Mario Badescu Silver Powder

What it's For: Blackheads

What it claims: To unclog congested pores

Key Ingredients: Kaolin & Zinc

Price: £13 - 29ml

The main ingredients in this are Kaolin which is basically clay which draws out impurities, and Zinc which is know for wound healing and is an astringent.

You apply this sort of like a face mask. Take a cotton wool pad or ball, dampen it, and then dip it into the white powder and quickly pat onto the skin on the troubled areas. Leave for 10 minutes and then it says to “wipe” off but I found you first need to lean over the sink and crumble the top layer off. There is a chalky white substance left over which can be wiped off.

I used this on a small cyst, even though I know it is essentially for blackheads. It was one of the first products I purchased, so thought why not, and it did actually do a very good job of reducing the size of the blemish.

Do make sure you don’t move your chin, or whatever part of your face you apply it to, for the 10 minutes, otherwise you may ruin your clothes and furniture as it comes off very easily. It sets almost immediately on contact with the skin.

There is no smell, and no particular feeling on the skin, i.e. no tingling or stinging, just a tightness from the product drying.

This is a 29ml pot and you to need to use quite a lot to cover a small area as if you don’t do it thick enough, it goes a bit patchy, so I would guesstimate that it would last between 10 to 20 uses if putting it say on your nose and chin area. That works out at between 65p and £1.30 per session, which is pretty reasonable I’d say.

It’s even better value if you buy the “Say Hello to clear skin” kit from Harvey Nichols which includes the 20ml Silver powder, the drying lotion, and the drying cream.

For a cheaper alternative to this, most face masks have some form of Clay in them, and a lot of them in the form of Kaolin. Sudocrem has Zinc in it, but I couldn't find another product that had both Zinc and Kaolin in it.

The best “dupe” product I would personally choose is “Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask” which has clay and some other useful ingredients in, such as willow bark extract which is also good at unblocking pores. This costs £5.49 for 100ml. Half the price of the Silver Powder, with 3 times the product, but I think you’d use more of this and I think it would probably last about 10 or so uses.

Will I repurchase the Silver Powder? I think probably yes, but not individually, I’d wait until I ran out of the drying cream and lotion and buy the set again.

Next review, Mario Badescu Anti Acne Serum…….. (See previous Blog for Introduction)