6 Best Mario Badescu Drying Lotion Dupes: Comparison & Reviews 2025

• About Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Key Ingredients:

- Salicylic Acid: Exfoliates to help shed pore-clogging dead skin cells.

- Sulfur: Cleanses pores and absorbs excess oil.

- Calamine: Delivers a cooling, soothing effect.

- Zinc Oxide: Absorbs excess oil.

Tackle skin breakouts while the body sleeps with Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, an award-winning on-the-spot treatment designed to treat blemishes for a clearer and more even complexion.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion works to dry out blemishes and spots overnight. A chosen option of celebrities, beauty editors and professionals from across the world, this is one of the range’s best sellers with a reputation for success.

The potent formula of salicylic acid, sulphur, calamine and zinc oxide works by drawing out impurities from the skin and targeting the blemish directly to help reduce its appearance. Applied directly to the blemish before bed, it works overnight, helping to achieve a clear and flawless complexion.

The only downside to this extremely popular dry lotion is the $17 price tag, so let's take a look at some more affordable alternatives. 

• The Best Mario Badescu Drying Lotion Dupes

| Bye Bye Blemish Drying Lotion

($9.79, up to 10% cashback at Rite Aid)

Key Ingredients:

Sulfur

Salicylic Acid

Zinc Oxide

Comparison & Review: 

Like Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, Bye Bye Blemish Drying Lotion is an overnight spot treatment that rapidly reduces the size and severity of pimples. With proper application, it helps minimize the risk of acne scars and keep your skin smooth and blemish-free.

This Mario Badescu dupe has many of the same ingredients, such as redness relieving sulfur, BHA salicylic acid which targets clogged pores, zinc oxide to absorb excess oil camphor to reduce inflammation.

The way you use Bye Bye Blemish is also the same as Mario Badescu – simply dip in a cotton bud and apply directly to the blemish, leaving it to dry out overnight.

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| Fourth Ray Beauty Later Hater Spot Treatment

($8.40, up to 4% cashback at ColourPop)

Key Ingredients:

Salicylic Acid

Sulfur

Calamine

Zinc Oxide

Comparison & Review: 

If you're looking for the exact same product as Mario Badescu Dry Lotion, look no further as this spot treatment contains all the same ingredients without the higher price tag.

Sulfur and salicylic acid effectively reduce inflammation and kill bacteria, while calamine dries out the pimple while you sleep so you wake up with visibly clearer skin. Camphor, glycerin, and zinc help hydrate and heal the skin, preventing it from getting too dry and flaky.

Later Hater provides relief without leaving your skin itchy, flaky or irritated. Apply directly onto spots before bedtime to help dry up impurities while you sleep.

| Derma E Sulfur Spot Treatment

($7.50, up to 4% cashback at Walmart)

Key Ingredients:

Kaolin Clay

Colloidal Sulfur

Zinc Oxide

Tea Tree Oil

Salicylic Acid

Niacinamide

Calamine

Aloe Vera

Comparison & Review: 

This spot treatment has all the same stuff at the original drying lotion, plus a ton of extras that make it even better.

Formulated with potent Kaolin Clay, Colloidal Sulfur and Zinc Oxide, this unique, fast-acting spot solution absorbs excess oils and sebum. Clarifying Tea Tree Oil and Salicylic Acid help draw out impurities, Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of redness while Calamine and Aloe Vera Gel help to soothe and reduce irritation. 

Like Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, you should not shake the bottle. Dip a cotton swab into the pink sediment and apply directly on blemishes in your PM skincare routine. Derma E notes that if needed, you can gradually increase usage to twice a day.

| Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Spot Drying Lotion

($14.99, up to 4% cashback at Neutrogena)

Key Ingredients:

Sulfur

Niacinamide

Comparison & Review:  

This Mario Badescu dupe targets acne while reducing redness and discomfort as a spot treatment designed to work on a targeted area of your skin.

This fast-acting acne is packed with 10% sulfur, the maximum level of sulfur available over-the-counter, to penetrate pores to help eliminate stubborn acne. The fragrance-free formula also includes niacinamide, which helps target dark spots and post-acne marks.

Use it overnight to stop a pimple in its tracks before it becomes inflamed and red. Just like Mario Badescu, you can use it on your face, neck, chest, and back.

| De La Cruz Acne Treatment with 5% Sulfur

($6.78, up to 5% cashback at iHerb)

Key Ingredients:

Sulfur

Comparison & Review: 

This oil-free washable acne treatment quickly clears pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and blemishes. It speeds healing and restores clear healthy skin. It also helps to prevent new pimples from forming.

This De La Cruz spot treatment contains 5% of Sulfur — a powerful enough concentration to thoroughly clear up breakouts, but it won't impart the dryness or irritation that higher doses of sulfur can cause for people with very sensitive skin. (The brand also makes a version with 10% sulfur, if your skin can handle it.) 

Unlike Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, this treatment can work on blackheads, and because it's a cream, you can target larger swaths of skin.

| Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment

($6.47, up to 4% cashback at Walmart)

Key Ingredients:

Salicylic Acid

Hazel 

Comparison & Review: 

This drugstore classic is available almost anywhere. The gel formula contains witch hazel and salicylic acid and comes in a tapered squeeze tube. The applicator helpfully dispenses small doses without splattering everywhere, which helps to ensure you achieve targeted application. The spot treatment dries clear and sinks in quickly as it stops developing pimples and calms ones that have already popped up.

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