I'm 23 but the sad fact is that I still break out regularly. Sometimes it's before my period, often because I am trying out a new product for a review. I've heard from countless magazines that Mario Badescu is good for acne-ridden skin but thought that it's too expensive for me - wrong! It's quite affordable so I decided to buy the Mario Badescu Drying Cream (P795) when I was at Rustan's some weeks ago.

The Drying Cream promises to "heal and conceal under surface blemishes". I was a bit baffled about what the copy meant when it said surface blemishes, but I suppose it means pimples. The cream does heal pimples (albeit slowly), but I wouldn't recommend that it be used as a concealer since it's too white!

What I love about the product

• As promised, it dries pimples. I give it two to three nights, depending on the pimple's severity. Really bad pimples won't get worse if you use this cream.
• Great for pimple poppers (I'm guilty!). It covers up the wound, dries it, and sanitizes the area without stinging.

I've read about Mario Badescu years before in magazines, but my curiosity was piqued when Kristine of Temptalia raved about it in 2009. I never got to try it though because I had the impression that MB products are expensive, but that idea is quite off the mark!

On a trip to Rustan's Makati the other day I chanced by the wall of Mario Badescu skincare in the Essences section (near the Glorietta 4 area). I quickly checked the price and saw that the Drying Cream (for drying acne) was only P795. Well, it's not dirt cheap, but it's certainly not expensive.