Thursday, December 28, 2023
Art Naturals Deals, Deals, Deals
Thursday, November 2, 2023
8 Skincare Products I Use Daily And Highly Recommend
Photo: Adobe |
Monday, October 2, 2023
Cetaphil Launches Purified Peptides Anti-aging Skincare For Sensitive Skin
If you're a skincare enthusiast you know retin-A and its over-the-counter derivative retinol is the gold standard of anti-aging skincare. We hear it over and over. But they can be brutal on virgin or sensitive skin, leaving it red and raw. What gives this most medically studied anti-aging ingredient its effectiveness is how often you apply it to your face over how strong the dose is. The reason non-prescription retinol is more beneficial to virgin skin than jumping to prescription strength Retin-A is mainly because if you don't slowly build up a tolerance for the prescription strength, you'll have to stop using it after your skin quickly becomes red and raw.
Nowadays science has tested and also given its seal of approval to other less harsh products better tolerated by sensitive and virgin skin which can give you similar anti-aging benefits like retinol and retin-A, such as softening fine lines and wrinkles and stimulating the production of collagen. We're talking about immediate anti-aging improvements without the side effects of peeling and pain! {Bakuckiol is one such retinol alternative milder for sensitive skin. I've covered it in a prior blog.}
Cetaphil is launching new anti-aging skincare for all skin types including sensitive skin. The new line goes by the name Cetaphil Healthy Renew which aims to improve skin's firmness, texture, and tone, 3 benefits you also get by using retinols. The Cetaphil new product line is great for treating dry skin too. It keeps the skin barrier balanced with up to 24 hours of hydration.
The 4 beauty anti-aging elixirs in the launch are (1) a face serum, (2) an eye cream, (3) a day cream (with sunscreen), and (4) a night cream.The key ingredients in the new products are anti-aging peptides (the brand calls them purified peptides, obviously, a marketing term😊) to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles; vitamins B3 (niacinamide) and B5 (panthenol) to hydrate, soothe, and repair the skin barrier; plus Rice Lees and Edelweiss (botanicals) to target dullness and uneven skin tone.
Cetaphil is developed by dermatologists and sold at drugstores. Universally, skin doctors do recognize the role of peptides in fighting some of the signs of aging. They endorse using peptides to erase fine lines and wrinkles as not a waste of money.Note that you can improve your skin, taking years off your appearance, simply by hydrating and nourishing your skin barrier ... so moisturize your face with a good brand like Cetaphil (or CeraVe, both) available at drugstores! What's more, getting rid of old dead skin cells with botanicals like Rice Lees and Edelweiss encourages new skin cells to rise to the surface. Your skin will be more supple, elastic, and radiant in about 2 weeks. BTW, Retin-A takes about a year before you can tolerate using it every night.
The more brand and ingredient choices the better! For sensitive skin, I'll also link several blogs that detail other science-based, anti-aging ingredients below.👇
Friday, August 18, 2023
Naomi Watts' Stripes Hydrating Serum
Photo: Oprah Daily |
The talented and beautiful actress Naomi Watts has developed a skin and hair care line of products called Stripes which for now is exclusively sold at Sephora. Her hydrating serum is getting a lot of media buzz and customers with dry skin give it positive reviews for its effectiveness. But at $80 a pop, I'll spotlight 3 worthy alternatives for less moola. I always say it doesn't matter how good a product is if you go broke using it daily.
So let's examine what ingredients are in the Stripes serum to
treat dry skin that also has some anti-aging benefits:
💥Ectoine - protects and moisturizes the skin sometimes it's an ingredient in sunscreen.
💥 Mushroom extract - a skin hydrator, it mimics hyaluronic acid, and the antioxidants in mushrooms (selenium and vitamin C) fight free radicals giving it anti-aging properties.
💥 Hyaluronic acid - reduces the look of fine lines by locking in moisture.When you are trying to substitute less pricey beauty products for expensive skincare, you may not be able to find the exact ingredient for ingredient matches and yet sometimes you can either come darn close or find products with ingredients that do much the same thing, i.e., give you similar benefits of the ingredients in the expensive product.
Start by asking what is the main function of the expensive serum? In the case of the Stripe serum, it tells us in its name. The primary purpose isn't anti-aging, it's to hydrate the skin. {In fact, the holy grail of an anti-aging serum is retin-A or its non-prescription derivative retinol. Stripe has a retinol serum that also sells for $80. On THE SAVVY SHOPPER you'll find a ton of effective retinol serums for less with a search.}
Excellent Substitutes For Less include:
1) e.l.f. Superhydrate Gel Moisturizer - is a moisturizing gel with mushroom extract, squalane, vitamins B3 and E, and cica (an herb rich in fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids that is used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines). It's the closest match if you're intent on using a cheaper beauty serum with mushroom extract.
