Mario Badescu • silver powder • Masks

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lovelyKk on 4/14/2013 10:36:00 PM more reviews by lovelyKk

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

This product was a tough one for me. You dip a damp cotton ball into the powder and rub it on your face... But if your cotton ball is too wet it turns into a mess on your face and does not do anything, if your cotton ball is not wet enough you end up spilling all of the powder onto the counter. Then as you are sitting waiting for it to dry the powder will begin falling off of your face and all over your shirt, couch, dog... Whatever is around you. I still gave it the old college effort and tried this product a few times before nixing it. It just didn't seem to do anything positive for my skin. I can think of a few other masks that way outshine this.

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susieglass on 4/2/2013 4:51:00 AM more reviews by susieglass

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this about a year a go, read the instructions, looked inside the tub, put in on the shelf and forgot about it. BUT, a few months ago my skin was at its worst with blemishes and scarring, and I remembered about it, and came on here to read some of the reviews. I decided to give it a go, rather than buying yet another acne-wonder product.

It's a bit of a fiasco to use. I use it at night and wash my face, and apply moisturiser as normal. Then I take a cotton pad which is soaked with toner, dip it into the jar (the powder goes everywhere), and smear the powder across my face, which then becomes a paste with the toner (as the product begins to dry, the powder goes everywhere again, and I look ridiculous). Although the product says to remove it after 10 mins, I leave it on overnight and in the morning, it's all over the covers, with just some product remaining caked over blemishes and settled into pores.

Once I've washed my face thoroughly in the morning, the blemishes are much less angry-looking and red, they're all a bit more under control and my skin feels nice and dry.

This stuff works on spots, but I've noticed no difference with blackheads (though I might if I used it properly). I generally use this a few nights running, am really pleased with the effect, then stop because it's just such a production, and I fancy a night with clean bedding. Then I go back to it after a couple of weeks when things are bad again.... It's nice to know it's there for damage-control!

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*TOP REVIEWER* LeMinx on 2/21/2013 9:55:00 AM more reviews by LeMinx

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I believe I bought this based on the reviews here. Otherwise, I doubt I would have even come across this, let alone tried it. This is actually one of the better Mario Badescu products - it does what is says it will and it is relativity cheap.


This silver powder is just that - loose, white powder that comes in a plastic jar. To apply, you moisten a cotton pad and apply wherever you get black/whiteheads. The paste dries and you remove it with astringent or toner. Since I only get blackheads on my nose, I've only used it there. It works quite well as my nose is pretty congested and, frankly, pretty gross. This product is also more economical to use than Biore strips, especially if you get blackheads frequently. Don't get me wrong, I still love me some Biore strips but at $9 a pop for a box of six, I'm not about to use them two times a week. They're also a bit too harsh to use on my nose that frequently. This is a great alternative that really works.


The only real downsides to silver powder is it's a pain to take off. It's not a one-swipe-and-it's-off kind of deal. If you have darker skin, it also leaves a bit of a white cast. It fades after a bit so it's not a huge deal but it is noticeable.


Overall, this is a pretty awesome product that I'm glad I found via Makeupalley. It's relatively cheap and you get a ton of powder. Unless you use a large quantity, one jar should last the better part of a year or more.

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vkun1297 on 2/21/2013 9:12:00 AM more reviews by vkun1297

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Brown    

Amazing product for my nose, i've never ever seen my nose this clean and poreless!

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runswthscissors on 1/22/2013 2:03:00 PM more reviews by runswthscissors

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I just bought this today so I will try to update later. I have large pores and pesky blackheads on my nose that I can never get rid of because they seem too deep. I figured I'd give this a try based on great reviews. I used as directed and people aren't lying when they say a little goes a long way. I let it dry for 15 minutes and removed with toner (as directed) and then washed my face regularly since many people said it was difficult to remove. I noticed a small change, but not the miracle I was hoping for. Lots of people mentioned how well it worked in conjunction with pore strips but those have never worked for me so I decided to try simple extraction with a steel comedone extractor which, by the way, has never worked for me before - the blackheads were just too deep. I was amazed at all the gook I pulled out of my pores! I extracted all along my nose and cheeks and I'd have to say my pores are 80-90% clearer. I will continue to use this to pull these blackheads to the surface and I'm glad I found it. I can't say whether or not I would buy it again because I would imagine this container will last more than a year. and I'll see what my skin looks like then.

