Diamond Accent Flower Studs

A YouTube luxury influencer, Sophie Shohet, whom I sometimes watch, showed a pair of diamond accent flower stud earrings on her channel that looks familiar. I also own a pair in the same style. Her diamond accent flower studs are ruby stones and likely 18K gold. My studs are sapphires in 14K gold. Hers were designed by her jeweler. I got my earrings at Macy's Herald Square in the mid-1980s. In fact, I'm wearing the earrings in the small blogger photo over on the sidebar.👉

I bought sapphire diamond accent flower studs on an entry-level salary and over the years, I have really gotten my money's worth wearing the classic style of earrings (sometimes daily). IMHO they are as beautiful and elegant as diamond stud earrings, with an ample effect for less moola. ↖Over to the right is a similar pair sold by Macy's today.

I'm glad I bought my earrings years ago as they cost 4 times more now (because the price of gold went up) and as much as I love them the price is (arguably too?) steep now! I'd wait for one of Macy's best sales to lower the cost, or I'd consider buying the earrings in sterling silver (still a precious metal) with the choice of ruby or sapphire stones.

Jewelry was always a splurge but sadly it's getting harder to find substantial gold pieces worthy of the much higher price tag of today.

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4 Anti-Aging Face Serums Dermatologists Like

1) Qure is on the top of many dermatologists' lists including YouTube's Doctorly as a spectacular skin serum. The all-in-one serum is packed with clinically proven ingredients, such as Argireline® Peptides, Retinol, Bakuchiol, Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Ferulic Acid that does everything for the skin -- meaning it treats a bundle of anti-aging issues such as brightening the skin, increasing the production of collagen and softening lines and wrinkles. Cheap, it isn't, but perhaps you can justify paying more because it is an all-in-one formula so you won't have to buy the ingredients as separate serums. Despite its price point, Qure's multi-functional serum is so popular with skincare enthusiasts, it's often out of stock.

Qure is a 1st rate brand to know about but since it's hard to get plus relatively expensive (as opposed to plum crazy expensive) I've found a far more affordable option by Eclat Skincare, a small Australian beauty brand sold on Amazon with the highest quality and clean ingredients that although not identical, are on par with Qure's multi-purpose serum. So listen up ...

2) Ecalat's Retinol, Vitamin C, and Hyaluronic Acid serums each have the same leading clinical, dermatologist-approved ingredients as Qure and also contain those ingredients in science-based recommended amounts. Costing much less than Qure even if you buy all 3 Ecalat serums together. Missing in this brand's serums are the 2 newly praised ingredients in the skincare world, namely Argireline® and Bakuchiol ... and yet Ecalat's serums have retinol; one of the most effective forms of vitamin C; and other peptides that do much the same thing as Argireline® and Bakuchiol to brighten the skin, promote the growth of collagen and treat fine lines and wrinkles. IMHO, it's a budget-friendly compromise without sacrificing clean ingredients or their benefits. Interestingly enough, Argireline® and Matrizyl-3000 are peptides in the company's $12 Youth Cream.

3) The Inky List is a brand I previously featured here on THE SAVVY SHOPPER as an affordable and highly effective skincare line. Recently it was also recommended by the Budget Dermatologist on YouTube. A real and practicing skin doctor, she suggested using 4 products from the beauty manufacturer: (a) 1% Retinol Serum, (b) Retinol Eye Cream, (c) Bakuchiol {here in place of Vitamin C serum because it brightens the skin. Likewise, Bakuchiol has similar and gentler anti-aging benefits as retinol}, and (d) Collagen Peptide Serum.

4) CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is mentioned by every dermatologist named here, plus Dr. Daniel Sugai and others on YouTube as one of the best drugstore retinols to buy. It contains 0.3% retinol, the same as Paula's Choice which is also good at about the same price minus a drugstore sale. Drugstore brands go on sale, sometimes as 2 for 1!

There are two nearly identical formulas. The left has dipotassium glycyrrhizate, an ingredient from the licorice plant, which is an additional brightener. The right has cholesterol an ingredient in skincare that locks in moisture. Don't sweat the difference.

The more skincare brands on the market the merrier. Choice of products, ingredients, and price is a consumer's best friend to find deals and steals.

Zooey Deschanel is lovely to look at for the purpose of good skincare. :) 

Extra tip - How to use retinol: Start by applying retinol once a week, twice a week on week 2, 3 times a week on week 3, and 4 times a week on week 4. After your skin builds up a tolerance, you can use retinol every night of the week before bed, but never in the morning (unless an all-in-one serum with retinol is formulated for daytime use). The sun destroys retinol. What makes retinol effective is not its strength as much as using it consistently. You won't be able to use retinol that is too strong for your skin 7 nights a week.

