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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Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Collection

Simplifying My Daily Skincare Routine

Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Collection

Olay makes anti-aging skincare as good as the luxe brands for less. In fact, with the advanced anti-aging ingredients contained in elixirs from The Ordinary, as well as, other drugstore brands, including L'Orèal and Neutrogena, there is no real need to spend big bucks elsewhere. Not only do drugstore brands start at lower price points, they also go on sale for additional savings!

The Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Collection contains the bonafide ingredients that science says work. The collection hydrates, brightens, evens out skin tone, minimizes pores and smooths the appearance of fine lines and winkles by using a combination of retinol, retinue propionate and vitamin B3. The formula is created to deeply penetrate the skin and encourage quicker skin cell turnover with less irritation.

Do we need more retinol youth lotions and potions on the beauty market? Yes ... yes, we do! Why? Because ... consumers win: More product, competition, selection and savings!

The Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Collection consists of 3 items:

1) Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer - Contains retinol, vitamin B3 (a hydrator) and amino peptides. Hydrates the top layer of skin. Apply after serum.

2) Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Serum - Has retinol, vitamin B3 and amino peptides. Serums have smaller molecules and the ability to penetrate deeper layers of skin, the reason we use them. Apply before a moisturizing cream.

3) Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Eye Cream - Contains retinol, vitamin B3 and amino peptides for the sensitive skin around the eyes.

Even at drugstore prices, the cost of skincare adds up. For that reason I recommend buying the serum and moisturizer, but the eye cream only if you have sensitive skin under your eyes requiring a separate cream. The Night Moisturizer is unscented, so many people tolerate it to treat and moisturize their entire face, including the more delicate skin around their eyes.

Bring it on Olay, the more anti-aging skincare the better!

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The Ordinary: Haircare Rooted In Skincare

The Ordinary, famous for offering effective skincare based on science at fair and affordable prices, just launched new haircare products on March 8th that are also rooted in the science of skincare.

Introducing a trio of products led by science to gently cleanse, condition, and hydrate the scalp and hair. It makes perfect sense: After all the scalp is an area of the body consisting of skin with oil glands. The new hair products which are rooted in skincare include:

Sulphante 4% Cleanser for Body and Hair - It contains SLES-2, a milder sulfate formulated to be gentle on the scalp and clean the hair without color fade. Usually we think of sulfates as bad, but The Ordinary re-engineered the chemicals to make them mild and effective.

Behentrimonium Chloride 2% Conditioner - Lightly coats the hair strands for a soft, smooth effect that tames and conditions the hair without weighing it down.

Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA for Scalp -  A milky serum that includes hyaluronic acid and squalene (ingredients naturally produced within the skin) to hydrate and protect the scalp skin barrier. Massage a few drops into your scalp daily for treatment.

This trio of new products join a 4th older one:

Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density - A concentrated peptide serum created to make hair look thicker, denser, fuller, and healthier.

These hair products come from a company committed to giving customers budget-friendly products with good, clean ingredients backed by science that truly work. One or more of them may be right for you!

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Vichy Skincare Is Available At CVS

Vichy was developed in 1931 by Dr. Prosper Haller to treat sensitive skin. The French brand's formulas are created by skincare specialists and tested under strict dermatological control to confirm their efficacy. Many of the products contain Vichy (as in Vichy, France) Volcanic Water -- rich in 15 minerals -- to calm and support the skin.

YouTube dermatologists including Doctory, The Budget Demonologist, and Dr. Daniel Sugai, all board-certified and practicing physicians, like this drugstore brand which is sold at CVS. 

My nearby CVS often has Vichy product samples. The five items I've tried are ultra-moisturizing and gentle for sensitive or irritated skin, providing the tender loving care it needs. I used them after experiencing what looked and felt like a vitamin C burn on the eye area of my face. I guess that double vitamin C serum (of another brand) isn't right for me since it was the 1st time I've had a painful reaction from using vitamin C serum.

The Vicky samples I used to soothe the area are:

1) Vichy Liftactv Supreme Serum 10 - The chief ingredient is hyaluronic acid to plump up dry skin, which is how it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

2) Vichy Mineral 89 Fortifying & Hydrating Daily Skin Booster - It's a fast-absorbing, lightweight, thickish facial liquid for dry and sensitive skin. Unscented and non-sticky, apply it as step 1 followed by a moisturizer.

3) Vicky Aqualia Thermal Riche-Rich - Moistens the face with hyaluronic acid and Vichy Volcanic Water. Provides lasting 48-hour hydration for dry and sensitive skin.

4) Vichy Lifeactiv Supreme Jour - Day - With rhamnose (a type of sugar found in plants) and Vichy mineralizing water, it fights fine lines and wrinkles while smoothing, firming, and moisturizing the skin.

5) Vichy Liftactiv Supreme Nuit - Night - Targets wrinkles and the loss of firmness, it contains rhamnose, vitamin C, adenosine, and Vichy mineral water to fight the stubborn signs of aging.