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sararosered on 10/20/2012 8:31:00 PM more reviews by sararosered

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

I give this a 4/5 because it does work, but not as a blackhead removal tool, and it's a pain to clean off my face. I use it on my whole face (not just nose and chin where my blackheads are most prominent) as a drying agent instead of as a blackhead remover. My acne is noticeably smaller and less red the day after I use it. I try to use it once a week and follow up with a good exfoliation the next morning to get rid of any lingering 'whiteface' from the powder because it's difficult to remove. I've never followed up with a biore pore strip to see how effective it is at pulling out blackheads because I've got large sebaceous glands so my pores look big regardless of what products I use on them.

It would be a 5/5 for me if it wasn't so difficult to remove. My acne is dried out but my face doesn't feel dry or flakey.

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yanqi83 on 10/11/2012 11:03:00 AM more reviews by yanqi83

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I am surprised at the cost everyone mentioned here. I bought mine for SGD58 at sephora! (about USD47)

I noticed my clogged pores and whiteheads reduced after 1 use. I dislike the package and the product is very hard to remove. I went through a lot of toner and cotton pads, and I can still see tiny bits of the powder in my pores! I used a korean pore brush to get them all out.

UPDATE: I found an excellent way to remove the powder after using toner on cotton pads. I pat my face dry, and use Ginvera Marvel gel or CURE Aqua Natural gel to remove all the bits of powder & gunk in my pores. They all came out easily without the need of scrubbing & tugging my skin. These are gels which bind with dirt and gunk on the skin and turn into white bits which can be washed off easily. :) try it!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* nola80 on 9/5/2012 8:51:00 PM more reviews by nola80

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

this along with glycolic gel has been a godsend for my black heads and clogged pores. I credit these 2 products to finally getting my skin in near perfect condition. i've had this for about 3 mos now and my siblings and husband have all mentioned the clearness of skin especially my nose. at first i used 3 times a week and used glycolic gel right after. now i only use once a week because it is drying. this is cheap for the amount you get and this will last me forever!!

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

gandangnatural on 8/27/2012 4:37:00 AM more reviews by gandangnatural

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight   Eyes: Black    

works but its a mess to use.. wont repurchase..

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*TOP REVIEWER* audrey355 on 8/25/2012 1:43:00 AM more reviews by audrey355

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I applied this on my nose with some alpha-grapefruit cleansing lotion. I felt this helped the appearance of blackheads.

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geideja on 8/21/2012 6:11:00 PM more reviews by geideja

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Grey    

It is a temporary solution for people with excess sebum especially the nose and chin area. The reason why I give it only three stars. It doesn't remove everything - sometimes I'd have to use a nose strip afterwards to have a super-clean nose but it only lasts two days like I said, it is a temporary solution. I only use this for special occasions. I am not sure if I want to buy it again but it is cheaper than biore nose strips.

To clean off the silver powder from your face is sometimes pain in the ass. You would need a lot of cotton balls and alcohol-free toner.

( I've read some reviews here and noticed that people complained about hundred blackheads on their nose or chin - it is not blackheads! It is called sebaceous filaments -- http://www.livestrong.com/article/546911-difference-between-blackheads-sebaceous-filaments/ )

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

*TOP REVIEWER* franzvonstuck on 7/7/2012 4:55:00 PM more reviews by franzvonstuck

