Showing posts sorted by date for query walmart. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query walmart. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

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 BoosterIt'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-RichMoistens the face with hyaluronic acid and Vichy Volcanic Water. Provides lasting 48-hour hydration for dry and sensitive skin.

4) Vichy Lifeactiv Supreme Jour - DayWith 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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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!

Creating and marketing a skincare line isn't easy. It takes research, finding backers with deep pockets, and a ton of hard work to get it on the market, so I have nothing but respect for Naomi Watts for achieving it. Nonetheless, not everyone can afford $160 for 2 serums: a hydrator and retinol, the barebones of what you need for daytime and nighttime skincare.

With knowledge of anti-aging ingredients that really work and skincare brands, you can save $130 - $145 per purchase simply by selecting the right substitutions. My gosh ... inadvertently this entire week has become a skincare trilogy as I couldn't stop writing about it!😆 Linked below are the other 2 blogs if you wish to read all 3 blogs = the week of a skincare trilogy.🤣🤣🤣


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Thursday, August 17, 2023

CeraVe vs Cetaphil Body Washes



Usually during a morning shower, I use SheaMosture soaps to wash from face to toe, and at night I use Noxema Cleansing Cream to wash my face. They both work for me so I've never bothered to buy separate cleansers. I buy all the varieties of SheaMoisture soap and they are all equally as moisturizing. Since I was 14 years old, Noxema has been (and will always be) a staple in my bathroom.

But, recently I received samples of CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash and Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleanser and was surprised by how much I like them! 

Photo: HealthJade
Both are super moisturizing and worth buying to treat dry or sensitive skin. If push comes to shove, I think CevaVe is the most moisturizing cleanser followed by Cetaphil although it's like asking who is the better Broadway singer, Kristin Chenoweth or Audra Mcdonald? Either one could be called THE VOICE on Broadway, so it really boils down to personal preference.

Both CeraVe and Cetaphil cleansing washes are formulated by dermatologists. CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash has the benefit of containing ceramides and hyaluronic acid which are moisturizers present in our skin while Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser has humectant propylene glycol (a liquid added to increase water retention) to hydrate the stratum corneum (the outer layer of the skin). Also, both companies make formulas to wash just the face, but I think the majority of people can use the body cleansers for both face and body as they are super gentle and hydrating.

 Additionally, CeraVe and Cetaphil offer cleansers to treat specific skin issues like acne or bumpy skin. {Of course, each also has moisturizing creams, which I compared here.}

So the question is will I go out of my way to add a new cleanser to my skincare routine? NO, as long as what I already buy works. But if we have a harsh winter that dries out my skin, YES. For dry, flaky skin, I'll have my line-of-defense remedies ready for when I head to the drugstore. With drugstore brands like CereVe and Cetaphil, there's no reason to buy expensive alternatives. Two fabulous finds!!


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Friday, August 11, 2023

Is Your Prime Membership A Waste Of Money?

Photo: Getty Images

Amazon rocks. I love it! Frequently the prices of goods are the same or better than at brick-and-mortar stores. At times stores lacking an item will direct me to Amazon, which ends up having it. Convenience is a given with purchases arriving at my door. Also, packages stuffed in the mailbox or left at the door can feel like gifts. Shopping on Amazon is addicting! And yet, after a couple of trials, I decided not to buy the $139 Prime Membership.

I think a Prime Membership is worth the cost if you: (1) order a lot of stuff; (2) live in a building where packages left in a common area get stolen; (3) need fast delivery, including same-day (with a $35 order), and 1 or 2-day delivery; or (4) use the other perks of the membership: Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Photos, Prime Gaming and/or buy things marked down on Amazon Prime Day, Prime Early Access Sales or the Lightening Deals. Clearly, Prime Membership adds value non-members don't have.

Photo: Business Insider
But I found I didn't use any of these benefits with a 30-day trial, In fact, the items I ordered during my 30-day trial were excluded from the 1 or 2-day delivery and it still took a week or over for them to arrive. But it was ok with me. Almost always, I can handle the wait. I tend to be a planner, as opposed to, a last-minute shopper, and I also worry about Amazon workers who might have to kill themselves to rush items to customers because it's the business model. 
Let's remember human beings work in fulfillment centers (warehouses) to get our packages to us!

What's more, all orders $25 or more give you free shipping, and usually it's not a hardship for me to wait a beat until I bundle articles to reach $25. If your circumstances require you to order a ton of under $25 items monthly, then you'll save on shipping by paying for an Amazon Prime Membership at $139 per year (or $14.99 per month), and as a bonus, you'll enjoy all the Amazon Prime Member benefits. A bargain if you often order to run a business. You would spend more than $11.58 each month ($11.58 x 12 = $139) on shipping without a membership.

