STAR APPEAL : COURTNEY LOVE
New Idea (3 April 2000)

Courtney Love has made a dramatic style turnaround. After the 1994 suicide of her husband, rock icon Kurt Cobain, she reinvented herself, going from grunge queen to screen goddess. Today the 35 - year - old Man On The Moon star holds down four jobs : Hollywood actress, lead singer of rock band Hole, boss of her film company and mum to Frances Bean, seven, hr daughter by the late Kurt.

BEAUTY

"I think the fact that you can buy beauty now is a really good thing," says Courtney, who admits to having had two nose jobs. "I'm concerned about symmetry and fine bones." To help keep her face smooth and firm for big - screen close -ups, she swears by the Vitamin C - packed Cellex -C skin care system and also the pore pleasing effects of Aesop's Amazing Face Cleanser. Courtney's ditched her grungy bleached - blonde hair for a colour closer to her natural light brown, brightened with blonde highlights. As for make -up, "we took off a little eyeliner," says beauty specialist Roz Music, "and changed her skin tone from pale to more beige."

EXERCISE

The curvaceous star - who was once rejected for a job as a stripper because she was too fat - now has one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood. Courtney has changed her shape using a variety of methods, from weight training to plastic surgery. After the birth of daughter Frances Bean, she had breast implants but has since had them removed. She worked with a trainer to get in shape for The People Vs. Larry Flynt, and was inspired by co-star Woody Harrelson to take up yoga - which she still enjoys. But for instant results, Courtney turns to LA liposuction experts for a body- contouring program including massages that encourage lympathic flow.

DIET

For her role in The People Vs. Larry Flynt, she shed 18kg using the Dr Atkins diet, cutting out carbohydrates. She still manages to enjoy food - a particular favourite of hers is seared sea scallops in a vodka leek sauce. And she may have given up smoking late year, but she still enjoys the odd tipple. She's a fan of a herbal "creativity drink" - containing St John's wort and the guarana plant's seeds and leaves - believed to be a natural prozac.

WARDROBE

Clothes are integral to Courtney's cool image - she's been known to court controversy with her revealing outfits. When Hole formed 10 years ago, the look was babydoll dresses, beaten up Mary Jane shoes and smeared red lipstick. When her acting career took off, the wild woman of rock started turning up to award ceremonies in gowns by Valentino and Gianni Versace. Her love of Tinseltown glamour has also led her to Prada and vintage dresses. But for this year's Golden Globes she seemed to step back in time, with Hollywood style guru Liz Cowan dressing the star in a slash trash Galliano gown.