Now this really is beauty on a budget. Dr Fredric Brandt — the Botox man — says that just by eliminating sugar from your diet, you can look ten years younger in ten days.

And it isn’t just by losing weight : “In a nutshell, sugar hastens the degradation of elastin and collagen, both key skin proteins. In other words, it actively ages you,” he claims.

In a new book, 10 Minutes/Ten Years: Your Definitive Guide to a Better and Youthful Appearance, Brandt says he saw a remarkable change in his own skin when he dropped sugar from his diet. He lost 20lb in weight, but also gained a new “glow, radiance and elasticity” in his face. Within a year, his body had changed as well.

“I’m really lean and have the body of a teenager, although I’m in my 40s … Believe me, it’s cheaper than a facelift.”

He continues, “The sugar triggers a process in the body called glycation. This is where the sugar molecules bind to your protein fibres — those wonderfully springy and resilient collagen and elastin fibres — which are the building blocks of skin.”

However, just by overheating starchy foods or grilling them, the sugar content mutates producing Advanced Glycation End products, AGEs, which do immense harm to the skin.

This is quite a complex book, so if you’re really interested in its message, we suggest you read it in detail.

Beauty products can be very expensive, especially if you buy the top brands or are enticed by celebrity chit-chat or product placement. The more a product is advertised, the more you’ll pay is a general rule of thumb.

So what’s the cheapest hair spray that works?

First buy yourself a reusable spray device. These are generally available in most DIY or general stores. If not, try the gardening department.

Here’s the recipe for an inexpensive hair spray :

Choose a lemon for normal hair or an orange for dry hair. Put the whole fruit in a saucepan with two cups water.

Boil until half the water remains. Cool, strain, and place in a spray bottle. Store in the refrigerator. If it’s too sticky, add more water. Add one ounce rubbing alcohol as a preservative and then the spray can be stored for up to two weeks unrefrigerated.

Some skin lotions may soon come with the label “recommended by doctors” as a result of a new study at the University of Michigan Health System which proves that lotions containing retinol actually do reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

The study showed that retinol improves the appearance of skin that is wrinkled due to the natural aging process as well as skin affected by photoaging, or sun damage.

Wrinkle reduction was the result of increased collagen production and the induction of glycosaminoglycans, which are known to retain large quantities of water.

The study involved a lotion prepared by U-M just for the experiment. Sorry, but they won’t be selling their lotion so you will have to buy another of the many commercially prepared cosmetic lotions that contain retinol. Specific brands were not tested.

Retinol lotion reduces the fine wrinkles from natural aging of skin, University of Michigan study finds.

Spring is in full swing and so are frilly, feminine sundresses, and fresh looks for face, hair and even nails. This spring, uncover those nails and strip off the dark colors of fall and winter; we are going lighter - shimmering pastels to white, french manicure to barely-there pinks.

Some recommended products:

* Sally Hansen Star Opal Nail Glaze - wear alone or with a french manicure. Eight pastel shades that glide on shiny and smooth in just 1 coat. Real crushed opals to give that iridescent shimmer.

* Revlon’s Sweet Nothings Radiant Lacquer - pearls of pigment in luscious pastels that add shine and dazzle. Six pastel to sheer shades. DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free.

* L’oreal Bijou Facets collection. Pastel shades with optic fibers to create a dimensional and unique look. Try Hopeful, Pure, Innocent and Sweet shades for a girlish, spring look.