If you focus on only Stripe's main function to hydrate the skin other worthy substitutes are:
2) The Ordinary Natural Moisturer Factors + HA - Contains Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Lactates, Lactic Acid, and Minerals. The Ordinary has an entire category of different hydrating serums and I'll name this one product but link you to the entire line so you can compare and contrast what's too numerous to list!
3) CeraVe face moisturizers - Developed by dermatologists and sold in drugstores. Frankly, all the CeraVe formulas for face and body are so mild and moisturizing that in winter I use both to hydrate my face without issues. CeraVe makes facial moisturizers for AM or PM, with the AM formula containing the addition of sunscreen, so you won't have to buy or apply sun protection separately. All contain hyaluronic acid and ceramides (lipids naturally found in the skin) and MEV (multivesicular emulsion) technology, a delivery system to make ingredients more hydrating and lasting. The CVS and Walmart store brands are identical. We are beyond fortunate to have skin doctor-created moisturizers in drugstore aisles!Thursday, February 24, 2022
Vitamin C Serums That Work
Dermatologists agree: Applying Vitamin C serum to our faces benefits our skin. It should be part of our daily anti-aging routines. After washing our faces each morning we should use a vitamin C serum under our sunscreen and makeup. Vitamin C brightens the skin, reduces dullness, and encourages new skin growth. It also helps sunscreen work better to protect the skin against the sun's harmful rays.
Personally, I try to keep the expense of beauty serums under $25 whenever possible and therefore have featured many effective budget-friendly skincare potions, including vitamin C serums, in previous blogs (which you can pull up via THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S search box on the upper left). Nowadays we can find steller skincare brands at drugstores, Target, Walmart, and Ulta without emptying our wallets and therefore can afford to use them every single day without skimping.
1) CeraVe Vitamin C Serum - Has 10% of ascorbic acid, the purest form of Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides.
2) Maelove Glow Maker - Contains Vitamins C, E, Ferulic Acid, and Hyaluronic Acid.
4) Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum - With antioxidants, fruit enzymes, and a potent 15% of vitamin C.
5) Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster - Features a light formula for fast absorption.
6) BioBare Vitamin C, B, E & Ferulic Serum - Defends against free radicals, dryness, and aging.
Monday, December 13, 2021
POP Beauty
Although the packaging is simple, it's fun and colorful, so practical items can liven up your bathroom, as well as, make attractive gifts! I think the best part of gifting beauty is the eye-opening introduction of a winning affordable brand to somebody else who can then start buying a new love for themselves. Over time, it saves them tons of money without compromise ... a great gift in and of itself!
Golly! Does this look like a CVS pharmacy to you? |
POP Beauty is conveniently sold at drugstores, Walmart, some Targets, and Amazon.
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
TruSkin Skincare
Nowadays you no longer need to spend a fortune on skincare as so many effective products are in the aisles at Target, Walmart, Amazon, and local drugstores, there's no need to look elsewhere! Selling at affordable prices -- with monthly promotions to boot -- making transformative skincare almost a steal!
TruSkin is a brand committed to producing advanced premium formulas with superior ingredients in the right combinations and potencies. It's made in the USA without fillers or animal testing. The elixirs treat all skin concerns, and they are budget-friendly, which is exactly what we want! After you know what you desire to be treated, you can select skin products that are right for you to do the job.
I will feature a few of the company's offerings:1. Vitamin C Serum - To nourish the skin and fight free radicals. Creates a glow by treating dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. Use every morning.
2. Retinol Serum - Improves fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone, skin texture, color, pigmentation, as well as your skin's hydration levels. Clinical-strength retinol that is gentle enough for sensitive skin. Use nightly.
3. Hyaluronic Acid Serum - Supercharged with a powerful anti-aging complex that includes Vitamins C and E, Green Tea, Aloe Vera, and MSM to plump the skin with moisture. Use in winter, or as needed to soothe dry skin.
4. Tea Tree Super Serum+ - A blemish-bursting blend that includes tea tree essential oil, vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Use 2 - 3 nights per week, or as a spot treatment.
5. Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer - Layer up with this ultra-hydrating vitamin C brightening cream containing Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, and Salicylic Acid. It targets discoloration, firmness, fine lines, and blemishes. Use daily or as needed to "cocoon" the skin so it stays soft and supple.
