Budget Conscious Beauty at Home

Eyebrow Shaping
Expert: Robert Jones, celebrity makeup artist (he's worked with Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks) and author of several beauty books, including his most recent, "Looking Younger: Makeovers That Make You Look As Young As You Feel" (Fair Winds, $21.95).

• Tweeze your brows after a hot shower. It'll be less painful because the steam will have opened your pores.
• Always tweeze in the direction that your hair grows. If you don't, the hair might grow back sticking straight out rather than lying down! 
• Very few women have identical eyebrows. Start by tweezing a couple of hairs out of one brow, then switch to the other, tweeze a couple out of it, then switch back to the other. By doing this, you'll be able to constantly reevaluate what needs to be tweezed. 
• To make a perfect arch: Hold a pencil or the handle of a brush vertically against the side of your nose, noting where it meets the brow. This -- Point A -- is where your brow should begin. Hold the pencil against your nostril and move it diagonally across the outer half of the iris of your eye. Note where the pencil meets the brow. This -- Point B -- is the best place for the peak of your arch. Tweeze from Point A to Point B, tapering the line toward the peak gently, using the natural width at the beginning of your brow and slowly tapering it as you get to the arch. Now, place the pencil against your nostril and extend it diagonally to the outer corner of your eye. Where it meets the brow is Point C, the best place for your brow to end. Tweeze from Point B to Point C, tapering the line even thinner, and you will create the best brow shape for your face.

Spa Treatments (Facial, Mani- and pPedi-)
Expert: Bobbie Thomas, style editor for the "Today" show and spokeswoman for the Venus Embrace razor; she sets aside every Sunday evening as her DIY spa time.

• Make an appointment with yourself for your spa night and don't cancel.
• Set the scene. Light a candle and turn on some soothing music or background sound. You're paying for sanctuary at the spa, so make your home a sanctuary. 
• Essential oils such as lavender will help you relax. Mint will help you rejuvenate. Add a few drops to your robe, your shower wrap, your sheets, your pillow, your pajamas -- surround yourself with aromatherapy. 
• Heat a few washcloths in the microwave. Put a few more in the freezer. That way you'll be able to give yourself a hot and cold facial that will steam your skin, open your pores and then close them. 
• Mix up a raw sugar foot scrub. Add some natural raw sugar to any kind of extra foot cream, almond oil or olive oil. Toss in some orange peel for zest! 
• Leave your hair conditioner in just a little bit longer and add a shower cap to intensify the moisturizing treatment. 
• Think long and hard before cutting your cuticles. It's easier to push them back with an orange stick (wooden sticks sold at beauty supply stores). 
• Use a nail polish pen to polish your nails; it's easier to grip than the brush that comes with traditional polish. If you stick to a light color, it'll be more difficult to see imperfections in your self-manicure. 
• Use a pumice stone on your feet and make sure to moisturize.