Mario Badescu Skincare: A Legacy of Deception
Some of the worst products to ever grace our faces. Their scented colored waters, their drying, spot treatment straight out of the 90s. And their packaging that makes you feel like you’re using professional, high-quality cleaning products.
The Dark Side of Mario Badescu
But Mario Badescu’s iconic flavored waters aren’t the only thing they’re known for. They’re also known for sneaking highly irritating skincare ingredients into their products without disclosure. Shh.
The Lawsuit Unveiled
Before delving into the scandal, a shoutout to Dr. Julian Sass who assisted in uncovering the mathematical aspects of the scandal. He’s a cosmetic scientist, product developer, and brand consultant with an extensive sunscreen database.
A Brand Built on Deception
Mario Badescu, founded in 1967 by Mario Badescu himself, was a renowned esthetician among celebrities in New York. Known for his gentle, natural facial treatments, he gained immense popularity through his effective services.
Mario Badescu: A Backstory
Badescu, who was born in Romania, actually started creating skincare products in his own kitchen. Very Pinterest. And his products and his brands to this day still focus on that kind of natural made by me, botanical ingredients, side of the skincare world.
The Brand’s Evolution
The Mario Badescu website actually calls this old world skincare techniques, which is cute for the 1960s, not for now. And to be fair, the brand has been pretty popular ever since. Badescu actually passed in 1983, and the brand was taken over by Morise Cabasso. I’ve never seen that name before. Who is still the brand owner to this day, along with Mario Badescu’s three grandchildren.
A Question of Ethics
Their website is interesting. They say “Times change, trends change. But one thing never does. The importance of taking good care of your skin.” It’s interesting they talk about trends. I don’t think they often keep up with skincare trends. I feel like their most infamous products have been the same for years and years and years. They’ve had a few new releases which have been on the better side. I’m not going to lie. They go on to say “Our products aren’t thought up in a lab, they’re made and mixed by us from real-life experience.” What does that mean? Why isn’t skincare being made in a lab? It better be made in a lab. It’s not still made in your kitchen? I hope.
The Ugly Truth
Despite what Mario Badescu preaches on their website about their products being all-natural, gentle, simply botanicals, the recent lawsuit has revealed a dark secret. The brand has been accused of sneaking steroids into their skincare products, violating the trust of their loyal customers and tarnishing their reputation.
The Cult Favorite
It’s November 15th, 2012 – a year filled with unfortunate events. BP admitted guilt over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and had to pay out 4.5 billion for their mistake. On this day, Wankyu Choi purchased Mario Badescu’s Healing Cream at an unnamed retail beauty store in California.
Mario Badescu’s Healing Cream quickly became a cult favorite upon its release, especially among those with troubled skin types such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. It was particularly praised by customers with eczema for its ability to calm and soothe their skin, reducing redness.
The Product Claims
Mario Badescu marketed their oil-free healing cream as a product that accelerates the healing process of red and irritated acne-prone skin while protecting delicate skin and preventing scarring. They recommended using it in place of a moisturizer twice a day, every day.
The Ingredients Controversy
Like all Mario Badescu products, the Healing Cream had a seemingly simple ingredient list. However, unbeknownst to Wankyu Choi and other customers, the product contained undisclosed steroids.
The Lawsuit
As a result of the hidden steroids in the Healing Cream, many customers experienced damaged skin and negative side effects. This led to hundreds of thousands of angry customers and ultimately a lawsuit against Mario Badescu for false advertising and misleading claims about the product’s ingredients.
The Fallout
This incident serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of transparency and honesty in the beauty industry. Customers trusted Mario Badescu’s claims of natural skincare, only to discover that the brand had betrayed that trust by sneaking steroids into their products. Beauty should not come at the expense of health, and this lawsuit highlights the potential risks of using skincare products without knowing their full ingredient list.
The Discovery
They left a couple of very important ingredients out of the ingredients. List. Those ingredients being steroids. Yes. Back in 2012, the Korean Herald reported that the Korean FDA had tested two of Mario Badescu’s most popular products, the Healing Cream and their Control Cream, and found the two unlabeled steroid ingredients. They were Hydrocortisone and Triamcinone Acetonnide. The KFDA immediately warned consumers to stop using the products, barring the sale of these products, as well as recalling a ton of products. The US then followed suit.
