A publicist just sent me a story about a "revolutionary" new skincare product that had gold or platinum or maybe it was plutonium in it. I'm not really sure. But one thing I can assure you is that I'm not interested in trying it.

When it comes to skincare and makeup, I am the anti-snob. I've tried most all of it, and keep coming back to the basics. Not that I don't indulge occasionally, but at this age I'm much more motivated by results than expensive labels or exotic ingredients.

Here are some of my favorite bargain basics:

By the time you reach 45 or so, you've probably amassed an impressive collection of accessories. I know I have a wide array of everything from inexpensive wood jewelry to the good stuff. But out of that collection there are only a few accessories that I turn to regularly, and – not surprisingly – those are sometimes the least expensive ones.

Not all inexpensive fixes are created equal, though. Here are some of my personal Dos and Don'ts for wearing cheap accessories:

Once, a reporter from a major newspaper asked what I thought about buying clothing and groceries at the same place. I told her I had no problem with it and had actually worn a Walmart top to Fashion Week in New York. She was not impressed.

But unlike people who care what other people think, I just like cute stuff. Sometimes, it comes from places like Nordstrom that have piano players and pretty dressing rooms; sometimes it comes a few aisles away from lawnmower tires and fire ant killer.