Wednesday, August 10, 2016

The Best Anti-Aging Face Products For Less

Lovely Michelle Pfeiffer could teach a master class on how to age well. Sign me up!
Aging is a good thing. You would not like the alternative! Still none of us want to look old before our time. But, anti-aging potions to keep those lines, wrinkles and age spots away can cost $100s of dollars each, making them unaffordable for oridinary consumers. So today I'm doing a roundup of the best products -- the ones that really work, but cost less than high end brands. My fountain-of-youth finds contain the same effective ingredients, yet are budget friendly enough so that you can use them everyday.

Your Daytime Routine:






Layer your morning anti-aging face products in the following order --

1. Timeless Vitamin 20% C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum - Vitamin C fights free radicals, including oxidation, which causes aging. It also stimulates the growth of new collagen and helps with sun protection. Vitamin E helps vitamin C work better. "What is ferulic acid," you may ask? Think of ferulic acid as a stabilizer and booster of vitamin C.  [Check out Timeless, a company that makes several beneficial serums for cheap, here.]

2. Timeless Coenzyme Q10 Serum + Matrixyl 3000 + Hyaluronic Acid - These are antioxidants, peptides and moisturizing ingredients. I'm using this serum around my eyes. Can't hurt!

3. Sunscreen - This is the most effective (therefore, most important!) product to minimize aging. Use a sunscreen every single day under your makeup. 

Two lightweight choices include: 

a) Olay Regenerist Lotion With Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 - This cream formula is interchangeable with Olay All Day Complete Moisture Lotion SPF 15, but is a slightly richer formula and will protect longer without reapplying. I like both.

b) Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid SPF 70 - A liquid, it dries to leave no residue or stickiness. You only need to go up to SPF 30. A higher SPF factor doesn't do much more. So if there's a price difference, stop at SPF 30. If a retailer doesn't charge more for SPFs over 30, accept it as a gift. 

Other recommended sunscreen products include: 

c) L'Oreal's Miracle Blur with SPF 30 - An instant skin smoother finishing treatment. It's a matifier that takes away shine and helps to erase the look of lines, wrinkles and pores. The silky gel also provides a lovely base for your makeup; and finally ...

d) Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Airbrushing Pressed Powder SPF 30 - If you use a face powder to set your makeup, why not just select one with sun protection? This one sells for about $12, and often drugstores offer a 2 for 1 deal, so you can't go wrong!

In using sunscreens, many users switch formulas to suite the time of the year. For example, I might use a creamy sunscreen like the Olay Regrenerist Lotion with SPF 50 to moisturize my face in winter, but use the Miracle Blur treatment alone in summer due to the humidity. I like to use the face powder as part of my makeup all year around -- it's a great way to ensure I'm reapplying my sunscreen.

Your Night Time Routine:



Again, follow the steps in order when layering --

1. Noxema Skin Cream - I have washed my face with Noxema since the age of 14, and I always come back to it. During a shower I usually wash with SheaMoisture Soap. It is super moisturizing and never drying, even on my face.

2. The holy grail of anti-aging skin products is prescription strength Retin-A (Tritinoin) Cream - but you must transition into using it (and it is a lengthy process); otherwise your skin will flake, feel raw, be inflamed and hurt!

Until your skin can tolerate the strength of Retin-A, you will benefit from using non-prescription retinol, available at your local drugstore. Here are a few suggestions on good retinols. Both non-prescription retinol and prescription strength retinal-A will help soften the appearance of lines and winkles, speed up cell turnover and help generate new collagen.

3. Olay Regenerist MicroSculpting Serum - It has 3 anti-aging ingredients: peptides, hyaluronic acid and Vitamin B3. I've been using this for years.

4. Follow up with a rich night cream, such as Olay Regenerist MicroSculpting Cream. It's a super moisturizing face cream. None better! 

Honorable Anti-Aging Mentions:




Glycolic Acid - This brightens your skin by helping you shed dead skin and speeds up cell turnover. Many women like to alternate their use of a glycolic acid and retinol (or retinal-A).

a) THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S old friend, Angie Smith, recommends the L'Oreal Paris' Revitalift Bright Reveal line, with 4% glycolic acid.

b) Another winning brand is Planet Edan, which manufactures glycolic acid (liquids, gels and creams) in higher concentrations: Glycolic acid can penetrate the skin deeply to treat fine lines and acne. Just like with retinols and retinal-A, you must start slow when applying glycolic acid to your face. Your skin needs time to acclimate to higher strengths, or you could end up with chemical burns and scaring. Be especially careful with glycolic acid concentrations over 10%!

Non-greasy Face Moisturizers:






Here are 3 other face moisturizers with anti-aging properties that absorb easily into the skin. Apply them after face serums (and under your makeup, if you wish):

a) Olay Complete All Day Moisture Lotion - Conditions the skin with vitamins B3, C and E, along with SPF 15 sun protection. One of my staples, I use it as a face and body sunscreen - you must reapply SPF 15 sunscreen every few hours.

b) CeraVe Moisturizing Facial Lotion PM - Contains ceramides (they hold in moisture), B3 and hyaluronic acid. Plus, CVS Pharmacy makes a knockoff of this facial lotion.

c) Hyaluronic Acid Beauty Cream - Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the skin, which traps moisture to help maintain firmness and elasticity. As we age, we lose moisture. This cream lubricates the skin with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sunflower oil and heather. It is rich without clogging your pores. Feels so clean, it is the perfect summer face moisturizer. In winter, I follow this beauty cream up with a dab of the richer Puritan's Pride's Retinol Cream on my face -- it's my one/two punch against Old Man Winter!

These top-notch youth elixirs are as effective as pricey luxury brands, but you can afford to use them every day without going broke!

You may also enjoy:
Jaclyn Smith's Anti-Aging Skin Care  
Cosmecutical Skin Care ... Say What?  
Makeup Tips For A Summer Scorcher
The Skinny on Face Serum ... And Skin Care

8 comments:

  1. Michelle Pfeiffer is beautiful, and whatever she's having, I want it too! Lots of interesting information here Debbie. I have recently started using Miranda Kerr's range of skin care, Kora, and my face feels softer already. In Australia sunscreen is essential, and I use it every day of the year, not only face but arms and back of hands too. Queensland has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. I have had a cancer removed from my upper lip and most of my siblings have had various face cancers. It is extremely common for those who grew up before good SPF products were available.

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    1. Trish, I'll have to try Miranda Kerr's line also. Yes, I'm with you regarding using sunscreen all round around. I have to get better about reapplying it though! I read how essential it is to wear in Australia, very critical!!

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  2. I took your advice and bought the Olay serum and moisturing cream. Used the serum this morning and I love it! Thank you!

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    1. Hi Anon,

      I'm so glad you found the post helpful! Thanks for letting me know. Music to my ears. :)

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    2. Loving the Olay serum!!!!!!!!! I shouldn't have waited so long to try it!!!!!

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    3. I couldnt agree more, Ang! As good and effective as the super expensive brands. Very, very happy with the serum and night cream!!

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  3. Women are able to do nearly something once it involves their physical side. we tend to all understand that beauty is females' secret weapon which is strictly the explanation why they're therefore obsessed to take care of their youth. sadly, after we age the body becomes weaker and also the skin loses its tightness and freshness. Wrinkles became the amount one priority of beauty specialists, so, in time, they need developed opposing aging product so as to assist ladies get eliminate wrinkles and different skin issues.Anti Aging Serum

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  4. Robert, let me add this: You can't stop time. We will all age, but you can look good at every age. You don't need to buy expensive products. The drugstore buys work, and staying out of the sun is the best anti-aging measure you can do.

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