ArtNaturals Beauty Serums Plus

Starts affordable before a promotion.

As previously mentioned, I aim to find more science-based skincare for less money. When we use skincare every single day (which we should!), we need them to work without breaking the bank. Lately drugstores have really stepped up their game making my quest a lot easier. You'll find some amazing beauty lotions and potions in the aisles that are potent enough to go toe to toe with their pricey luxury counterparts. And I'm featuring one of them here today.

ArtNaturals is formulated to free beauty from high prices and toxic chemicals, as well as, offer the right combinations and concentrations of high-quality anti-aging ingredients that have proven to be effective time and again.

This "natural" beauty line includes skincare, haircare, beauty tools, and vitamins for men and women. I recommend starting with their Age Defying Serum Trio set. The price is unbeatable as you will have to pay 3 - 4 - 5 times more for the equivalent ingredients elsewhere. 

The serum set includes everything a face needs for glowing skin:

1) Hyaluronic Serum - for intense moisture (good for daytime use).

2) 2.5% Retinol  Serum - to fight fine lines and wrinkles (best for nighttime use).

3) Vitamin C Serum - brightens and corrects/protects the skin from the sun and free radicals. It also contains vitamin E and Ferulic Acid which is said to make Vitamin C work better (good for daytime use and some folks use it at night with moisturizers but never with retinol).

ArtNaturals is sold at drugstores, Target, Walmart, and Ultra which means you will sometimes find the products under $10 a bottle, thereby saving even more by shopping around and watching for sales.

[Ultra sells The Ordinary line of skincare -- also under $15 a product. I'm a big fan of The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% ($5.80); Buffet - a combination of anti-aging peptics ($14.80); and its Retinols in Squalane ($5.80). If using The Ordinary line, you must know what skin issues you're trying to prevent or fix in order to select the right items for you. But. Choice is always awesome for folks on a budget. It opens the door to savings.]

Top-notch skincare you can afford to use daily!

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Sheltering At Home Essentials

Photo: Napa Valley Register

In the New Year I aimed to turn over a new leaf: In lieu of stocking up on supplies, I vowed to buy one, plus one of the common essentials like food, beauty and personal care items, or household cleaners. My reason was: Hey, I live 3 blocks from supermarkets and closer to drugstores, why should I continue to stock up as if I can't get to a store?

Well that was before COVID-19 hit us, and I'm definitely re-assessing the wisdom of that new course of action! My old habit will not change anytime soon!

For 2 months the following much-needed items have been sold out everywhere ... and seemingly they don't get restocked. Thankfully having a small stash at home has saved my butt!:

Photo: Austin Cronicle

• 70% isopropyl alcohol - I have 2.5 - 32 oz bottles
• 3% hydrogen periode - 1 - 16 oz bottle
• Clorex bleach - 1 - gallon bottle, 1 - quart bottle
• toilet paper - 1 - pack of 12 mega rolls (=48 small rolls) + 3 - individual mega rolls from the old pack
• 1 - 32 oz liquid soap and about 12 - bars of soap
• about 6 - mini hand sanatizers to carry in my purse

Fortunately, food has been easier to get. The supermarkets are sometimes out of stock of what you go for ... but you can make substitutions and not starve. Moreover, what helped me before our pandemic started is: 1) knowing exactly what I like and need; 2) buying the biggest package available; and 3) usually restocking before I completely run out. So I had the following in my cupboard but sometimes see an empty grocery shelf now:

• 64 oz bag of dry powdered milk + part of the old bag
• 5 lbs of unbleached all-purpose flour
• half of a 5 lb bag of whole wheat flour
• 4 lbs of sugar
• eggs - 2 dozen - I know it sounds crazy but I often buy 2 dozen when they are $1.99 each, which I did right before the pandemic. In the refrigerator, they never go bad on me. Good for puddings, cakes, bread, egg drop soup, tuna salad, french toast and snacks. They get eaten! Now they rose to $5 a dozen, which I will dislike paying while being grateful to get them!
• 4 - 16 oz boxes of whole wheat saltine crackers
• 5 lbs total of extra sharp cheddar cheese (my favorite snack! I tend to buy on sale and let them age longer. Little did I know, it also sets you up good to ride out a pandemic!)
• 5 cans of solid white tuna

