Put your party face on

7:00am Saturday 29th November 2008

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Put some glitz and glamour into your beauty routine for the party season.

Lose the au naturel look and brush out that bed head hair, it's time to crank up the glamour to full volume.

Beauty routines need a touch of extra sparkle for the party season marathon ahead.

December is the one month in the beauty calendar when we can go to town with hair and make-up - a dash of shimmer, look-at-me lips and screen siren hair will leave you looking like a million dollars for seasonal cavorting.

James Brown, Kate Moss's hair stylist, has plenty of advice when it comes to creating a glam party look.

"If you're dressing up and really making an effort, balance things out by keeping hair and make-up low-key," he says.

"But if your party look is more demure, then take the opportunity to really vamp up."

Whether you're drinking, dancing or kissing under the mistletoe, make sure you dazzle during the season of goodwill and glamour.

:: MAKE-UP Unless you're working a super-sparkly frock on the party circuit, lashings of shimmer and shine are the way forward. If you're keeping things simple on the face and eyes, you can't beat festive red lips.

"My essentials are lots of mascara and a glossy lipstick - if you don't do anything else, you'll look party-ready," says Sarah Stacey, co-author of www.beautybible.com says.

"Something sparkly such as a sheer gold shimmer for your eyelids and cheeks finishes the look perfectly."

If you're beautifying in a rush, hunt out all-in-one party palettes - perfect for flinging into your clutch bag for top-ups throughout the night.

PARTY ESSENTIALS: Givenchy limited edition Christmas Couture Makeup Palette, £39.50 (House of Fraser stores); The Body Shop Special Edition Sparkle Eyeliner, £7; MAC limited edition Holiday Red She Said lipstick, £11 (17.50 Euros) (www.maccosmetics.co.uk); B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful Blinkers eyelashes, £12 (01202 493 789/www.bnevertoobusytobebeautiful.com); bareMinerals Superstars collection, £39 (0870 850 6655/www.bareescentualsuk.com).

:: HAIR With so many parties and so little time, don't leave your crowning glory out of your glamathon repertoire.

If you're transforming from office drab to party fab in 15 minutes flat, you have three secret hair weapons on your side: dry shampoo, heated tools and up-dos.

When your locks needs a quick revival, spritz on dry shampoo to give your tresses a lift. Heated tools will help create speedy curls, waves or poker-straight styles.

"The up-do is every girl's secret weapon when it comes to transforming tired hair," says celebrity hair guru Lisa Shepherd.

"It's not only a classic style but a quick-fix hair remedy when you are pushed for time. Unwashed hair may look a little lank worn down but it is perfect for a post office to party up-do."

PARTY ESSENTIALS: Batiste Dry Shampoo, £1.99 (Superdrug); Frederic Fekkai limited edition Spray On Hair Crystals, £15 (www.spacenk.co.uk); James Brown Shine & Fragrance Spray, £5.99 (Boots); Braun Pocket Styler, £16.99 (Boots); Sassoon heated Pro Rollers, £24.99 (Argos).

:: BODY It's easy to transform yourself into a shimmering goddess with one quick sweep of sparkling body oil or powder. Keep the focus on either your legs or decollete to avoid the 'explosion in a glitter factory' look.

To boost your chest assets, Boots 17 make-up artist Vanesa Guallar suggests creating shading using a bronzing powder in the centre of your cleavage - shading lighter as you move outwards. Finish with a highlighter all over the chest area and blend well.

"For pins appeal start with an even all over base colour to cover any imperfections and even out the skin tone," she says.

"Then using a blusher brush, highlight down the centre of your legs from top to bottom for a lengthening and slimming effect."

PARTY ESSENTIALS: Benefit Bathina Body So Fine shimmer balm, £22.50 (www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk); The Sanctuary Bidadari Shimmering Body Dust, £9.95 (www.thesanctuary.co.uk); Origins Shedonism Shimmering Body Oil, £20 (www.origins.co.uk); 17 Self Tan Instant Glow Highlight and Bronze Powder, £4.49 (Boots); Emporio Armani Diamonds Intense EDP £32.50 (www.theperfumeshop.com).

:: TRIED & TESTED Goodbye pasty skin. Add an instant flush to your cheeks with a lip and cheek tint. We 'cheek out' three products.

:: 2True Cheek 'n' Lip Tint, £1.95 (Superdrug) Giving a slightly artificial pinkish hue this is perfect if you're looking to create a china doll effect.

2/5 :: Collection 2000 The Cheek Of It! lip & cheek tint, £3.99 (0870 755 1055) A light English rose coloured tint with a pleasant scent, this is good for pale complexions and a great value product.

4/5 :: Benefit Benetint, £22.50 (www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk) This classic product delivers beautiful flushed cheek results and has an addictive rose scent. But if you're on a budget, check out the cheaper competition.

3/5 :: BUY IT NOW Evening clutch or make-up bag? Turns out this Organic Glam wonder is a multi-tasker with pockets designed to hold your make-up and brushes as well as your party essentials. It's £25 at www.theorganicpharmacy.com/glam and available from December 1, BEAUTY BULLETIN :: 3O-SOMETHING CHIC Forget your teens and 20s, life becomes a whole lot more beautiful at 32. British women feel most beautiful at the age of 32, according to a new study by Willow Beauty Water.

That means celebrities who have turned 32 this year such as Anna Friel, Emma Bunton and Martine McCutcheon are in their beauty prime.

"It seems from our survey that when women reach 32 they feel at their happiest and most content with the way they look and feel," Willow Water's Clwyd Price-Jones says.

:: BEAUTY QUEEN Who says the beauty pageant is dead? While Gok Wan continues his search for Miss Naked Beauty, another contest has launched celebrating women of all shapes and sizes. Miss Beauty UK celebrates the spirit of beauty - and you don't need to be a size eight to enter. Applications are open online at www.missbeautyuk.com.