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I l adore this product.
All my life, I was plagued with blackheads on my nose and chin area. My pores clog easily, my skin keratinizes too much and the results were hundreds of blackheads on my nose and some blackheads and underlying impurities on my chin.
I tried everything over the years: Facials, glycolic acid, nose strips, manual extraction.
Nothing helped me. Nothing. The blackheads were stubborn, impossible to remove (even the beautician couldn´t remove them) and deep set in my skin. Trying to extract them only caused red spots, inflammation and peeled skin on my nose. I even had some prescripted salve with adapalene and this salve did nothing, although some people could peel their skin off after using this. That´s how much my skin is keratinized.
Enter silver powder. I stumbled over a review here on makeupalley and thought, I´d give it a try.
The powder is cheap, I paid 14 Euros for it and it lasts very long. I would say for at least one year. Compared to the other products I tried, this is dirt cheap.
The powder is white and I pick it up with a damp cotton pad as it is described on the package. I dab it on my nose in a thin layer and leave it there to dry. It takes about 15 minutes, but it´s not a problem, when you leave it on longer. Then I take it off with a toner (mine is a anti-blackhead toner with salicylic acid). Sometimes, I use a nose strip in addition to the mask or I extract them manually. I like to put on a salve with zinc and salicylic acid afterwards.
The powder doesn´t clump and doesn´t get dirty when you use a damp cotton pad. So I don´t know why other reviewers had a problem with this method.
Another problem of other reviewers was the flaking of the powder when it dries on the skin. Yes, it does, but I don´t wear my best clothes, when I use he powder.
And I have no problems getting the dried powder off with my toner.
For me, the product worked after using it for about 3 weeks. I use it about 3 times a week. It wasn´t a overnight success product as it was for other reviewers. But I´ve been dealing with blackheads for over 20 years, no other product ever worked and mine are extremely stubborn, so I´m very glad and surprised I finally found something against my tons of blackheads.
My blackheads are still not completely gone after 3 weeks of use, but they are less visible, they are much easier to extract and my pores are open. I can feel it when I touch my skin, that my little bumps disappeared and the general condition of the skin in my t-zone has improved.
So, this is definitely worth a try, if you´re struggeling with blackheads as I do.
For me, it did what no other product could do and that makes it literally a miracle-worker.
Love it. Holy grail.
Update 04/12/2012
This product is nothing short of perfect! The healthy mix foundation from Bourjois broke me out so bad in my mouth and chin area with big red bumps and tiny whiteheaded cystic acne. I looked for a way to reduce the effects of the break out and make all the spots and blotchiness go away faster. The silver powder did it again. I used it several days in a row and it was amazing. The bumps dissappeared and my skin cleared up a lot faster than usual. Such outbreaks often need several weeks to heal up, but now I think, they will only need one week and I´m through. This only confirmed the HG status of this product for me. Love it even more.

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

andyM269 on 7/3/2012 11:01:00 PM more reviews by andyM269

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

So a bit about my skin: I have a lot of blackheads on my nose. Like a lot. And I've always had them so I'd just given up because nothing has worked in the past. I read the reviews for this and decided to give it a chance. On it's own it's pretty good. Over time if does clear pores. However, when used with biore pore strips this is fantastic. I have this patch on the side of my nose thats just full of black heads and the strip had like a little tree of black heads from that side.. It was also able to pull out big black heads which it has never done before. So this is my new favorite pore clearing routine... Silver powder + biore pore strips = <3

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jcheuk on 5/31/2012 10:38:00 PM more reviews by jcheuk

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I don't see results immediately after using it, with all my black heads gone (basically every pore on my nose are minuscule black heads). But throughout the week, I will notice less black heads and a slightly cleaner nose.

I use this in the shower, avoiding washing it off till I'm done showering and then some. I don't recommend trying to do daily tasks because then powder will fall everywhere. I put it on my whole face as I find it has a nice drying effect for my pimples.

I wash it off gently with warm water, and then stubborn areas (nose), I use a towel and toner. .

After that, a lot of the black heads or white pus are out of my nose and I use an extractor to fully clean. However, I read a review (ichigobunnie) where the girl used biore strips after, and she was able to remove a lot more black heads with the strips and silver powder than the strips by itself.