  

  Photo: Duluth News Tribute

• 2 cans of Alaska wild salmon (I should've bought 5 cans!)
• 5 cans of sardines (because I don't rush to eat them!)
• pasta - different shapes - long spaghetti, bow tie, rigatoni
• Oatmeal - big Quaker (1-minute cooking) cylinder + a small cylinder (5-minute cooking)
• other whole grains - Quinoa + rice
• cans of tomatoes + sauce
• cans of kidney beans (for chili)
•  2 - 16 oz bags of dried pinto beans + split peas
• 1 - 3lb bag of cornmeal (I don't eat cornbread enough to buy a 5 lb bag.)
• 2 L bottle of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 - lb packages of butter
• 4 - 13 oz Chock Full o' 'Nuts Coffee
• wine and Champagne (delish with the cheddar and crackers↑)
• dark chocolate + Kraft caramels + SweatTarts

As I'm sure you will agree, Sheltering at Home has been nooo picnic, but at least I have the basics to get me through it! See you, my lovelies, during ... and on the other side!

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Drugstore Beauty Buys To Beat The Winter Doldrums

Photo by Duane Reade

Baby, it's cold outside ♬♪♪ and dreary.  Time to hydrate skin and wake-up your features with color.  Have you checked the aisles of a drugstore lately?  You will find a treasure trove of affordable beauty products.  If you need help to battle Old Man Winter, then try a few of the top-notch products listed below.  Pamper yourself with:

Skin Care: Face (formulas with retinols and rich moisterizers)

1. L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Concentrated Serum

2. L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Deep-Acting Moisturizer

3. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturizer 

4. Neutrogena Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

5. Olay PROx Intensive Wrinkle Protocol - a kit that includes (1) Age Repair Lotion with SPF 30, (2) Deep Wrinkle Treatment and (3) Wrinkle Smoothing Cream

6. Roc Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum

7. Roc Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream

8. Roc Retinol Correxion Max Wrinkle Resurfacing System - to remove old, dry skin and encourage the growth of collagen.

Skin Care: Body
1. Aveeno Daily Mosturizing Lotion
2. Cetaphil Moisterizing Cream - hidrates chapped, sensitve skin; 
no fragrance to dry skin.
3. Bio-Oil - moisturizes dry skin and smooths stretch marks. Apply after a shower.
4. Nivea Smooth Sensation Daily Lotion - with Shea Butter.  Nivea has a new line of skin care just for men. [Or try Neutrogenia just for men].
5. Tree Hut - Certified organic shea is infused into the body scrubs and body butters.

Makeup
1. Physicians Formula - Includes (1) organic wear mascara, (2) shimmer strips eye liner, (3) ph matchmaker (all-in-one) lip and bronzer.
2. Cover Girl - Blast Flipstick Lipcolor - 13 duo shades: the 1st side is shimmer,  the 2nd side is cream, which you blend together to create polished looks.
3. Presitige - a full line of (1) face primer, (2) lipsticks and (3) mascaras.
4. Neutogena - Shine control (1) face primers, (2) foundation and (3) powders - they contain a rice protein complex.
5. L'Oreal - (1) Infallible 24HR Eye Shadow, (2) Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer, (3) Infallible Le Rouge 12HR Lipcolour - created to last.
6. Black Opal - a full line of True Color (1) lipsticks, (2) face power and (3) blush.
7. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable lip balm stain in 7 pretty colors.

Nails - For all you nail fashionistas.  (Personally, I'm slacker: buffed nails or one coat of shimmer nail polish is what I do.  Still ... it looks like fun!)
1. Revlon Colorstay - new bright colors with gel-like shine that lasts up to 11 days.
2. Sally Hansen (1) Gem Crush (for glitter) and Sally Hansen (2) Magnetic Nail (nail art).
3. imPress - 20 press-on nail colors; no messes, no waiting to dry.
4. Kiss Nail Dress - fun press-on jeweled nail strips.

