey look...all completely gone. And it's been that way for about three weeks now. I'm so relieved that I found this product and I'll probably use it for the rest of my life. It's amazing. The only reason I gave it 4 lippies instead of five is because the packaging is huge and not exactly sanitary.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

leah8808 on 7/30/2011 1:19:00 PM more reviews by leah8808

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Grey    

Another product I had high hopes for in reducing the redness in my cheeks from rosacea. I used it for several weeks and noticed no improvement. It didn't break my skin out, but offered nothing in addition to my usual moisturizer. I was very disappointed. Maybe it works for mild redness/rosacea, but it didn't work for me.

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flauntit on 6/10/2011 8:37:00 PM more reviews by flauntit

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Overall I am quite a fan of Mario Badescu skincare brand. But this product is a miss among the hits in his line of skincare products.


Yes, it does minimize redness in the cheeks. But only if you have minor redness to begin with. The fact that my left cheek turns more red than my right cheek helped aid in my review of it. My right cheek 's redness almost completely disappeared when I applied the control cream, but the left side still had some redness even after applying it and leaving it to dry. Using it repeatedly didn't really affect my skin positively, my skin always returned to former redness so it can be used for temporary results but nothing in the long run.

The texture feels silky smooth when you put on your fingers but on your face it does feel quite tacky. It didn't make my makeup look cakey in any way, which was nice. The website said you can use this in replacement of moisturizer, which I do not recommend since it's not moisturizing enough and I like my moisturizers to make my skin glow-from-within (or imply that it does). This will provide no glow, as that is not it's job. Those who prefer keeping their skin matte may enjoy this, along with the main purpose of this product.


It contains half an ounce of product for $20, which is my main grief with this product. I used it up in about 3 weeks when I applied it twice a day, by the last week I applied it sparingly. I just think you should get a little more product for the price. Or maybe if the product provided more exciting results, I may have overlooked the price and product issues (feel free to disagree with me on this one, my cheap side may be sneaking through, sorry!)


I do like that it can minimize redness, which is the point of this product. But I do believe it could have provided better results, so this will be a one time purchase. Hopefully this helped you out!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

makeuponya on 4/18/2011 6:27:00 PM more reviews by makeuponya

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I wanted to soothe the redness of my skin. "May be used in place of a moisturizer for very sensitive skin." That's exactly what I did, and it caused a breakout all over my face: It looked like an extreme case of acne I've experienced before, felt similar to the acne, but behaved nothing like it, as the hard bumps clung on to the skin even in the most shallow places.

Four months later, the breakout is still there. I wish I could post photos here. Initially, I was hiding my face, but now that I know the reason for it, I feel I must warn others, since the company refuses to take any responsibility:

When I called, the supervisor, Elena, tried to blame me for using a product that wasn't directly recommended to me by one of their personnel, telling me it isn't meant for oily skin and I should know better, even though it's clearly marked for all skin types.


So..

MAJOR WARNING: Mario Badescu products with Balsam Peru, a skin irritant and well known allergen, are being marketed as soothing redness relief for acne, rosacea, and eczema.

Yes, it's messed up. Don't make the mistake I did. And wish me luck getting rid of this, I'm going to need it.

11 out of 12 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

deangelisv404 on 3/8/2011 9:54:00 AM more reviews by deangelisv404

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This control cream reduced the redness in my cheeks minimally, and was a bit tacky after I put it on no matter how little I used, which also made applying make-up more challenging. However, I could deal with all that. What I couldn't and cannot deal with is the the tiny red bumps it left all over my cheeks. No breakouts on the forehead, nose, chin...only on my cheeks, only where I had put the control cream! And I have never had breakouts on my cheeks before, maybe one pimple here and there over my lifetime, but nothing like this! It's been two weeks, and they're still there...smaller, and fewer in number, but still present. If I could go back in time, I would never have tried this product! I know that the control cream has worked for many other people...just not for me! If you decide to give it a try, just use caution!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No