Misconceptions About Steroids
When I first heard these stories I was like why steroids? Is that not what people take in the gym? And then their skin goes all red and they get angry all the time. I was a little bit confused what steroids were. But they really can play a key part in helping people with those more severe skin conditions. Hydrocortisone is probably the most recognized ingredient out of the two. According to the NHS UK website, “Hydrocortisone is a steroid medicine. It works by calming down your body’s immune response to reduce pain, itching and swelling.” And you often find this in facial creams, body creams, shampoos, scalp treatments, injections, and tablets.
The Use of Hydrocortisone
Now here in the UK, you can find Hydrocortisone products in pharmacies. So you know we have to queue up. You have to speak to the person, the pharmacist and they kind of recommend a product, or you know what one you’re going for you go and ask for it, and they’re like have you used this before? Do you know how to use it? You find it in creams like Daktacort cream, which I’ve used before, because I had a sweat rash.
The Mario Badescu Lawsuit
Recently, a shocking lawsuit has surfaced regarding the well-known skincare brand Mario Badescu. It has been alleged that the brand has been sneaking steroids into their skincare products, posing a significant risk to the health of their customers.
Steroids in Skincare
Steroids are commonly used in skincare products for various purposes. They can help reduce inflammation, itching, and redness associated with conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. However, the key here is proper and supervised usage.
Hydrocortisone Concerns
One common steroid found in skincare products is hydrocortisone. It is considered safe for short-term use under the guidance of a healthcare professional. However, prolonged and unsupervised use can lead to adverse effects.
Potential Dangers
Using products with undisclosed steroids on a daily basis, as suggested by Mario Badescu, can have serious consequences. It may lead to the worsening of skin conditions, development of new issues, and potentially harmful long-term effects.
Unanswered Questions
One of the most concerning aspects of this lawsuit is the lack of transparency regarding the percentage of steroids present in the Mario Badescu products. Without this information, consumers are left in the dark about the potential risks they are exposing themselves to.
The Discovery of Steroids in Skincare Products
However, after digging around and paying a fee, I found some related materials which actually did write how much of the steroids were found in the products. They found 2610 UGG of Hydrocortisone and 1899 UGG of Triamcinone Acetonnide. So that works out to 0.26 of Hydrocortisone and 0.19 of Triamcinone. Now, of course, that’s lower than the 1 that you’re going to get over the counter or on the shelves. But you are still using a product with these steroids in daily twice a day without knowing for a prolonged period of time. And that is worrying when it comes to Triamcinone, especially because that is a prescription-only ingredient. It’s a prescription-only steroid. It doesn’t belong in your topical skincare products.
Potential Side Effects of Steroids in Skincare Products
Side effects of these steroids, when used as instructed, are rare to nonexistent but with prolonged use, can lead to skin thinning, hyperpigmentation, dermatitis, acne infections, broken veins, skin atrophy, rashes, blisters. Things you just don’t want when you’re trying to repair your skin.
The Mario Badescu Lawsuit
Let’s take a deeper look at the lawsuit. The lawsuit, which was filed on February 15th of 2013, was filed on behalf of Wankyu Choi and JK Lee, both from California and on behalf of whoever had purchased these products in California, whether that be online from the Mario Badescu salon, with retailers like Ulta and Nordstrom actually being named in the lawsuit. And while the lawsuit very briefly mentions injuries, it brings to light the potential harm caused by undisclosed steroids in skincare products.
The Lawsuit
They were actually just claiming economic damages, which means they wanted a refund monetary damages, including the products themselves and the money back for the actual legal fees. So the people in the lawsuit didn’t actually have any issues. So either they just completely forgot to mention that in the lawsuit. Or there were no negative repercussions from using this product. Again, they just saw what the KFDA release and thought crap I own that we’ve been misled. Let’s do a lawsuit. Which is still fair enough.
The Plaintiff’s Story
According to the lawyer’s website who presented the plaintiffs, in this case, in February of 2014, a Mario Badescu skin cream victim created a Facebook page to share her own story and allow others to share theirs. In particular, their experience with the Healing Cream and the Control Cream. The woman who created the Facebook page claims she used Mario Badescu’s Control Cream for six years. However, after purchasing a new bottle of the skin cream in 2013, her skin began erupting, she says. She noticed that the new cream had a different texture and smell and concluded that her face was not reacting to the new product, but rather it was reacting to the sudden withdrawal of steroids contained in the Control Cream.