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I Can't Watch Mel In Melbourne Anymore

Rodeos, starting at $585+, are Hermès bag charms. Mel collects them.

It happened today. Finally, I deleted Mel In Melbourne's link from THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S sidebar.

Her many luxury buys on YouTube are starting to alarm me, and nobody is asking how she's paying for a ton of unboxings worth thousands and thousands of dollars each and every week! Her collection of the most exclusive luxuries easily adds up to 1/2 million dollars+, and yet every single week, she buys another Hermès, Chanel, Dior, or Louis Vuitton bag, outfit, jewelry, or pair of shoes. Then there are her repeated trips abroad to Hawaii, Dubai, South Korea, and Europe to shop while raising two children with a husband, who buys one Rolex watch after another. Something isn't adding up and IMHO it is a total lack of transparency.

Unless an ordinary person is in organized crime with luxury goods falling off the back of a truck, how does one pay for so many high-ticket items? It's a vital, indispensable part of the story that isn't being told. Therefore, the most interesting piece of the puzzle is missing leaving a huge hole in Mel's YouTube channel, and after a period of time, the unboxings get rather boring. I mean, what is the value to followers that Mel In Melbourne is, again and again, excited about acquiring yet another Birken, Kelly, or Rodeo in a new color? It's insane!

Mel is an engaging influencer and if meeting her, I think I'd like her if she's anything at all like her YouTube persona. Also, I don't have to be a luxury bag collector myself to enjoy an informative browse, or to learn about luxury goods. Likewise, if visiting a mansion, I know I'm not a lord of the manor, and when looking at a Rembrandt, Van Dyke, or Van Gogh, I don't expect to tack the paintings up on my own walls. But more and more I'm becoming a minimalist of material goods for a myriad of reasons. For one, 1% of the world's population uses about 80% of the world's resources, while much of the world lives in abject poverty. In 2022 the number of people entering poverty is rising. The imbalance makes excessive, over-the-top spending not right! Dare I say even a little vulgar.

After watching a year of Mel's videos, her overconsumption is not aligning with my own values of being a more mindful shopper. I might indulge in a once-in-a-while splurge, but then stop buying after my need is met. I can't eat cotton candy every day of the week either!

IMHO, Mel must level with her viewers to stay relevant. I waited long enough for the answer to how she is able to afford her ongoing non-stop shopping sprees, plus I'd like to know why nobody else on social media talks about it? To boot, we only see the you-go-girl type of comments under her videos. Really?

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Let's Ease Into Christmas With Bette Midler

Christmas is three weeks away.  Tonight I'm attending a tree lighting.  Have you decorated, or completed your shopping?  I'm not quite ready to sing Christmas carols just yet, so I'm going to ease us all into the spirit by sharing a tune, which beautifully expresses what Christmas is all about, even though it's not really a Christmas song.  Next weekend I'll pull out the decorations and Christmas albums.  But I'm not quite there yet.

Also next week, I'll bake my first batch of Christmas cookies.  Called Russian Tea Cakes, they are very popular among my family and friends.  These holiday sweets are often sold in specialty shops, but are simple to make at home:

Russian Tea Cakes

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter

½ cup confectionary sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup chopped pecans [or walnuts]

Directions: 

1) Heat the oven to 350 F

2) Thoroughly mix the butter, sugar and vanilla.

3) Work in the flour, salt and nuts until a dough forms and holds together. (You want a dry dough.)

4) Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet brushed lightly with oil.

5) Bake 10 - 12 minutes until set, but not brown.

6) While warm, roll in confectionary sugar.  Cool and roll in sugar again to look like snowballs.

Makes about 30 cookies.  Costs: Less than $5.

Above ... Miss M is divine, as are the teacakes.  Enjoy!

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Mahalia Jackson 1911 - 1972

Around the holidays, I find myself counting my blessings for tangibles and non-tangibles, big and small. One of the many things I'm grateful for is the age we live in, including the ability to look stuff up on YouTube. It's such a magnificent library for music, vintage interviews, historic speeches, old movies and television shows, current events and talented ordinary people. If we ever have to start paying for the channel, I don't know how much my bill will be. I use it to hear music I don't own, to see concerts all over the world I can't attend and to learn more about historic, or current events (and yes, that includes the latest celebrity faux pas).

Last night after a night out, I spent a half-hour listening to Christmas music on YouTube. Here's a rendition of “Go Tell It On The Mountain” by the late, great gospel singer Mahalia Jackson that just might bring a tear to your eye. She was the real deal! It is worth watching old interviews of her too! 

As we enjoy the holiday season, let's take some time to remember what Christmas is all about. Perhaps, we can find ways to use our time and resources to give something back to a world that really is in need.

Be kind to the people around you. Merry Christmas! And thanks for stopping by.