Planet Eden Organic Skin Care

Photo: Photo: NewHealthGuide.org

Good skin care is an ongoing topic on THE SAVVY SHOPPER. Although we can't stop the march of time, we can strive to have "glowing, radiant skin'' at every age. And ... we don't want to go broke doing so.

Plant Eden is a company offering the best quality organic serums, moisturizers and treatments without the expense of the luxe brands. What an amazing find!: You get top-notch skin care at affordable prices, which is why the retailer began in 2009. Plus, the products are cruelty free, none are tested on animals.

Here are some of the crème de la crème Planet Eden anti-aging potions to try:

1) Eden Skin Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid Serum - Reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Protects against inflammation and stimulates the growth of collagen. Lightens freckles and age stops. (Apply the serum at night.)

2) Miracle C Serum With Cam Camu Berry - Cam camu berry is a natural source of high potency vitamin C. It improves uneven skin tone and helps your sun screen work better. The serum has ferulic acid which doubles the benefits of vitamin C to protect skin against free radicals, as well as, produce collagen. It also contains hyaluronic acid, a vital component in skin. The serum boosts elasticity and keeps your skin healthy, moist and supple. (Wear it day or night, but not with a retinol. The 2 ingredients, retinol and vitamin C cancel the benefits of the other.)

3) 20% Gly-Lactic Exfoliating Lotion with Glycolic and Lactic Acid - Has 10% glycolic and 10% lactic acid for cell turnover. There are no harsh chemicals, but tons of moisturizers. Your skin plumps up with dewy moisture -- derived from hyaluronic acid and sealed by exotic oils and butters -- while shedding a layer of dead, dull skin over a short period of time to revel fresh skin. (Use day or night.)

4) Antioxidant Recovery Cream for Stressed Dry Skin And After Skin Peels - Loaded with organic botanicals, such as rose hip oil, evening primrose oil, grapeseed oil, caledula, frankincense, macadamia nut oil and many other ingredients, including Anica and vitamin B5. It sooths, moisturizes and heels the skin. (Apply day or night.)

5) Dermaneedle Skin Roller (540 needles) - Using a skin roller reduces pores, acne scars, pigmentation and wrinkles. The motion of the needles stimulates collagen. It can be used on the face and other parts of the body.

The serums, creams and treatments have a pleasant, clean scent (very faint), a smoothing effect and are filled-to-the-brink of their containers. Value without compromise; plus all items ship for free.

With the cash you save on Planet Eden's youth elixirs, you can splurge on a useful tool like the skin roller. In a nutshell: This highly effective brand is a bargain!

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Target Your Skincare: Naturium

Photo: Yahoo

Although I try to give equal coverage to all the categories featured on the blog, I'm finding great affordable skincare lately and so won't hold back: A 3rd beauty blog (plus my thoughts) in a row.🙂 💋

Target Express stores are opening all over Manhattan. As concerned as I am for Mom and Pop shops (which I also support), I can't deny liking the decent selection, convenience and savings on every day staples at the big box retailer. In the Target aisles, there are some top-notch skincare, including cleansers, serums and moisturizers costing $25 or less. The next time you go, take a look at Naturium. Online ... 31 products are listed. At the brick and mortar stores, what's available on any given day can be hit or miss, therefore if I see a frequently used item in stock on the shelf, I buy two.

Naturium is a skincare brand launched by Ben Bennett and Susan Yara in 2020. (In fact, Ms. Yara who is also a YouTube influencer, got in trouble with her fans by promoting the brand on her channel without telling them she is a co-owner!) The products are formulated to be natural, clean, non-toxic and green. They are vegan, except for the Intense Overnight Sleeping Cream which uses ethically sourced honey. Everything made is cruelty free, paragon free, skin-compatible, artificial fragrance-free, and dermatology tested. Naturium proudly follows science to continue to learn and improve its skincare. Sounds good, no?

Photo: hip2save

The most popular Naturium items include: Vitamin C Complex Serum, Retinol Complex Cream, Vitamin C Super Serum Plus, Niacinamide Gel Cream 5% and Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc. 

The cost of buying 5 products, even reasonably priced, adds up; so I recommend starting with the Vitamin C Complex for daytime use and Retinol Complex Cream for nighttime use. The pair is likely all you'll need. Consider the Vitamin Super C Serum Plus (it is a mixture of vitamin C and Retinol, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide) if you can only afford to buy a single face serum. Ideally, you want to use these ingredients separately, yet a better one (as a combo) than none! The other serums address individual skincare concerns that you may or may not have, so save your money when possible.

