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Q How do celebrities always look good from party to party? I stay out late one night and my skin looks dry and dull.
A There comes a time when night cream is a necessity, not an option. Bear in mind also that most celebrities don't actually have to work a nine-hour shift, then party till the crack of dawn. So they're already one step ahead of you.
But fret not, there are ways not to look like the living dead if you're hitting the party circuit every night this festive season.
| 'NEVER OVERDO IT. IT'S RIDICULOUS TO ALWAYS LOOK LIKE YOU'VE JUST COME FROM A FASHION SHOOT. WHEN YOU OVERDO IT, YOU'RE MOST LIKELY TO BE TAKEN FOR A FASHION VICTIM' |
| - Diane Kruger (main picture), Troy actress and Karl Lagerfeld's muse |
1. Always remove your make-up throughly at the end of the night to prevent clogged pores and zits. Even if you're too tired to do your 12-step routine, use a cleansing wipe at least to wipe the gunk off.
2. Load up on water and green tea. They flush all the alcohol and tobacco out of your body. Green tea also has antioxidants, which is good for cell repair. Ditto for vitamin C. So juice up too.
3. Apply facial masks. These repair yucky skin overnight. I swear by sheet masks for the convenience. Just slap one on and toss after 15 minutes. You can even sleep with it on. While there are many types of sheet masks out there, anti-ageing ones are usually loaded with moisture-enhancing, skin-brightening and firming ingredients - everything you need at one go for a youthful mien.
A favourite: Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Firming Facial Mask ($111 for six sheets, from Level 2, Metro Paragon). Tip: Apply a thin layer of night cream on first, then put on the sheet mask for double the goodness and glow.
4. Knead it. The chances of bloating after all that extra salt and alcohol are high, so massaging a cellulite or body recontouring cream such as Clarins Body Lift ($75.50, from Level 1 Tangs Orchard) into belly, thighs, calves and ankles - areas where water retention occurs - will help.
5. Go for glow. I usually exfoliate once a week, but during party season, I increase it to two or three times a week. Fresh skin makes you look younger. Enhance with some body oil or shimmer lotion on arms, pins and decolletage, or a dusting of shimmer powder on cheekbones.
6. Take a nap. An hour is fab. If not, steal 10 to 15 minutes of snooze time before heading out.
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