Splurge or Save? The Smartest Beauty Buys

Splurge or Save on Anti-Aging Night Cream?

Splurge.

"If you have a limited budget, your splurging should be done on your treatment cream," says New York City dermatologist Bradford Katchen. What do you get for your money? More sophisticated research and development, and active ingredients that are of higher quality and concentration. Recommended product: Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream ($140 for 1 ounce, lamer.com) nourishes skin with fermented sea kelp, which has iron and vitamins B12 and C.
 
 

The Exception

Don’t shell out for anti-aging creams with alpha hydroxy acids, which help increase skin-cell turnover, as their main active ingredient. "Concentrations of AHAs in drugstore brands often don't differ a lot from department-store brands," says New York City dermatologist Doris Day. So finding an effective formulation doesn't require a lot of cash.