My shopping habits have changed so dramatically that can honestly say I have checked into spending rehab. The time I spend away from my credit card is less painful than I would have thought. Sure, I have withdrawal symptoms, but I am also beginning to welcome the zen-like calm of a life that doesn't scream OMG, I have to have that (think shoes, bags, latest miracle cream) right now and I mean now. Having said all that, it struck me the other day that there are some of my anti-aging products that are worth every cent and will be replenished the minute I have scraped very precious drop from them. Recession Be Damned.

Take a look at some of my can't live withouts and drop a few hints to your loved one as Valentine's Day approaches.

Tracie Martyn's Amla Purifying Cleanser ($65). This is hands down the best cleanser I have ever found. As I am always saying, it is more of a treatment than a cleanser. So much so, that last Tuesday I gave my three-quarters full bottle to my friend Alexander, a rosacea sufferer undergoing a particularly bad bout after flying from Germany to Phoenix to New York (air con and lack of real oxygen are guaranteed to bring a flush to the rosacea's sufferer's cheeks). The next day I reordered it for myself without hesitation. Amla is a gentle exfoliator (using pineapple and papaya enzymes, as well as malic and lactic acids) and a cleanser in one. The salicylic acid helps control oil. Sometimes, I just leave it on while I have my shower before rinsing off so that I can absorb the vitamin C, turmeric (keeps my rosacea at bay) and, of course amla. This is also known as the Indian gooseberry. It has loads of vitamin C and gallic acid, which is a potent polyphenol (a type of antioxidant). Plus there is nothing not to like.

Kronos Phyx Overnight Repair Mask ($105). When I first saw the price tag for this, I thought it was a joke. Then I saw that it came with some back up: Kronos claimes to be clinically proven to work in an independent trial. After four weeks hair strength and elasticity was improved by a whopping 96% and volume by a more modest, but nevertheless welcome, 26%. I can say that I too have noticed results. My hair looks great (just the right amount of volume, plus shine)  the next day after shampooing the mask out. There's about five million ingredients and some that I don't like. But the thing works! Plus a little goes a very long way.

Your Best Face Correct ($150 in the TIA shop). I know I am a broken record about this eye cream and I won't repeat all the things I've said before. Well, just that it has spin trap, a molecule that lasoos free radicals and puts them out to graze. Plus all my friends noticed that I was using a new eye cream and have since emailed me for the name. I'm on my third bottle.

Reluma Skin Illuminating Anti-Aging Serum ($135 in the TIA shop). I'm on my third bottle of this as well (actually, the second - I bought the third for a friend). It works and I have had no adverse reactions. The actives are growth factors. As we age, the critical proteins for healthy skin start to decline. These proteins and growth factors can be isolated as PDGF, VEGF, FGF, IGF³ and TGF-B. Of these, TGF-B is thought to be the most important because its signals are recognized by the majority of cells. Actually, they all have a job to do, but it is the combination of them that makes ReLuma work. That's according to ReLuma. But, all I can say is work, it does.

Malie Organic Body Polish ($40). I first bought this after Jimmy raved about the Malie spa (of course he had to go to Hawaii to try it out). I have had to make do with one of the products made with organic plants grown in the spa's gardens. After my third tub, I decided I had to break the habit. It has to be ordered from www.malie.com, takes a few weeks to show up and then seems to disappear in the shower remarkably quickly. I was starting to begrudge the $40. So I've been trying out alternatives (some of which I will review in detail, some of which are OK, and all of which are more convenient and at least half the price), but none live up to the brilliant glossy smoothness that Malie gives me. It has won me back.

Ingredients in Amla Cleanser

Aqua (purified water), amla extract, sorbitol, coconut and soy amino acids, castor and soy hydrolized protein, decyl glucoside and lauryl lactylate, lactic acid, salicylic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin c), malic acid, allantoin (comfrey), papaya enzymes, pineapple enzymes, silicon dioxide, honeysuckle extract, turmeric extract, spinach extract, blend of spearmint, lime and other natural essential oils.

Ingredients in Kronos Phyx

Water (Aqua), Behentrimonium Chloride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-37, Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethiconol, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Glycerin, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Orbignya Speciosa Kernel Oil, Oryzanol, Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Betaine, South Sea Pearl Powder Extract, Brazilian Coral Powder Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hexapeptide-11, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-3, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Cudrania Tricuspidata (Mulberry) Bark Extract, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Lycium Chinensis (Chinese Matrimony Vine) Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Prunus Mume (Ume) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Communis (Pear) Fruit Extract, Rubus Coreanus (Wild Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Uuron Cha Ekisu) Leaf Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Fullerenes, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Urea, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butylene Glycol, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Citric Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Fragrance (Parfum), BHT, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Isohexadecane, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool.

Ingredients in YBF Correct
Reverse osmosis water, licorice root extract, snap-8 (acetyl glutamyl hexapeptide-3), pepha-timp (polypeptide), cucumber extract, simugel (C16H34), syn-ake (tripeptide), haloxyl (hydroxysuccinimide, chrysin, palmitoyl oligopeptide (and) palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3), nutmeg butter, matrixyl 3000 (palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3), dimethyl isosorbide, alpha arbutin, cyclomethicone (and) dimethicone copolyol, ethyhexyl palmitate, spin trap (phenyl butyl nitrone), glycerine, l-proline, provitamin B5, raspberry seed extract, alpha lipoic acid, sepilift DPHP (palmitoyl-1, palmitoyloxy-4 proline), triglyceride, paraben du, sodium hyaluronate, caffeine, cetearyl isononanoate, ceteareth-20, cetearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, cetyl palmitate, ceteareth-12, vitamin e, BHT, olive leaf extract, vitamin a, violet leaf extract, oakmoss absolute.

Ingredients in ReLuma Skin Illuminating Anti-Aging Serum

Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media, deionized water, gycerin, sodium PCA, allantoin, panthenol, cellulose gum, DMDM hydantoin, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.

Ingredients in Malie

Hawaiian sea salt, organic virgin coconut oil, organic cocoa butter, mango butter, organic vanilla bean, organic vitamin E, vanilla essential oil, Kaua”i clay, organic grapefruit seed extract, organic citric acid, organic tapioca, organic tumeric.