Similar Experiences
Healing Cream users on the Facebook page, however, reported very similar experiences on a product review website called Makeup Alley. One reviewer claimed that, after the Healing Cream was recalled, she began to suffer from massive steroid withdrawal symptoms, including itchy blotchy, even rash, and patch-like symptoms and hives.
The Shocking Revelation
With pretty much everyone claiming that they were suffering from topical steroid withdrawals. Now so once the case had been closed, Mario Badescu removed the steroids.
The Controversial Timeline
The timelines a little bit funny here.. So then, everybody that had been using these products was suddenly suffering from topical steroid withdrawal because they didn’t know there were steroids in their creams. Now topical steroid withdrawal is interesting because it’s not massively well researched. And depending on who you ask when it comes to doctors And professionals some believe its a very real thing that deserves more attention and more research, whilst others believe that it’s not really a thing. But those that believe it believe that various reactions to long term topical use of prescription, steroid treatments can include burning, stinging or painful Skin. Skin sensitivity to sunlight, redness, a rash on the arms, also known as a red sleeve, itching, peeling, cracking or flaking is kind of the withdrawal symptom that we see a lot. Of. Pus filled bumps nodules under the skin and thickened wrinkled skin often referred to as elephant wrinkles.
Lack of Information in Lawsuit
But none of this was discussed in the lawsuit whatsoever, actually. It’s very similar to what we’ve seen in a lot of cosmetic lawsuits where they are mainly suing for false Advertising. Which is still fair.
Brand’s Silence
So what did the brand have to say about this? What did Mario Badescu have to say to save their brand to apologize for sneaking steroids into their skincare Nothing.? They said absolutely nothing.
The Deceptive Move
They’re, just like… You’re, a huge brand. You’ve been very popular for years and years and years. You sneak steroids into your skincare and don’t say anything. And then, when you get found out, you still don’t say anything. Was this a legal move? Were their lawyers like don’t say anything otherwise, you’re admitting fault I don’t know. I don’t know how that works. Still a dick move though.
The Settlement
So who won? We’re not at the end yet. In 2013, Mario Badescu did agree to settle. Now, according to TopClassActions.com, Mario Badescu will send a $45 certificate to class members who submitted timely claims. The certificate is good for $45 off the purchase of any Mario Badescu product at www.MarioBadescu.com. Mario Badescu is becoming that, like Cinderella. Or $45 off any Mario Badescu New York spa.
Legal Entitlements
Any customers who bought either of the creams dating back as far as February 15th, 2009 are entitled to receive one certificate for the Healing Cream and one for a Control Cream for a total of two certificates. A total of 11,620 valid claims were filed with the total value of claims being $895,365, with the whole engagement costing Mario Badescu $2,413,338.40. These… I hate when it’s just a certificate. I hate when you can’t just give them money because why the heck would anybody want to repurchase products from a brand that is going through a legal case because they snuck ingredients into their skincare product.
The Deception Unveiled
It’s not like other cosmetic lawsuits that we’ve seen where they made bold claims that didn’t match what happened or somebody had a reaction because Vitamin C wasn’t labeled big enough on the packaging, which is still all bad things. They snuck stuff into their products. So why would anybody want to go back? Why would anybody want to go to their spa and get a treatment now?
Underrepresentation in the Lawsuit
Usually, this is where the video would end, but a lot of people were not happy with this outcome. A lot of people felt underrepresented in this lawsuit. As I mentioned, this lawsuit was primarily for economic damages. But there were real people who were not represented from this lawsuit who had suffered injuries from this cream.
The Lack of Justice
They were like, “This lawsuit is trash. We aren’t happy with the outcome because no one was representing people who actually got damaged from this product in this lawsuit, which is true. It’s fair enough.” And they were like, “This outcome isn’t good enough. Like why? Why would anybody? Why would any of us who actually suffer damages want to do business with Mario Badescu ever again?”
The Confusion Continues
After the lawsuit, something called a remittitur came out, which is usually when they’re decreasing the amount of money rewarded to the plaintiffs after an agreed settlement. This came out and I managed to download it. I purchased it and downloaded it to read through it. And it’s very, very confusing. Very confusing.
The Mario Badescu Lawsuit: Unveiling the Dark Side of Beauty
As the legal process of remittitur unfolds in the personal injury lawsuits against Mario Badescu, a shocking revelation has come to light. It has been discovered that this popular skincare brand sneaked STEROIDS into their products, causing harm to unsuspecting customers.
