Jewelry Lovers Come Play With Us

I bought this pair from Italo last summer.

On today's THE SAVVY SHOPPER Angie Smith, who has made a few appearances on the blog is back! Both of us love jewelry and like the variety of styles, decent quality, and affordable price points of Italo Jewelry. All of the retailer's jewelry is 925 sterling silver and lab-grown white sapphires.

Here's our fantasy: We are playing the game of if Italo Jewelry offered us 6 free pairs of earrings which ones would each of us select. The following are our choices:

Debbie's picks:

In real life, all the earrings I possess are post earrings so I picked styles I don't already own which include loops and dangling earrings. I also think hearts would be fun to wear on Valentine's day and skulls on Halloween as I generally stick to the classic styles and don't have any themed styles of earrings. 

💎💍💎💍💎💌💎💎💍💎💍💎💌💎💍💎💍💎💌💎

Angie's picks:

Angie's picks are so smart with classic studs and pearls, a blingy pair for formal events, and she loves emerald-shaped stones. As it happens, I overlooked the gorgeous clover leaf drop earrings until Ang sent me her choices. Excellent tastes, Ang, my Glitter Twin never disappoints!!!

Here's an extra style Agie likes.

Know that this blog is written for fun and not sponsored. Last year I bought the pair of lab-grown white sapphire studs at the top of the blog. They are 4 carats in size and truly sparkle. I have such fun wearing them. Often people mistake them for diamonds, which would cost a fortune in comparison -- a 5-figure sum so over-the-top and perhaps for an average joe/jill not worth the expense. The alternative of lab-grown white sapphires and sterling silver allows us to buy the effect without breaking the bank. One caution though: If ordering from online jewelers including Italo jewelry, try to get your order right so you don't have the hassles or cost of returns. You get free shipping only, not free returns for your mistakes.

Angie, thanks for playing this fantasy game with me today! Fun, fun, fun!!!♥️

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My Favorite Oscar Dresses 2023

All Photo: Getty images. 1) Margo Robbie looks stunning in a black sequin Armani Prive dress.

Since I select my favorite Oscar dresses every year, there's no need for copy. Here they are as we're watching the show.

2) Malala Yousafza is wearing Ralph Lauren; 3) Hong Chau is in Prada: 4) Michelle Yeoh wears Dior Haute Couture 

5) Nichole Kidman is dressed in Giorgio Armani Prive; 6) Michelle Williams is in custom Chanel: 7) Angela Bassette has on a Moschino dress.

8) Danai Gurira is in a Jason Wu black suede gown.

I tend to pick gowns non-showbiz people dream of wearing, so more glamorous than visionary. Most of us just want to look our pretty-best. Did any of mine make your list?

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Lip Balms And Gels With Color

So yeah, like you, I use a lot of lip balm to moisturize my lips. Me: Pretty much all year around! Nowadays customers can move beyond shadeless lip balm to next-level lip balms and gels created with lipstick-like color only it's still a moisturizing lip balm. Below are 3 fun and effective brands to know about, one with the superman ability to transform itself into a skin tone matching color after meeting the warmth of your lips. Let's call the folowing Lip Balm 2.0:

1) Pep! Balm - From Japan, a 2-in-1 multi-use lip paint + liquid blush. Highly pigmented with buildable color. The tints and their tins are inspired by artist's pigment paint. Shea butter is the main ingredient. 

2) Nooni Appleseed Lip Oil - This Korean beauty product contains cherry extract. Its lightweight formula hydrates, comforts, and leaves lips looking smooth and naturally glossy with a pop of lasting and flattering color. 

3) YouthForia - The gloss goes on as a green liquid and then exposed to your body's chemistry and temperature changes into a durable dewy, shiny, lip color or cheek tint. The formula is vegan, paragon, silicon, and fragrance-free, and the ingredients are so clean you can sleep without washing the tint off your face, as the makeup is created with ingredients that won't harm your skin. The most expensive of the 3 products, it may be worth the splurge if you regularly fall asleep without removing your makeup -- a real dermatologist no, no in promoting healthy skin!

Japan and Korea have a ton of innovative and winning beauty products! The Oriental beauty market is well worth exploring and trying as it's a top-notch industry!