How impressive that a new beauty brand like Naturium started by a YouTube influencer, got Target to sell its products in such a short span of time! We all have brilliant ideas and dreams (just ask me!), but it takes luck, hard work, perseverance, connections and money to get them to market!💋👏

A head's up: The next blog will introduce you to another gemstone. Watch this space on Thursday!

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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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The Minimalist Traveler's 28 Personal Care Essentials

I'm still away from home helping my elderly mother with the recovery of her fractured leg. (It explains why I'm blogging less often.) Essentially I'm living out of a suitcase! And yet when you find yourself in such circumstances, you have to continue to take good care of yourself.

In the effort, here are 12 minimalist traveler's skin and personal care products I'm using every day on my trip away from my home stash of skin and personal care toiletries:

For Skin Care:

Morning --

1) Noxema Cleansing Cream - I'm using it to wash my face and body, as well as moisturize my skin. Originally formulated by a doctor to soothe sunburns, it's cool and tingly upon use.

2) AN Artnature Vitamin C Advanced Moisture + Brightening Serum - Applying this serum to my face every morning as a multi-purpose anti-aging elixir. A vitamin C serum also gives you some protection against free radicals and the sun's harmful rays.

3) Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin with SPF 15 - I use it every day of the year, plus as a greaseless suntan lotion in the summer.

Night, Noxema again, then --

4) Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil - Applying it to my face at night, the oil came as a 2-item kit with the cream below. More like a serum than an oil, its purpose is to boost the power of the Retinol. Probably we could survive with the cream only.

5) Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Regeneration
Cream - Applying it to my face at night on top of the serum (oil). Some consumers prefer Olay Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer since its consistency is lighter with more hyaluronic acid in the cream. I like and use both brands of anti-aging face creams and approve of Neutrogena's high potency and thickness. At times I'll add drops of water to the formula to make the cream a little thinner and sometimes not.

For Toothcare:

6) Philips Sonicare Toothbrush - It's well worth packing in the suitcase. You simply can't brush your teeth as thoroughly with a manual toothbrush. I'm happy my dentist's office advised me to buy it, as well as, told me to buy the basic model for about $40 without the extra bells and whistles. You don't need them.

7) Regular manual toothbrush - I use the sonic toothbrush twice a day, every morning and night, and a regular toothbrush for shorter cleaning sessions to clean my teeth if I eat any in-between sugary snacks.

8) Colgate Maximum Strength Whitening Sensitive Toothpaste - After years of drinking 2 cans of soda each workday at the Time, Inc consumer magazines, I now have sensitive teeth, so I've given up soda altogether and use sensitive toothpaste to try to "repair my enamel" as much as is possible. At mom's age of wear and tear of her teeth, we both use it.

9) Dental Floss - I miss my water pick, but felt I had to limit what to pack and left it at home. Frankly, I hate the necessary evil of teeth flossing!

10) Equate Anticavity Alcohol-Free Fluoride Mouthwash - Yeah, I buy the purple mouthwash, however, which one's really the best for our teeth and gums, only our dentist knows for sure. Probably adults don't benefit from the extra fluoride, who knows? The dentist!

For Body Care:

11) Crystal Body Deodrant Stick - The salt crystal seems to prevent wetness and underarm odor. I have the travel size with me and the thicker stick at home.

12) Cetaphil Body Moisturizing Cream For Very Dry Skin - I bought this one for my elderly mother's skin, but sometimes dip my hand into the jar as a hand and body cream. It has zero fragrance and is super moisturizing and non-greasy. Skin doctor recommended too. Now I prefer it to other brands.

For Hair Care

13) SheaMoisture Shampoo - Whatever formula is available at the drugstore.

14) SheaMoisture Conditioner - Ditto, whatever formula I find at the local drugstore has been terrific.

For Makeup: 

I've only used the 1st three items on the list below and only on Zoom calls. Since we still wear face masks in certain indoor places, I mostly don't wear makeup these days. Yet I brought the following along --

15) L'Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur

16) Dermablend Quick-Fix Concealer

17) Bobbie Brown Pot Rouge For Lips and Cheeks - in Pink Raspberry #18

18) Milani Lipstick - in Dulce Caramelo #27

19) Milani Lip Gloss - in Delight Deluxe #01

20) Adrien Arpel Eye Crayon - in Forest Green

21) Sephora Brow Sculping Pencil - in Light Brown and it has a tiny brush on one end.

