Affordable Cosmetics are here to Stay

They said the U.S. recession which began in December 2007 ended last June. Then they said it ended in August. In September, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said “the worst recession since the 1930s has probably ended” but he predicted that the pain would linger on since growth would not likely be strong enough to quickly reduce unemployment.

So how are Age Warriors (and other women) adjusting their personal care spending in the face of tough economic realities and the risk that things could get worse? They haven’t stopped taking care of themselves or stopped trying to slow the (aging) hand of time.

They’ve traded down, buying more affordable brands. My guess is they’re also using some of the products they overstocked before the recession hit. I know I am.

What we’re all finding is that many drugstore bargains feel just as nice and perform as well as the more expensive products we had been using. The cachet of the luxury brands still has its allure. So do the extra services often provided, like free makeovers and gifts with purchase.

As well, the luxury brands sometimes include leading edge ingredients not yet available in drugstore bargain brands. But that is becoming less and less the case. Know your ingredients and read the labels.

Refer to my list of Affordable Top Ten Anti-Aging Products and Top Ten Cosmetic Picks for my faves.

Tags: affordable skincare, anti-aging skincare, drugstore bargains, anti-aging bargains, top ten cosmetic picks , age warriors trading down, personal care budgeting, read ingredient labels