Body & beauty

Natural Beauty: Belle of the ball

We all want to look our sparkling best at this time of the year, but often don’t know where to start. But don’t worry – our holistic experts are here to help…

We all want to look our sparkling best at this time of the year, but often don’t know where to start. But don’t worry – our holistic experts are here to help…
With just a few weeks to go before the festivities begin, it’s time to start the all important pre-party preparation.

And, luckily for you, we’ve picked the brains of our best health and beauty experts so that you can look drop-dead gorgeous, and be naturally radiant throughout the season – even after a few inevitable late nights! There’s a stress-free diet, exercise and beauty plan designed for you to look and feel your best under the mistletoe. So, what are you waiting for? Read on for the best Christmas experience ever!

Get in shape!

If you haven’t flashed any flesh since summer don’t panic – these exercises from yoga expert, Sue Fuller, (wellbeingworldonline.com) will help to quickly tone you up:

Banish bingo wings The dolphin

Begin on all fours.
Lower your arms to the floor so your elbows are under your shoulders and link your fingers.
Curl under your toes and lift the knees from the floor to create a triangular shape with your body and the floor. Direct your heels towards the floor, draw up through the lower abdominal muscles and push the forearms down into the floor.
Lift your chin and look to your hands. Inhale and move your body forwards, as you exhale, move back to your starting position.

Tummy toner The boat

Sit with a straight spine. Bend knees towards chest, let your feet leave the floor and hold on your thighs. Draw up through the abdominal muscles.
Slowly unfold your legs and release your hands keeping your legs lifted and extend your arms forwards, palms facing each other and if possible keep your arms level with your shoulders.
Remain here breathing in and out through your nose for 10 complete breaths.

Bum booster The half bridge

Lay on your back with your arms alongside you.
Bend your knees so the heels are about 10cm from your bottom.
Lift your hips from the floor so only your feet, shoulders and the back of your head remain on the floor.
Breathe slowly in and out through your nose for five complete breaths and then extend the right leg straight for five breaths, repeat with the left leg and then lower the hips back to the floor.

Drop a dress size!

A trim figure can do wonders for your confidence and this diet plan from nutritionist Barbara Cox (nutrichef.co.uk) will help build up your immune system so you can party on through the late nights.

Breakfasts

Option 1 Porridge – mix oats and rice milk, flavour with agave syrup and top with ground flax and nuts.
Option 2 Fruit and vegetable juice – blend carrots, red apples and beetroot in a juicer and stir with a stick of celery.
Option 3 Fruit smoothie – combine blueberries, strawberries, a banana, add a few drops of Cherry Active and some quinoa milk.

Lunches

Option 1 Artichoke hummus on rye bread – blend chick peas, artichokes, dash of lemon juice, splash of tamari, herbamare salt and cracked black pepper. Serve with rye bread
Option 2 Squash and barley salad – mix raw butternut squash, pearl barley, tenderstem broccoli, sunblush tomatoes, red onion,pumpkin seeds, black olives and basil.
Option 3 Watercress soup -– chop, boil and blend: onion, garlic, potatoes, watercress, peas, rice milk, liquid chlorophyll, and nutmeg.

Dinners

Option 1 Haddock with a cashew chilli topping – whiz together cashews, chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin, olive oil and top on a fillet of haddock. Serve with quinoa and carrots.
Option 2 Tofu sabzi – sauté tofu, onion, potato, turmeric, kidney beans, spinach and add water. Simmer for an hour and add dill, chives, parsley and lemon juice.
Option 3 Beetroot burger – chop and blend: onion, tofu, beetroot, mushrooms, carrot, paprika, garlic, thyme and kidney beans. Form into patties and shallow fry in a little olive oil. Serve with a salad.

Make-up lowdown

Base work

Getting your complexion in tip-top condition is the key for a flawless look, make-up artist Dani Guinsberg, (thesessionschool.com) explains: “The most important factor in creating a perfect base for your make-up is to make sure your skin looks its best. Take care of your skin with a regular routine using the right products and you can’t go wrong. One the big night apply a primer as you would do your regular moisturiser. Primers are to be applied after you have thoroughly cleansed toned and moisturised. Next, make sure you choose the correct foundation tone to match your skin. You can always warm up your face with a bronzer later. Apply foundation with a soft brush starting in the centre of the face and tzone and blend with fingers or a sponge until the base melts into the skin.

The next step is to look in the mirror and see where you may have dark shadows or blemishes that are still showing through. Take a smaller brush and apply lightly to the under eye area, using your ring finger to pat and blend. This finger actually has the lightest touch and should not drag the delicate skin from around the eyes. Finish off by ensuring that the base and concealer stays put all night by dusting a good quality translucent powder across the whole face paying attention mainly to the t-zone. Be sure to warm the face up with blush or bronzer and you are ready to go and party!