I adored binge-watching a season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with my free trial membership, but frankly, there's not enough original content to make a Prime Membership worthwhile for Prime Video alone. Amazon offers Prime Video solo for $8.99 monthly or $107.88 a year, but IMHO you'll likely save by streaming your shows of interest.

Nonetheless, I need to jump back to emphasize how much I love Amazon! 

Photo: Business Insider
I advise anyone to check Amazon first before ordering a wheelchair, a senior shower bench, a safety bed rail, or anything you'd buy from a medical supply store as they're always far less on Amazon. Anything and everything is less on Amazon if you need it when a seller is listing it at a great price. Always worth a look!

Despite not having a Prime Membership, an Amazon customer rep called me a good customer since I buy a fair amount. Still, I never feel pressure or am tempted to order unnecessary things to justify annually spending $139 on a Prime Membership or because Lightening Deals are too good to pass up.

For some buyers, additional free shipping can lead to additional impulse buys. Make sure you don't overconsume to validate a membership for Amazon Prime, Walmart Plus, Costco Executive/Gold Star, or Sam's Club as it's not saving you money but costing you more than you'd normally spend. It's easy to do if we're not mindful. 

Finally, cancel any unused subscriptions and services that are costing you and not saving you money.




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Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Marinated Black Olives


Photo: istock

Why olives come in such small quantities like a 6-ounce jar is a mystery to me, so a few years ago I started buying 4-pack cans of olives from Walmart and marinated them myself.

 It's easy-peasy and economical as well. Plus you can experiment with different herbs and spices. The batch I'm eating now has only a few spices, and it is delicious:

Marinated Black Olives

Ingredients:

4-6 ounce cans of black olives
vinegar of choice (I used Cabernet Red Wine Vinegar.)
salt (I used Sicilian Basil Salt that I had in my cupboard.)
pepper (I used a saltless Cajun mix I made previously. It has red pepper flakes in it.)
garlic (I used dried and lots of it.)
Herbs de Provence
bay leaves (I used dry ground bay leaves, but have used whole bay leaves in the past.)

Directions:

I opened the 4 cans and tossed the olives with some of the liquid into a large jar.

This time around I didn't measure my spices or vinegar, but added some and tasted the liquid that came with the olives in the can then added more of the vinegar and spices to taste. I made sure the liquid covered the olives and discarded the surplus liquid. I omitted extra virgin olive oil, but by all means, add olive oil to the batch if you wish.

Eat several and store the batch in the refrigerator to marinate overnight ... and until you finish the batch. 

Cheap. plentiful and tasty! A puny 6-ounce jar of olives is a thing of the past. Nowadays we eat as many olives as we wish!

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Inflation Beaters: 12 Foods You Should Always Buy At Target


Here on the Upper East Side, it's hard to dislike Target, which opened Target Express retail stores in Manhattan beginning in 2018. One Target Express opened on my block in 2021, which thrilled the entire neighborhood. Unfortunately, many New York Moms and Pops are expensive. Although we love small businesses too, we also need to buy groceries and household goods at affordable price points, and mostly Target (as well as, Walmart) delivers. When it comes to food staples, what I appreciate about these big box stores is their consistently lower prices, meaning I don't have to wait to catch a weekly supermarket sale. Staples, already at lower prices at Target than most supermarkets, sometimes also become a loss leader item for an even lower price! Indeed, Target is doing very well in my neighborhood, and the retailer hasn't raised its prices to reflect inflation.

12 Foods that are Cheaper at Target (without a sale) include:

1) One gallon of milk - $2.99

2) Large Eggs - $1.99 per dozen (on sale last week for 99 cents/dozen)

3) Peanut butter - $5.29 - 40 oz.

4) Frozen orange juice - $1.99 - 12 oz. can

5) Butter - $3.99 - 16 oz. - 4 sticks

7) Spaghetti - 99 cents - 16 oz.

8) white or brown rice - 95 cents - 16 oz

9) Semi-sweet dark or white chocolate chips - $1.99 - 12 oz

10) Tomato sauce, salsa, and canned foods are often 20 cents - 50 cents less than at supermarkets. Also, dried spices are as much as $2 - $4 less than at supermarkets.


11) Unbleached all-purpose and whole-wheat flour - always list at the supermarket loss leader sale prices - $2.49 each.

12) A box of saltine crackers - $1.69, the supermarket loss leader price.