Vichy formulas feel luxurious, are non-greasy, and definitely moisturize and plump up the skin as claimed. Although the ingredients in its moisturizers don't have as many anti-aging clinical studies behind them as retin-A (considered the gold standard), Vichy is a 90+-year-old skincare company that employs dermatologists and health experts to develop its salves. On the face, they do absorb well into the skin. Without burning or producing a bad reaction, you can feel some type of action going on after the application.

If you have dry, sensitive, or irritated skin that needs rest from retin-A, retinol, or vitamin C serums -- which at times can leave your face feeling raw and sensitive -- Vichy is a luxury drugstore brand that plumps up your skin with dermatologist-tested and approved moisturizers containing ingredients to soothe and help your skin recover, plus look younger via its hydration. 

Vichy is pricey, yet not out-of-reach. The next time you're at CVS, see if you can score some samples to try the brand.

New on the market at about the same price point and as "consciously clean" for sensitive skin is Scarlett Johansson's line called The Outset. The focus of the line is to nourish your skin barrier for hydration, beauty, and balance. Its aim is similar to Vichy's with the latter adding rhamnose to also firm the skin.

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Tata Harper's Organic Skin Care With No Fillers

Photo: Tata Harper

As founder Tata Harper says, "potentially toxic chemicals" ... "have no place in the products we use on our skin every day." So if you are searching for skin care that works, yet is free of synthetic ingredients, look no further than her brand. 

But know going in that her luxe elixirs are pricey! You are paying for one-of-a-kind formulas  -- with no fillers or generic bases. Harper's comprehensive line, which includes makeup and treatments, are created from scratch by her -- with skin care chemists -- to provide targeted results, namely preventing and/or smoothing wrinkles. She claims that each bottle of product is a multi-tasker. One bottle of serum is concentrated with between 9 and 29 active ingredients; whereas, competitors have far fewer active ingredients. Therefore, customers can buy one of her products to do several jobs (like brighten, tighten and rebuild collagen) resulting in younger looking skin. That's good because you might only be able to afford one bottle of product!😄

Tata Harper's serums and lotions are made with certified organic ingredients that come from the company's sustainable 12,000 acre farm in the Champagne Valley of Vermont. Each year the farm grows the herbs, flowers and fruit used in Harper's beauty formulas. All the phases of production -- from research and development ... to packing and shipping -- occur at the farm.

Indeed, the line is expensive, which isn't surprising for products that aren't mass produced. For many of us, a purchase is a splurge, but you know what you're getting ... high doses of the finest, organic ingredients with no fillers.

The best deal is probably the Rejuvenating Serum for Home & Travel set. To get the best price, check both Amazon and Harper's website periodically for special offers.

Also check the links below for budget friendly organic skin care. THE SAVVY SHOPPER strives to give you knowledge and options. Enter "serum" in the blog's search box for previous posts highlighting other great products at different price points. Fortunately, effective products are easy to find with a bit of reseach.

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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.

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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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Anti-Aging Beauty To Put On Your Radar: 3 Products For Daytime

As readers know, a focus of THE SAVVY SHOPPER is to find over-the-counter skincare that really works, i.e., serums and moisturizers which contain all the potent anti-aging ingredients medical science says are effective for less. Not every product is dirt cheap, yet when sold at retailers like Target, Walmart, Ultra, local drugstores, and Amazon, you can take advantage of deals to further lower the cost of already well-priced products. When you see the 2-for-1 deals and markdowns, etc., it's the time to pounce!

The following are 3 Anti-Aging Skincare Items For Your Daytime regiment:

1) Roc Multi Correxion Revive + Daily Glow Vitamin C -  Forumated with 10% vitamin C to brighten and tighten skin. Dermatologists tell us the only true serum we need for our daytime skincare routine is a vitamin C serum with the right combination of other ingredients like vitamin E to help the vitamin C work better. As we age the production of our collagen and skin cell turnover slows down. A potent vitamin C blend used daily helps to speed it up again! The serum is all you really need to buy but in winter some customers may like to apply a heavier cream formula to fight dry skin.

The next 2 recommendations are for 2 sunscreens -- our numero ono, most important, bar none, anti-aging skincare potion. The skin doctors recommend wearing sunscreen every day of the year: summer days, sunny days, autumn days, winter days, snowy days, spring days, and rainy days. Why is something like the sun's golden rays that feels so good so aging to the skin especially noticeable on our face where we don't want lines, wrinkles, and age spots? It just is! 

It's vital to let 15 minutes of the sun hit our skin about twice a week for the very necessary production of vitamin D for our overall good health, yet if the sun hits the area of my face, personally I react like the Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West as she is melting because she got hit with a bucket of water! To avoid the drama and public spectacle, I take the preventative step of wearing visors and hats outdoors in summer for the purpose of shielding my face from the sun, averting the alarm followed by a meltdown; and no one is the wiser!😉

2) Cocokind Daily SPF 32 - A mineral-based sunscreen that uses non-nano zinc oxide; protects against UVA and UVB rays; defends skin against blue light and pollution; plus is lightweight and non-greasy.

3) Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen 30+ (or 50+) Sensitive Skin - A mineral sunscreen containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offering both UVA and UVB protection for sensitive skin. The formula goes on white yet turns invisible as you rub it into your skin. Sun protection of 30 is plenty. What is important with sun protection is reapplying sunscreen every few hours. The dangers of the higher numbers include they don't provide much more or greater protection to the degree people think, and people then don't reapply sunscreen as often as they should. This brand is also water-resistant.

Knowledge (equipped with plenty of elixir choices) is a consumer's best friend in finding the best deals. You'll know which brands are stellar and recognize a good price. So put these 3 additional beauty products on your radar for daytime use.  When the price is right, try them!

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Use SPF Face Cream All Year Around

Lumin (black) is sunscreen for men, so I've never tried it.

After my morning shower I apply face cream (or lotion) over a face serum every day of the year. Only in the month of August during those dog days of heat and humidity could I skip the step of hydrating my face if desired, however, I don't do so. The reason why is we need to use sunscreen every day of the year to prevent aging (lines, wrinkles and dark sun spots), plus more importantly, skin cancer. Therefore I use a multi-tasking face moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher. Without. Fail. Every. Day. Of. The. Year. 

As we've moved from summer into fall, you may have noticed your skin is getting dryer. I have, and if a dry face bothers you as it does me, you may need to add a face cream to your daily routine, so why not select one that also contains the sun protection you should be wearing daily? Kill two birds with one stone and done!

Allow me to highlight 6 SPF [Sun Protector Factor] face moisturizers whose light, non-greasy consistency I like, as well as, give you the pros and cons of the choices I don't buy:

1) Olay moisturizers come in broad spectrum SPF 15, 30, and 50. I've tried all the formulas but stick with the Olay Complete with SPF 15 -- the most generous size. The sun protection is zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which I prefer to more questionable chemicals. All of the Olay formulas are creamy and greaseless, but the SPF 50 has a thicker consistency than the SPF 15. The Olay Complete 15 Sensitive formula works for me as it moisturizes while disappearing into my skin. With a lower SPF of 15, you simply need to reapply it every 2 hours if out and about in direct sunlight all day. SPF 30 or SPF 50 doesn't provide significantly more protection, but you can stretch the duration of reapplying them. There is none better than the Olay formulas and they are dirt cheap too!

2) Eucerin Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion SPF 30 - It's much like Olay, as is the Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Facial Moisturizer with Total Soy Complex and Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen, and all 3 brands are inexpensive and conveniently available at your local drugstore. Olay was the earliest to appear on the market and for this reason, is usually the easiest brand to find, but all 3 are comparable, which lets you grab whichever brand goes on sale when you need one.

3) CeraVe 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Face - Contains the usual suspects of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide along with the extra beneficial skincare ingredients of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and ceramides. Dermatologists like that CeraVe puts ceramides (a family of waxy lipid molecules) in it's skincare products to fortify our skin barrier.

4) Laroche Posay Anthelios Face 60 - The customer raves are for the European formula of Anthelios which contains Mexoryl, a patented UVA blocker that is highly stable and approved in Europe and Canada, but not approved by the FDA for use in the USA. The European version is light, thin, absorbent, and doesn't degrade after hours of sun exposure. Laroche is a skincare brand dermatologists universally recommend, but it's expensive. To be honest, I like the brand, but don't tend to buy it. IMHO you can find as good for less.

5) Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 - Paula's Choice is very good skincare, not the most expensive on the list, and yet still pricey if using it every day. Repeated buys add up! With a bit of research, you can often find the same ingredients from less costly competitors. Nonetheless, P.C. is stellar skincare, not crazy expensive, and perhaps sometimes worth a splurge. You decide for yourself.

6. Neutrogena Age Shield Face Oil-Free Sunscreen 70 - Neutrogena has SPF 30, 50, or 70 face moisturizers galore in cream, lotion, or gel forms, and some with extra ingredients to benefit the skin. Personally, unless I need a particular ingredient to treat a skin issue, I buy the cheapest SPF moisturizer offered that I like. Since I use an anti-aging face serum under my moisturizer, it's the moisturizer with sunscreen I'm after. If our serum already has vitamin C or hyaluronic acid in it, we're covered. More isn't always better, so if the extra ingredient drives the price up, why pay more for it in a moisturizer?

Luckily I'm happy with Olay Complete 15 Sensitive as a moisturizer with sun protection since it's about as cheap as you can buy. Spend more when it matters, but you can save on the category of SPF face creams/lotions without compromise. There are a ton of quality selections for less in a drugstore aisle ... often under $10.🎀💙

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