The Ordinary GF 15% Solution: An Anti-ager

The Ordinary was the first company to change the game of anti-aging skincare by making it affordable for most everyone. Once upon a time it cost a mint to buy products containing anti-aging ingredients that were based on science! 

Nowadays when buying effective skincare, you are the one who cho0ses to go broke, or not. Education is a must to know which ingredients based upon science to look for in targeting your skin issues.

The Ordinary keeps evolving because skincare keeps evolving as science evolves. I try to keep up with the science of skincare and enjoy trying new products. 

Here’s a new one from The Ordinary I’m curious to try. It's called GF 15% Solution, an age support serum to help minimize and repair the visible signs of aging, including skin damage. The key ingredients are IGF, EGF, and TGE, which are growth hormones and peptites to regenerate the skin, firming it up and restoring elasticity. GF 15% Solution softens fine lines and wrinkles on the forehead, around the eyes and mouth, and smooths rough skin along with brighting dull skin. Sounds desirable to me!

You apply a few drops after washing your face in the morning and at bedtime. GF 15% Solution doesn’t play nice when used with direct acids, direct vitamin C, or salicylic acid. On the other hand, it pairs well with hyaluronic acid, retinol, and heavier moisturizers. If you use retinol (at night) or bakuchiol (day or night), apply the GF 15% Solution 1st, then retinol or bakuchiol and followed by sunscreen or moisturizers.

I’m writing about GF 15% Solution without testing it first because the Ordinary has proven to be extraordinary skincare. Trying this new product will let me know if its right for my complexion.

At such an affordable price ($15.50, alas like everything else The Ordinary has increased its prices), I’m gung-ho to see if it makes my skin more radiate. I want glowing skin! How about you?

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Kind Science By Ellen DeGeneres

Kind Science By Ellen DeGeneres is a skincare line we often see advertised on television. Two questions come to mind: (1) Are the products effective, and (2) Are they good value for the money? Here are my thoughts ...

It depends on how much you know about anti-aging skincare. If you know nothing or very little about skincare ingredients the $49 introductory kit is worth buying. The products are effective, based on science, and are paired to be used together so you won't cancel out the benefits of one elixir with another. The price isn't outlandish for the kit of 4 products. Yes, I know 6 products are offered, but I wouldn't buy a kit to get a free brush or skin oil. It's nice for the company to include them, however, consumers should focus on the 4 essential potions to determine the value of the kit. Those are the ones you'll need to keep buying as they do the anti-aging heavy lifting.

Also keep in mind that when buying the kit, you won't get full sized products, but are paying less then you will to rebuy them in bigger sizes.

So what are we getting for our $49? Reduced sizes of:

1) Gentle Cleanser - 1.5 fl oz/44 ml - Enriched with skin-brightening vitamin C from Kakadu plum, soothing chamomile and green tea (green tea is one source of antioxidants).

2) Micro Exfoliant+ - 0.75 fl oz/22 ml - A face mask that contains volcanic sand and bamboo silk to polish and soften the skin. Its alpha-hydroxy acids brighten the skin and remove dead skin cells.

3) Firming Serum - 0.34 fl oz/10 ml - The main ingredients are bakuchiol (a retinol alternative) and peptides (short chains of amino acids) to smooth the skin.

4) Hydration Cream - 0.5 fl oz014 ml - Has snow mushroom to hydrate, omega-rich sea buckthorn (a source of antioxidants; doesn't grow in the sea) and our retinol alternative bakuchiol.

5) Free Gift: FacialCleansing Brush

6) Free Gift: Radiance Oil 05 fl oz/14 ml - It's mainly sunflower, apricot and jojoba oils with bakuchiol as one of its very last ingredients.

So now I'll find you alternative full sized skincare for less which may source cheaper ingredients that still give you the same anti-aging benefits as the more expensive components. Budget friendly skincare that is based on science can be just as effective as their costly cousins with fancy rarer ingredients that do essentially the same things. 

My skincare picks are:

For Gentle Cleanser:

1) Vanicream Sensitive Skin Cleanser; or Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser; or CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser; or Equate Gentle Skin Cleanser.

To Micro Exfoliate:

3) Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub; Alaparte Green Tangerine Vitamin C Face Scrub; Trilogy Vitamin C Microdermabrasion with AHAs (aka Alpha-hydroxy acids).

For Firming Cream:

3) IMAGINE Dermatology Beyond Retinol which is bakuchiol. Since the main ingredient in the Kind Science Firming Serum is bakuchiol, you could buy either a bakuchiol serum or cream. I recommend the IMAGINE brand’s full range of products! (See my review here.) Its Anti Wrinkle Renewal Cream is a close match for the Kind Science Firming Cream for a lot less moola! 

