Celebrity Budget Beauty Secrets

THEY may have the money to splash thousands on miracle face creams but these leading ladies believe the secret to looking good can be found on the cheap in the fridge.

While Kylie, who turns 42 today, admits she has had Botox injections in the past, she claims she now only uses Pond's.

She said: "It's all I use to look after my skin. It's an old classic. My mum uses it and it really does work. It's made such a difference."

Kylie is just the latest star to refuse to have her head turned by expensive products. Here, other celebs reveal cheap beauty secrets that will get you red-carpet ready in no time.

So before you throw away the dregs of that nice bottle of wine, why not follow in the footsteps of these Hollywood A-listers and enjoy the best budget beauty busters around.

CAMERON DIAZ

MILK POWDER

STAR TIP: Bubbly Charlie's Angels star Cam has had her fair share of bad skin days but is said to be a devotee of natural remedies to aid her lifelong battle against spots.

The sexy star uses powdered milk as a gentle but effective exfoliant on her acne-prone skin.

DIY: To make your own natural face mask use two egg yolks, a cup of olive oil and a large banana.

Beat the yolks and oil together then add mashed banana and mix well.

Apply to the face and neck and leave for 30 minutes before rinsing with cold water.

NICOLE KIDMAN

CRANBERRY JUICE

STAR TIP: The flame-haired Aussie stunner makes no secret of her top beauty tip - rinsing her famous locks in cranberry juice to bring out the gorgeous red highlights.

DIY: Take one cup of cranberry juice, half a cup of rose hips and rose petals, one tbsp orange peel, two tbsp lemon juice, five bags of raspberry tea and half a cup of pomegranate seeds.

Heat cranberry juice and add other ingredients.

Simmer for five minutes before allowing to cool.

Apply mix to dry hair and leave for 30 minutes before rinsing.

Nicole also uses baby oil to soften her skin, make it glow and even to make her eyelids shimmer.

JENNIFER LOPEZ

VASELINE

STAR TIP: Latin lovely J-Lo shatters the myth that she is a high maintenance diva with her bargain-buster beauty secret.

She says: "You can use Vaseline for loads of things - from taking off make-up to moisturising knees and elbows."

DIY: Vaseline is a great universal fixer for dry skin problems. Apply a thick layer to cracked skin on your feet at night, wear a pair of pure cotton socks to bed and in the morning your feet will be baby-soft.

JENNIFER ANISTON

WATER AND MATCHSTICKS

STAR TIP: Friends beauty Jen's love life may be complicated but her beauty tip is pretty simple and - best of all - free.

She says: "I drink a load of water. If I don't drink enough, I dehydrate badly and my skin goes crepey. Water is important."

Jen - and her former co-star Courteney Cox Arquette - have also been known to use a matchstick as emergency eyeliner.

DIY: Aim to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day for proper hydration.

JULIA ROBERTS

OLIVE OIL

STAR TIP: These days the busy mum-of-three can't always squeeze in a manicure so she keeps her nails in tip-top condition by soaking them in olive oil. This moisturises nails and helps soften cuticles too.

DIY: Add few drops of olive oil to a bowl of lukewarm water and soak nails for at least 10 minutes.

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY

WITCH HAZEL

STAR TIP: The Pirates of the Caribbean star owes her English rose complexion to a basic skincare routine. She says: "Always remove make-up before bed and use witch hazel as toner."

DIY: Apply with cotton wool after cleansing to remove make-up residue and to tone and tighten pores.

TERI HATCHER

WINE

STAR TIP: The Desperate Housewives star adds leftover wine to her bathwater as a skin softener. She says: "If you haven't been able to finish a bottle of wine, pour it into your bathtub, it feels so luxurious."

DIY: Grape seed extract is also a powerful anti-ageing nutrient so get glugging girls.

CINDY CRAWFORD

WHOLE MILK AND WATER

STAR TIP: Supermodel Cindy regularly sprays her face with milk and water mix to keep her skin well-hydrated.

DIY: Mix half a cup of milk with two cups of water in a spritzer bottle and apply to face and decollette throughout the day.

LEFTOVERS And a few quick tips, hot from Hollywood kitchens...

JESSICA BIEL mixes a couple of teaspoons of sugar with her cleanser and uses it as a scrub.

DEMI MOORE uses castor oil as a deep conditioning treatment to keep her hair looking at its glossy best.

DREW BARRYMORE perks up her eyelashes by running a spoon under them and holding it against her lids for a few seconds.

MARIAH CAREY dabs a spot of peppermint extract on her lips to give her pout extra clout.

GISELE BUNDCHEN adds a pinch of spice to her food to kick-start her metabolism.

JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT

COFFEE

STAR TIP: Jen keeps her luscious, brunette locks in tip-top condition by rinsing her hair in coffee.

DIY: After shampooing, rinse hair with eight cups of cooled coffee.

Do not rinse out. This will enhance brunette tones and add shine.

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES

HONEY AND STRAWBERRIES

STAR TIP: Super glamorous Cath swears by honey as a pure skin treatment to enhance her flawless complexion.

She also keeps her Hollywood smile bright by brushing her teeth with strawberries. The home remedy contains malic acid, a mild astringent. Catherine keeps her stunning hair shiny by brushing in some castor oil.

