It is said that true beauty comes from within. But at the end of the day, that "inner beauty" is still contained in a physical, flesh and blood package, and let's face it, that package needs some upkeep from time to time.

The beauty industry is a universe devoted to "perfecting" the human form. Like it or not, men and women around the world are spending money every day on products claiming to bring them one step closer to that perfection.

What may be surprising to know is that some of beauty's best secrets, for both men and women — may not be found in the cosmetics aisle, but maybe the produce or dairy.

Here are some homemade beauty secrets.

The Face

Had a long night? Your favorite veggie is the key to looking refreshed and awake.

East Lansing resident and Douglas J student Kelly Delaney, 23, recommends using cucumbers to brighten sleepy lids.

"You can place them on your eyes. It is supposed to decrease puffiness," she said.

Psychology junior Nina Dhaliwal, a former Lancome employee and beauty consultant, said cleansing is essential to healthy, clear skin.

"It's always really important to wash your face," Dhaliwal said.

For a new way to refresh the skin, she suggests a treatment she learned from her friends and co-workers that use plain yogurt as a serum.

"They used to just take a little yogurt and blend it in their hands and rub it all over their face," Dhaliwal said. "It was something that refined their skin."

She said the yogurt helped to control oil while also making the skin smooth and hydrated.

Exfoliation is the key to giving skin a smooth texture and radiant glow. To remove dry skin — especially in the winter, try this tip: Add granulated sugar to your normal face wash to make a scrub, then use it the next time you wash your face. The rough texture of the sugar will rub off dead skin without being too harsh.

However, use caution when exfoliating. It removes the top layers of dead skin cells, but can be damaging if applied with too much pressure.

Dhaliwal said to keep thumbs under the chin, using the tips of the remaining fingers to gently massage the skin.

"It relieves the main pressure points on the top four fingers," she said.

Dhaliwal said to keep hands moist and avoid the sensitive skin of the eye area when exfoliating.

To keep a fresh face longer, become a smarter shopper when hitting the grocery store. Certain vitamins and minerals can improve skin's texture and elasticity.

"Vitamin C is so good for the skin," said social work and psychology junior Megan McKinley. "It supports the collagen that keeps the skin tight."

The Body

Skin loses valuable moisture every time it is shaved. To save your skin, McKinely said hair conditioner makes a great substitute for shaving cream.

"It actually softens the hair follicle," said McKinley. "It prevents razor burn because afterward, it moisturizes the skin."

McKinley also recommended using natural moisturizers such as oatmeal or honey to help hydrate skin.

The Kisser

One beauty problem that goes hand in hand with winter is chapped lips.

Along with medicating the lips, removing dead skin cells can improve the texture and appearance of a chapped kisser.

"Put Vaseline on your lips and take an old toothbrush and rub them," said Dhaliwal, "It takes off the dead skin cells."

The book "Girls Know Best: Advice for Girls, from Girls, on Just About Everything" provides plenty of beauty recipes for cooking up your own at-home treatments, all with ingredients found in the grocery store. The best part — the recipes are nontoxic, and not just for girls.

Once lips are smooth and exfoliated, keep them healthy by creating your own batch of tasty Chocolate lip gloss:

Ingredients
• 3 tbs. cocoa butter
• 4-5 chocolate chips
• oil from one small vitamin E capsule
Tools
• microwave-safe dish
• spoon
• microwave
• container
Steps
• Combine ingredients in dish and microwave for 30 seconds.
• Stir mixture and microwave for another 30 seconds. Keep repeating process until ingredients combine into a smooth, even mixture.
• Put gloss in a small container and refrigerate until the mixture is solid and cool.
• Apply and enjoy.

Hair care

To hydrate fragile hair, mix a batch of "Monster Mash" from "Girls Know Best":

Ingredients
• 1 medium-size avocado (chopped)
• 1 tbs. olive oil
Tools
• blender
• plastic wrap
Steps
• Combine the two ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Apply the mixture to hair and scalp by gently massaging.
• Wrap hair in plastic wrap and wait 10 minutes.
• Rinse hair well, shampoo and condition as usual.

Looking to lighten up dull winter locks? Try adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice to your bottle of shampoo and shake to combine. Repeated washing with the mixture will gradually lighten the hair without looking fake or too extreme.

Delaney suggested trying a can of beer to detoxify the hair.

"It gets all the old gunk out," she said.

To create some unique recipes of your own or for help understanding store products, McKinley recommends consulting "The Beauty Bible," by Paula Begoun. This book explains beauty myths and common ingredients in beauty products to make shopping less confusing.

Whether they become a weekly ritual or just a fun activity for a night in with friends, try these tricks to save face and cash this year.