22) Lip Balm - Beeswax is the main ingredient.

Finally, I brought my stash of samples packets that I save for overnight trips. In a pinch, I'll find a product I need (face cream, shampoo, or conditioner) to tie me over until I can get to a Walmart, Target, or drugstore. 

Moreover, the Tool Makeup Bag contains:

23) Tweezers

24) Hair ties

25) Nail clippers

26) Nail files

27) Nail buffer

28) Mini Nail Brush

The only three tools I've used are tweezers, nail clippers, and hair ties. 

I'm functioning just fine with three small organizing makeup bags of basics. Makes me think minimalism of toiletries is all we ever really need! A less is more mindset saves us tons of time and money. Why not pare down to a simple approach both at home and away from home?

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The Inkey List Skincare

 

Photo: lookfantastic

THE SAVVY SHOPPER features another effective skincare line based on science you can afford to use daily. Choice galore and deals are a consumer's best friends to keep our wallets happy! The Inkey List offers a wide array of products containing potent ingredients that are normally 3 - 4 times more expensive.

The following are your 3 basic essentials, yet at such budget-friendly prices averaging under $10 a bottle (and a few multi-ingredient formulas running about $15) you could add an item to treat a special skin care concern of yours if you wish. 

Here are the bare-bone elixirs I think you need in your skincare regiment:

1) The Inkey List Retinol serum

Contains: 

• 1% stabilized retinol (derived from Vitamin A, which the skin converts to retinoic acid, speeding up skin cell turnover. Enhances collagen production, evens skin tone and lightens age spots.) 
• 0.5 granactive retinoid
• Squalane (for hydration and smoothing).

Directions: Use a pea size amount at night to prevent or treat lines and wrinkles, the visible signs of aging.

2) The Inkey List Vitamin C 30% serum

 Contains: 

• 30% pure, stable, L-ascorbic Acid. This serum targets the signs of aging by brightening the skin. It also fights free radicals and pollution. 

Directions: This is your daytime serum, apply it in the morning.

3) The Inkey SPF Daily 30 Sunscreen

Contains: 

• 22% non-nano zinc oxide (offering both UVA and UVB protection against the sun).
• 1% Pollustop® (Shields the skin from pollutants and premature aging.) 
• 2% Shea Butter complex (moisturizes and calms the skin). 

Directions: Use during the day all-year-round as the last step after a moisturizer. 

Sure you could buy gentle baby sunscreen at your local drugstore for less, but if you want a $15 splurge for the extra anti-aging ingredients, you can at least afford it at these low prices.

Now where can you buy them? Available on the Inkey List website; Sephora; Ebay; and Amazon, the brand is never tested on animals.

Splurge and save simultaneously: What's on your Inkey List?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

💟Extra tips: 

[1] If you buy the baby sunscreen from your local drugstore and your 2 serums from The Inkey List, your entire costs for your daily anti-aging skin routine is under $25 for all the products you need. Adding the splurge Inkey List sunscreen brings the costs to under $35.

 [2] Anti-aging routines begin by eating a healthy diet, which gets easier and cheaper in the spring and summer months. Here's what I bought from my fabulous Manhattan fruit street vendor on my way home ... every bite as beneficial to the skin as the potions you put on it:

I like to wash all my fruit before putting much of it in the refrigerator. Oh yes, with refrigeration you lose some of the deliciousness, but again, costs and convenience win. I leave a few unrefrigerated pieces out, but do refrigerate the rest. I have fresh blueberries, strawberries, apricots, plums, pears and mangos. Not in the photo, avocados from another day! 

BTW: I also wash my potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant and asparagus (Asparagus steams are yuk, yet nutritious.) before putting them away, a repetitive job I hate doing! But when I cook, I like dropping clean-ready produce into a pot. I'd rather not have a job (cleaning) before I do a job (cooking). Unless buying a meal kit, you have to do the undesirable yourself. It's worth getting more for less. I'm a mean, clean machine!😎

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Bakuckiol The Retinol Alternative

Most of us know how important retinol is to our anti-aging skincare regime. Well, there's a new kid in town.

Bakuchiol (which is a phytoretinol) is an anti-aging ingredient derived from the leaves and seeds of the psoralea corylifolia (babchi) plant. An herb commonly used in Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines, dermatologists describe it as a natural vegan alternative to retinol. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties to heal, calm and smooth the skin.

