Sure, stars will spare no expense to look red-carpet ready at the Oscars this Sunday. But what should you do if you don't have the time for a personal trainer or the dough for $600 facials? Celeb experts give UsMagazine.com last-minute, budget-friendly tricks to look your very best.
If you can't quite swing a $600 facial…
Wash your face with milk! Christine Chiu, the spa director at Beverly Hills' Plastic Surgery Inc. tells Us that "lactic acid makes milk a natural exfoliant" — which softens skins and makes it high-definition camera ready. Cindy Crawford spritzes equal parts milk and mineral water on her face to keep it hydrated.
If you don't have time for twice-a-week personal training sessions…
Use your own body weight to tone up your arms! Trainer Holly Mosier recommends this isometric move: "Press your palms together firmly at the center of your chest and tighten your core as you lift come into a tiptoe position, holding for 30 seconds." Repeat 10 times.
If you can't afford professional teeth whitening…
Brush with straight baking soda, advises NYC-based cosmetic dentist Dr. Thomas Connelly (clients include Blake Lively and Justin Timberlake). Although this isn't something one should do regularly, "if you're in a bind, the mild abrasive will whiten the surface of your teeth." He also recommends using bronzer and wearing darker lipstick with blue undertones to instantly brighten teeth and avoiding "red wine, pasta sauce and other staining foods."
If the idea of liposuction makes you nervous…
"Slim down instantly and smooth cottage cheese ass the A-list way — Spanx!" Jes Gordon, a style expert who has put her party-planning skills to work for Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Nicolas Cage, tells Us. She recommends purchasing the brand's new Skinny Britches (from $32 to $45) because they "can be layered to customize color and compression."
If you want to look slim in every picture…
"Keep your power zones open," Janine Driver, best-selling author of You Say More Than You Think, tells Us of the neck, décolletage and belly button. "Leave your purse off to the side — don't have two hands in front of your body." She also advises red carpet walkers to "stand with feet more than six inches apart unless you are wearing a full-length gown. And for a sexy smile, she recommends a closed-lip grin. "It's coy, sexy and alluring," she says.
If you don't have a personal yoga instructor on speed dial…
When Jennifer Aniston needs to calm her body, she calls her yoga instructor, Mandy Ingber, to help. But anyone can calm pre-show jitters by lighting pear-scented candles and taking slow, deep breaths. "The soothing aroma will leave you refreshed and peaceful, while the deep breathing rejuvenates the skin," Elizabeth TenHouten, the author of Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin, tells Us. She recommends Green Tea Pear Candle by Aquiesse.
If you want to avoid embarrassing party mishaps…
Gordon insists that every star carry a pocket-sized red carpet emergency kit. "Stock the essentials," she says. These include a mini sewing kit in case you need to fix a hem or strap, a Tide to Go Instant Stain remover pen and dental floss. "I love Urban Aid’s On the Kit because they fit everything into a chic, credit card-sized tin," she tells Us.
