Beauty products can be expensive, but it's worth it to maintain smooth, perfect skin, right? Maybe not. What if you could pick up your beauty products from the grocery store along with your meal ingredients for the week? That could be a lot cheaper, and it can also be surprisingly effective. Take a look at a few hidden skincare secrets that you probably already have in your refrigerator or pantry.

Garlic

Garlic is more than a delicious addition to your spaghetti sauce or a topping for buttered and toasted bread. It can also be the key to getting rid of your acne.

Garlic may or may not have anti-vampire properties, but one thing that it does have for sure are antioxidants. These antioxidants dry up pimples quickly, reduce scarring from old blemishes, and even prevent new acne spots from forming. Just apply freshly squeezed garlic juice to the problem areas. If you want to avoid smelling like a pizza, soak the garlic cloves in milk before you use them to eliminate the odor.

Egg Whites

Why buy expensive anti-aging masks when you can just buy a carton of eggs instead? Crack the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks, then whisk the whites briskly with a metal whisk before applying them to your face.

Apply the egg whites to your face, and you'll be able to feel your skin tighten as they dry. When you wash the mask off, your skin will be brighter and firmer, just the way that it looks after a facial at the spa. The eggs also reduce the oil on your skin and can remove whiteheads.

Brown Sugar

Do you need a good exfoliating scrub for the rough areas of your skin like your elbows or the soles of your feet? No problem — all that you need is some brown sugar and olive oil.

Stir a small handful of brown sugar together with a few spoonfuls of olive oil and you're good to go — the brown sugar will exfoliate and the olive oil will soften your skin. Add a few drops of peppermint oil if you want to make it a more refreshing experience.

These easy and inexpensive food treatments can be just as effective as anything you can buy over the counter in the store, for a fraction of the cost. If do-it-yourself remedies aren't enough to address your skincare issues, then you may need the help of a licensed dermatologist who can give you targeted, personalized advice and prescription-strength products to address your specific skincare needs. Talk with someone from a place like the Dermatology Surgery Center to discuss your options of gaining healthier skin.