6. Retinol Moisturizer - Provides a layer of moisturizing cream to your face that contains hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, B5 green tea, and propolis. Improve fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone, skin texture, color, pigmentation, as well as your skin's hydration levels. Use nightly.
TruSkin has a wide selection of affordable cleansers, toners, moisturizers, treatments, sizes, and skincare kits for every type of skin ... and it's so convenient to find. I found it at CVS. Next time you go to your local drugstore, check the beauty aisle.
Saturday, November 6, 2021
The Beauty Products I Use Right Now
Once a month I notice YouTubers post their empties to recommend beauty products they enjoy using. Today I'm doing likewise ... but fortunately, my bottles are filled... and they are in my bathroom being used by me right now. As it turns out, I reviewed nearly all of them on THE SAVVY SHOPPER in previous blogs. Still, loving them and for sure, I'd buy each again, as well as, grab them whenever I see them for less:
Skincare - Daytime Routine:
1) Noxema Cleansing Cream - My old tried and true.
2) Art Naturals Vitamin C Advanced Moisture & Brightening Serum - I have the set and use the retinol at night on nights I don't use the Neutrogena retinol oil.
3) Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer with SPF 15
4) Cooking grade coconut oil - As an after-shower body moisturizer. It's cooking grade to simplify gathering -- no need to buy 2 coconut oils. Once gone, I'll switch over to extra virgin olive oil for even more simplicity.
Skincare - Nighttime Routine:
1) Noxema Cleansing Cream - used again before bed.
2) and 3) - Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Oil followed by Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream - They came full-sized as a kit found in the beauty aisle at T.J. Maxx for $16 bucks ... how could I not grab 2 kits -- to use one immediately and put one on deck? Before finding the set, I was already using the retinol cream and after I finish the retinol oil ... do I need both? I'll decide later after I run out.
Hair Care
1) Shea Moisture Peace Rose Oil Shampoo - A stellar overall brand, I buy any formula I see with the Shea Moisture label on it. I've never had a failure with any of the retailer's formulas despite mixing and mismatching the varieties of formulas of their shampoos with their conditioners. I enjoy trying the entire line, but the peace rose smells so AMAZING, I love it especially!2) Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo - I don't yet have the matching condition, but if I see it at T.J. Maxx, it's my next beauty buy. After you try Shea Moisture's many hair products, you can find them at drugstores, Walmart, Target, and Amazon, so you'll never go broke using this none-better, excellent brand!
3) Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydrating Shampoo
4) Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex 10 in 1 Multi-benefit Hair Mosque - As fantastic as the other formulas, I grabbed the mosque as another hair conditioner. It leaves your hair clean, not greasy. Again ... 3rd time saying it, you simply can't go wrong with a Shea Moisture formula!
So these are the beauty products I'm now using, folks, my not-so-empties that I'll buy again and again as needed. In recent years I've tried to switch over to as many organics as I can afford, as well as, to simplify my personal care regime, plus find everything needed in the aisles of a drugstore for less!
It looks like I have lots of hair shampoos and conditions, doesn't it? My goal is to reduce: I keep 1 shampoo and 2 conditioners in the bathroom open and using ... with one extra shampoo and condition in stock waiting in the wings to replace an empty. I'm nearly at my one + one quantity aspiration. #WorkingThroughMyStash.
Drugstores have stepped up their offerings of quality and clean beauty making it unnecessary to shop anywhere else. So convenient and cost-effective for products that truly work!
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
All Eyes On L'Orèal's Best Mascaras
All photos: Courtesy of Target |
1) L'Orèal Paris Volume Mega Lightweight Air Mascara - As its name suggests, it gives your lashes a mega volume that's light as air. The formula is whipped, washable, and lasts for up to 24 hours. Suitable for sensitive eyes, it comes with a large cushion bristle brush to coat each lash.
2) L'Orèal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara - Creates voluptuous volume and intense lash length. You get full eyelash fringe, feathery soft eyelashes with no flaking or clumping. The brush is a soft wavy bristle for dramatic volumizing.
3) L'Orèal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara - Volume building, the brush separates and builds every lash up to 5 times fuller and thicker. Claimed to be America's #1 mascara, it has a double bristle cushion brush.
4) L'Orèal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara - For intense length, incomparable lash definition, the carbon black mascara gives you a dramatic look that is also waterproof. It's a patented small bristle brush. How cute is the pink color?!