Botox, booze bans and gemstone facials: How the Oscars stars shine

Sought-after celebrities are the product of punishing diets, oodles of botox and an army of professionals with a huge budget to make them sparkle on Oscar nightThe stars of the Oscars' red carpet seem the genetically-blessed epitome of flawless beauty, oozing a style that looks effortless and in reality is anything but.

Beneath the glamour, these sought-after celebrities are the product of punishing diets, oodles of botox and an army of professionals with a huge budget to make them sparkle. 

On perhaps the most anticipated night of the year, getting the frock right can make a career and choosing wrongly can kill a budding starlet's job prospects stone dead.  

One dress designed specially by Prada for Lupita Nyong'o at the 2014 Oscars, at the behest of her stylist Micaela Erlanger, turned her into a fashion icon, opening the way to major advertising contracts. 

On the other hand, a fashion faux pas can make you the laughing stock of online gossip forums.  

Campaigning for the Hollywood awards season means appearing on television, at screenings as well as at numerous gala dinners and ceremonies. 

"I'm constantly looking through collections," said stylist Petra Flannery, who counts "Star Wars" actress Daisy Ridley and "Homeland" star Claire Danes among her clients and says a high-profile nominee can get through 20 outfits a season.

"I see something and I'm 'like that's an exceptional dress; who does it work for?' A lot of times it's a lot of preparatory lead time and sometimes very last minute," Flannery said.

Penny Lovell, who has worked with Rose Byrne of "X-Men" fame and Taylor Schilling from Netflix show "Orange Is The New Black," said picking the right dress was as much about actresses...