Better Skin, Fast and Cheap

Cut Back on Washing Your Hair

A lot of women don't realize that while skin-care products have eliminated ingredients that are problematic for skin, hair-care products haven't. I call hair-care products the poison ivy of your skin. Very often, hair-care products will have ingredients that clog pores.

The problematic ingredients in shampoo are fragrance and sodium lauryl sulfate, which helps produce the lather we all like in our shampoos, but is also an irritant.

Instead of washing your hair every day, wash it every other day. And after the age of 35, try to do it once a week.

If You Must Lather Up, Take Precautions

If you must wash your hair every day, use a clear shampoo rather than a creamy one. Look for products without fragrance and sodium lauryl sulfate. They're not always easy to find, but they're out there.

And make sure you pull your hair back when you wash it, so that residue from the shampoo doesn't clog the pores around your hairline. Also, use leave-in conditioner and apply more on your hair than on your scalp.

Smile More to Banish Lip Lines

Many women get concerned about lines around their lips as they mature. But if you spend five minutes every morning and night smiling in a broad smile, you'll actually build up the muscles around your lips.

By the end of six weeks, you should see the depth of the lip lines lessened, and the corners of the mouth can start to turn upward.