For Hydrating Cream:

4) Neutrogena Hydro Boost; Olay Age Defying Renewal Cream is only one formula choice of many in the Olay line of moisturizers. e.l.f. Holy Hydration Face Cream;  Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer; Cetaphil Deep Hydration Healthy Glow Cream. There are so many excellent hydrating/anti-aging creams at the drugstore they are too numerous to list. You can't go wrong with CereVe, L'Oreal, No7, Curology, Get-Dreamy, or ROC either! Choice galore at wayyyy under $20 a jar! The first ingredient of most if not all hydrating creams is hyaluronic acid (HA). It’s a naturally occurring substance in the body, found in the skin, eyes and joints. It’s main job is to bind with water, holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water. As we age, HA production lessens leading to dryer less elastic skin and joint issues. A good moisturizing cream will have HA as one of its 1st ingredients. Moisturize your face to look 5 years younger! Instantly, boom!

For a Cleansing Brush

5) Washcloths are never abrasive and easier to sanitize than cleansing brushes because they can be machine washed and dried after each use! Scrubbing the skin with a brush is totally unnecessary, often even damaging to the skin.

For Radiant Oil:

6) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Rosehip Scented Therapy Oil for Face (Rosehip is a source of vitamin C which is an antioxidant). Good Molecules Niacinamide Face Serum (Niacinamide is vitamin B3. It calms the skin and increases hydration). Sky Organics Jojoba Oil to Balance and Hydrate Face and Body.

Conclusion: Kind Science is effective skincare backed by science. It's pricey if used daily, but if you need more budget-friendly skincare you'll find equally effective skincare sold in drugstores. These brands employ scientists and dermatologists to formulate their skincare and can go toe to toe with designer and celebrity higher priced skincare.

Lastly, Korean Beauty is also great quality and value for the money. Nowadays drugstores, Walmart and Target carry it. (Next week, I’ll highlight an anti-aging Korean Beauty serum to put on your radar ... for its stellar ingredients, quantity and price! Watch for it to be published!)

Great skincare need not break the bank, but can be found at every price point! I’ll leave you some links below to learn more about what ingredients to look for in effective skincare.

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10 Face Moisturizers For Fall

1) 7E Wellness Restore

As fall descends upon us one of the first signs we may notice is the tightening of our skin especially on our faces. Summer humidity gets replaced by a dryer climate resulting in a dryer face.

Ceramide

With the change of season, you may have to add a moisturizer to your routine to combat the dryness. Two ingredients to look for in an effective face moisturizer are ceramides (fatty acids that are naturally in the skin) and hyaluronic acid (a  

Hyaluronan

chief component in connective tissue that helps the skin retain water). You should moisturize your face right after you wash it in the sink or step out of the shower to lock in moisture and on top of thinner face serums such as vitamin C (an antioxidant that lightens the skin), retinol, or bakuchiol (a natural retinol alternative for sensitive skin) if you use them.

2) Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum and 3) The Inkey List Bio-Active Ceramide

So let's learn (by clicking the brand names) about 10 new beneficial face moisturizers that help fight the dryness of autumn without breaking the bank.

4) Cerave Moisturizing Cream and 5) Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream

CeraVe (#4) and Cetaphil (#5) above👆 are what I use on all my skin including my face. Neither cream is heavy or clogs my pores, and I find each brand as pure, mild, and effective as moisturizing creams formulated expressly for the face. 

The more choices consumers have the better IMHO! Some moisturizers work better than others on different skin types --oily, combination, dry, or sensitive. It's also fun to discover and try new products. When we have options galore we can take full advantage of retail sales to never go without or spend more than necessary. If we know what to buy, when a budget-friendly favorite is out of stock, we can buy another budget-friendly favorite in stock. 

6) SimplyVital and 7) First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

None of today's examples cost more than $20 and the majority are less, with a few offering you extra ingredients like vitamins C, B5, E, etc. Still, without more research to compare concentrations in the right forms of a product, I'd turn to them mainly to moisturize. A moist face is also a younger-looking face!

8) Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream and 9) SeoulCeuticals Snail Muscin Moisturizer

#9 SeoulCeuticals cream is 97% snail mucin valued in Korean beauty as having anti-aging properties; manuka honey in #8, is hailed for its antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation causes the skin to wrinkle.

10) Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer with Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid

Vanicream (#10) is a brand dermatologists praise and recommend as pure and suitable for all skin types especially sensitive skin.

The list could go on and on since nowadays there are a ton of fantastic budget-friendly moisturizers on the market. With choices galore, you need never empty a wallet to buy a great face moisturizer. Watch this space periodically for future skincare recommendations.