Target so consistently offers the lowest prices on these 12 food items therefore I don't need to find a supermarket sale. I simply walk to Target to pick them up. If online prices are less than in-store, your cashier will give you the lower price if you ask for it.

Target's store brands, Good & Gather and Market Pantry are usually as tasty as the name brand.
🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛

I'm sorry Target discontinued their Oreo knockoff, it tastes 100% like Oreos. I'll have to try competitor Walmart's store brand of Oreos, which I'll show below:

Walmart's Oreo knockoff

Walmart's chocolate cookies with cream centers are half the price of Oreos also. Other Great Value food has been great ... except for saltine crackers which aren't as tasty as Target's house brand or other name brands.

Another winner is C-Town's store-brand soft Dutch Chocolate cookies (which is what Oreos are). They are without cream centers yet still delicious. Interestingly enough, we are charged $2.00 in Manhattan for the same package and quantity.
🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛 

A final Target tip: Be sure to buy milk, peanut butter, or eggs before you run out to avoid an empty shelf. It's annoying to run out and then have to wait for a shipment to arrive on key food items.





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Monday, July 17, 2023

Washcloths, Save or Splurge?

Walmart
Let me cut to the chase. After decades of buying washcloths, I learned to save and not splurge on this household essential. You want to splurge on big, thick, thirsty bathroom towels that can be washed time and again but save on washcloths. Here's why:

1) Washcloths, whether they are made by Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, Walmart, or Target, get ugly really fast. Cute doesn't stay cute for long regardless of price. After you wash a washcloth twice it doesn't look new anymore. Washcloths get stained by personal care products (like vitamin C serum) and look somewhat dingy after multiple machine washes and there's little you can do about it.

Pottery Barn
2) Unlike bath towels, big thick thirsty washcloths are actually a drawback. I have 4 Pottery Barn washcloths that I hate to use for 2 reasons: (a) the color bleeds and (b) they take 2 days to dry before I can toss them into the clothes hamper. This experience turns me off of big, thick, thirsty washcloths.

3) While you don't need a ton of bath towels, you do need a ton of washcloths, one freshly laundered washcloth daily for every member of your family. A ton of Pottery Barn washcloths costs a tidy sum! Not so at Walmart or Target.

Target
4) I happen to prefer the lighter Target or Walmart washcloths to the heavier more expensive Pottery Barn ones as it's easier to swish around and buff the skin with less weight.

5) The bargain Target and Walmart washcloths are good enough, they won't soon fall apart, and you get unbeatable value for the money -- such as 6 washcloths for $5, as well as, sales like 6 washcloths for $2.40, as opposed to, $14.50 each for Pottery Barn or $25 each for Ralph Lauren as in only one!

6) With such substantial savings, you can afford to buy spanking-new washcloths more often and still come out ahead. 

Walmart
Once upon a time, I bought sets of matching bath towels and washcloths, but I no longer do since as it turns out nobody cares. In washcloths, I don't look for Egyptian threads or Turkish cotton either. Nowadays I buy big thick thirsty cotton bath towels and good enough cotton washcloths as needed. Pay the piper when it counts. 

Other tips: 

When selecting these home goods create one washer load only: Either buy all white towels and washcloths (and perhaps bedding) or go with colors and skip the whites. Why create the need to do 2 loads of laundry weekly? Simplify a repetive job by going one way or the other.
 
Don't overbuy washcloths just because they're cheap as there's never a washcloth shortage. Always buy enough not more than enough. You're welcome!😛🙂

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Temu Got Me to Buy A Mini Washer/Spinner

In a previous blog, I admitted this foldable mini washer/spinner was a temptation to buy. Temu, a popular and legitimate Chinese online megastore that sells a myriad of practical and inexpensive products, ran a Facebook promotion offering it for $5 in exchange for downloading its app and so like Adam and Eve, I bite the apple ordering it.🍎🍏

I'm impressed by how fast it arrived (in 7 days) and by Temu's vigilant communication, texting me with status updates and a package tracking number. The 4 items I ordered (you need to spend $10 for an order to ship, and it ships free) were also securely packed, and I liked the minimal waste, yet sufficient wrapping to protect the items


Not only am I impressed by Temu's good customer service, but I'm impressed by how well the mini washer/spinner works. It's got a fair amount of features: 1) 3 control buttons to wash for 5 or 10 minutes and a 2-minute spin cycle; 2) a substantial handle to carry it; 3) 4 suction cup "feet" on the bottom to lessen sliding; 4) a water drain valve; and 5) a spinner that snaps on and off.

