Housed in the lobby floor of an unassuming Upper East Side apartment building–the same location since 1967–the Mario Badescu spa is certainly not the prettiest spa you’ve ever been to. But just try their facials and you’ll see why they are famous not only with hip New Yorkers, but with nearly every celebrity who lives here.
I first visited with a celebrity actor friend as a guest of the Columbia Tri-Star, and I never forgot it. Their Eastern European massage therapists have a way with making you feel comfortable and relaxed (so relaxed, in fact, that I once nearly fell asleep!) and their estiticians know how to zap those zits like you’ve never seen.
Known for being more clinical than luxurious and more effective than foofy, the Mario Badescu Spa is the place to go if you are in need of some serious skin SOS, or just a quick pick-me-up.
It may also be a good place to go if you want to run into a celebrity, since nearly every A-lister from Hollywood has sampled Mario Badescu’s famed treatments. (If you run into Giselle while you’re there, tell her we said ‘Hi’.)
Before you leave, make sure to stock up on their famously simple and natural, yet extremely effective line of products. The Mario Badescu product line includes over 200 products suited for every possible need. Not only the spa has a celebrity following, but also their yummy products, which top celebs routinely site as being their favorite skin-savers. We tested out a bunch of their best products to give you a sampling of the line.
If any of these sound interesting to you, just go to the MarioBadescu.com and click on “Consulting” to receive free samples of products right for your skin.
Almond & Honey Face Scrub – This light-colored scrub exfoliates effectively leaving skin smooth. Although it claims to be “non-abrasive”, it’s actually quite rough and might not be great for sensitive or broken-out skin. The oatmeal, kaolin clay and corn meal provide exfoliation while honey, almond oil and algae extract soothe and moisturize. The formulation has a natural appeal, smells great (like honey) and feels nice to touch.
The Moisture Magnet – A light pink hue, this moisturizer goes on thick and smooth and leaves absolutely no greasy residue. SPF 15 that leaves a barely-there sunscreen scent makes this a basic and effective moisturizer for summer or winter.
Enzyme Cleansing Gel – This non-foaming cleanser removes all traces of makeup and daily residue. It feels great as it glides on and rinses clean. It even cleared up our complexion!
Drying Lotion – Don’t shake it up – just dab a Q-Tip into the pink stuff at the bottom and dab it onto your skin. Definitely something to do when your boyfriend isn’t sleeping over as you’ll have pink dots all over your face. We found that zits that would have taken five days to go away took only two or three.
Raspberry Body Scrub – This shiny pink scrub smells yummy and looks yummy. It’s non-abrasive and feels fresh and luxurious. It’s great to use in the shower or bath (especially a two-person bath!) and would make a great gift for any girlfriend because, really, who doesn’t like raspberries??
Hyaluronic Eye Cream – This great emollient cream contains carnation oil, aloe and hyaluronic acid to moisturize the delicate eye area. Be careful not to actually get it in your eyes as it can make your eyes feel temporarily filmy and your vision cloudy. It left our eyes feeling well moisturized even after hours of wear.
The good news: you don’t even have to be in New York to grab some of their products. Just go to their site and fill out the “consultation” form to receive samples customized to your exact skin type and needs.
