Glamour.Com Goes Shopping at CVS

L'Oreal Revitalift Bright Reveal Glycolic Pads
$19.99

Lovely longtime DivaDebbi readers know I am a well known face at CVS and Sephora in Greenwich.  Nicely, they are situated just a few doors down from one another.  Yes, I have a soft spot for certain high end products, but nothing makes me happier than when high end products and formulas are copied launched by mass market brands.  Why??? Because they are now more affordable.

Glamour.com is a site I visit often.  I was curious to see what their beauty editors were liking best at CVS these days.  Here is the link for you to peruse. I already made my first purchase above.

Altchek MD Glycolic Renewal Pads

Dr. Altchek Glycolic Renewal Pads
$19.99/ 36 count
 Exclusively at Ulta Stores

Here's something to get excited about; famed NYC Dermatologist Dr. Douglas Altchek has created an 8 piece skincare collection exclusively for Ulta.  In addition to his highly regarded private practice, Dr Altchek is also a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mt. Sanai School of Medicine. Some serious brainpower went into devising these products, all with the intent of living up to Dr. Altchek's mantra to, "prevent and correct" skin concerns.

Me likey...What else do I like?  That the entire collection is under $30.  It seems to me that efficacious, Dr. designed skincare of the Murad, Brandt, Grossman, Perricone variety is sorely amiss in this price category, no???

Welcome Dr. Altchek!

Friends and Family/ Black Friday Beauty Deals

I have been inundated all week with pitches about beauty deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  I've narrowed my list and research to some of my favorite skincare and beauty companies.  Jessica Cruel at Bellasugar did a comprehensive round up which you can access here.  Click the links below for details:

Kate Sommerville- 30% off thru December 2nd.  I'm mad for Kate's 360 Body Tanning Towelettes, which are streakless, stinkless and create the perfect golden glow for the Holidays. (I am also hearing great buzz about True Lash $35, her eye makeup remover which has the benefit of actually helping eyelashes grow-- a lot).

Smashbox- 25% off all purchases over $50.  I'm crazy about their BB cream and recently purchased two of their gorgeous Wondervision Eye Sets, a fabulous value that includes a stunning palette of shadow, a black liner and mascara for $32.  Buy one for yourself and give another for a gift, (my favorite strategy).

Getting the Glycolic Glow (Continued)

As promised, a more scoop on my favorite products to get your glow going... 

A few months back, I Blogged about the ability to purchase potent, glycolic acid for DIY peels at home, via the internet.  A client with amazing skin,  told me about it.  She now prefers doing them at home and is literally saving thousands  of  $$ each year, since she stopped visiting the Dermatologist every three weeks, to have this performed.

Avon Calling

The very first glycolic pad I ever used, was Avon's Clinical Advanced Retexturing Peel.   They were simple to use, well priced and left my skin with a perpetual glow.  I was so enamored with this product, that I recommended it to anyone and everyone.  I am sure they thought I was leading a double life as an Avon Lady.  I can't recall where I purchased them from and I used them for quite some time, before falling in love, with a similar product by Dr. Denese.   I eventually left Dr. Denese in the dust after moving on to my latest product crush, Peter Thomas Roth's Un-Wrinkle Pads.   Having recently tested some new products from Anew's Regenerist  and Clinical line, I think it may be time to look at Anew,  well...anew.   The results are stellar.

Take Off

I just received new TotalBeauty Bits about makeup remover "towelettes". I was hooked for a very long time on Olay's Total Effects towelettes, but like most beauty items, no matter how deep my devotion, I have strayed... Good for them! They made the readers top 10 list.

I think I just realized that I am equally obsessed with taking off my makeup, as I am putting it on. Yes, I do like to start with a towelette. At the moment, I am happily getting the ball (of wax) rolling, with CVS's cleansing and makeup remover towelettes. The package reminds us to "compare to Pond's Clean Sweep"...no need. I will take their word for it and save a few nickels in the interim.

Having finally reached the bottom of my Burt's Bees Radiance Cleanser, I was seduced by a sample of Dr. Jeffrey Dover's Skin Effects Glycolic Cream Cleanser. Anything that drops the "G" word has my rapt attention. Residual mascara is whisked away with Lumene's Sensitive Touch Eye Makeup Remover on a triple size cotton ball. As back up, I do a face sweep with L'Oreal's HYDRAFRESH Toner. Every other night, while brushing my teeth, I do a one minute application of Peter Thomas Roth's Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads. Rinse-rinse.

All that Dahlings before I haven't even gotten to the serums, spot remover, eye cream and night cream. Geez! This is insane...get a life Diva!!!

