As much as I love lingering in the aisles of the Sephora store that's less than a block from my office, spritzing myself with a new scent here, applying a touch of bronzer there, and even rubbing a bit luxurious caviar cream on my forearms, I have to admit that I don't actually spend a lot of money on the high-end beauty products they sell there. I am, as you know, the original Drugstore Beauty Queen.

When it comes to cosmetics, drugstore products can't really be beat on value. However, I do understand that there can be quite a quality differential when it comes to skin care. Yes, I still won't let go of my Oil of Olay and Garnier facial cloths from Aisle 9 at the local CVS, but there are times, mostly work stress associated, when I need to go with the big guns in skin care. I am talking about the $40 bottle of facial cleanser.

So, Mario Badescu doesn't actually run that high ($20 for a 16 oz bottle of facial cleansing gel), but it's still a step up from Cetaphil. I tried Mario Badescu's skin care regimen for a week, and here are my conclusions:

Botanical Facial Gel: This isn't fair because I got the wrong formula. I have drydrydry skin on my face, and the Botanical Facial Gel is made for oily skin. That means that the cleanser is non-soap and non-foaming. I hate cleansers that don't foam. I also hate cleansers that don't feel like they rinse off all the way, which this did not. I wouldn't use this product again simpy for my personal preference, but if you need a gel cleanser that is deep cleansing, this is the one. The Alpha Hydroxy formula exfoliate (chemically), so it helps prevent build-up that can cause blackheads and pimples. It didn't really help me here. Next time, I'd probably do the Seaweed Cleansing Soap, which supposedly rises easily.

Seaweed Cleansing Lotion (Toner): I remember those days when I used to use an astringent on ym face right after washing and I LOVED the tight feeling of my skin. Yes, I realize that that feeling came from alcohol, which is not good for the skin, but it sure felt good. Mario Badescu's Seaweed Toner doesn't leave a tight feeling, but it most certainyl felt refreshing. With mild Witch Hazel that removes pore clogging debrisand Seaweed and Aloe Extracts, the formula is meant for dry and sensitive skin. I got dry. Sensitive, not so much. Either way, I likey, especially at $15 for an 8 oz. bottle.

AHA Ceramide Moisturizer: Oh dear. This moisturizer, though "oil-free," felt way too heavy and greasy for me. At $20 for 2 oz., I'd rather stick with my very moisturizing, very affordable bottle of pure aloe gel.

Some other stuff I tried were for the body.

Citrus Body Cleaner: This is a new product for Mario Badescu. I am not that picky when it comes to body cleansers, so this was just fine.

Elasto-Seamollient Hand Cream: I wash my hands a lot, so this fairly heavy formulation of Seamollient (I have no idea what that is) and Vitamin E was perfect for everything except right before getting back on my computer. It was a little bit greasy and left my keyboard slick.