These days beauty standards are at an all time high. Tall leggy supermodels strut down catwalk pedestals driving envious women to buy expensive elixirs promising younger skin, thicker hair and plumper lips. Back in Ancient Egypt Cleopatra' s beauty regime of milk and honey baths were almost as famous as her flawless complexion. So why are we so interested in maxing out our credit cards for promises that don' t always show results when supermodel beauty might just lie in the rays of the refrigerator light.

Food for the Face

A few minutes examining the contents of your fridge should supply you with a plethora of pure beauty products. Canadian supermodel Daria Werbowy swears by lemon juice squeezed onto a cotton pad and used in place of a toner. The citric acid in lemon juice helps to exfoliate, while reducing acne and fading uneven skin tone.

Even olive oil, found in Biotherm' s Age Fitness Line, contains polyphenols, an antioxidant believed to slow down the process of aging. Use extra virgin olive oil on a cotton pad to remove eye make up, mix with avocado for a moisturizing face mask, or rub olive oil on your hands and lightly smooth over your hair to calm frizz and smooth flyaways.

Eat Yourself Beautiful

Beauty begins from within and with that said, no one ever looked (or even felt) beautiful after a night of binging on fast food and grease. Simply put, vitamins and minerals often work together to give the results we are looking for. However, if consumed regularly there are a few key foods that will help give you that extra boost where it counts.

Start with berries, these favorite little fruits are packed with free radical fighting antioxidants to help keep skin looking young, fresh and healthy. Properties found in sweet potatoes, tomatoes and spinach help protect from harmful UV-rays and act as a permanent sunscreen.

Where as omegga-3 fatty acids found in oily fishes like salmon and sardines keep skin looking plump and hair healthy while the protein assists in rebuilding collagen and elastin for age defying results.

Bananas for the Morning After

Occasionally a night on the town translates into a morning nursing a hangover. Instead of writing the day off, reach for a potassium rich bananas for an inside out beauty TLC.

Start by mixing up a Banana Blueberry Soy Smoothie to help bolster depleted vitamin stores and sooth your stomach. Blend one banana with a handful of blueberries a ½ cup of soy milk and a generous squirt of honey. Not only will it give you energy and nutrients, but it will also help keep you hydrated, reduce puffiness and help heal any bruises you might got the night before.

Follow the smoothie by making a facial mask out of bananas and ground oatmeal. This intensive moisturizing mask has the healing properties of honey and impurity besting oatmeal. It will restore radiance to your face in 15-20 minutes. Mash 1 banana with a Tablespoon of honey a ¼ cup of ground dry oatmeal and a little bit of water until it is spreading consistency. Spread on your face, throw a couple cucumber slices on your eyes to reduce puffiness.

Yes, it is possible to have an effective beauty regime that doesn' t break the bank. Expensive products are always a welcome indulgence, however it isn' t the only way to obtain a beautiful complexion. Set yourself free by using the powerful antioxidants in your kitchen for radiant and flawless skin that Cleopatra would be envious of.