My Mother Joan, a Dove and Nivea Gal, will be shaking her head as she reads this, wondering for the millionth time, if I was switched at birth. I'm pretty sure I'm all yours Mom. I think you should read the Beauty Bits, this "towelette" thing, suits you perfectly...start to finish.

xox,
DD

Readers' Top-Rated Face Wipes

See which facial cleansing towelettes topped our list

This is a TotalBeauty.com best and worst skin care products article Nothing quite takes the place of washing your face with cleanser and water, but the next best thing is a face wipe, no? TotalBeauty.com readers share which towelettes are their BFFs for removing grime post-workout, after a late night of partying, etc. See products

No. 9: Almay Makeup Remover Towelettes, $1.45

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.2

"I am in musicals and wear a lot of makeup, so I need a good remover pad …"

No. 8: Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Wet Cleansing Towelettes, $5.99

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.4

"These remove all my makeup/gunk and …"

No. 7: Dove Daily Hydrating Cleansing Cloths, $5.69

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.4

"They cleanse my skin with a gentle scrub and leave it …"

Want to see what other products made the list? Click here!

Bright Ideas

Every week, I receive a new batch TotalBeauty Bits to share with my readers. Before I do, I laboriously search through all of them to see what interests me and may interest you. Sometimes, I skip them altogether.

It would be dreamy, if they just presented the information in a list format, but the purpose of having to "click" through the whole list, is to add "page views", so TB can rack them up to show their advertisers...Just business, I know, but still a chore...for both of us.

This week TotalBeauty presented the highest and lowest rated "skin brighteners". These products are formulated to even skin tone, improve radiance and the real reason anyone uses them...to fade dark spots.

I am always surprised to see a well regarded skin care line like Peter Thomas Roth's Potent Botanical Skin Brightening Complex take a drubbing, since his Un-Wrinkle Pads are a phenomenon I endorse. Oh well, nobodies perfect and it gives credibility to the whole concept of having unbiased readers rate products.

My goal, is always to find the highest rated product at the lowest cost!
There were two that made the list, one easily accessible at your local drugstore.
Forgive me for not telling you up front...DivaDebbi needs her page views too!

xox,
DD

Best and Worst Skin Brightening Products

See which reader-tested products will help you get the radiant skin you crave

Want luminous skin? Check out the best skin lightening/brightening products and avoid the worst ones, and you'll be um, good to glow. See products

Worst: No. 4: Ambi Fade Cream, $4.99

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.8*

"I put on my first application as instructed and hours later my face starting burning ..."

No. 3: Bremenn Research Labs Lumedia Facial Brightener, $80

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.8*

"I have been using this product for at least 6 months to give it a fair chance, but ..."

Best: No. 6: Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream, $59

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8*

"This is my miracle in a jar …"

Want to see what other products made the list? Click here!

Sisterly Advice

I saw my sister Loren on Sunday. We were equally beauty, makeup and fashion obsessed as teenagers, mystifying our Mother, who could be showered, dressed and out the door in 15 minutes, when she wasn't rushing.

Clearly, she now thinks I am out of my mind and vice verse. Loren has become quite a makeup minimalist and only worships at the La Creme De Mer alter. She visibly shaken, when I told her I was using Terasita's 50% Glycolic Peel at home, looking for signs of my remaining skin, stretched tautly over my skull. Nonsense!!! I just completed my 3rd in a 6 week series and my skin looks FAB! (I saw a friend today who was looking great too. She recently had a peel...but at her Dermatologists office---cost??? $500).

Maybe I should have spared them both the shock and sticker price and just told them I was just using Peter Thomas Roth's Un-Wrinkle Pads, a far milder, yet highly effective, 20% hydroxy acid and peptide treatment.

Who can resist the promise of firm, clearer skin, tighter pores, more even skin tone, diminished fine lines and wrinkles and increased cellular turnover? PTR's Un-Wrinkle Pads have won rave reviews, by women of every age and skin type, on both TotalBeauty and Sephora's website. It was hard for me to imagine how one product could produce glowing reviews and glowing complexions on nearly everyone who tried it. Needless to say, my curiosity was peaked.

Un-Wrinkle Pads couldn't be easier or more convenient to use. Simply use one pad on cleansed skin and leave on from one to three minutes, depending on your tolerance for mild stinging...(you know how long I left it on for, don't you)???, and rinse with cool water. They also smartly recommend using it not just on the face, but the neck, decollete and top of hands. The pads are generously saturated, so you can easily cover that much ground. Depending on your skin type and sensitivity, they can be used nightly or 2-3 times per week. 60 pads cost $45...(that's nearly a two year supply vs. one professional peel).

Will I join the ranks of the besotted??? I believe I already have...you next Sis.

xox,
DD