Shine Little Glow-Worm

I'm going to shift my focus from fashion to a health and beauty inspired post. After all any work of art needs a good canvas to start with and the perfect outfit is best complimented by a healthy glow. Here are some effective tips and tricks to achieve that red-carpet glow.

You Are What You Eat

First thing's first. Whoever said that beauty is skin deep was very wrong. Beauty starts with what you ingest. Stay away from the bread basket to avoid looking what I call "doughy". I tend to notice a lot of face bloating after going on a carb-binger (bread and pasta are usually the culprits), so I stay away from these backstabbing frenemies at all costs before a big event. Save these for that emotional once-a-month crisis and instead stick to lots of lean protein and "the good carbs" like fruits, veggies and whole grains.

Now that I mentioned fruits and veggies, it's important to remember that not all are created equal. Some are infamously known for their gas and bloat side effects like broccoli and beans which are high in soluble fiber. Some staples to keep in the fridge to avoid bloating are cantaloupe, kale, tomatoes and green grapes. All of these can help prevent bloat instead of puffing you out.

The Sustenance of Life

Water, Water and more water. Put down the deceiving can of diet-coke as sodas, even those with zero everything, will cause bloating and cellulite. I am admittedly a coke-zero lover. It feels guiltless to drink loads of something that tastes sweet and seems to fill you up. But water is always a better choice. It not only hydrates and moisturizes your skin but it also provides health benefits including increased energy and better sleeping patterns, two key ingredients to looking fresh. I recently purchased a 74 oz water jug that has made it a lot easier to get my 8 daily glasses of water in.

Full Steam Ahead

So you just pushed your way through an intense cardio session and you're ready to throw down the sweaty towel and dash out the gym door.  Hold your horses ladies as there is one more task to complete that will give noticeable results in terms of skin tone and texture. Taking 15-20 minutes to steam after a workout will really make a difference in your complexion. Steaming increases circulation, muscle relaxation, and helps to cleanse your pores of dirt and oil while increasing blood flow to the face and stimulating the healing process. For those of you like me that do a nightly pore assessment that inevitably ends up in popping and picking, this will help skin look less blotchy and will prevent bruising and scarring, not to mention the instant glow you will achieve.

When All Else Fails

We are all busy women with careers, families, and busy schedules and unlike celebrities who have teams of trainers and nutritionists ready to prep them for close-ups we don't always find time to live as healthy as we should. There are many effective products on the market for those last minute skin tune-ups. I rely on four specifically that do the trick every time.

The first is a good body scrub. Any will do, but I particularly like Philosophy's Gingerbread Man and The Big Skinny exfoliating scrubs. It's best to use these after steaming a bit in the shower but before wetting the skin. I really go to town on the problem areas such as behind the upper thighs and on rough spots like the elbows and knees.

After a good scrub I slather (and I mean SLATHER) on moisturizer. My favorite is Kiehl's Creme de Corps. Its slightly more oily than your average moisturizer so it leaves a sheen on the skin that looks amazing in pictures. There is also a lighter variety that absorbs into the skin quickly for those with oily skin. At night I use Fat Girl Slim on the dimple-prone areas. I've tried cellulite treatments left and right and I've found that this one delivers results the fastest.

For special events, especially those involving shorter hemlines I use Dior's Dry Silky Body Oil, part of the J'adore perfume collection. This might be a tough one to find in stores ( I brought back a 3 year supply from a gift-shop in Canada) but it is well worth the search! Not only does it smell fantastic but it adds a sparkly-glow to your arms and gams that will make you look slimmer in seconds. If you can't get a hold of the stuff then try Neutrogena's Body Oil which also works well and is available in most stores.

Academy Awards Fashion...Really??

To say I was disappointed with the fashion on the Oscars red carpet this year is an understatement. What the hell happened ladies? When did the Academy Awards become a forum for snooze-inducing fashion? If I want to see wearable, prom-like dresses I'll see them hanging on the Macy's racks. A red carpet event like the Oscars should be about haute couture, period. There were so many dresses that should have been on display like moving works of art that night  that instead will live in our memories as "that fabulous Dior dress from the spring 2011 collection".

What's done is done and we will have to wait and see if next year's awards season delivers a more exciting array of glitz and glam. I will say I did love all of Anne Hathaway's on stage looks, especially the blue Armani Privé and the Lanvin tuxedo.

For now here are my faves from the carpet:

Cate Blachett in Givenchy

Halle Berry in Marchesa

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab

Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang

The Belles of the Ball: Top 10 Oscar Dresses Worn By Best Actress Winners

Year after year the Academy Awards red carpet showcases dozens of amazing dresses. But each year there is that one dress. The one that all the stylists were fighting to get for their clients. Just ask Rachel Zoe who last year lost that fabulous metallic Marchesa gown to Sandra Bullock's stylist.

