The Perricone Diet That Can Help You Have Better Skin And A Smaller Waistline

Yes, it does seem too good to be true that following a diet can do this, however, I have always been a firm believer in you truly are what you eat ... I know that when I binge out on junk food and alcohol and stop exercising that within a few days I really start to feel sluggish and unhealthy. As soon as I get back on a diet which includes lots of raw salads, veggies, fruits and healthy proteins plus a little bit of exercise, I can totally feel those roses coming back into my cheeks and I just feel better altogether. I don't believe that we can all be "good" all the time, but I think that keeping some good diet rules always at the back of your mind means that its OK to splurge out sometimes, but you need to balance it with an overall healthy lifestyle. And, if this also keeps me younger and slimmer then I'm really happy to follow some simple guidelines.

I read about Dr Perricone, who is one of the leading dermatologists in the USA, and his "Wrinkle Cure Diet" which has a large celebrity following and was interested enough to buy his book.  There are skeptics that don't believe all he says is true and many of his points have never been scientifically proven, but when you read his diet many of his guidelines make a lot of sense, but see what you think - they are listed below:

Drink Lots Of Water

• Pretty obvious, we have all heard a thousand times how good drinking lots of water is for your skin. There are experts on both sides of the fence with this one, some who say we get enough water from eating sensibly (as there is  a lot of water in fruit and veg) and others who promote drinking at least 2 litres of pure water a day - which seems a lot.  I do try to incorporate at least 3 large glasses of water into my diet each day as well as eating fruit and vegetables.

Eat Lots of Brightly Coloured Fruits and Vegetables

• Dr Perricone advises eating lots of fruits which are brightly coloured such as peppers, avocados, all kinds of berries, dark leafy green vegetables like spinach or spring greens, tomatoes and orange squashes and melons. These types of fruit and vegetables are highest in antioxidants which fight off all those nasty free radicals which can cause chaos with our bodies and skin.

Eat The Right Kinds Of Fats

• Dr Perricone advises avoiding many kinds of fats such as saturated, trans-fats (those are the nasty hydrogenated ones found in cheaper brands of biscuits and cakes which can clog up your arteries), and polyunsaturated fats. He advises eating lots of extra virgin olive oil which is rich in oleic acid which helps Omega-3 fats to protect cells and also to eat lots of fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, salmon, trout, herring and tuna.

Eat Good Quality Protein

• Look for wild salmon or if this is too expensive tinned Alaskan red or pink salmon, choose egg white omelettes, organic chicken without the skin or turkey breast. These are all healthy proteins and low in saturated fat.

Foods To Avoid With The Perricone Wrinkle Cure Diet

• All dairy products should be organic, and ideally should include plain yoghurt (which you can mix with berries), Feta cheese or organic Swiss or Cheddar cheese. You are recommended to limit your milk intake if you are lactose intolerant - but we all know that for girls its important that we get enough calcium, so I'll leave that one with you. Dr Perricone also recommends that all processed foods and carbohydrates are avoided, apart from those with a low glycemic content such as whole-grains, beans and non-instant oatmeal.

How To Wear Layers To Look Fantastic - And Keep Warm!

Yes, its autumn time and heading towards Christmas and although we all want to keep looking great on a Saturday afternoon in town shopping, dressing for it sometimes comes down to a choice of looking fantastic and being an itty bit chilly, or keeping warm and looking like a big bundle of all the contents of your wardrobe thrown together.

Have a look at this picture of Megan though - doesn't she look fantastic, and that is because she is following all the rules for successfully dressing with layers. If you look at each individual item she is wearing, none of them are really amazing and if they were worn individually you probably wouldn't give them a second glance. However, layered together with a cool hat they look great - so here are a few tips for layering up which you can use with items from your own wardrobe.

• Choose lots of light and breathable fabrics, several layers of these types of fabrics work a lot better than two layers of thicker fabrics such as wool or cotton.
• Using light fabrics means you can still wear some of those pretty summer strappy tops - coloured and patterned ones look great worn over a white scoop neck lycra long-sleeve top.
• Remember those leggings you have been wearing all summer, they look fantastic under longer casual skirts, worn like footless tights, especially the ones with lace or sequins around the bottom for a boho look.
• With patterns, like the striped vest top in the picture, they need layering with plainer fabrics, but you could get away with a subtly striped top worn underneath a plain jacket or blouse with a flowered lining for a more interesting look.
• Hoodies still work for me over a vintage denim jacket, but only if they are teamed up with a feminine skirt or girly-top underneath, otherwise it can just look too boyish. A fantastic look is materials such as denim or leather mixed with chiffons and silks - so cool.
• If you love bright colours wear them in moderation when layering - go for layers of neutral colours, such as greys, creams, chocolates, and add a belt, scarf or bag in a bright colour such as this season's purple or scarlet.
• Even scarves can be layered, a favourite look of mine is to take two small pashmina type scarves and lay them out one on top of the other, then twist them together. Fold them in half, wrap around your neck and tuck the ends in - you have a unique look no one else will have. With other accessories, layer up your necklaces - look through your jewellery box for some of those long beads and chains and mix them together.
• Remember to give yourself some definition, if you are wearing a flared jacket or top then team them with skinny jeans tucked in boots, but if you are wearing a flared skirt or wide pants then wear a fitted top or jacket of pull in your waist with a wide belt.

How To Create The Movie Star Look Of Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson is blessed with a perfect complexion and movie star looks of the old fashioned kind - she has sworn that she will never be pressurised into losing her curves and for someone who is only 24 she carries her sophisticated style very naturally. Her makeup is relatively simple but very effective and is just a perfect look for glamorous parties or nights out. So if you have a cocktail dress or two lying around and you would like your makeup to have the sophistication to match - Scarlett's look is the one to create, especially if you team it with an up-do of softly waving hair and some sparkling hair pins. Just follow these easy steps:

• Cleanse and Moisturise: A perfect face needs a perfect canvas - cleanse away with a gentle facial scrub to create a complexion as soft as a baby's and then apply your favourite moisturiser and allow to soak in.
• Foundation: If your skin is perfect then apply only a concealer where needed around the eyes, or if you are not confident without your foundation, apply a light foundation with your fingers or a sponge, ensuring a perfect finish before you proceed to the next step.
• Eyeshadow: Scarlett often uses coloured eyeshadows, but subtly. Using an eyeshadow brush and a silver-grey shadow, sweep this over the whole of your upper eyelid and blend out towards your eyebrows.
• Eyeliner: Using a liquid eyeliner in black or dark brown sweep the liner from the inner third of your upper eye-lid to the outer corners of your eye making the line wider as you go. A steady hand is needed and you might want to practice this beforehand if you are not used to applying this kind of eyeliner. No eyeliner is applied to the bottom lid.
• Mascara: Using a shade which matches your eyeliner, apply two generous coats to your top eyelashes, and finish your lower lashes with one coat of mascara - the emphasis is on the upper lashes to create a glamorous look.
• Blusher: Using a large round blusher brush, apply a rose pink powder blusher along your cheekbones finishing on the apples of your cheeks.
• Powder: With a translucent powder and a large powder brush set your makeup and also create a "finished" look - you are nearly there now.
• Lipcolour: Using a plummy pink lipstick carefully fill in your lips with a long-lasting lipstick and then finish this off with a clear gloss.

Gorgeous...