Whenever I go into the drugstore to get beauty products, I end up spending over $50 every time. Do you? And forget about it if I head into the cosmetics section of a department of specialty store. But right now, when faced with decisions like if you buy baby formula or baby pink nail polish, we're siding with our kids, of course. But how do we get the beauty items we need without feeling like we're cheating our family?

GinaPQueen brings up a good thought about how shopping online is cheaper than in stores because you save on gas to get to those stores. We all need to cut back in many ways, so I looked to some experts for advice. Dr. Debra Luftman and Dr. Eva Ritvo, authors of The Beauty Prescription, can show us how to stay beautiful when the money is tight. The best part? Some of their 10 tips won't even cost you a thing!

  1. It turns out we all tend to underestimate our beauty by 20 percent. Give yourself a dose of self confidence by looking in the mirror and realizing that others see you as more attractive than you see yourself. Repeat after me: I look good today!
  2. Drug store brands work just as good as the fancy department store brands. It's the ingredients that count not the packaging. Many drug store brands have sister products in the department stores. Did you know that Lancôme and L'Oreal are related? Yep.
  3. Smile and wear bright lipstick for an instant pick-me-up. Eyes are the first things people notice about you but a warm beautiful smile seals the deal. Don't like bright colors? Go with a gloss!
  4. Get a beauty buddy. I'm volunteering to be yours! It's associated with a release of the hormone oxytocin which gives you that feeling of calm, will make your skin glow, and you'll feel more beautiful about yourself.
  5. When it comes to skin care keep it simple (‘KIS')...you don't need 10 products to have beautiful skin, you only need three: an exfoliating cleanser, sunscreen, and a therapeutic night cream.
  6. Look in your kitchen for free beauty products. Soak green tea bags in water and freeze for great eye de-puffers. For a youthful and pretty pink kisser, mix granular sugar with cherry Jello and do a light scrub of your lips.
  7. Exercise! Thirty minutes of exercise five days a week will hit all aspects of beauty. Feel good hormones and endorphins are released making your skin glow, building up muscle tone, and your overall attitude is enhanced. I think vacuuming should count!
  8. Curb the lattes. Instead of spending $3-5 a day on coffee, deposit it in a Beauty Piggy Bank and save up a special beauty treatment or procedure. Besides, caffeine dehydrates your skin!
  9. Be in nature. Studies have shown that seeing green is calming, so why not bring plants and flowers into your home? And make sure the lighting in the bathroom is soft and flattering.
  10. Create more beauty in your world. Paint, garden, make jewelry, or combine your clothes in a new way. All these are great stress relievers and mood boosters that will bring out the pretty.

Aren't the tips just what the beauty doctor ordered? Check out the book The Beauty Prescription for more. Dr. Debra and Dr. Eva stress that women who feel good on the inside, mirror that feeling on the outside.

Hmm...I'm starting by changing those lightbulbs in my bathroom and trying the Jello recipe. What about you?