We may not remember what the presenters were wearing, or what nominees in other categories had on, but we will remember that amazing gown the best actress winner strutted on stage. That dress and it's lucky designer will become iconic in the history of Oscars fashion and fashion in general.

So I thought I would dedicate this post to the top 10 dresses (in chronological order) worn by a best actress winner. There are more than 75 dresses to choose from so this was no easy feat, but I've narrowed it down to my favorites:

Vivien Leigh 1950:
This spaghetti-strapped, silk floral creation caused a stir with its bold print in bright red hues. This dress which was clearly ahead of its time was designed by famed costume designer Irene Lentz.

Audrey Hepburn 1954:
This was an ivory lace Givenchy dress that suited Hepburn's classic elegance and girlish charm. This boat-neck, belted style was a signature for Hepburn and became very popular in the 50's.

Audrey Hepburn 1967:
Audrey makes my list again with this fabulous two-piece Givenchy number. It consisted of a white slim cut skirt and beaded vest with floral embellishments.  She wasn't the actual winner of the best actress award, but she did accept the award on behalf of Katharine Hepburn who could not attend.

Barbara Streisand 1969:
This particular Oscar fashion moment caused quite a commotion at the ceremony and is still being criticized by many fashion writers to this day. Although quite an off-beat non-traditional ensemble, I find this chiffon Arnold Scaasi pantsuit to be a symbol of that time; rebellious and eccentric yet glamorous at the same time. No one could have pulled this bell-bottomed see-through number like Barbara.

Julia Roberts 2000:
Julia's acceptance speech at the 73rd Academy Awards was one of the most candid and endearing in Oscars history. Not only did she charm the crowd with her sincerity and humor but she also impressed in this vintage Valentino dress that was simply stunning on stage and on the red carpet.

Halle Berry 2002:
Talk about risqué! Although in Halle Berry's case she would look amazing in a potato sack (a see-through potato sack of course). This dress is still constantly talked about today as being both incredibly sexy and elegant at the same time. The Elie Saab gown with sheer bodice and strategically placed flowers was unforgettably unique and a top fashion moment for Halle Berry.

Hilary Swank 2005:
Hate to watch her go, but love to watch her leave! Nothing could be more true about this Guy Laroche masterpiece worn by Hilary as she accepted her best actress win. The front side was actually quite elegant but I chose to feature the back because it was truly breath-taking. All of that hard training while filming "Million Dollar Baby" clearly paid off. 

Cate Blanchett 2005:
So I'm going to cheat a little here and include Cate who was a best-supporting actress winner in 2005 simply because this dress was absolutely stunning and very few people can pull off that shade of yellow. This was a pale yellow Valentino gown with burgundy accent at the waist and diamond broach on the shoulder. She was styled perfectly with simple earrings and retro waves.

Marion Cotillard 2008:
This Jean-Paul Gaultier gown would have been hard for many actresses to pull off on the red carpet. I guess it takes a little french glamour from la belle mademoiselle Cotillard. It was styled to perfection with that long gold strand necklace, white clutch and side-swept hair. I loved how the scalloping effect of the dress magnifies down to the train.

Sandra Bullock 2010:
Of course I couldn't leave an ever sought after Marchesa creation off the list. This dress was magnificent on the red carpet with it's metallic floral accents and delicate beading. It was slightly modified from it's runway version for Bullock with the intricate little sleeve and accented with a metallic clutch and simple drop earrings. Wonder if this year's winner will be able to top it? Stay tuned...

Oscars 2011: Red-Carpet Predictions

For this first installment of La Conteuse I thought I would share my style predictions for the 2011 Academy Awards. This is by far the most exciting red-carpet event of the year where stars showcase the best of the haute-couture that graced the runways of New York and Paris Fashion Week.


This year's carpet in particular should prove to be an interesting reflection of the variety we saw on the runways this past season. From floral appliqués at Valentino and Elie Saab, to the metallics at Armani, to Monique Lhuillier's tulle masterpieces, we are sure to be wowed and surprised by this years gown selections.

Red, black and blush tones are sure to be a big hit as they were in many of the fall 2011 collections. Sparkly beading, airy tulle and florals will also likely dominate. There will also likely be some metallic numbers similar to the Marchesa, YSL and De La Renta gowns we saw last year, although I feel like this year's vibe in fashion is a lot more fun and feminine in terms of colors and textures.

Sunday is only 4 days away! Stay tuned for my next entry, focused on Oscar nominee's styling and what last year's winners will likely be wearing to present.

In the meantime here are a few of my favorites that hopefully (fingers crossed) will make it to the event:
 

In order from the top: Monique Lhuillier, Marchesa, Jason Wu, Elie Saab, Christian Dior

La Conteuse is born...

Welcome to "La Conteuse," a blog dedicated solely to all things of beauty, fashion and style. This blog will serve as a canvas to express style inspirations of the moment and my admiration for fashion and design.