Hair Care
1. Ren - A shampoo so gentle it's called a "cleansing conditioner."  Contains coconut oil, karatin and shea butter.

2. L'Oreal Ever Sleek Intense Smoothing shampoo and conditioner - Turns frizz into smooth.
3. Pantene Expert shampoo and conditioner - (2 formulas: Keratin Repair and AgeDefy) - Prevents and retores damaged hair to health.
4. Organix - Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner.
5. Clear Scalp And Hair Therapy shampoo and conditioner - I received a sample and like this new brand.  It's rich, gentle and smells nice.

Beauty products are expensive. Drugstores offer variety and bargains.  If you watch for sales (buy one, get one free) you can walk out with some steals.  Use your rewards card for extra savings.

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RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Daily Serum

RoC Retinol Correction Line Smoothing Daily Serum is another effective retinol available at your local drugstore. In addition to drugstores, Walmart, Target, Amazon and Ulta also carry it, so it's easy to find and perhaps even catch a sale! I often say, choice is THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S  best friend. 

Now let's review what retinol is and what it does for aging skin: Retinol is the non-prescription derivative of prescription strength Retin-A, the gold standard in anti-aging skincare. With regular use, both retinol and Retin-A help speed up skin cell turnover, collagen production, plus lighten uneven skin tone and age spots. 

As it turns out, stronger (i.e., prescription strength Retin-A) isn't always better. What matters most is consistent use. The strength of Retin-A is something the skin tolerates only after a long period of use. Virgin skin can't tolerate it, and sensitive skin may never tolerate it. But non-prescription strength Retinol, used regularly, offers similar anti-aging properties with less of harsher Retin-A's unpleasant side effects. 

Not only does RoC's powerful Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Daily Serum deliver anti-aging benefits, it provides serious hydration; and the retinol in this formula is time-released which preserves the effectiveness of the vitamin A derivative by keeping it stable so it can work over a 12-hour period. As a time-released formula, it is less likely to cause irritation. So if another retinol leaves your skin, dry, red and raw, this one should be more comfortable yet still work. What's more, while the retinol is working to smooth your lines and winkles, two moisturizing ingredients, ashwagandha and squalane deliver 12 hours of time-released hydration.

Many women like to apply a rich moisturizing night cream before bed, so a thicker cream formula is also available.

Anti-aging skincare can be super expensive, so put THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S recommended retinol brands on your radar. They start at good price points before promotions. Be sure to catch the sales to look your unlined best while staying in the green!

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Old Navy Makes Cotton Face Masks

What a nightmare our global pandemic is. Over 95,000 people have died from Coronavirus in the USA alone. And despite the fact 80% of the ill recover, who wants to get sick for any length of time?

Moreover, humans are social beings. Six months ago could you imagine being afraid of another person's droplets? How about having to stand six feet apart from most everyone? Or cleaning your hands every time you touch an object outside your home? Buying food is stressful! Nowadays I remove my shoes before stepping back inside my apartment, then spray the soles with 3% hydrogen peroxide before placing them in a designated area to dry. WTH!

Although I've never been a germophobe, if I pass a chatterbox on the sidewalk who is careless with social distancing, I'll walk in the street. Whenever a bottleneck of people stands on the pavement, I crossover to the other side of the street ... so uncharacteristic of me, but this disease SHOULD be taken seriously!

Here in Manhattan, we must wear a face covering to enter supermarkets and drugstores. It's a practice I support (and hate) in order to keep everyone safe.

Of all the cloth face masks on the market, I love what Old Navy is offering. Made of 3 layers of cotton poplin, they are designed according to the CDC's recommendation for non-surgical masks (which advises a mask have at least 2 thick cotton layers). They lack a pouch, yet you can place a filter inside and it will stay. I like the elastic over-the-ears straps and the 3 folds for a good fit under your chin. 

