Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Exfoliation
- Moisturizing
- Evens skin tone
- Anti-aging
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: high
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 1
Key actives
Product Summary
"Mario Badescu - Buttermilk Moisturizer" has a good moisturizing formula. As we expect from a proper moisturizer, the formula includes a combo of effective humectants and emollients. These are the two different types of ingredients that are essential for improving the skin hydration and supporting a healthy skin barrier. Allantoin and lactic acid in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Paraffinum liquidum, isopropyl myristate, cetyl alcohol and glyceryl stearate in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.
Ingredient callouts
- In addition, this moisturizer contains Allantoin (6.30% - 9.50%). Allantoin is helpful in wound-healing and can help restore the skin barrier faster. It might also be able to improve scars, but the evidence is not very strong for this.
Irritation risk
This moisturizer contains a bunch of common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide any known benefit for the skin. It might not be the best choice if your skin is sensitive. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Mario Badescu" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
Price
The product retails for 18.00$ in the United States, for 45.80A$ in Australia, from 16.17£ up to 17.26£ in the United Kingdom and for 24.00CA$ in Canada.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (tocopherol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
Dryness, Fine Lines and Wrinkles, and Dullness and Uneven Texture Formulation.
Source: Sephora
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: lactic acid
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Exfoliation
What does the product description say?
Gentle resurfacing benefits help reduce the appearance of dry fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tonegiving dull skin a bright, youthful glow.
Source: Sephora
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: lactic acid.
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
Moisturizing
What does the product description say?
Buttermilk Moisturizer
Source: From product name
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
allantoin, lactic acid.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: isopropyl myristate, cetyl alcohol.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: paraffinum liquidum
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
Mineral oil. One of the most effective and well studied occlusive and emollient moisturizing ingredients. Helps reduce moisture loss in skin and repair skin barrier function
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Could be comedogenic
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
A non-drying alcohol that works to soften the skin and stabilize product formulations helping oil and water mix together
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together
Anti-aging
What does the product description say?
Dryness, Fine Lines and Wrinkles, and Dullness and Uneven Texture Formulation.
Source: Sephora
This product contains lactic acid. This ingredient might be able to help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness, but there is not enough evidence that it actually works.
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Exfoliation | |
| Moisturizing | |
| Evens skin tone | |
| Anti-aging |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 93/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 Mario Badescu Buttermilk Moisturizer | Current | $17.26 | |
 Avène Akérat Smoothing Exfoliating Cream | 56% | $15.50 | |
 POND'S Anti-Wrinkle Cream | 51% | $14.49 | |
 DermExcel Dermalytic | 50% | $332.00 |
Key Actives
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Could be comedogenic
Mineral oil. One of the most effective and well studied occlusive and emollient moisturizing ingredients. Helps reduce moisture loss in skin and repair skin barrier function
Potential irritants
Plant extract that can have healing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a potential allergen and can be irritating
Helps oil and water mix together and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. It can be irritating
Plant extract that can have healing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a potential allergen and can be irritating
Plant extract that has some anti-bacterial properties. Can be used as a fragrance. Can be irritating
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Helps oil and water mix together. Also helps to preserve products
Used to adjust pH of the product and can help improve the product's smell
Comedogenic ingredients
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Could be comedogenic
All ingredients
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
Plant extract that can have healing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a potential allergen and can be irritating
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Could be comedogenic
Helps oil and water mix together and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. It can be irritating
Mineral oil. One of the most effective and well studied occlusive and emollient moisturizing ingredients. Helps reduce moisture loss in skin and repair skin barrier function
An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together
A non-drying alcohol that works to soften the skin and stabilize product formulations helping oil and water mix together
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
Plant extract that can have healing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a potential allergen and can be irritating
Plant extract that has some anti-bacterial properties. Can be used as a fragrance. Can be irritating
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
Helps oil and water mix together. Also helps to preserve products
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
Used to adjust pH of the product and can help improve the product's smell
Used to stabilize mixtures of oil and water, and create thicker, gel-like product textures
Ingredient list view
Lactic acid, Allantoin, Chamomilla recutita extract, Thymus vulgaris extract, Tocopherol, Water, Isopropyl myristate, Propylene glycol, Paraffinum liquidum, Glyceryl stearate, Cetyl alcohol, Allantoin, Chamomilla recutita flower extract, Thymus vulgaris leaf extract, Tocopherol, Lactic acid, Cetrimonium bromide, Parfum, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium chloride, Citronellol, Ci 42090, Ci 19140