Beauty Secrets - The Ultimate Guide

We've all experienced a fashion emergency or wished we could improve out beauty regimen with easy, inexpensive adjustments. So here are some quick and easy ways to stave off that unsightly pimple, keep under eye bags at bay and have gorgeous skin all year long.

Pimple Rx

Feel a pimple coming on and can't walk around with chalky white toothpaste on your face? Try dabbing some of your perfume on the blemish a few times throughout the day. The alcohol in the perfume will help dry it out (plus you'll smell great!).

Sleep better

Have trouble falling asleep but you've exhausted your sleep aid prescription? Why not try to catch some Z's the natural way? Lavender is known to promote alpha waves, which are necessary for restful sleep. Try soaking in a bath before bed with Lavender salts or Lavender oil.

Here's another idea: take a Lavender face pillow and pop it in the microwave on low for a couple of minutes, then place inside your pillowcase. Put your arms over your head and clasp hands, then stretch your clasped arms as far to the right as possible (make sure you remain comfortable) and then back over your body to the left. Repeat about five times. Breathe in deeply as you do these stretches, which will get the oxygen flowing.

Perfect that Pout

We can only dream of having lips like Angelina-well naturally anyway. Most of us have at least thought about using a lip plumper, hoping to look in the mirror and see gloriously luscious lips smiling back at us. The key is getting lips ready for lip plumper, so it can penetrate and do its job.
Here's a little trick that won't cost you a dime. Apply a small amount of Vaseline on a soft bristle tooth brush that's been moistioned with warm water. Ever so gently brush lips for about 2 minutes-you might want to do this while watching TV, two minutes can feel like forever. Remove the Vaseline with moistened towelette or soft washcloth and then blot dry. Apply moisturizer, sunscreen and lip plumper. Then go show off your beautifully plumped lips.

p.s. If you don't want to splurge on a store-bought lip plumper, dab a tiny-and we mean tiny-amount of Cayenne pepper on your lips. It'll sting a little, but what's a little pain in the name of looking gorgeous?

Baby Soft Skin

Wonder why some women appear to have plump, hydrated skin even in the middle of winter while yours is so dry it hurts to smile? Chances are those other ladies are doing a few things differently-or else they are genetically perfect and we don't like them anyway.

When it comes to keeping your skin hydrated it only makes sense to drink lots of water. Water keeps the cells in your body quenched, so your skin looks luminous and your appetite is curbed (great skin and a trim figure-it's too for the price of one!). You've heard it before but we'll say it again, get eight 8oz glasses a day. Your skin will thank you.

Here's something you may not have heard before: distilled water is the best for drinking because chlorine and other contaminants are greatly reduced when the water is boiled. To hydrate your skin throughout the day try a purified water mister.

Moisturizing Basics

The best time to moisturize is immediately after bathing when your body is damp and moist. Smooth on Body Butter, Body Cream, or Body Lotion to lock in moisture. And you don't have to spend a lot of money.

Some may think the more expensive a moisturizer is, the more effective it will be against dry skin. But this really is a myth. That's not to say expensive lotions don't make us feel more luxurious (even if it's just because we know how much it cost). But the good news is-especially if you don't have a $200 a month beauty budget-is that you can still yourself to radiant, glowing skin for the cost of your daily Starbucks and muffin, just by visiting your local drugstore. There are lots of great moisurizers that hydrate and condition dry, thirsty skin with natural ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E.

In addition to applying lotion daily, here are some other helpful tips to keep skin smooth during the winter months:

• Keep your shower times shorter and limit your exposure to hot water. Try turning on the radio and limiting yourself to just 2-3 songs as a guide.
• Avoid intense scrubbing while showering. Choose a soft soap rather than an exfolient. Here's an idea. The SALUX Beauty Skin Cloth gently exfoliates the skin with a special texture that stimulates blood circulation, while requiring you to use less soap.
• Don't forget your sunscreen! Sun damage can still happen with clouds in the sky, so it's very important to continue to wear no less than SPF 15 every day.

Frizz-free hair

On the go and forgot your hair pomade? Don't freak out-and certainly don't let your hair freak out. Apply a small dollup of hand lotion in your hands, then gently smooth hands over your hair. This will help to tame unruly hair. You can also use a tiny amount of Vaseline on the ends of your hair.
For future hair emergencies, make sure to pick up one of these great products to keep on hand and in your medicine cabinet: Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream , Biosilk Silk Therapy, which also doubles as a great skin salve, and Aveda Brilliant Emollient Finishing Gloss.

De-puff eyes

Trust me I've become a pro at de-puffing eyes. Computer strain, too little sleep, too much sleep, stress-you name it and it makes my eyes puff up like a cream cheese wonton. If you're looking for a quick fix that's more effective than cucumbers, try a green tea or black tea bag (it must contain caffeine). Dip it in hot water then toss it in the freezer for 5 minutes. If you have some foresight pop an anti-histamine like Benedryl the night before and you'll wake up bag-free. Supplements can help with puffiness too. MSM with Glucosamine, Flax Oil and Evening Primrose Oil seem to help alleviate puffiness.

Fake tan streaks

With all the publicity about skin cancer you feel guilty getting a tan the old fashioned way. So you tried a self-tanner or maybe you opted for the Mystic Tan booth. Unfortunately you ended up with the telltale streaks on your arms, legs, feet ... okay everywhere. Don't worry, you don't have to wear a turtleneck and pants until it fades. Hop in the shower right away (some will inevitably come off anyway) and generously rub down with an exfoliating body scrub followed by a rigorous scrubbing with a loofah. For really bad cases around the ankles, feet, elbows and hands (usually the driest parts of your body), you can use a callous file to eliminate unsightly streaks. We don't recommend incorporating these measures into your regular routine but if you've got a hot date or a big event you can't exactly show up looking like you got in a fight with a can of orange spray paint either.

Better yet--avoid rubbing your skin raw with St. Tropez Self-Tan Remover. Like magic it removes unsightly stains from your palms and other body parts if you mess up (the only caveat: it only works up to 4 hours after you apply self tanner). Find it at Sephora, Bath and Body Works, Victoria's Secret and Red Door Salons.