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pinklover92 on 5/25/2012 3:33:00 PM more reviews by pinklover92

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

I have always used nose strips for my blackheads and that has not always been a pleasant experience. With nose strips, my nose was itchy, red, and dry after the initial use. After years of usage, I have notice enlarged pores and oilier complexion. If there is a miracle product, the Mario Badescu silver powder is the one. The silver powder reduced the appearance and amount of the blackheads. The main ingredient in this product, calcium carbonate, absorbed the oil and reduced breakouts of blackheads on my face. I highly recommend this product for those who have never had a clean pored nose.

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

*TOP REVIEWER* bluemushroom on 5/3/2012 6:59:00 AM more reviews by bluemushroom

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

oK this is amazing. cleaned up the blackheads in my nose in 1 go.
and it seems to bring up my whiteheads to the surface, which is good..because then i can just use the drying lotion to kill it.
the way i use it is exactly what they instructed. Soak a cotton ball with water and dip it to the jar then smear it on my nose and leave it for 20 minutes. Use toner to clean it after. But i also read that it will be more effective if you use nose strip afterwards..maybe next time i should try that.
so far..i'm liking this brand..seems to work very well on my skin!!

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Alexis86 on 5/1/2012 7:35:00 AM more reviews by Alexis86

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I just got a sample from Kit. Easy to use, damp a cotton bud with toner, create a paste and apply. Leave on for 10-15 mins. Damp a cotton pad with toner and scrub the surface til clean. Took a while to remove as it does stick on the skin. I get deep blackheads on my nose and most did disappear however the really small deep dark ones are still there. It's been 2.5 hours since I used it and my nose still stings. I'm a bit worried but I'll see how it feels tomorrow morning. I did read in another review that it takes at least 3 to 4 application before all blackheads disappear. I didn't expect a complete free-blackheads nose as its my first try however because it stings I'm not sure if I should try again.

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

nobby11 on 4/23/2012 7:27:00 AM more reviews by nobby11

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Other    

I have to really feel like I am missing out on a products benefits to re-purchase a beauty product and I can now say that although I thought about not re-purchasing Silver Powder once it ran out, 6 months on and I have decided that it truly was worth the price after-all.

Easy to apply with a little wet cotton pad and only a small amount is needed. This also lasts for a very long time and I was using it sometimes daily when I felt it necessary. Usually this is just needed around the nose area or where you find black heads are a persistent problem. Great to use with a pore strip too, they never really worked for me but with this applied and then washed off the area first, the strips have become very successful. It also works to keep shine at bay when I am going through particularly oily days. I put it on thinly as a mask all over and wash it off after 10 mins. It really seems to help minimise the oiliness during the rest of the day. Generally improves my skins texture and appearance of large or clogged pores. I also find this great mixed with a little water as a spot treatment. Really helps to dry up pimples when applied over night. *Tip* you will need a good cleanser or toner to remove though as the residue is stubborn. Needless to say I have just ordered my second pot! :)

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

Yosemitesam on 2/29/2012 1:51:00 AM more reviews by Yosemitesam

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Grey    

For me Mario Badescu products are hit or miss- and this one is a hit. The loose powder (Calcium Carbonate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide) turns into a paste when applied with a damp cotton ball. I only use this on my nose, where I have large pores and blackheads. After a few minutes the paste begins to solidify and feels a lot like a clay mask. The key part of using this product is to remove it with a toner, because the powder clings to the skin once it has dried. So far nothing has helped my blackheads, oil, or the size of my pores more than this product. The packaging is fine unless you open it upside down, and the ounce of powder given looks like enough to last me for at least a year. Pore strips never worked this well for me, and I'll never go back. At Ulta this was about $10, so not a huge skincare investment considering the return.

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

sheltielov3r on 2/18/2012 4:44:00 AM more reviews by sheltielov3r

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

i like this. i use it like every other day lol. the thing is i cant wear black when im using it cuz eveyrtime i breathe i sniff out powder onto my clothes ><

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