The Confusion Surrounding the Lawsuit
Amidst the legal proceedings, confusion looms over the case. While some plaintiffs sought justice for the injuries they suffered due to the steroids in Mario Badescu’s skincare products, a few complexities have emerged.
The Disappointment of Alleged Victims
It is disheartening to note that some of the alleged victims, particularly those from New Jersey, faced challenges in seeking compensation for their injuries. Moreover, the court’s decision to offer vouchers instead of proper retribution has left many feeling disillusioned and unheard.
The Moral Obligation of Brands
When brands prioritize profit over the well-being of their customers, it raises serious concerns about ethics and transparency in the beauty industry. The deliberate concealment of harmful ingredients reflects a lack of moral responsibility on the part of Mario Badescu.
A Call for Accountability
As consumers, we must hold brands accountable for their actions and demand greater transparency in the products we use. The Mario Badescu lawsuit serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking behind seemingly harmless skincare products.
The Controversy Unveiled
Next time, apology that trumps, a lot of things for me, that’s very different. I feel like Mario Badescu as a brand did this because they were assholes back in the day, but also because they have this all-natural botanical vibe that they want to give off and steroids don’t really match up with that. They wanted their all-natural products to look just as effective as these prescription products that you can get. Why didn’t they just make a prescription? Or why didn’t they do like this? Is our 1 Hydrocortisone cream? I guess, because it doesn’t blend with the brand right? Like, why use science to heal when you could use a leaf, is probably 100 what they were thinking, allegedly.
A Deceptive Strategy
Why use a nice basic hydrating toner when you could use all-natural flavored colored water? It’s actually not that bad, to be honest. Mario Badescu also seemed to be rising in popularity, especially with the TikTok younger generation who missed this whole debacle. They have also released a newer range of skincare products, which they got in touch with me and asked if they wanted to gift me the products or if they wanted to work with me. And because of this court case and everything that came out, I was like no. Why would I want to do that? I don’t know what I’m putting on my face. The products actually seem okay, and the ingredient list.
The Impact on Consumers
The Mario Badescu lawsuit sheds light on the deceptive practices that some skincare brands engage in to boost their effectiveness and popularity in the market. By sneaking steroids into their products, they not only betray the trust of their consumers but also compromise the health and safety of those using their skincare items. The use of undisclosed ingredients can lead to adverse reactions and long-term damage to the skin, highlighting the importance of transparency and honesty in the beauty industry.
The Road to Redemption
As Mario Badescu faces the consequences of their actions through legal scrutiny and public backlash, it is crucial for the brand to take accountability and make amends for their deceptive practices. By acknowledging their mistakes, issuing apologies, and implementing strict quality control measures, they can rebuild trust with their consumers and avoid further damage to their reputation. Moving forward, it is essential for skincare brands to prioritize honesty, safety, and integrity in their products to ensure the well-being of their customers.
The Mario Badescu Steroid Scandal
When it comes to skincare, consumers are constantly searching for products that will enhance their beauty and improve their skin. However, what happens when a brand crosses the line and includes harmful substances in their products?
Unveiling the Truth
Mario Badescu, a popular skincare brand, recently found themselves in hot water when it was revealed that they had included steroids in some of their products. This shocking discovery sent shockwaves through the beauty community and left many consumers questioning the integrity of the brand.
The Impact on Consumers
For those who have been loyal Mario Badescu customers, this news came as a betrayal. How could a brand that claims to prioritize the well-being of their customers sneak harmful substances into their skincare products?
Many are now questioning whether they can trust Mario Badescu with their skin and are hesitant to continue using their products.
The Fallout
The fallout from the Mario Badescu steroid scandal has been significant. The brand has faced backlash from consumers, who feel deceived and misled. Many have taken to social media to express their outrage and disappointment.
Whether Mario Badescu will be able to recover from this scandal remains to be seen. Only time will tell if they can regain the trust of their customers and salvage their reputation in the beauty industry.
Moving Forward
As consumers, it’s essential to be vigilant and informed about the products we use on our skin. The Mario Badescu lawsuit serves as a stark reminder that not all brands have the best interests of their customers at heart.
Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to decide whether they want to continue supporting a brand that has betrayed their trust.