Although there are lots of playful colors, patterns and prints made from leftover fabric from Old Navy's popular clothing, you accept what comes in a "surprise pack" of either 3, 5, or 10 masks. There are 2 sizes: children or adults. An excellent price. A cotton face mask should not cost $15+ each! But oh boy, they are on backorder until the middle of June! Well worth the wait. Best price for the quality!!💙


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Glow With Natural Skin Care

An average person uses 10 personal care products each morning.  That's a lot of chemicals.

Your skin is a barrier that acts like a sponge.  As time goes on, I've learned a few lessons about lotions, potions and beauty products.  More and more, I prefer natural skin care that is free of parabens, phthalates and other chemicals you are better off without.  But regardless of how beneficial a beauty regiment is, if it's crazy expensive, what good is it to you?  So I'm always on the lookout for outstanding personal care products that won't break the bank.  Fortunately, there are green-minded companies who get it right at reasonable prices.  Here are two, available at Whole Foods and in drugstores:

 J.R. Watkins prides itself on being “America's original natural apothecary” company.  Since 1868, Walkins has used the finest natural ingredients in its diverse lines of skin care, home cleaners, and pain relief liniments.  That's 142 years of remedies and skin care, listing natural ingredients that my grandmother would recognize like aloe vera, green tea and shea butter.  And recently Walkins launched new face care products, including a cleansing cream, exfoliator, and day and night creams.  Plus they offer your best weapon against aging skin -- a natural sun screen.  Costs: $3.49 - $13.99.

Kiss My Face, another company committed to caring for your skin “the way nature intended” has a complete skin care system called, Potent and Pure, that is free of synthetic preservatives, additives, chemicals and artificial fragrances.  It uses the highest quality and most effective ingredients in nature, such as sunflower seed oil, basil extract and hibiscus  flowers, to name a few.  You'll find everything you need to fight blemishes, dryness, oiliness and aging.  Their other moisturizers and personal care toiletries are "obsessively natural" too.  Costs: $1.29 - $23.00.

Both companies combine beneficial botanicals and natural emollients, which really work.  You get fresh and clean scents.  Between them, discover creams and ointments formulated with vitamins, minerals and herbs for all your skin care needs.  And you''ll like the prices.  Healthy green ingredients that leave some green in your wallet.

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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. 

Here are 7 more dermatologist-approved Vitamin C Serums with a range of prices from cheap to reasonable to more expensive:

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.

3) Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 - Olay recently launched its serum along with a face and eye cream. The formula, "crafted with Vitamin C, Vitamin B3, and Lactic Acid, visibly brightens and hydrates skin." Lactic Acid also treats acne. 

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.

7) Biossance - Squalane + 10% Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum -  Uses 10% vitamin C and white shitake mushroom to treat dark spots and stop new ones from forming.

Although it's fun to try different brands of serums, CervaVe at $16 works superbly ... and is as dermatologist-approved as are the other choices, so you may not need to spend more. But, selection is a Savvy Shopper's best friend for spotting sales and bargains. At times you find a 2 for 1 Olay sale at your local drugstore which halves its $29 price. Sometimes what works for one person is irritating to another's skin, so being in the know by having options based upon science is a very good thing!

Photo: BeautyEdit

 

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Art Naturals Deals, Deals, Deals

Art Naturals is a stellar clean beauty brand I previously featured on THE SAVVY SHOPPER. It has everything we want: beneficial antiaging ingredients in the right combinations free of toxins and high prices.

If you need to restock your skincare, haircare, bath & body products, or you embrace aromatherapy now is the time of the year to grab the best bargains from the brand. In addition to 20% off of the line consider buying the gift sets for even more savings. This also gives you the chance to try a few new products at a steal of a price.

Several years ago, I slowly began swapping out my unnatural commercial beauty (and household products) for brands with simple and cleaner ingredients, but I didn't want to go broke using them. If you have the same goal, Art Naturals is an outstanding brand to try. The line of products is also conveniently sold at Rite Aid and Walmart along with other drugstores. 

I picked my 3 favorite items to display but you can browse the website to find yours.

