Costs seem to explode when daily skin care meets anti-aging.    Brand name tretinoin ( eg Retin A) clocks in  at $300 for a tube that lasts  six months.   Generic Retin A drops to about $200.  Upscale anti-aging  brands with  effective levels of retinol are lower at about $100, but still a  significant bit of change.  And then there are the luxury department store brands  like La Mer and Perricone  that will cost more than $300 a  jar– and thats   just for one product in the recommended routinue.

There are  anti-aging products  that don’t   cost much, but they  don’t do much either.  The challenge is to find affordable   anti-aging  forumlations that  deliver  real results.   I believe that   when a  low cost  cream or mask  doesn’t  deliver,  you are still wasting your  money, albeit less of it.

Glycolic Acid– cheap and effective

The search for  acessible anti-aging skin care starts with  deciding what you want from them.  As the  years go by skin growth slows down, dark spots pop-up  and   our  healthy glow  is replaced with  a sallow, dull skin tone and textrue.  That’s the bad news.  The good news?  Glycolic acid and vitamin C, either singly or in combination  were born to deal with skin aging.  These  two super age busters  are also among the most inexpensive ingredients used in  skin care  products.

Glycolic acid will remove the top layer of dead skin cells and stale  oil and encourage  the growth of healthy hew collagen.   Within a  month of use,  pores will shrink and  rough dull  surface  will be replaced  with a fresh healthy glow.  Think of glycolic acid as “Retin A  light”.   It will  produce real results without irritation– and at about 80% lower cost. Two of my favorite glycolic acid rejuvenation  products are:

Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion ( 10% glycolic) $12- for dry skin

It contains active levels of glycolic acid but forumlated for thin,  dry skin.  Available in pharmacy chains like Duane Reade and online.

Alpha Hydrox AHA wipes ( 14%) $17 for  normal and oily skin

 These wipes are super easy to use  and can be added to  almost any cleansing routinue.   They will  help control breakouts  while stimulating  healthy skin formation. 

Vitamin C– an oldie but goodie

Vitamin C  is  one of the most studied AND effective anti-aging ingredients– and available for literally pennies a day.   Vitamin C  works in three ways– it is essential for  the growth and repair of  healthy collagen, can lighten  dark spots and splotches AND is a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from UV rays.  But  vitamin A is uber  fragile and takes  careful hadling to avoid oxidation.  When this happens, the vitamin C loses much of its power and potency. 

There are a few  wonderful commercial vitamin C  products  ( eg Cellex C and Ski Ceuticals)  that will deliver  full strength benefits.  But they are expensive and if  you want to stretch your beauty dollar, you can make a  truely effective vitamin C serum without  special ingredients or equipment.

DIY Vitamin C Seum

I tried  six different formulas before  adopting  this  one from Gorgeously Green by  Sophie Uliano.  I could find all the ingredients at a local health food store and  had all the tools I needed in my kitchen.  While DIY  products are so tempting, some formulas  can involve ordering special chemicals and tools, eg scales and thermometers.  These add up and the bottom line here is to save money.

Budget Busting Vitamin C Serum

Ingredients:  2 teaspoons, water (  boiled and cooled), 2 teaspooons vitamin C powder in the form of L-ascorbic acid ( $10 for 4 oz.)  , 2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin ( $10 for 4 oz.), dark brown bottle with eye dropper.  These ingredients  will last three months at the cost of  $1.60 a week.  Seriously.

Directions:  In a little bowl, mix the water and vitamin C until the powder is dissolved. Mix in the glycerin.  Using the eye dropper, transfer  the mixture  to the dark brown bottle. It will stay active for a week.  If you have any leftover, discard it and  mix up a fresh batch.

To  use, shake the bottle well and  put two  drops on fingertips.  Rub in a bit on the  hands then apply to the face.  Repeat  for neck and chest.  And that’s it.  You might feel a  sight tingling that will fade in a moment.  Unlike glycolic acid which  show almost  immediate results, vitamin C takes  time to see benefits.  The changes are  internal but in a few months  you should notice  fewer dark patches and  a radiance that only comes from treating your skin correctly.

In the summer I like to use vitamin C serum under my mineral sunscreen.  In other seasons, I alternate glycolic acid wipes with vitamin C serum  as my bedtime routinue.   Let me know  how you  like to use this home made age buster.