Product brand: Mario Badescu
Product name: Enzyme Cleansing Gel
Product price: USD$12 at mariobadescu.com/AUD$32 at kit cosmetics
Product quantity: 8 oz

Description (from Mario Badescu):

This non-foaming, gel cleanser thoroughly removes the day’s make-up, dirt and oil without drying the skin. Papaya Extracts are exfoliating Alpha Hydroxy Acids that help break down dulling build-up, leaving skin fresh and healthy.

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

Review: Having used a sample of this in late 2005, I fell in love with it, but never got to purchasing it because shipping charges are exhorbitant at Mario Badescu.com (still is). I soon gave up trying to swap for it and went on to other faves. Come 2007, I saw the brand being sold at Kit Cosmetics (which by now, you should know, is my favourite cosmetics counter in Perth). I could still remember how luxurious it felt – thick, cushiony texture. But it was more suitable for combination skins, so I had to use a more moisturizing cleanser instead (cleansing milk w/ carnation and rice oil). Now that I’m back in humid Singapore, my skin is oilier than in Australia, so I got re-acquainted with ECG!

One thing about this line of products is that no fragrances are being added, any scent you get comes naturally from the ingredients. And indeed, this cleanser has got a very sweet, fresh and green scent, almost like a cucumber sorta smell. Cleansing powers wise, it also gets full marks. Since using this, my toner-soaked cotton pad comes up clean, EVERY TIME! I like to leave it on (after massaging it on my skin for about 30secs) for another minute or so for the AHAs to work on my dead skin cells. I haven’t had any breakouts since changing to this cleanser, so it’s a definite keeper!