How to show skin the ageless way

As the award season drew to a close a little over a week ago, the stand out accessory on the red carpet was not jewels or shoes, but a flash of flesh. From the one-leg-out look that Angelina Jolie made infamous at the 2012 Oscars to a single pop of bare shoulder and the extreme low back, Hollywood's best bodies are the accessory of the moment for 2019.

While younger celebrities like Kendall Jenner took the trend to a slightly indecent level (Jenner's waist high thigh splits made headlines at the Vanity Fair after party), it was the over (and nearly) 40's who got it just right. From Renee Zellwegger to Charlize Theron and Rosie Huntington-Whitely, they show that giving good skin is a fine art- show too much and it's declasse, as the French say. Too buttoned up and you could be deemed as old fashioned. As spring is less than three weeks away, it won't be long before we'll be showing some skin. In other words, toute suite; now is the time to get prepping.

The best way to ensure your body is up for the task is to get a spray tan, which you can top up at home. According to celebrity tanning specialist and Fake Bake Ambassador, James Harknett, the secret to an ageless finish is to put in some pre-tanning preparation at home. "Skin prep is essential when exposing limbs. If you haven't put in your time at the gym, the best body enhancer is a good spray tan," advises Harknett.

"I always recommend my clients to shave at least a day before their event and prep legs and arms with a scrub to ensure they are silky smooth and ready for self-tanner. After shaving, avoid heavy-duty body creams and moisturisers, as they are the most common cause or tanning streaks. Before applying your tanning product rinse your skin in cool water as your tan will last longer.

As we are still a long way off full-blown sunbathing weather, there is still time to put in some light graft to sculpt limbs into J-Lo proportions (or at the very least tweak your usual routine). These are the three new ways to agelessly flesh some flesh and the prescribed workout for each body part.

A low back opposite a high neckline

Showing off your back is a great alternative to a deep cut dress that enhances your decolletage. Keep it chic like Charlize and ensure your dress stops just above your lower back. It's so classy to oppose a low back line with a high necked dress, so that all of the attention is placed in one discreet area, leaving the rest to the imagination.

The workout: "Focus on pulling workouts, but make sure you don’t neglect other parts of your body either," advises Personal Trainer and Gym Manager at The Workshop Gymnasium, Artur  Zolciewicz. He adds, "pulling exercises are those that involve pulling rather than pushing such as the rowing machine, assisted pull-ups or cable rows.'

Make sure that you train all parts of your back. "Utilise different training methods - and don’t be afraid of using weights, as these are what sculpt and define the small muscles that will be on show.'  Not a fan of heavy weights? You can also use therabands ( elastic-type bands that create resistance) for supplementary work," advises Zolciewicz.

The product: When self-tanning your back, either employ the help of a friend who has a detailed eye. But, for the most part, it's best to leave it to the professionals to avoid streaky lines. Do exfoliate your back to smooth away hard to reach blemishes and bumps. We Skin Smoothing Exfoliator, ￡17.50, Ameliorate.

One leg out

When showing some leg it's important to note that unlike millennials who favour mini dresses, it's far more chic to take a note from Renne Zellweger and do the one leg thrust. One leg out of a long gown is more ageless than baring both legs at once.

The workout: "The earlier you start, the better you’ll look when the hour arrives," says Zolciewicz. Many women don’t train legs because they are scared of getting too bulky and do a lot of cardio instead. Cardio is a good form of exercise but it won’t give you the desired lean physique that most women want. Consider strength sculpting exercises such as skipping, squats and lunges to sculpt your legs.' Incorporate these into your routine there times a week and within a month, you'll notice more definition to thighs, calves and glutes.

The Product...St Tropez  Purity  Bronzing Water Gel, ￡33

The shoulder flash 

Shoulders are definitely the less daring way to show some skin and is easy to pull off in both winter and summer. Make like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and let only one shoulder pop out for an ageless accessory to your top or frock.

The workout: "I can’t recommend strength training highly enough," says Zolciewicz.  Focus on training your chest and shoulders if you want them to get the impressive, red carpet-ready look. Boxing is a great way to get your shoulders in shape as well as burn some body fat, so take a boxercise class or punch the bag if your gym has one."

The Product: La Mer The Body Cream, ￡180 will give shoulders a youthful gleam