| Photo: Alyssa Figgins of Michael Gabriels lab-grown diamond ring |
THE SAVVY SHOPPER
Life ... curated and with purpose. First a dreamer, then a realist!
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Michael Gabriels Lab Created Diamond Jewelry
Friday, May 8, 2026
Lean Ground Beef With Potatoes Dinner + A Salmon recipe for Summer Fridays
| Photos: Debra Turner (left) and Food & Wine (right) |
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Summer Dresses At Uniqlo and Old Navy
| Uniqlo |
First Up is Uniqlo:
Followed by Old Navy:
Monday, May 4, 2026
Sometimes All We Need To Spend is 29¢
Friday, May 1, 2026
Spicy Shrimp With Artichoke
| Our leftovers for dinner tonight. A light yet filling meal. |
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Celebrities In Diamond Stud Earrings
| Click to enlarge photos you want to see. |
Diamonds over 2 carats increase exponentially in price. Lab-grown white sapphires in 925 silver are a winning substitute for diamonds if you covet bigger stones without breaking the bank.
It’s all beautiful eye candy to us glitter-lovers!
You may also enjoy:
Benefits Of 10 Popular Diamond Cuts
Which Diamond “C” is the most important?
The Cullinan Diamond In The Crown Jewels
A Heart And Arrows Cut Diamond: What Is It?
Monday, April 27, 2026
8 Leading Skincare Brands In the USA: A Blog Extra
| Photo: Dreamtime |
After finishing my 5-blog series on what skincare travelers would find in the pharmacies of 10 countries around the world, I thought my international readers might ask what skincare brands are popular in the USA?
When I wrote the 5 blogs in our series, I listed 5 of the most popular, best-selling skincare brands in each country featured. It's all done for fun. Truthfully, if publishing a book that one gets paid to write, a journalist would have to apply even more scrutiny to verify each entry by contacting a ton of primary sources, which I couldn't do for a personal blog. Perhaps the journalist would also visit the countries to do in-person research with funds provided by her employer, ahh, even more fun! My blogs come from reading a bunch of mostly secondary sources, deciding which are credible, and drawing from the consensus of what I find. It gives us a start and an introduction to the skincare of the 10 countries I featured.
5 Leading Skincare Brands Popular in the USA
3) SkinMedica is a medical-grade brand focused on anti-aging formulas. This is a new brand to me! I’ve never used it.
5) EltaMD is known mostly for its professional-grade and lightweight sunscreen, yet it offers other skincare. A pity its superior sunscreen at $41 for 1.7 ounces is so expensive, the sun protection isn’t accessible for us common folk to use daily! Let them eat cake, eh?
10 Leading Skincare Brands In Foreign Pharmacies - Part 2
10 Leading Skincare Brands In Foreign Pharmacies - Part 3
10 Leading Skincare Brands In Foreign Pharmacies - Part 4
Thursday, April 23, 2026
10 Leading Skincare Brands In Foreign Pharmacies - Part 5
2) Alpha-H is famous for its Liquid Gold, a powerful glycolic acid exfoliating treatment.
3) Ultra Violette is a leader in SPF sun protection for the face and body.
4) Lanolips uses sustainable, natural lanolin to make super-hydrating lip, hand, and body balms, such as its popular 101 Ointment.
5) Frank Body gained cult status with its coffee scrubs and has a full range of uncomplicated, natural body and skincare products that use coffee as a main ingredient.
1) Pestle & Mortar (Co. Kildare) goes by the names Codex Beauty and Bia. Natural extracts and active ingredients go into making its skincare.
4) Kinvara Skincare makes vegan and plant-based, natural products.
Monday, April 20, 2026
10 Leading Skincare Brands In Foreign Pharmacies - Part 4
Sweden🇸🇪 is known for the high-quality ingredients in its skincare, which is also wrapped in sustainable, minimalist packaging. The formulas are made to calm and protect the skin from cold, harsh climates.
plants and berries with modern science.

