Party tips for time-starved women

How to go from frazzled to fabulous in minutes!

Unlike celebrities, most of us don't have an army of stylists, hairdressers and make-up artists to get us party perfect. Nor do we necessarily have the time to primp and preen for hours - party glamourising is more likely to be done in the office loo, while the babysitter is getting settled or squeezed onto the end of a very long to-do list. That's why we've collected the best get-you-gorgeous party tips that make every second count.

 

Party prep

A base primer, applied before foundation, will keep it looking fresh and lasting longer. Chanel, MAC and Shu Uemura have good ones or try Chanel Clair Lumiere Liquid Concealer, £21, as a good starting point. Use a little extra moisturiser before applying your foundation as dryness only serves to emphasise lines and creases, and moisturiser will help to plump them out.

 

Face

Getting the right base is very important. Olay Complete Care Touch of Foundation, £9.99, www.boots.com will even out skin tone nicely. Highlighting powders and creams will also add a lit-from-within glow to your skin, catching the light and softening hard angles.

 

Try Givenchy's Mister Bright illuminating pen, £19 www.harrods.com, designed to give the complexion a soft glow and conceal skin imperfections by optically blurring and smoothing the skin surface. Or check out the new Prescriptives Aglow range for cheeks, eyes and lips, infused with light-catching nuances inspired by winter's frosty palette, from £23 lip glosses and highlighter, £30 eye colours, www.prescriptives.com.

 

You can give yourself an instant facelift and emphasise cheekbones by using a matt bronzer underneath them, from the part nearest the hairline, before applying your usual blusher. Try standing side on to the mirror and pulling your hairline back just above your ear to get the placement right. By sweeping a light dusting of matt bronzer under your chin and along your jawbone you can slim a double chin too.

 

Choose a cream blush for convenience - it's quicker to apply and great for achieving a realistic youth-giving glow. Soft pinks and peaches are the most flattering to older skin - try MAC Cream Colour Base in Pink Shock, £12, www.maccosmetics.co.uk, and apply with a brush for a professional effect. Also good is Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy Blush, £18, www.clinique.co.uk.

 

Body

On the body (and feet if you're wearing open strappy shoes) a shimmering lotion, cream or gel will give you instantly glowing skin. Try The Sanctuary's Bidadari Shimmering Body Dust, £9.74 www.thesanctuary.co.uk, or Dove Glow Beauty Body Lotion & Soft Shimmer, £4.99, www.dove.com. This not only builds a light tan as it moisturises, but also contains delicate shimmer particles that reflects light and adds radiance.

 

Paul and Joe pearl powder in Silhouette, £15, is a great multi-tasker that can be used as an eyeshadow or to apply shimmer to shoulders. And specially crafted for feet, Shimmer by Margaret Dabbs is a gorgeous shimmering spray-on oil, £14.69, www.margaretdabbs.co.uk.

 

Lips

Red lipstick says instant glamour and is a classic colour. Lee Pycroft, of My Management, is one of the world's top makeup artists and the spokesperson for Rimmel London. Writing in Good Housekeeping this month, she advises that subtly stained lips are a more natural and chic way of wearing colour on your mouth, whatever your age. The trick is to press the colour onto your lips using your finger, and build it to create sheer layers of colour.

 

Ensure the colour stays in place by applying a lip pencil - but use a paler shade than your lipstick so you don't run the soft-edged effect. She recommends Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Baby Lips, £15. For lipstick, she advises trying Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Burgandy Delight or Diva Red, £5.49, available nationwide.

 

All About You tip: If red lipstick scares you, try Bobbi Brown Metallic Lip Colour in Pretty Pink, £14, www.bobbibrown.co.uk, which will add warmth and is sophisticated enough for night-time.

 

Eyes

Smoky eyes are a great evening look and make your eyes appear bigger. If you want to do this quickly, simply line all around your top and bottom lashes with a soft eyeliner and then smudge the line slightly. Try grey, brown or deep purple as an alternative to black, which can look hard. Or to soften the effect, use a black liner on the upper lash, extending to the outer corners of the eyes to open them up. Then use brown pencil on the lower lash lines.

 

Lee Pycroft advises saving time by using a two-tone eyeshadow, like L'Oreal Colour Appeal Holographic eyeshadows, £4.99, available nationwide, with a bi-colour sheen to create their own shading effect. Or create a wow factor with metallic eyes - try Metallic MeMeMe Duo Eyeshadow in Metallic Ocean, £5.50 from Superdrug.

 

To look wide awake when you're feeling tired, try using a lightly shimmering neutral-coloured eyeshadow on the eyelids. Then curl your lashes and apply mascara to your upper lashes only.

 

Five minutes to party hair

This month the Good Housekeeping beauty experts reveals the insider way to create natural waves - so easy that it works as you are doing your makeup! First spray hair all over with lacquer or styling spray - try Silvikrin Style and Repair 5 second finish hair spray, £2.79. Pull all the hair back as if into a pony tail, then twist it all the way to the end. Wind into a bun and secure with a ponytail band. Let the spray work its magic - about five minutes - undo the band and comb the hair lightly through with your fingers.

 

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