The Best Mario Badescu Moisturizer for All Skin Types

Mario Badescu started his skincare product business in 1967 out of his two-room Manhattan apartment. I wasn’t too familiar with his products until my friend gave me a sample. I am now a big fan.

I decided to try their moisturizers first because they look so cool. The simple packaging, simple ingredients, and the hype all made me want to do a full review.

It is a challenge to choose the best Mario Badescu moisturizer because each provides different benefits based on its ingredient mix.

But for an excellent hydrating moisturizer, take a look at our top pick, the Mario Badescu Hydrating Moisturizer with Biocare & Hyaluronic Acid:

Click here to see it on Amazon.

We’ve spent a lot of hours testing each Mario Badescu moisturizer to give you this comprehensive review. We chose our favorite based on how well they will perform for various skin types.

All 17 Mario Badescu Moisturizers – to Help You Choose the Best

The best way to describe Mario Badescu products is that they are simple, reliable, and non-irritating.

Their moisturizers are just that. I found it fun going through each of their moisturizers as they have something for every skin type and skin concern. Their simple packaging and ingredient list makes them the well-respected ad popular company they are today.

Here’s the full scoop on the best Mario Badescu Moisturizers.

Best for Dry Skin Types

We chose as the top moisturizer for dry skin types – the Mario Badescu Hydrating Moisturizer with Biocare & Hyaluronic Acid. This moisturizer has some of the highest reviews on Amazon for its line, and there’s a reason.

This moisturizer includes vitamin A and collagen that nourishes and softens rough, dry skin, keeping it plump and supple. Hyaluronic acid holds the skin’s natural moisture, preventing moisture loss.

Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan, which is a natural substance that is part of your skin. As the main glycosaminoglycan in the skin, hyaluronic acid works to keep your skin stable, safe, and renewed.

Hyaluronic acid is also a humectant. A humectant is a category of skin care ingredients that are hygroscopic, meaning they draw moisture from their surroundings.

Humectants are commonly included in moisturizers because they help add hydration to the skin and lock that hydration in for long periods of time.

I tried this moisturizer for several weeks, and it made me wake up each morning with more supple and dewy skin. My skin can be very dry, like sandpaper in the morning. This moisturizer gave my skin intense moisture and hydration.

Runner Up for Dry Skin Types

In a close second for best Mario Badescu moisturizer for dry skin types, we chose the Kera Moisturizer.

The name intrigued me the most at first, wondering if Kera was someone’s name. Kera is actually short for Keratoplast, which is a calming botanical ingredient that reduces redness and irritation.

The Kera Moisturizer also contains elastin and oatmeal, which helps smoothen the look of wrinkles—leaving skin brighter, softer, and more youthful-looking.

This is a nice medium-texture moisturizer that doesn’t feel heavy and thick. It hydrated my skin nicely when I tested it and also didn’t give it a greasy feeling.

Best for Oily Skin Types

The Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream comes in a smaller jar (1 ounce) than the other moisturizers that are 2 ounces. At first, I thought this could not be best as we take the value, including the size of the product and price, into account in our testing.

But after trying this seaweed night cream, we had to give it the number one spot for oily skin types.

My wife has combination skin, with her t-zone being oily and surrounding face being dry skin. So she tried this cream each night for 3 weeks and fell in love with it. She said a little goes a long way as it spreads very easily.

It absorbs right in, and her skin feels super soft and healthy in the morning. I could see a difference each morning she used it.

Be warned; there is a different scent for this one. Some Amazon reviews complained of the smell, like an old closet, but I liked it. Everyone is sensitive to different scents, so I understand how some can be turned off by it.

This seaweed night cream contains the mineral-rich Bladderwrack Extract. This funny-sounding ingredient is a type of seaweed, and like many sea plants, it contains varying amounts of iodine, which is used to prevent or treat some thyroid disorders. Used topically, it softens and nourishes the skin.

This cream also contains hyaluronic acid, which, as mentioned earlier, is an effective humectant – it draws moisture to the skin and keeps it there for long periods of time.

It also contains collagen and elastin, which help further enhance the skin’s tone and texture, revealing a silky-smooth complexion come morning.

Runner Up for Oily Skin Types

According to the company, this is their best-selling moisturizer. I was curious if it lived up to the hype, and it did very well. My wife tested this on the oily t-zone area of her face for 3 weeks and had similar results as the seaweed night cream. The seaweed night cream just performed a smidgen better, in her opinion.

The Mario Badescu line includes Oil Free Moisturizer, Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 17, and Oil Free Moisturizer 30. These aren’t the only “oil free” moisturizers they offer. They just chose to name these ones “oil free.”

The non-SPF Oil Free Moisturizer and Oil Free SPF 17 are great, with a very fast-absorbing, lightweight texture that provided great hydration and did not clog the pores or give a greasy feeling.

But the Oil Free SPF 30 was that much better. It has quite a different ingredient mix than the other “Oil Free” moisturizers. It contains green tea extract, which is an antioxidant that protects the skin against free radicals, which cause signs of aging like wrinkles, dark spots, and fine lines.

It contains aloe vera, which helps soothe and even out the skin tone. It also contains St. John’s Wort which provides calming benefits.

Skip getting a separate moisturizer and sunscreen. Go for this SPF 30 Oil Free Moisturizer instead.

Best for Combination Skin Types

In the table of all Mario Badescu Moisturizers shown above, you’ll see that many moisturizers for dry skin can work for combination skin. And many moisturizers for oily skin can also work for combination skin.

So, for example, our top pick for oily skin, the Seaweed Moisturizer, could also be our top pick for combination skin.

We also found, however, that the Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer with SPF 15 seemed to be the perfect moisturizer that suits those that have an equal amount of dry and oily skin, so right down the middle.

I’m partial to products containing collagen because collagen is such an essential building block for the skin. It makes up to 30% of the protein in our whole body and 70% of the protein within our skin. Collagen helps our skin stay toned, supple, elastic, youthful, and healthy.

As we age, collagen production declines more and more, leading to dryness, wrinkles, fine lines, and loose skin.

So if you’re going to use a daily moisturizer, give your skin a bonus with added collagen.

This Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer is lightweight, delivers antioxidant-infused hydration and broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection—making it a good choice for all seasons. However, the SPF 15 isn’t strong enough for mid-summer 10 am to 2 pm sun protection.

In addition to collagen, it also contains Cottonseed Oil (an emollient rich in antioxidant Vitamin E and essential fatty acids) to further hydrate and support the skin’s firmness and elasticity.

For our other top Combination Skin moisturizer, go for the Seaweed Night Cream, the Oil-Free Moisturizer (SPF or non-SPF options), or the honey moisturizer, which has such a nice, creamy texture.

Conclusion – The Best Mario Badescu Moisturizer

There’s a reason why the Mario Badescu skin care line has been around for so long. They keep things simple and focus on what works.

If you are unsure which skin type you have or which is the best Mario Badescu Moisturizer, we recommend going with our top dry skin pick, the Mario Badescu Hydrating Moisturizer with Biocare & Hyaluronic Acid. Many reviewers on Amazon say it works for their oily skin as well.

Click here to see it on Amazon.

If you find it is too hydrating or wet on your skin, that means your skin is more oily, and so you should try one of their moisturizers for Oily Skin types, such as the Seaweed Night Cream.

Warning though, because Mario Badescu products are addicting! It’s easy to be tempted to try everything they have.

Once you find the moisturizer that works best for you, rest easy knowing that your search is over…until they come out with more moisturizers. I hope you enjoyed this review of Mario Badescu moisturizers and find what works best for your skin.