You might think you need a professional makeup artist or personal trainer in order to look your best. However, I'm here to tell you that most of advice you'll get from professionals boils down to plain old common sense.

Here are 5 beauty and wellness tips you can use right now.

Tip #1: Eat a Nutritious Diet

Getting optimum nutrition from the food you eat is vital to looking and feeling your best. Keep track of what you're eating for one week and then do the math. Use an online nutritional calculator to make sure you're getting the right amounts of the vitamins, minerals and protein that you need.

Also, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water – at least 8 large glasses a day. All of us are guilty of not drinking enough water from time to time, but your body will react negatively when it is deprived of the water it needs. One of the first signs of dehydration is dry and/or cracked lips, so if you're having this issue make sure you increase your water intake right away.

Tip #2: Work Out Regularly

Your first task is to find a form of exercise that you enjoy. No one can stick to a regular work out regimen if they don’t like the kind of exercise they're doing. Make sure your program includes cardio, some form of resistance (weights) and stretching. All are important to a complete workout program.
Some of us are more comfortable in structured classes at the gym, some prefer at home DVDs and others prefer running, hiking, walking or swimming. It doesn't matter what kind of exercise program you choose – as long are you are exercising!

Tip #3: Take Care of Your Skin

Taking care of you skin means washing, moisturizing, and exfoliating. Use a mild, alcohol-free cleanser every day. My skin tends to be dry, so I usually only wash my face once a day (in the evening and/or after a good workout), but if you have oily skin, you may need to wash your face in the morning and also each night.

After washing, moisturize with a cream designed for your skin type. Those with dry and/or aging skin may want to add a night cream (which tend to be sort of heavy).

Unless you have a specific reason to do it more often, twice a month is good timing for exfoliation. Any more than that may irritate sensitive skin.


Tip #4: Be Careful About Sun Exposure

Many of us grew up believing that laying around in the sun was a healthy thing to do. Now we know it’s not.

The sun's ultraviolet rays are harsher in the summer, which means you have to be extra careful, but you can get unhealthy sun exposure any time of year.

However, I'm not telling you to avoid the beach and forget that suntan. Just be smart about it. Don’t spend your entire day baking in the sun. Limit your exposure to morning sun (9 a.m. to 11 a.m.) and late afternoon (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.) because the sun's rays at not as strong at those times. Always wear sunscreen – you can use a lower SPF if you have your heart set on tanning, but don't go without any SPF. A gradual tan is a much safer way to go.

Excessive UV exposure (both natural and from tanning beds) can lead to cancer and definitely ages your skin prematurely. So give your skin a break and go for a gradual, light tan. Your skin will thank you for it.

Tip #5: Have Fun with Your Makeup

Since putting on our makeup is one of the first things many of us do in the morning, we need to find a way to keep it fun and easy. Take a look in your makeup bag and see what items you really use every day. You'll be surprised how few there are!

I recently did this exercise with my makeup bag and found out that all I really use is moisturizer, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner and lip gloss or lip balm.

This gives me a polished, natural look. Since I prefer to leave the heavy makeup for special occasions and evening events, I was able to clean those items out of my every day makeup bag. It makes mornings much easier now that I can find what I need!