There are thousands upon thousands of beauty products, and even more facials, wraps, hair treatments and the like… and all promise to make you look younger, better, thinner, tighter or, in some manner, more beautiful.  And while I’ve personally tested thousands of treatments and products, this week I’ve rounded up just five beauty musts for any woman who wants to look gorgeous.

Head to a Medical Spa. Regularly.

Head to a reputable medical spa, a local plastic surgeon or a dermatologist that offers aesthetic treatments and do what celebrities and other people whose looks you admire already do, take care of your face diligently and proactively.

Get Botox, if you need it. Opt for Microdermabrasion or photofacials to eradicate fine lines, hyperpigmentation and sun spots.  Lips losing volume? Plump ‘em (just don’t overdo it). Take care of your face the way you take care of your car; invest in regularly scheduled maintenance without fail.  This is the real secret to looking great for years to come; commit to it and work at it.  It’s that easy, and that difficult.

Buy a Silk Pillow Case

Talk to three different beauty experts and you’ll get three different reasons to sleep on silk.  When I first got lash extensions, my esthetician recommended I get a silk pillow case to avoid losing lashes at night.  When I got Brazilian Keratin, my hair stylists recommend I get a silk pillow case to protect my newly frizz-free ‘do. When I got Fraxel, my doctor recommended I get a silk pillowcase to avoid damaging my skin while I slept (no more waking up with sleep creases on my skin). The average person sleeps about one third of their life; a good silk pillow case costs about $20… you do the math.

Retinoids & Sunscreen

One skin care product that has been universally endorsed by skin care experts is retinoids, sold by prescription under brand names Renova and Retin-A. Not only will use of a retinoid keep skin exfoliated – an essential step in cell turn over – but retinoids can also help reduce or clear up acne, improve collagen production, lighten hyper pigmentation and improve skin texture.

Be cautious about using retinoids daily as they can be much too aggressive for many skin types.  And while I always insist that daily use of SPF is an essential step in maintaining healthy, youthful skin, this skin-care must becomes even more essential with retinoid use as skin becomes more sensitive to the sun.

Get Great Hair

Did you know that having great hair is one of your inalienable rights?  So, if you’re still struggling with your locks, in any capacity, it’s time to get it right. There are so many services available to the modern woman, there’s no reason not to have hair you adore. Keratin treatments can smooth and tame even the frizziest of ‘dos, glaze adds shine and hue to lackluster locks, extensions make long hair accessible to all. Great skin and great hair are the building blocks of great beauty. If your hair isn’t naturally great, it’s time to go out and get it.

Invest in Long Lashes

Until you’ve had uber-long lashes, via extensions or a lash growth product like Latisse, it’s hard to understand just how much of a difference lashes can make. But, the reason that seemingly every celeb, from People’s Magazine’s “Most Beautiful” Jennifer Lopez to bride-of-the-hour Kim Kardashian, has long, lush lashes  is that long lashes make a huge improvement in how one looks, both giving eyes a more youthful appearance and making eyes standout, sans makeup. Since I’ve tried dozens of lash growth serums and several types of lash extensions, I can vouch for the fact that many of these eye lash enhancers do the trick. Latisse, when used religiously,  is a rock star at making my lashes longer and thicker while nothing compares to semi-permanent lashes for instant lashification.

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Deciding which beauty products are worth salvaging and which should meet their maker can save you time, money, and, of course, priceless space in your makeup bag.

 Here’s what you must know about which products to keep and which should go…

Save: Once empty, hold onto a few containers that previously housed cosmetics ranging from loose powder to loose eye shadows and the like. Then, the next time your favorite solid blush or powder eye shadow shatters, simply stow the left over pieces in one of your used containers and your favorite color lives on as a loose powder instead of a solid. I recently used this trick on a just-right-hue of blush that I picked up in Paris. When the blush tragically shattered, and I couldn’t replace the product online, nor convince my husband that a return trip to the City of Lights was warranted, I stored precious pieces in a container and grabbed myself a brush blush. Voila!

Toss: Friends have admitted to cutting open packages of product to get to the very last molecule of magic. Do that once if you must but after that one final use, toss it. Products that are meant to be stored in airtight containers won’t maintain their quality once exposed to air. Plus, you work hard, you deserve a full-sized replacement of anything you love enough to use to the last drop.

Save: Have you recently purchased a drugstore beauty product that you ended up despising? Don’t toss it! Many drugstores will take back product that you tried, as long as you have the receipt in tow. For example, CVS.com boasts a 100% satisfaction beauty guarantee that states, “If you are dissatisfied for any reason, you can return the beauty product (opened or unopened) along with your receipt or invoice to any CVS/pharmacy store. We will refund the full purchase price—no questions asked!” So don’t toss that wretched shade of lip gloss or that chalky eye liner, return it and save your hard earned cash.

 Toss: Mascara that is dry and clumpy must be tossed! I’ve heard crazy advice – including one tip to heat up dry mascara with a blow dryer — please don’t; just toss it. You can, however, save money on mascara by extending its life; simply be sure not to “pump” mascara as this dries it out more quickly and only apply mascara to clean lashes, not lashes already caked with product.

Save: Down to the last drop of your favorite foundation? Since I’m a big believer in splurging on products that go onto your bare skin (like foundation or primer), I also say make the most of that pricey product by utilizing every bit of your beauty investment, down to the last drop. Applying foundation with a damp makeup sponge or foundation brush assures that a little will go a long way. You can also add a touch of moisturizer to foundation to get to the very last drops. But please, don’t save foundation that is separated and toss anything that doesn’t fit your skin tone like a glove.

Toss: Recovering from a cold sore or other contagious infection (pink eye, anyone?). Pretty please, toss any makeup you’ve used on the offending infection. I once had a doctor tell me my eye was scratched, not infected, so I went home and generously applied the mascara I’d been eschewing. The next day both eyes were swollen shut. I’m all for saving you money, but not at the expense of your health (not to mention your good looks). When in doubt, toss any makeup that may have been exposed to infections and never, ever share makeup with friends or strangers. That’s just common beauty sense.

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