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Exfoliation In Skincare

The Ordinary has a wealth of skincare information on its website, as well as, inexpensive skincare products to help fight acne and the effects of aging along with helpful tips on how to keep skin healthy. One of the things I neglect to do is exfoliate my skin. I rarely do so, but multiple dermatologists recommend it as having a beneficial role in our skincare routines. So let's discuss exfoliation in today's blog. My source of knowledge begins with The Ordinary:

"Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the surface layer of the skin. Physical exfoliation uses a product or tool to buff away dead skin cells," while "chemical exfoliation uses direct acids (AHAs and BHAs) which have the ability to weaken bonds between surface skin components, allowing the acids to slough away dead skin cells at the surface." Exfoliation helps to unclog pores, promote even tone and texture, and bring new skin cells to the surface.

AHAs are alpha hydroxy acids a/k/a fruit acids. BHAs are beta-hydroxy acids, which are also organic acids. Both act to dissolve the bonds that hold dead skin cells to the face. BHAs such as salicylic acid mildly loosen the glue that holds skin cells together. Salicylic acid is often in formulas targeting acne, rough, and bumpy skin.

Many dermatologists [like the creators of Doctorly] recommend chemical exfoliation over physical exfoliation because the tools we buy in retail shops are subpar to what dermatologists use in their offices, plus we lack the medical training to use them like doctors. Physical exfoliation can therefore do more damage to the skin, making chemical exfoliation safer, an awareness that may surprise you! Scrubbing gloves, cleansing brushes, exfoliation salts, and home microdermabrasion devices can be too abrasive harming instead of helping our skin, or in the case of devices just not strong enough to be effective. Also, the gloves and brushes might become a breeding ground for bacteria.

The Ordinary’s Direct Acid family offers both AHAs and BHAs of varying strengths and formats making it simple to find the right one for you. You will rarely find a cheaper, backed-by-science brand. Here are 5 choices:

1) Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution - An exfoliating toner for targeting dullness, texture, and signs of aging.

2) Latic Acid 5% + HA - A milder exfoliator that works to reveal smoother skin. (A stronger strength is available.)

3) Mandelic Acid 10% + HA - A leave-on serum that helps improve skin clarity, balance uneven skin tone, and correct skin texture gently yet effectively.

4) Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution - A gentler water-free solution for blemish-prone skin and uneven texture. (A stronger strength is available.)

5) AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution - An advanced-level exfoliating peel.

So now we know a bit more about the role of exfoliation in skincare, plus several types and strengths offered by a super affordable brand! The next step is to put our knowledge into practice.😉 Because readers, I'm not perfect either.

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Uniqlo's: Spring 2023 Collections

Uniqlo is launching more than one Spring/Summer collection and each one is super functional and spectacular. Let's consider 3 of its winning offerings.

1) Premium Linen Shirts - Out of all of Uniqlo's products, the label premium has only been used for one product - premium linen shirts. Made from high-quality European Flax Linen and Hemp, linen was once a pricey fabric to buy, but Uniqlo set out to find ways to make it affordable. The retailer's premium linen shirts are breathable, moisture-wicking, and machine-washable. Available in 10 dazzling colors. According to Uniqlo, "Every wash deepens the character of the linen, creating patterns in the fabric."

2) Cutting Edge Activewear - Includes Uniqlo's signature airism technology cut and stitched into UV protection tops and pocketed soft leggings. The cloth is ultra stretchy and quick drying, as well as, super stylish and machine washable. All-weather parkas protect the wearer from the sun and rain. Comes in neutrals and several colors. Why pay competitors more?

3) Dry Crew Neck Short Sleeve Color T-Shirts - The fabric is 66% cotton and 34% polyester which gives the t-shirts a smooth, silky, and moisture-wicking absorbency. You know the quality, wear, and style are top-notch, not to mention, soft if I like the t-shirts since I have a natural bias for 100% cotton material. These drape stylishly on the body as oversized t-shirts and keep you dry, unlike pure cotton t-shirts. For everyday wear, the dry crew neck t-shirts come in 11 colors.

Uniqlo continues to impress with another season of innovative, affordable LifeWear! The price of fast fashion, only the pieces are better made, classic, and durable!

