Cosmetic surgery can lead to complications and even death.  I’ve heard stories that breast implants can lead to severe health conditions, which is why many women have them removed.  I wouldn’t opt for invasive or non-invasive cosmetic surgeries such as chemical peels or cool-sculpting (for fat reduction).  So, what can we do to enhance our appearance without surgery?  I have many ideas for improving our appearances through non-invasive cosmetic surgery but without the surgery and on a budget.  Here are my favorite tips:

Exercise.  Exercising may be the most significant way to naturally alter our appearance.  Within one year, we can go from anorexic, unable to run a few steps, to varsity athletes.  The secret formula is to combine weightlifting with cardio, ab work, and a stretch.  Exercise five to six days a week, around an hour—or more—a day.  Five days a week, an hour each day, gives me a great mental space without overtraining.  But any amount of exercise is beneficial, as even one day a week is better than none.  However, I once exercised at least three hours a day, six days a week, which does something beyond incredible to the appearance.  However, I didn’t sustain that training level, although it’s certainly possible.

Healthy diet.  The best free dietary and cosmetic advice is to cut out all sugar on a product’s “ingredients” list.  That amounts to better dental health, a more beautiful smile, less to no acne, and less risk of chronic conditions.  Also, cut out all processed foods, especially cold cuts, breads, or anything in packages with more than five ingredients or with a single ingredient we can’t pronounce.  And avoid all oils.  It’s extreme, but 100% abstinence is more manageable than 99%.

Fashion course.  A fashion course on Udemy.com can help us determine our seasonal color palettes and suitable clothing for our body types.  And these courses cost around $18.  I took one and determined I have a soft Autumn color palette and an inverted triangle body type.  So, whenever I shop for clothing, I ensure it suits an inverted triangle (wide-leg pants, scoop or V-Necks, turtlenecks, belted trench coats, and so forth).  Then, I see if the outfit is my color by searching “soft Autumn color palette” on Google and making sure the clothing is “exactly” the color that appears on the color grids in the Google search.  This way, I can buy inexpensive $15 shirts and $25 pants that look better than clothing that used to cost me over $200.

Loreal virtual try on hair color.  Before dying our hair, try a L’Oreal virtual try-on.  It’s an augmented reality video app that mirrors our faces virtually with the hair dye colors on our hair.  It’s the easiest way to get the right color.  L’Oreal is too harsh for me, so I buy an herbal brand at my grocer’s using the 4N Chestnut color that looked best virtually.  Then I go into Chinatown, and the hairdresser uses it to dye my hair at a lower cost.

Miscellaneous.  I have long hair, so I put it in a ponytail and trim it frequently.  That way, it stays healthy despite chlorine from the swimming pool.  So, if we have an easy-to-manage hairstyle, consider frequent do-it-yourself trims.  Also, wear minimal makeup for healthier, clearer skin, especially as we age.  Makeup is loaded with neurotoxins, including petrochemicals, so keep our skins clear and unclogged by minimizing cosmetics.  The best way to avoid needing foundation and blemish creams is to cut out added sugar.  Lastly, unsweetened greens powder thickens my hair like no other products, although it costs me about $40 every two weeks, which is not budget-friendly.

And the number one beauty secret: a smile for everyone! Our cheerful, loving perception of all others, regardless of who they are, shows up in our smiles, especially as a glimmer in our eyes.  So, express love for everyone with a smile.  If a heavily overweight person smiles beautifully at us versus a lean, supermodel scowling, which one would we prefer to spend time with? Hands down, I’d want to spend time with the one who smiles.

So, that’s a sure formula for non-invasive cosmetic surgery but without the surgery and on a budget.  And if we take only one initiative in the above list, choose the best strategy of all: our smiles!