The Holy Grail Diaries: Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel

This is going to be the first blog post in a series that I am starting:  The HG Diaries.  From the title alone, I'm sure that you are already expecting a rave review on this product...and you would be right! I have been using the Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel since November and I am on my second and third bottle (I keep one bottle in my shower, and one at my sink). Before I really get into this review, I should mention that I use it with my Clarisonic Mia with a sensitive brush head at night to fully remove my makeup. 

In the mornings, I use a small amount of cleanser on my fingers and massage it into my face for around a minute. 

It is a non-foaming, faintly shimmering gel formula that looks sort of like something out of an 80's Ghost Busters movie. 

I have never in my life felt the urgency to repurchase a cleanser, whether it be drugstore or high end. Just to give you and idea of comparison, some examples of cleansers that have come and gone in my life are Philosophy Purity Made Simple, Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser, Bliss Fabulous Foaming Facewash, Neutrogena (a number of different types), Cetaphil (we had quite a lengthy relationship, but alas, it always left traces of makeup behind), Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash, Clinique Facial Cleansing Bar, Origins Mega Mushroom Facial Cleanser, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cream.....the list goes on, and on, and on......

 Ingredients: Deionized Water (Aqua),Glycerin,Papaya (Carica Papaya Fruit) Extract,Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis Fruit) Extract,Monomide,Triethanolamine,Methylparaben

What I love: 

1. Removes ALL of my makeup (including eye makeup, but not including waterproof mascara)
2. Does not foam up (I've learned that I do not get along with sulfates)
3. Leaves my skin's hydration levels balanced...sometimes I feel like I don't even need to put moisturizer on immediately after...this has never happened before.
4. Which brings me to my next point:  It washes away completely.  Although my skin still feels hydrated after use, it doesn't leave any sort of film, residue, oil, makeup, or dirt behind.  Just clean, soft skin.
5. I'm convinced that using this twice daily has contributed to fading any acne scarring that I have.
6. I like the bottle.  It’s nothing fancy, but its effective and easy to squeeze out just the right amount.

What I don't love:

1. It contains Methylparaben.  I figure I can live with that.  It's a cleanser for crying out loud.
2. Its a hassle for me to get it in Canada.  My most convenient method of capture is ordering online. Unfortunately, the large $20 16oz bottle of this costs another $20 shipping from the Mario Badescu website.  I found a UK website, BeautyBay.com, which offers free international shipping...however, they only sell the small 8oz bottle for $18US. Lose-lose situation if you ask me.

Shipping woes aside, this is honestly the best cleanser I have ever used and I'm literally addicted.  I may try other cleansers, but I will always have a bottle of that as backup.  Guaranteed. Plan of action: Harassing my friends to pick this up for me every time they go to the states.

~

Why are the things that you can't live without so hard to get?

Any Mario Badescu recommendations?

How do you feel about non-foaming cleansers?
What is your favourite cleanser?

xo Courtney