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The Savvy Shopper Is 14 Years Old Today

Fourteen years ago, I published a blog with no idea of what I was doing, and here I am still writing it. A Facebook friend's birthday is March 3rd, and it's how I remember the blog's beginning. The year 2009 was also the year her daughter was born, and now her little baby, Fiona, is a teenager. Back then, I thought, oh now she has a baby and I have a blog!😳 Although nobody can tell, we adults are also 14 years older.

By design, many of THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S blogs aren't dated so you can catch up by reading old posts and still be informed or entertained. The blog is structured as an electronic lifestyle magazine with a focus on good decision-making while living on a budget. On occasion, I do write about trends or current events with the awareness the posts will date, but then they become a record of our past. 

Many things in life get better with age, wine, cheese, leather shoes, friendships, and hopefully blog posts. 

Thank you, dear readers, for stopping by. I love hearing from you whether by email, in the blog's comments, on Facebook, or on other social media. Let me know what you'd like to see me research and write about in the future, and I'll do my best to cover it! XOXO💋

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IT For Ulta Velvet Luxe Goddess Kabuki Brush

Back in August 2019, I learned It Cosmetics had discontinued its amazing Velvet Luxe line of makeup brushes after visiting Ulta intent on buying a 2nd brush. This was a crazy business move as my review of the superior line of brushes describes:

This and all of the following photos relate to the last paragraph of the blog. :) Wow, I especially love the oval ring, post earrings, and matching necklace.

Here's a snippet of my review: "'Last year I bought a quality makeup brush from the IT For Ulta Velvet Luxe line. The brushes in this particular line, are plush, soft, firm, precise in the application; and never, ever shed. In other words, everything we want: It is hands down the best makeup brush I've ever used!'"

Fortunately, I found 4 of the coveted sizes of the brushes on eBay, paying bargain prices for them as it turns out! Unfortunately, the one that got away I still pine for, namely the Velvet Luxe Goddess Kabuki Brush. I can make do with the brushes I now own, but every now and then I still go online to see if somebody, somewhere, anywhere is selling my longed-for kabuki brush. Makeup brushes must be sold new-and-never-used for me to buy them, and as we get further and further away from 2019, there's little chance the kabuki brush will be listed on eBay or elsewhere. A makeup maven who buys closeouts would have to discover it stashed in her basement for us to see it listed for sale again, but if I ever find it, my set will be complete.😍

By becoming a more mindful shopper and an under buyer, I make fewer mistakes, avoid buyer's remorse and save a few bucks along the way. But the other side of the coin is, I also must accept losing out on a few desired articles. However, on balance, I think I come out ahead. 

Material things will come and go. Something new always replaces an old wish that vanishes.

No engagement is needed, I just love this ring.😀

All the lovely things posted today on this blog are on my Fairy Godmother Wish List but wisely I decided not to buy them. However, the kabuki brush I'll snatch up for a good price if ever, ever I see it again!

You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes well you might find

You get what you need.🎶  Mick Jagger

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J. Crew Factory For Less

 

Nowadays you don't have to live near a physical plant to shop there and it's a good thing that can save us money on a few essentials, not to mention expand our choices of goods!

My senior mom needs a few basics so I ordered her a neutral-colored 100% cotton cardigan and several 100% cotton colorful t-shirts from J. Crew Factory, where apparel goes after it gets pulled from J. Crew stores, usually reduced by 40% - 50%. Half-price or nearly so rocks, and it doesn't get much cheaper at this retailer.

I selected a navy blue sweater for versatility and 5 t-shirts in hot pink and vivid blue. 

The retailer is on a Better Cotton mission to help cotton communities survive and prosper while protecting and restoring the environment. Therefore 30% of the fabric of its garments is made using re-imagined sustainable cotton. 

Perfect for the chill of spring and fall, mom's cardigan is lightweight yet a substantial knit, well-made, and super soft. A classic silhouette, it's not too boxy or tight, and the fit is true to size -- thankfully as I wanted to avoid exchanges. Customer reviews are a helpful guide on size.

Just what I envisioned for her and she loves both the sweater and t-shirts. They match her navy activewear cotton trousers! My first online purchase from J. Crew Factory got the job done without breaking the bank! The merchant's basics are flattering for women of all ages!

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