Pre-party body blitz
Get your body in shape for slinky party-season dresses, writes Lisa Haynes
Published:
THE diet plan has failed, your gym membership has expired and you are about to embark on yet another party season minus the killer body you vowed would happen on your 2009 New Year’s resolution list.
It’s time to stop beating yourself up and focus on the gorgeous bod you’ve got. You can still have body confidence to rival Elle Macpherson by incorporating beauty slimming secrets into your pampering routine.
Leave the champagne on ice and dedicate your bathroom to the quest for the body beautiful.
SO LONG, CELLULITE
Got a few weeks before the party season hots up in your diary? Make a pact to extinguish the dreaded dimply stuff now.
“While no cream will magic your cellulite away, regular massage and body-brushing will help to break up fatty deposits, making your thighs look smoother,” says Charmaine Yabsley, author of new book How To Look Good Naked.
“Use a natural bristled brush, and always brush towards the heart as this helps to increase your circulation. The better your circulation the less likely you’ll suffer from the dreaded orange peel.”
Look for ingredients in your firming products that help the blood flow, such as grape-seed extract, pomegranate extract, aloe vera, seaweed, caffeine and green tea.
Charmaine says: “These won’t completely banish cellulite but will help break up the fatty deposits when firmly massaged in.”
WRAP UP
Forget the cashmere socks and woolly snoods. If you want to shed instant inches, mummifying your wobbly bits in a body wrap the night before a party can really help you squeeze into that body-con dress.
“Body wraps work by drawing out toxins and excess water from the body, so they’re a great last-minute fix if you need to fit into that little black dress,” Charmaine says.
If you don’t have time to dash to the salon for a professional wrap, opt for a DIY version at home with The Sanctuary’s Trim and Tone Body Wrap, £24.99, or Universal Contour Wrap Classic Home Care Kit, £49.95 (www.universal contourwrap.com).
SIXTY-SECOND SECRETS
If you are getting ready with one eye on the children and the other on your mirror, chances are you need speedy solutions to look and feel gorgeous before your night on the tiles.
Pull out the trusty fake tan bottle for an instant slimming effect.
“A subtle golden glow will make you look thinner, healthier and camouflage any lumps and bumps,” Charmaine says.
“If you don’t want to go the full Monty with fake tan then use a self-tanning moisturiser, which will gradually add a soft glow to your skin.”
You can also use super-quick body highlighting techniques alongside your make-up routine.
“Use highlighter along your collarbone to catch the light and down your shin to make your legs appear slimmer,” Charmaine recommends.
“Add high heels – you’ll look instantly thinner as you’ll be forced to stand straighter.”
PARTY BODY COUNTDOWN
Getting ready for a big night out can be more fun than the event itself. Schedule in get-slim tricks throughout the day so you’ll make an entrance feeling like a million dollars.
Charmaine has this pre-party countdown advice:
NIGHT BEFORE
Body-brush before soaking in a bath of detoxifying Epsom salts for at least 15-20 minutes. These contain magnesium, which helps eliminate toxins and banish bloating.
Exfoliate for smooth, taut skin. Exfoliation not only sloughs off dead skin cells but also increases your circulation, so your skin will look glowing and gorgeous.
MORNING
Replace your morning coffee with lemon and ginger tea to get your digestive enzymes flowing and help you burn excess waste throughout the day.
Before a shower, dry body-brush your body from toe to shoulder, always aiming towards the heart.
PARTY NIGHT
Use a firming body lotion to tone those thighs ready for the dance floor.
Apply body shimmer to show off the part of your body you want to focus on: collarbone, back, arms, or shinbone for legs. But remember, less is more.
How To Look Good Naked: Looking Hot With What You’ve Got, by Charmaine Yabsley, is published by Cassell, priced £12.99.
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