The Celeb Cheat Sheet For Red Carpet Radiance

Every woman has been there – it’s the day before the big date, the night before the big birthday, the weekend of the wedding. You’re idling past a shop window when you get a glimpse of your reflection. Panic suddenly grips you. AAAAARRRGGGH – Noooooooo! Whether it’s a spot the size of Vesuvious, thighs that would look more at home on a Bernard Matthews turkey, or a muffin top meaty enough to make you look pregnant, you catch sight of something that makes you want to wail with shame and hide in a corner until the very event you’ve been looking forward to for weeks is well and truly over.

We all know the feeling, because we’re all human. But why don’t celebs have these meltdowns? How do supermodels, actresses, singers – you name it – how do they all look so damn perfect all the time?

Well, they don’t, of course. They have a team of talented dressers and artists to prune them within an inch of their life so they’re always red-carpet ready. Victoria Beckham famously suffers from bad skin, and has battled her entire career to cover up the lumps and bumps that are just part of her make-up. Kim Kardashian is a keen Spanx wearer and J-Lo has revealed she fills up on water the day leading up to an awards ceremony to keep hunger at bay and banish that bloated look.

So see, they’re not perfect, but they do always scrub up on the day. And now you can too, with the Belle About Town inside scoop on getting red carpet ready for that all important occasion.

When it comes to skin, you need to be glowing, so take a leaf out of Madonna, January Jones and Eva Mendes’ book and invest in a tub of Egyptian Magic (available at beautybyzara.com), an all-purpose skin balm that they swathe all over their bodies in the weeks leading up to an event. Kate Hudson refers to it as “my beauty secret” and at £25 a tub it won’t break the bank.

But what if you’ve prepped your pores perfectly, then you get that dreaded big zit right on the end of your nose?! Panic not because believe it or not there’s a miracle cure for it – in the form of the Zap a Zit service at the Revere clinic in Northwood. Using laser technology the clinic can blast your blemish and reduce the redness, making it practically invisible, and easily covered by a bit of concealer.

And to totally clear up the complexion you can add a Hydrafacial – An alternative to beauty based facials, the revolutionary Hydrafacial actually exfoliates and hydrates the skin simultaneously. A clinical treatment using specially formulated serums and moisturisers, it improves the appearance of congested pores, uneven skin, fine lines and wrinkles, and acne-prone skin, from the first treatment, even with the most sensitive of skin types. The clinic is based just round the corner from Elstree studios, so don’t be surprised to see a Strictly dancer, or BBC presenter, hotfooting it for a last-minute lift before showtime.

If you’re looking for a bit more of a lift, hotfoot it to the Revere clinic in Harley Street which offers the Endymed Facial, a heat treatment which works as a temporary facelift, accentuating cheekbones and tightening skin around the jaw, without any pain or pulling of the skin. The effects last for up to 72 hours and can take years off you, giving you the confidence you need to pull of that red carpet look for the big day.

But what if the red carpet dress you’ve spent your life savings on looks a little, er, bumpy round the middle? Never fear, because just like Kim K you can take the next step up from your Spanx, and get her favourite quick fix treatment – the VelaShape III. Trusted VelaShape technology is now in its tenth year and 2014 saw the launch of VelaShape III, which gives a reduction of up to 9cm in one single 30 minute treatment. In just one visit you can tone up your tum, or slim down your thighs, to smooth out wrinkles that were causing concern.

VelaShape isn’t a weight loss treatment, it’s like putting on a pair of invisible Spanx. Having a session the day before a big event is a failsafe way to tidy up and tone. There’s no downtime after, just a little redness for an hour or so post treatment, so nothing to stop you getting on with your day. There are only a few VelaShape III models in Britain right now, but they’re well worth hunting down.

And to finish off your hottest look ever, plan a little further ahead and invest in some Moo Goo How Now Brown Cow gradual tanning cream (find stockists at moogooskincare.co.uk).

Recommended by Gwyneth Paltrow in her infamous newsletter GOOP for giving a subtle, gradual tan while moisturising, this face and body cream has been developed to be genuinely natural, healthy and moisturising. It uses a full cream moisturiser formula as its base, along with canola oil, glycerine and sugar-based natural ingredients that give skin a tan, rather than an orange colour – perfect for the these early Spring days when legs are on show for the first time in months.

So next time you feel that fluttering in your stomach the night before a big day fear ye not – it will be the eager anticipation of butterflies, and not the nervous pangs of panic. And there’s only one thing left to do – something every celeb worth her salt has got down to a tee – smile. Smile. SMILE!