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Are H2O+ Resort Products Any Good?

H2O+ shampoos, conditioners, and moisturizing lotions are familiar beauty products for anyone at a Disney resort. In 2022 after years of partnering with Pola Orbis Holdings LLC to distribute the products to its customers who stay at Disney hotels, Disney villas, and Disney Cruise ships, Disney bought the rights to the formula for the H2O+ products outright.

Freebies are nice, but it begs the question are the products any good? 

Before I answer the question, I'll share that the brand was founded in 1989 and once upon a time had a retail store on Lexington Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Back then, I discovered the brand on a lunch break when everything in Manhattan was new and exciting to a younger me. I sampled the sea-ingredient skincare on repeated jaunts during my lunch hours. The brand provides facial and body skincare and hair care with good clean ingredients.

After 33 years I understand why the company sold itself to Disney. Nowadays in addition to containing cleansers and moisturizers, retail skincare lines tend to be specialized to treat specific skin issues such as acne, rosacea, or aging. Beauty brands must invest continuously to keep up with the science of skincare. Since H2O+'s launch in 1989, the skincare industry has proliferated 1000-fold! You can now buy highly effective skincare in the aisles of your local drugstore for less.

H2O+ is primarily formulated to clean or moisturize, a perfect spa line for Disney to dole out at its resorts. You don't expect spa skincare products to contain industry-forward ingredients such as retinol, alpha-hydroxy acids, or bakuchiol as they wouldn't suit every chronological age or skin type. For a week you can make do with clean, gentle cleansers and moisturizers. 

I have 2 fluid-ounce tubes of 1) H2O+ Body Lotion; 2) H2O+ Sea Salt Hydrating Body Lotion; 3) H2O+ Marine Revitalizing Shampoo; and 4) H2O+ Salt Marine Collagen Conditioner. They all have the same clean, pleasant oceanside scent. No perfume.

The lotions offer gentle hydration without stickiness. The shampoo and condition feel clean leaving my hair soft and bouncy with no residue. If I can put my fingers or a shower comb through my hair in the shower sans tangles after applying a condition, I judge it to be good. This conditioner passes the test. 

If you stay at a Disney resort be sure to take your H2O+ skincare and haircare complimentary goodies home. They're too clean and good to leave behind! If someone else gives you their products, accept and use them. Basic yet quality ingredients!

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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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When To Increase Your Retinol to 2.5%

Retinol (the non-proscription derivative of prescription strength Retin-A) is an anti-aging powerhouse. Dermatologists often call it the gold standard in promoting a more youthful appearance by helping to build collagen, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and even out skin tone. 

But to minimize the discomforting effects sometimes associated with retinol, like dryness, flaking, and raw sensitive skin, you have to start with a lower potency retinol such as .5% --> moving up to 1.0% --> then perhaps increase to 2.5% over time and before attempting prescription strength Retin-A (known as Tretinoin). 

Understand that a higher potency retinol isn't a better or more effective anti-aging serum. The consistency of using retinol trumps potency.

Some people with sensitive skin may never tolerate the prescription strength of Tretinoin; and virgin skin must begin with a lower strength retinol like .5%, often using it only once a week (the 1st month) until your skin can tolerate it 2xs a week (the 2nd month), then applying it 3xs a week (the 3rd month), and eventually, using retinol every night of the week. Only after your skin can tolerate a lower potency should you consider bumping up the strength of your retinol. It takes time for your skin to tolerate higher retinol strengths.

Always remember that the retinol is working to erase those lines and wrinkles at the strength your skin can tolerate it. Consistency, consistency, and consistency is the key to fighting the signs of aging and improving your skin. We expect quick fixes, but with retinol and other effective skincare ingredients, it may take 6 months or longer before you see the benefits.

I have been using drugstore retinol for a couple of years and only now will I try to bump up the potency to 2.5% strength, which I aim to use once a week and return to lower strengths (and bakuchiol) for the rest of the week before using 2.5% retinol more than once a week.

All the brands of 2.5% retinol featured on this blog sell on Amazon and Walmart for $10 - $14. Check the ingredients for extra benefits like hyaluronic acid (for hydration), vitamin C (an anti-antioxidant to protect and brighten the skin), and aloe (to smooth the skin), etc.

I bought the Mo Tulip Retinol (below👇) at Walmart to try. So far the hyaluronic acid in the serum is super hydrating, and green tea has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protective properties, but I'll have to use it longer to verify the effectiveness of its retinol.

With choices galore, you don't have to spend a fortune for a good retinol that really works, just look for transparency on the label to know exactly what you're getting.