According to a double-blind medical study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, using bakuchiol for 12 weeks was as effective as retinol in reducing wrinkles and hyperpigmentation ... yet was milder with less irritation, so is ideal for sensitive skin and in fact, is suitable for all skin types. In other studies, bakuchiol stimulated the skin to produce collagen, as well as, increased elasticity, and improved firmness.

In comparison, retinol is used at night to avoid sun degradation and skin sensitivity. Yet unlike retinol, bakuchiol's potency is not weakened by sun exposure and it doesn't irritate or dry the skin, so can be used both during the day and at night.

How much bakuchiol is needed in face serum, lotion, cream, or oil to do its job? Choose a bakuchiol serum, etc, with between .5 - 2% concentration for visible benefits. A lightweight bakuchiol serum or lotion layers beautifully with other anti-aging products such as vitamins C and E, azelaic acid, or niacinamide in your skincare routine. Furthermore, since bakuchiol also brightens the skin, some users are replacing their vitamin C serum during the day and retinol at night with just one gentle ingredient. On the other hand, don't combine bakuchiol with glycolic acid as these two kids don't play well together. Glycolic acid degrades bakuchiol's effectiveness.

Moreover, there are a ton of bakuchiol-based beauty products on the market in all forms: face serums, lotions, creams, and oils that are very reasonably priced -- many well under $20 so what's good for our faces is also good for our wallets! Ahhh, welcome to the neighborhood, bakuchiol, you are a Savvy Shopper's dream.

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The Barebones Anti-aging Skincare Products You Need

It so happens I have 3 friends who want to take better care of their skin and have asked for my advice on skincare products. I love it!😍 

Photo: Depositphotos

In suggesting stellar products to my 3 friends I know 4 important details:

a) What they want their skincare to do: Target lines, wrinkles and dark spots as much as possible with anti-aging ingredients; 

b) A simple and easy routine:

c) Products that work without being too strong for their virgin skin;

d) Potions that are affordable and highly effective (i.e., backed by science without sticker shock).

We are also in the midst of inflation with people wisely economizing and trying to get the most bang for a buck. So without further ado, here are my rock-bottom with the least amount of steps recommendations, a/k/a --

A Skincare Routine With the Least Amount of Products For Less Money:

1) Wash your face with Noxema Cleansing Cream - It contains eucalyptus and camphor, anti-inflammatories used in Ayurvedic medicine. Cost: $4.47.

2) Treat your face by starting with The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane and work your way up to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid in Squalane 5% - Retinol/Retinoid converts to retinoic acid the Holy Grail of anti-aging ingredients. Cost: $7.50 - $14.95.

3) Moisturize your face with The Inkey List Bakuchiol - It has 1% bakuchiol, the new anti-aging wonder is backed up by a 2-blind scientific study showing it works, as well as, retinol. 1% is double the concentration tested in the study. Also, bakuchiol plays nice with other skin care products, so you can layer it without canceling the benefits of any other anti-aging ingredients you may be using. Cost: $11.49. {Learn more about the InkeyList here.}

4) Protect your face with the daily use of sunscreen such as Olay Sensitive Skin SPF 15 - SPF 50 - SPF 15 is a lightweight formula and provides sufficient protection as long as you reapply it every few hours. Higher SPF numbers don't give you much more protection, yet you don't need to reapply them as often. Doctors often recommend SPF 30 or SPF 50 because patients forget to reapply their sun protection. Walmart has an I can't tell the difference knockoff brand, Equate Beauty All-Day Broad Moisturizing Lotion, SPF 15. Cost $3.50 {complared to Olay's $10}.

The grand total of my suggested barebones, anti-aging-beauty-elixirs is $26.96.💋

How do 4 products and 4 steps that have you covered in anti-aging ingredients for under $30 sound? The whole shebang ... ultra budget-friendly and without compromise!🎯

🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴

Honorable Mention for All Skin Types - the new one-step face serum for both morning and night:

2 ounces of a 1% bakuchiol serum from Imagine Dermatology for $16.12 is a steal! The formula also includes green, white and chamomile teas; hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (vitamin B3); glycolic acid; and, rosemary. You could use it in the morning (replacing Vitamin C serum if you use it) to brighten your skin and again at night (replacing retinol) to erase lines and wrinkles, plus this serum improves elasticity by increasing the production of collagen. Bakuchiol serums are gentle for sensitive skin that won't tolerate retinol.

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