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All Eyes On L'Orèal's Best Mascaras

All photos: Courtesy of Target

Before our pandemic, I never left home without a dab of makeup. Nowadays with having to wear a face mask indoors, no makeup is the norm for the simple reason, I don't want to soil the inside of my mask. Yuck! But we could get away with wearing mascara, and L'Orèal makes several excellent offerings, each with a different type of brush designed to create a unique look. They are from left to right:

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?!

Top-notch mascara every bit as luxe as the expensive behind-the-counter brands, yet available at Walmart, Target, drugstores, Ultra, and Amazon so you know the cost won't break the bank!👀💋

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8 Skincare Products I Use Daily And Highly Recommend

Photo: Adobe

Through experience, you inevitably learn about skin care products like which ingredients really work, and which knockoffs, identical to their more costly name-brand counterparts, to buy.

Here's what I now use every day in my skincare routine, as well as, for my senior mother whose skin still feels baby soft. I like to pamper her with mild, good clean ingredients to keep her skin healthy and moisturized. I've reviewed the following beauty items in prior blogs, so if you wish to know why they're good for your skin click on their links for a description and list of ingredients. Today's blog will try to save you a few bucks when purchasing them:

8 Skincare Products I Use Daily And Highly Recommend:

 

1) SheaMoisture Soap(s) - to wash with during a shower. T.J. Maxx often carries the bars at $3.99/bar.

2) Noxema Cleansing Cream - to wash my face before bed. I also use it to soothe my mom's dry skin where she needs it, such as her arms. Alternatively, I love the face washes from CeraVe and Cetaphil, as well as, their Walmart Equate knockoffs. Walmart also has a Noxema dupe only for in-store pickup. However, Noxema, the name brand, usually selling at under $5, is cheap enough.

3) Coconut Oil - I buy food-grade coconut oil often from Puritan's Pride, to use as after-bath oil to lock in moisture. The reason for the food-grade coconut oil is to simplify my life and not have to buy 2 different coconut oils. {The same applies to white vinegar for cleaning my home. I buy food-grade, not cleaning-grade white vinegar which lies in the cleaning products aisle of supermarkets. When cheap enough, reduce to one multi-tasking product you have to stock. Saves time! Looks like Puritan's Pride no longer sells what I use, so here's another good online retailer. Costs: $6 - $10 for 16 oz.

If I need extra moisturizers in the fall and winter to slatter on dry skin, I add the following to my skincare routine --

4) Equate Moisturizing Cream (a dupe for CeraVe) - Cost: $10

5) Equate Beauty Gentle Skin Cream with Long-Lasting Moisture (the dupe for Cetaphil). - Cost: $6.40. Cetaphil is a tad thicker than CeraVe. Both knockoffs are excellent, plus they work wonders in moisturizing your face, so mild, light, and absorbent that you can skip buying a separate face moisturizer.

6) Target's Up and Up or Walmart's Equate Baby Powder - We use it after bathing and I often apply a sprinkle with a makeup brush to my face to prevent a shiny complexion. Real face powder has a finer texture, than the cornstarch ingredient in baby powder, but baby powder with cornstarch is still a super substitute. Talic (a finer grain) in body power has been removed in the USA. Price: $2.99 for 22 ounces.

7) Daytime: I use Equate Beauty All Day Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion for Skin, Broad Spectrum SPF 15. (the dupe for Olay Complete Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin, SPF 15). I'll use whatever I can get, for normal or sensitive skin. You'll pay about $4

8) Nighttime: I apply Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair - I use the cream formula but have also tried the serum. If only buying one of these, get the cream. Cost: $16 at T.J. Maxx or $13 - $16 on eBay. $25 regular retail price.

By learning what's in skincare products, and focusing on key effective ingredients supported by science, you can find knockoffs for less. Look in health food stores, small batch-start-up companies, and drugstores that offer both name brands that go on sale, as well as, drugstore dupes to lower the costs of your everyday skincare. Toss in Equate (from Walmart) and Up and Up (Target's store brand).

We're talking about effective, clean, high-caliber skincare for less. Skincare without compromise you can afford to use 365 days of the year without going broke! You are welcome.

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