Last night I tested the washer/spinner with two 5-minute cycles of mini washes (as opposed to standard washer loads). It works very well on a few lightly soiled pieces, such as three shirts or a dress you wear a couple of times and wish to freshen up. Also great for delicates.

I manually filled the mini washer with hot water, 1 tablespoon of Oxi Tide, and cleaned (1) my senior mother's Old Navy t-shirt and another top; then (2) her cotton knit Athletic Works trousers with my Uniqlo bra-top. After two 5-minute cycles, I emptied the soapy water by pouring it into the sink and refilling the mini washer/dryer with fresh water for two 5-minute rinse cycles. Finally, I ran the spinner twice avoiding having to wring out the water by hand. That alone is priceless.

The mini washer replaces handwashing! Here it is cleaning my Old Navy swing dress stained by coffee became somebody came up behind me with a surprise hug at the exact same time I lifted up my coffee cup to take a sip. The coffee spilled on the side of my clean dress, so into the mini washer, it went.

The unit is compact enough to take on trips and it beats handwashing socks and light apparel in a hotel sink. This innovative, fun "toy" is quiet and ample enough to keep up with seniors and babies who tend to get spots of food on their freshly laundered clothes!

Ahh, look at our little cutie drying on my dish rack.😘

Up to 3 women's t-shirts or a pair of knit trousers do indeed boop up and down in a whirlpool of soapy or rinse water. At the end of the wash, they do smell and look clean. The mistake would be to overfill so the clothes can't twirl around. What's more, you don't want to overdo the amount of soap. You'll then have to work harder to rinse the suds out with fresh water.

The mini washer/spinner is so darn cute, I love it. If durable (time will tell), I'd definitely recommend it at its regular price. Walmart and Amazon are selling it at higher prices than Temu -- all 3 retailers are supplied by multiple vendors, and I bet all the mini washers/dryers come from the same factory in China.


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Homemade OxiClean Is Cheap

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Difeel Shampoos and Conditioners

I discover so many fantastic organic and natural personal care brands at T.J. Maxx for less. As needed, I buy them for both myself and my senior mom. I don't know when Difeel, a US-based beauty company, launched its line of hair products, but several varieties of its shampoo and conditioner landed on the shelves at TJ Maxx this week. Not knowing the brand, I waited a beat to buy a set. When I returned a day later, the Rosemary and Mint sets were gone, but I was still able to buy a Rosemary and Mint conditioner and Castor Pro-Growth Shampoo for my mother. I washed her hair this morning. Two winners -- both selections are gentle and clean -- free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.

Difeel's formulas are infused with biotin to help promote healthy hair growth. All its formulas stimulate the scalp and moisturize and strengthen the hair. Biotin plays a role in the health of your hair, skin, and nails.

We love how it cleans the hair and leaves it fresh with no residue. 

If you can get to TJ Maxx in time, you can score the large 33.8-ounce size bottles with a pump (another love of mine -- big quantities that last a while). The sets are an unbeatable $12.99 each and the singles are an unbeatable $6.99 -- about the same price you might pay for Dollar Store subpar shampoo or conditioner. Although an incredible, unbeatable steal, they are also reasonably priced on Amazon, Walmart, and at other stores.

Lucky us, my hesitation didn't cause my mother to miss out. I highly recommend Difeel ... for all hair types, especially hair that needs nourishment and a little tender loving care. This week TJ Maxx has the entire Difeel line of shampoos, conditioners, and hair treatments in stock! Run!! They're flying off the shelves!!!


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Monday, June 19, 2023

4U By Tia Is Created For Curly Hair

Although all hair textures are biologically the same, made mostly of protein, namely keratin, curly hair forms deep in the scalp from a curved bulb and takes its spiral shape from irregularly distributed keratin.

Curls are naturally drier and more porous than straight hair. They are more fragile plus tend to take more abuse from daily styling; and finally due to their shape, conditioners have a tougher time migrating from the root to the end of curly hair.

4U by Tia is a brand founded by actress Tia Mowry offering a line of natural hair care products based on science for curly hair. 

Although not dirt cheap, it is created with good clean ingredients and sold at Walmart and Target so regular people on a budget can afford high-performance haircare to "elevate their curls." 

4U By Tia has lavish products to clean and condition your naturally curly hair; nourish and treat it; or tame and style it.

Because products designed for curly-and-people-of-color are made to be mild for hair that tends to be drier and more delicate, I think nearly every head can use it. 

Surprised? Here's why: Clean, natural ingredients made to stop stripping your scalp of its natural oils can benefit every hair type. I've had no issues using gentle formulas on my straight Caucasian hair.

Wishing a Happy Juneteenth to my fellow Americans and a few other countries who observe it!