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.