10 Steps to Achieving a Red Carpet Glow

10 Steps to Achieving a Red Carpet Glow

Skin Savvy with Emma Hobson

While it's fun to watch and admire celebrities gliding down the red carpet in their glittering gowns and fitted tuxedos, you don't have to attend the Academy Awards to achieve their red-carpet glow. We can all get a feel of owning celebrity skin when we're next out on the town with these simple steps...

1. Get a Party Prep Treatment
Professional skin treatments are not just for the rich and famous. For the price of a lunch with the girls you can have your skin personally analysed and have an intensive 20 minute overhaul that will leave your skin bright and smooth and ready for some glamour. Make sure your skin therapist gives you a home care prescription for you to see if the products you currently use are on track, or if they too need a freshen up.

2. Exfoliate
If you can't get to the professionals for a serious skin slough, there are some great options that you can use at home. Exfoliation gives a bright, luminous sheen to the skin. It helps remove dirt and dead skin cells trapped in pores that leave skin lacking lustre. With pores clean and skin renewed, skin can now receive great nourishment from treatment masques and moisturisers. Professional-only treatments from your therapist are stronger than an at-home application and therefore are only required every four weeks. I would advise you don't have a treatment on the actual day of a big event.
Many of the at-home treatments can be done up to two or three times a week. If you have a big event to attend, start exfoliating several weeks before. It's important not to over-exfoliate as this can lead to redness or breakouts. And don't forget to exfoliate those chapped dry lips. Use only the gentlest exfoliant or a soft toothbrush.

3. Apply a Face Masque
Applying a face masque, particularly one with vitamins, peptides and botanical extracts helps re-energise the skin. Typically, you would apply the masque after exfoliating for maximum benefit and the masque can be left on for 10-20 minutes; no excuses, the masque still works while you are watching My Kitchen Rules! Clay-based purifying masques are great for breakouts and drawing out impurities leaving the skin clear and clean with a smooth texture.

4. Use a Firming Booster
Apply a firming booster under your moisturiser as an instant skin fix. This will give the skin a firm feeling as well as being a dynamic canvas for make-up to be applied. Think of it like an invisible support stocking for the skin.

5. Use a Spritz Toner
A toner provides your face with extra hydration and will give your skin a boost of moisture. Toners, in particular, are especially good at preventing a parched appearance and prevents your foundation from flaking. Look for humectants such as honey and Sodium PCA that bind water to the skin leaving it with a moist glow. Some can even be used over make-up to keep skin looking fresh.

6. Use an Oil Absorbing Moisturiser
There's nothing worse than feeling like your make-up is slipping off your face as your skin seeps oil. This can be solved by using a moisturiser that contains microscopic sponges that literally mop up surface oil keeping you shine free.

7. The Eyes Have It
An eye product can instantly smooth our fine lines and diminish dark circles; it's an absolute must in your red carpet tool box! Use an eye cream with optical light diffusers to give the skin a luminous glow. Look for ingredients such as Hydrocotyl to firm and reduce puffiness and Lactic Acid to hydrate and retexturise. Eye drops are always a good addition to your program to achieve bright, clear eyes.

8. Don't go heavy on the Make-Up
Celebrities attending red carpet events tend not to wear a heavy layer of make-up. Now its all about a natural healthy glow. You just want to accent the eyes, lips and bone structure. Stay away from heavy foundation and powders, heavy, dark eyeshadow and false eyelashes.

9. Eat Right
Eating a healthy diet before any big event is key to looking good. Certain foods and beverages can wreak havoc on your skin. Eliminate processed foods and reduce your salt intake - that's what can make your skin appear puffy and cause bags under your eyes. Instead, eat clean, organic foods with plenty of antioxidants. A diet rich in fruit or vegetables that are bright green or berry coloured is a favourite for skin nourishment and don't go cutting out all the fat. A diet too low in fat can dry your skin leaving you looking withered.

10. Relax and don't worry
Make sure you are sleeping well before any big event and that you are feeling relaxed. Stress can cause skin break-outs, make hair dull and nails brittle. What are you doing for you? Are you getting a massage? Doing yoga? Feeling relaxed will help you enjoy your big event even more.
If a pimple appears before a big event, there are plenty of things you can do to minimise its appearance. If you have the opportunity to see a professional skin care therapist, he or she can use a high-frequency electrical machine to zap the spot and make it heal fast. Alternatively, there are many products that will expedite the healing process, such as Algae, Zinc and Sulphur. Don't try any last minute skin extractions of blackheads which will only leave you with read blotchy skin.

Any Questions?
Phone: 1800 659 118
www.dermalinstitute.com.au