When I was a kid,  “night cream” was the only skin care product that most women used.  My mother’s was a Rea & Derick Drugstore proprietary blend called “Cream Lilas.” It was thick, with a definite sheen, and looked a little like stiffly beaten egg whites mounded up in the jar. It had a significant but not too perfume-y scent. There was still a jar on Mom’s dresser when she passed. Heaven knows what was in this stuff, but Mom never looked her age till she hit 80. I doubt that any higher-priced product would have done any better; her beautiful skin was probably more the result of her Mediterranean heritage and a lifetime of olive oil consumption.

I’ve always believed that you shouldn’t put junk on your skin. I started using Clinique cleanser and toner in my mid-30 and over the years used many high end products, including several luxurious French brands. Quite honestly, who among us doesn’t want to look our best and, as we age, “reduce the appearance of” wrinkles and saggy baggy skin? If you don’t, you are amazing and have my admiration, but you are the exception rather than the rule. Now that I am #retired, however, logic and economy have become more important to me. Unless you’re committed to 100% organic, the active ingredients in any of these products are very similar. And the “state of the science” is what it is.

So I decided to defect.

An exhaustive (and, truthfully, exhausting) online search provided a few product comparisons, but even on the manufacturer’s websites, there is very little guidance on the differences between the various products.Among the plethora of choices I found on Ulta’s “drug store side” were day and night moisturizers, eye cream, various serums, BB creams, exfoliating masques, and do-it-yourself peels—Neutrogena Ageless Intensives, ^® Olay Regenerist^®, L’Oréal Paris Revitalift^®, not to mention Roc^® and Garnier^®. Pricewise, there isn’t much difference among these, but compared to Philosophy and other even “dearer” brands, the gap is huge.  I ended up with the L’Oréal, quite frankly, because there was a buy one-get second for 50% off deal. So I spent about $30 less than I would have if I’d gone for the Philosophy Miracle Worker line.

Progress Report:
I’ve been using the Revitalift products for several weeks. Thus far, I can report that the scents are pleasant and not overbearing, that the texture is lovely, and that my face feels light and clean after application. I’ll keep you posted.

I know that many of my friends (of all ages, in fact) have expressed frustration at the cost of high-end skin care. Thus, I would love your feedback. The great thing about blogs is that it gives us a chance to learn from each other.