Times may be tough, but that doesn’t make feeling beautiful any less of a priority — for you and your clients. I came across some advice from Dr. Debra Luftman and Dr. Eva Ritvo (authors of The Beauty Prescription) who argue that how you feel about yourself and act toward the world around you has as much to do with your beauty as your weight or the quality of your skin.

I’m passing along some of their tips for natural — and economical — beauty:

1.Realize from the very start that you are at least 20% more beautiful than you think. Women tend to underestimate their beauty by 20%. Give yourself a dose of self-confidence by looking in the mirror and realizing that others see you as more attractive than you see yourself.

2.Smile and wear bright lipstick. A smile with the shimmer of bright lips is like a welcome sign for people to feel attracted to your beauty. Eyes are the first things people notice about you but a warm beautiful smile seals the deal.

3. Get a “beauty buddy.” Studies show that having close female friends is not only helpful as an important support system in hard times it is also an amazing beauty tip. Having a beauty buddy is associated with a release of the hormone oxytocin which gives you that feeling of calm and makes your skin glow.

4. Exercise is free. Thirty minutes of exercise five days a week will hit all aspects of beauty. With feel-good hormones (endorphins are released), your skin glows, muscle tone improves, and overall attitude is enhanced.

5. The latté factor. Instead of spending $3–$5 a day on coffee, deposit it in a beauty piggy bank and save up a special beauty treatment or procedure. Besides, caffeine dehydrates your skin.

6. Surround yourself with beauty. Be in nature (studies have shown that seeing green is calming), bring flowers in your home, view yourself in soft, flattering lighting.

7. Create more beauty in your world. Paint, garden, make jewelry, combine clothes in a new way. All these are great stress-relievers and mood-boosters.

— Judy