Livia Firth

With the Oscars just around the corner and Colin Firth's awards and nominations mounting up for his role in Tom Ford's A Single Man, VOGUE.COM caught up with his wife and Green Carpet challenge blogger Livia Firth to find out what she'll be doing to get ready for the biggest night in the award season calendar.

Prepping for the red carpet - what beauty treatments (e.g. facials, fake tan etc) do you swear by?
I never have fake tans as, for some reason, they go horribly wrong on my skin. I have facials at Linda Meredith - time permitting. I take anti-oxidants by Intelligent Nutrients, which I swear by, and I am addicted to their range of shampoo and hair treatments which I've been using for a while.

How far in advance do you start getting ready on the day?
I always have a timetable that never quite happens! I'm pretty quick to be honest - half an hour for hair and half an hour for make-up.

What is your must-have beauty product?
I am an YSL Touche Eclat devotee, and probably always will be.

What beauty look are you planning to wear for this year's Oscars and who is doing your make-up and hair?
Georgie Eisdell is, in my humble opinion, the most amazing make-up artist in LA and I've booked her! I already know that my hair will have to be up, as the dress has quite a big "detail" on one shoulder. Make-up will probably be very simple; I'm channeling La Dolce Vitaand Anita Ekgberg on the fountain.

Are there any differences between the UK and the US when it comes to red carpet beauty?
Not for me. I think the US is generally regarded as more demanding in terms of perfection. But luckily I'm not an actress, so I'm not under the same scrutiny, and I can just do my own thing.

Any special occasion/event beauty tips?
You should at least go with the attitude of enjoying yourself. It is, after all, an amazing spectacle. Then you'll smile a lot, which helps put a bit of light in your eyes.