Review: Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturiser SPF 30

Sunscreen is a must - I won't hear any arguments about this, because they are honestly all feeble in the face of damaging effects of the sun's rays. As someone who absolutely loves, loves, loves Summer, I'm also very aware that in order to play, I have to pay, and that particular tax is essentially me slathering on sunscreen. And of course, what better day to talk about sunscreen than when I'm heading out to the Royal Easter Show here in Sydney, and will be spending a good chunk of my time outdoors?

 

While I do love the hand creams from Mario Badescu, I haven't quite had the chance to try very much from them, aside from a couple of their facial sprays, and that's because I find a lot of their products to be geared towards problematic skin. I'm talking about acne/spots etc - things that I thankfully don't have to deal with regularly, but at least I know where to go for a bit of help if needed!

 

I've been trying out the Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturiser with SPF 30, and I've actually really enjoyed using this! I wasn't sure about the unconventional packaging - this comes with a little lever in the middle of the cap that you flip, and then you have to turn the bottle upside down and squeeze - but given the size and how secure this is, as the lever is a little stiff, this would actually be great for travel. It works well, but can be a little annoying for daily use, as I find that I have to squeeze this quite a bit after thumping it to get the sunscreen to move with gravity.

 

Another drawback is that this only has SPF 30 - it's better than 15, but my preference is for 50+. Aside from those few details, however, I like everything else about this. The lotion has a medium consistency - it doesn't take much to work this into the skin, and while it starts off being quite white on my face, it does fade away really nicely, which means no white cast gets left behind. I love that it doesn't smell like sunscreen, and while it does feel like a relatively slippery moisturiser to begin with, it really does melt into the skin. 

 

It doesn't dry down like the sunscreens that are meant to create a matte base, nor does it feel greasy to the touch. Instead, it is a really nice balance on my skin, and I have a normal, somewhat dry, skin. For a lotion that starts off feeling a little on the heavier side, this is so light that I don't feel it on my skin at all. I don't believe that this particular version of their oil free moisturiser is currently available in Australia, but if you're up for it, have a look at some of the international retailers, such as Cult Beauty. Do you reach for oil free moisturisers above all else?