Archive copy by Jenni Baden Howard

This year, the nominees for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress - including Renée Zellweger, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly and Marisa Tomei - are being pampered in the comfort of their homes (or hotel suites) by a “dream team” of A-list experts, courtesy of Estée Lauder.

The invitation to the company’s first “mobile Oscar Spa” was suitably glitzy: each actress received a suitcase packed with a TSE cashmere robe, Manolo Blahnik suede sandals and Lauder booty including the new Private Spa products, Re-Nutriv Platinum skincare, lip glosses, nail polishes and self-tanner. The “Spa Menu” offers treatments ranging from a Jet Lag Hydrating Facial to Botox shots, guaranteed to smooth the furrowed brows of nervous nominees. There is even a four hour, top-to-toe treatment incorporating a sugar body scrub (ideal for those braving backless dresses and plunging necklines).

‘Radiant skin is a cumulative effect of a good diet and skincare regime, but there are a few tricks that can help in the short term,’ says Dr Karen Grossman, the celebrity dermatologist recruited by Lauder.

‘In the run-up to the ceremony, using a gentle exfoliator, or having a microdermabrasion treatment, will rid the skin of dead cells and help it to glow. I also advise people to stay away from cigarettes, alcohol and salt, as they all contribute to dull skin and puffy eyes.’

Skin smoothed and gleaming, “dream team” make-up artist Terri Apanasewicz, who is based in Los Angeles and whose client list includes include Renée Zellweger, Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow, is on hand to advise nominees on their look for the big night. This year, Apanasewicz predicts that a ‘pure and simple’ approach will be popular.

‘Right now, there is a leaning towards more natural make-up,’ says Apanasewicz. ‘Eyes will be a big focus, but done in a way that enhances, rather than overpowers, their colour. Light shadows that accent the eye colour, such as powdery blues and lavenders, will be used, along with liner - applied sparingly - just for definition. Lashes will be long with a bit of curl, to open up the eyes. A lip liner which blends seamlessly into the lipstick will give lips a luscious look, and shades will more in the light red to tawny range.’

Anastasia Soare, eyebrow shaper to the likes of Renée Zellweger, Jennifer Lopez, Lara Flynn-Boyle and Helen Hunt, is busily tweezing unruly specimens into submission.

‘Right now, the trend in Hollywood is for the “enhanced natural” look,’ says Soare. ‘The eyebrows are simply “cleaned up”, following their natural lines, and groomed. Thankfully, few actresses still subscribe to the “less is more” philosophy.’ To take care of pre-Oscar trims and deter bad hair nights (every actress’s nightmare), Lauder has called on Hollywood stylist Phillip Carreon, whose fans include Winona Ryder, Heather Graham, Julianne Moore and Jodie Foster (Carreon recently gave Foster a choppy bob).

Before the ceremony, most stars will be calling on their personal beauty gurus (usually booked months in advance) to wield the blow dryer, make-up brushes and soothing massage oils.

Nicole Kidman will be relying on hairdresser Kerry Warn and make-up artist Robert McCann to help her shine on Sunday.
‘Nicole and I first worked together on Eyes Wide Shut,’ says McCann, who makes up Kidman for films and red carpet events. ‘She’s always open to ideas, so it’s great fun and easy to work with her. Choosing a look is always very spontaneous - there’s never any time to experiment, and it depends on what she is wearing. For the Oscars, where she is going from the harsh Californian sunshine into artificial light, we try to keep the whole look soft, but without losing definition. We usually apply a stick foundation by Shiseido and Origins’ Pinch Your Cheeks gel blush. Nicole is so pale and her skin has a natural glow, so I never want to mask it that. I use very little - if any - powder. Once she’s ready, Nicole is very low-maintenance. She might take a lipstick or gloss to the ceremony, but that’s it.’

Like McCann, Kerry Warn won’t know what look Nicole will go for until Sunday.

‘Whether we go straight or curly, I’ll use John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Hair Serum before blow-drying,’ says Warn. ‘For random, glamorous curls, I use medium and large tongs once the hair is dry. I always apply the Sheer Blonde Spun Gold balm after styling, to lock in what I’ve done, and maybe hairspray, for extra hold. We had to do this at the Baftas, because of the bad weather.’

Warn also advises Kidman to use conditioning treatments before a big event. ‘It’s also good to have “no hair days”, when you do as little as possible to your hair,’ says Warn. Fellow Best Actress nominee Kate Winslet swears by Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer pre-shampoo conditioning mask. ‘It always revives my hair and leaves it feeling fantastic,’ says Winslet (for stockists, tel: 020 7629 4004).

Glowing skin, gorgeous make-up and gleaming tresses - the 74th Academy Awards ceremony promises to be another fabulous, glamorous affair. Hooray for Hollywood.