DIY: Mix one egg, one teaspoon of honey, half a teaspoon of olive oil and a few drops of rosewater and apply as a face mask to hydrate and nourish dry skin.

Honey will heal and moisturise skin and helps promote dead skin cell regrowth.

JOANNA LUMLEY, 64, puts her ageless beauty down to a simple pot of Astral Cream. She said: "I use Astral moisturiser to take off make-up. I've used it since the 60s."

Desperate Housewives star TERI HATCHER, 45, gets glowing skin by refusing to waste a drop of wine. She pours any leftover reds into her bath. The grapes contain resveratrol, an antibiotic-type substance that protects the vines from fungus. Teri says it makes her skin firm and improves elasticity.

Cheryl Cole, 26, keeps her complexion clear by religiously cleansing her skin of all makeup before going to bed. If the singer does get a spot, she relies on nappy rash cream Sudocrem to zap the blemish in an instant.

Actress SCARLETT JOHANSSON, 25, uses Vaseline for her lips. MARILYN MONROE also used it to give her a perfect pout.

Model KATE MOSS and actress PENÉLOPE CRUZ, both 36, are fans of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. As well as a moisturiser, it can be used on the lips for gloss or on cheeks.

Britain's Got Talent judge AMANDA HOLDEN, 39, keeps her blonde locks glossy with Daniel Galvin Junior Organic shampoo. And her secret to luscious lashes is using Avon's SuperSHOCK

Actress REESE WITHERSPOON's favourite moisturiser is Avon Solutions Hydra-Radiance Cream SPF 15. The 34-year-old said: "I'm a working mother. I keep it simple and quick."

Sex And The City's SARAH JESSICA PARKER, 45, looks young thanks to sunscreen. She said: "I can't live without it. It's also essential to drink lots of water and moisturise regularly."

Lost actress MAGGIE GRACE, 26, keeps her skin glowing with Johnson's Baby Lotion.

Vitamin D Holds Key to Huge Range of Health Benefits

Newly published research in the US has found a link between a lack of vitamin D - which is produced in the body during exposure to sunlight - and depression in older people. Scientists also reckon spending more time in the sun may help protect against multiple sclerosis. Low vitamin D levels have also been linked to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and severe asthma as well as kids' bone disease rickets.
In older people, lack of vitamin D is quite common and has been linked to fractures and a wide variety of chronic illness. Nutritionist Lilia Sinclair said: "You get a chemical release from sunshine and absorption of vitamin D, which creates the feel good factor and makes the body function better. The theory that living close to the equator makes you healthier and more likely to do well at sports and athletics stands up. The problem with living in Scotland is that we don't get enough sunlight, and we struggle to get outside at the best of times. To really sythesise vitamin D, you need to go into the sun without any sunscreen, glasses or a hat, for 20 to 60 minutes. If you cover up at all times you don't get the benefits."

HERE'S A LOOK AT THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN D FOR OUR HEALTH.

It CAN help fight fatigue and give us energy and vitality. People who are deficient in vitamin D often go to their doctors with constant symptoms of fatigue, exhaustion, moodiness and sometimes body aches and pains.

IT IS related to mood levels and plays a role in winter SAD (seasonal affective disorder), depression affecting people who don't get enough sunshine during the winter months. This is because vitamin D helps the brain produce serotonin, a substance critical to emotional health. Inncreased vitamin D consumption elevates mood and promotes a positive outlook. US psychiatrist John Cannell said deficiency contributes to many mood problems: "About 90 per cent of my patients are vitamin D deficient. I put them on a vitamin D regimen and it improves their mood disorders."

In SERIOUS cases, vitamin D deficiency has been connected with disorders of the body's immune system, such as multiple sclerosis.

SYMPTOMS of vitamin D deficiency can be skin and hair that look "tired" and lack tone and brilliance.

STUDIES have shown that sunlight and therefore exposure to vitamin D can prevent certain types of cancer. The vitamin plays a role in controlling the production of cells and is manufactured in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. It is thought to protect against certain cancers by preventing the over-production of cells.

A STUDY of women with Alzheimer's disease found that decreased bone mineral density was associated with a low intake of vitamin D and inadequate sunlight exposure.

FOR women, vitamin D can also cut the risk of incontinence, pelvic floor disorders and weakened pelvic muscles, as a result of injuries through pregnancy, giving birth and illness.

PITTSBURGH University research concluded that women with low levels of the vitamin are an astounding 70 per cent more likely to suffer hip fractures than those with sufficient levels.

KEEPING vitamin D levels high is known to help prevent bacterial infections during pregnancy.

A GERMAN Cancer Research Centre study concluded that women with extreme vitamin D deficiency had a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer than those with adequate levels.

A FOUR-YEAR clinical trial reported in the American journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that improving calcium and vitamin D nutritional status substantially reduced all risk of cancer in post menopausal women.

SUFFICIENT levels of vitamin D may cut the risk of heart disease in older women by as much as one-third, due to the ability of vitamin D to help prevent the build up of calcium deposits in the arteries.

While it is important to have vitamin D in your diet, it is possible to have too much. This happens when someone with a healthy amount of sun exposure eats foods containing the vitamin while taking a supplement.

Further reading: UK - US