A youthful appearance comes at an expensive price—these costs will continue rising, especially now that the US economy goes into recession. That’s why many consumers are cutting down on cosmetic expenses. According to a recent consumer confidence, 59 percent of women have cut spending on cosmetics and 55 percent decreased their skin care purchases.   

However, Mickey Williams—a renowned make-up artist and beauty consultant—you don’t have to compromise beauty to save some money. Williams say you can achieve million-dollar results for a pocket-friendly price.

“By simply changing a beauty technique or looking at products beyond the medicine cabinet, you can make a real difference in achieving a more youthful appearance at a reasonable price,” commented Williams. “Also, beauty buys can be had at your local drugstore. For example, Blistex Deep Renewal is a new lip treatment that contains advanced ingredients found in high-end anti-aging products, but at a fraction of the cost.”

Here are William’s five anti-aging tips for $5 (taken from www.napsnet.com):

• Raid your pantry. People underestimate the aging power of stained teeth. Many teeth-whitening products are available, but nothing is more affordable and effortless in restoring your pearly whites than baking soda. Simply mix baking soda with water or your favorite minty toothpaste and brush right onto your teeth.

• Give some lip service. A slip from lips isn't the only thing that can reveal age. Fine lines and wrinkles on lips add years to the face. Keep lips looking young by moisturizing them regularly with lip balm containing SPF-15 sun protection. Also consider looking for an anti-aging lip product, such as Blistex Deep Renewal, that offers hyaluronic acid to improve skin condition and give lips a fuller appearance, and co-enzyme Q-10 for moisturization and overall revitalization. It's clinically proven to reduce the length and depth of lines and wrinkles on lips.

• Lighten up. White eyeliner eliminates the red rim that creates a tired and aged look. Gently apply a white or beige liner to the inner rim of eyes for an immediate pick-me-up and eye brightener.

• Tame the tweezing. Not only are fuller, thicker eyebrows all the rage this season, they also push the rewind button on an overall look. If brows are over-tweezed or thin by nature, use a light blond or taupe pencil-regardless of skin color-to create an illusion of a light shadow for a more natural look.

• Use concealer correctly. Using a lightweight concealer as a spot corrector is one of the best ways to hide bags and discoloration and ultimately erase years from your appearance.