All in the eyes

The smokey eye is such a classic look and simple to do. Emma Weedall, make-up artist from Amarya (amarya.co.uk) shows you how:

“Sweep a black eye pencil all the way around the eye, right into the lash line. Liquid eyeliner will give a more dramatic look. Next gently apply black eyeshadow along the lid, up to the crease line. Press the powder onto the lid to prevent the colour spilling. Take the same colour underneath the eye, on top of your eyeliner. Apply a grey eyeshadow and sweep over the lid, to just above the crease line. Use your eyeshadow brush for this and again press the colour on rather than sweep. Now blend! Take your eyeshadow brush and lightly sweep it back and forth, following the line of the crease. Apply a highlighter underneath the eyebrows and into the inner corner of the lid to brighten up the eye. Blend down into the grey. Next for the mascara – black is always best – apply several coats. Brush the lashes thoroughly between application to prevent clumping.”

Pout perfection

Head of artistry for Bare Escentuals. Sarah-Jane Froom, (bareescentuals.co.uk) explains how you can get noticed under the mistletoe:

“Start by buffing a foundation all over your lip area to nude out the red – this will act as a primer and also highlight the lip line to make it easier to follow the correct shape. Take a natural liner, no more than two shades darker than your lip line and warm the product on the back of your hand. Starting from the bow of the lip, drawer in the natural shape of the lip – once the bow is perfect then follow around the whole lip line. Using a brush, apply your colour to the whole of the lip area. If you find dark lipsticks difficult to apply or have a shaky hand start from the inside of the lip first and work your way out to the outer edges – the finer the lip brush the easier it is to get the perfect edge. Once the lips are perfect blot with a tissue, and re-apply one more time.”

Celeb diet secrets

If you’ve followed the pre-tox diet but want to add the final touches to your body overhaul, these celebs have got some last minute secrets:

Demi Moore may be the plastic surgeon’s best friend but there’s no denying she always looks good on the red carpet. She claims this is due to chomping down on prunes. Not very glamorous but they will prevent a bloated stomach before the glam get-together.
Angelina Jolie eats steamed sea bass and vegetables, cuts out sugar and only drinks soy milk before a big occasion.
Jennifer Lopez is an advocate of filling up on vegetable or chicken broth. Heat it up for a low-cal snack before the party’s started.

Pamper yourself!

Head to the salon for some treatments that deliver serious beauty results in time for the party season

Top Eye guru Daxita at Atherton Cox just off London’s Marylebone High Street is the ‘go-to’ girl for the most alluring gaze in town. A favourite of A-list celebs, she uses a unique threading technique along with seriously natural-looking eyelash extensions to really give you the ‘wow factor’. Says Daxita: “The minute a client walks into the room, I can see what will balancetheir features and enhance the shape of their face, the tone of their skin and the colour of their hair.”

Costs £150 for a full set of lashes, £95 for a half set and £30 for brow threading. Call 020 7487 4048 or go to athertoncox.co.uk to book.

Toe Don’t let grungy feet let the side down this Christmas and treat them to a medical pedicure from foot queen Margaret Dabbs. At her latest salon the Sole Spa in London’s Liberties her team of professional podiatrists give neglected feet a complete overhaul. Her team of specialists get to work with various whirring machines and utensils to swiftly banish unsightly yellowing nails and dry, cracked skin, leaving you with the cutest, softest, pretties toes in town.

Costs from £80 up to £125 with a principal podiatrists. Call 020 7494 4492 or go to margaretdabbs.co.uk

Face AEOS Regeneration Facial is an organic treatment at the acclaimed Aloka aura soma centre in Brighton that emulates the natural function of the skin, restoring its equilibrium with biodynamic ingredients sourced from the company’s own farm in Lincolnshire. The facial also incorporates acupressure technique to rebalance your body and mind. Costs £52 for 60 mins. Call 01273 823178 or go to aloka.aura-soma.net

6 of the best party essentials

Tiana Fresh Coconut TLC, £24

The high grade coconut and rose oil in this all-over moisturiser will rejuvenate a dry complexion and keep your skin super-supple.

Jason Vitamin K Crème Plus, £21.99

If you have age spots or spent too much time of your youth in the sun, this lotion will help lighten any discolouration on your décolletage which means you can be a little more daring!

Giovanna Spray-in Conditioner, £7.99,

Whip your hair into shape for the party season with this spray, infused with protein-enriched botanicals.

Trilogy Self-Tanning Instant Bronzing Gel, £17.99

Everyone will be faking it this festive season and you can too with this tanning lotion, which also has light-reflecting minerals that will leave a subtle shimmer.

Pure Thoughts Party Feet Kit, £6.50

Painting the town red can take its toll on your tootsies which is where this recovery kit steps in. Included is a peppermint foot soak, natural pumice stone and a lushious shea butter cream.

New Nordic Chilli Burn, £21.99

To help beat the bloat before the big night these supplements help maintain healthy digestion.

And relax!

Stress during the festive season seems to be a fact of life and a lot of people live with it. However, health experts say it can cause health problems and should not be ignored. Sue Roberts (freedomfinders.com) offers these holitic tips to staying calm before the big night:

Learn to say no! Doing things for others can get out of hand. This leads to feelings of loss of control, overwork and resentment. Learn your limits and make sure that you manage your workload or social time within them. The people who care about you will value your health above your willingness to help them, and those who don’t value you really need to go to the bottom of your to do list.
Find out what works for you. If being with others makes you less stressed, then focus on activities that involve others. So, when doing exercise, choose group sessions or team sports.