💅💋👗👠💅💋👗👠💅💋👗👠💅💋👗👠💅💋👗👠💅💋👗👠💅💋👗👠

For folks with sensitive skin who can't tolerate retinol, dermatologists recommend using bakuchiol, a plant-derived retinol alternative. It offers the benefits of retinol without the side effects of retinol. Although bakuchiol takes a different path, it has been shown in a double-blind study to have the same collagen-stimulating genes as retinol. 

Three Ships is double the price of the above retinol, but the small batch brand comes highly recommended by dermatologists. Along with its high 2% bakuchiol, Skin Hero serum also contains rosehip oil to brighten the skin; and the Dream Night cream has squalene plus seed butters as moisturizers. 

A small batch brand with excellent anti-aging ingredients. I can verify 1% bakuchiol, but I can't verify the percentage of retinol as 1% or 2.5%. My mother and I love IMGN bakuchiol and will add other IMGN items for her senior and still lovely skin.

Every skin type can use bakuchiol. Retinol has more studies behind it, which is why people whose skin tolerates it might use it instead of bakuchiol although bakuchiol looks very promising.

For other quality budget finds featured on THE SAVVY SHOPPER, see the links below this post. I try to find the best retinol serums in the $10 - $20 range because, over time, the expense of daily use adds up! The 2-ounce sizes backed by science for less are fabulous, and I've featured some of them. Many brands of budget-friendly retinol are on the market so you never have to go broke using retinol consistently.

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Skincare Holiday Gifts Everybody Will Love

Ho, ho, ho! Hard to believe the holiday season is here, isn't it? Let's consider the beauty mavens on your shopping list. A good skincare gift can be either an introduction to a stellar new brand or something extra for a friend who already has the knowledge and skincare basics. If your giftees use Retin-A or
its non-prescription derivative retinol (for nighttime), and perhaps vitamin C (in the mornings), they have an excellent anti-aging skincare routine even if they do nothing else. Other products may do good things for the skin, but they are less essential. Dermatologists call Retin-A or retinol the gold standard in anti-aging skincare. THE SAVVY SHOPPER has written a number of blogs explaining and recommending good retinol and you can use the search box to pull them up to read if you wish.

Today I'll feature skincare extras to give as holiday gifts that go beyond the basics. Sometimes it takes a friend's holiday gift to either introduce you to an unfamiliar brand or spoil you with ingredients you're not using -- the skincare extras - that provide additional skin benefits. They include:

1) The Ordinary Hyaluronic acid 2% + Vitamin B5 (see top image👆) - Hyaluronic acid moisturizes dry skin and Vitamin B5 helps the skin attract and maintain moisture. As we age our skin gets drier so keeping skin moist and dewy instantly makes us look younger ... and it feels better too.

2) The Ordinary Niacinamide (B3) 10% + Zinc 1% - Reinforces and balances the skin's protective barrier. Also treats acne by unclogging pores and drying oils and pimple-causing components.

3) The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution - Promotes mild exfoliation to correct dullness, uneven skin tone, or textual irregularities. Also contains skin-loving ingredients, such as Tasmanian pepperberry, aloe vera, and ginseng root to soothe, balance, and hydrate the skin. Amino acids are added to support the skin barrier. I'm surprised at how often YouTube dermatologists recommend glycolic acid + exfoliating the skin, a practice I rarely do. It speeds up skin turnover to promote new skin cells to rise to the surface.

The Ordinary is offering a 23% discount on their entire skincare line through December 23, 2022, on top of their already high quality and low prices.

The last two gift ideas are Korean skin barrier-protecting face creams. The Korean market excels at making beauty serums and creams. The following skin moisturizers will check Old Man Winter:⛄

4) Etude House Soon Jung Hydro Barrier Cream - Is packed with lipids and fatty acids to strengthen and protect your skin barrier, including “Panthensoside”: Panthenol (Protection of skin barrier & maintenance of hydration) + Madecassoside (Soothing effect for irritated skin).

5) Pyunkang Yul Intensive Repair Cream - Contains ceramides, shea butter, macadamia seed oil, and antioxidants to protect the skin barrier and smooth the skin.

Extra find: Bakuchiol (a phytoretinol). A good one is IMGN Beyond Retinol🎄🎄🎄 

This year make your beauty gifts count! Think quality, not quantity! Frequently beauty sets come with items nobody uses like bubble baths. Instead consider giving a skin elixir backed by science that really works, or an introduction to a fabulous beauty brand your friend or family member doesn't know about. A new discovery is exciting ... and how thoughtful of you to share your tips in the form of a gift!

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