Party Pampering Plan
seasonal event,skincare,relaxation
Group of friends
Whether you\'re planning to party 24/7 over the next month or simply want to be able to accept an impromptu invitation at the drop of a hat, you\'ll need to have a PPP - Party Pampering Plan - in place
Sensational skin
seasonal event,skincare,relaxation
woman sitting on floor
For skin to look and feel good all year round you need to continue to dry brush, exfoliate and moisturise regularly. This not only ensures smoother, softer skin, it also results in a hell of a lot less work when you want to don a flesh-flashing little number for a last-minute Christmas drinks bash. Exfoliate twice weekly and moisturise daily and your skin - not to mention your LBD - will thank you for it. Origins Incredible Spreadable Scrub (£20, 0800 731 4039) is a great skin-slougher, while Biotherm\'s Biosenses Nutrition Nourishing Fortifying Body Balm (£20, available from Selfridges) will help to keep your limbs moisturised long after you\'ve showered
Minimise make-up
seasonal event,skincare,make-up
Woman applying makeup
Make-up may be able to mask a multitude of sins, but beware - piling on the slap the morning after the night before can actually highlight the things you\'re trying to hide. Black mascara, for example, can make red eyes look even redder, so opt instead for something more subtle. A clear mascara, such as Clarins Fix\' Mascara (£12.50, 0800 036 3558) will tidy lashes and open up tired eyes without drawing attention to them. Similarly, skin may look pale and sallow, but resist the temptation to brush on the bronzer - instead use a highlighter, such as YSL Touche Eclat (£21) to give skin a much-needed radiance boost
Foot notes
seasonal event,skincare,relaxation
woman touching feet
Chances are you\'ll be wearing a pair of sexy sandals at some point over the next few weeks, so the last thing you want is craggy, chapped feet. Take time out to give yourself a DIY pedi. First slough off any hard or flaky skin using a foot file (try Virgin Vie\'s Foot Steps Emery Board, £4, 0845 300 8022). Next, fill a bowl with warm water and sprinkle in a few drops of The Sanctuary\'s Relaxing Foot Soak (£4, 0845 070 8090), which boasts skin-soothing lavender, tea-tree oil and seaweed. Towel dry, moisturise, then trim and paint your nails in your favourite dancefloor-diva colour. Make foot care part of your daily beauty regime and slather on some of the wonderful Margaret Dabbs Intensive Hydrating Foot Lotion (£25,
www.margaretdabbs.co.uk morning and night for super-soft skin
Professional touch
seasonal event,skincare,relaxation
Manicure
Why waste time nicking yourself in the shower or smudging self-tan everywhere before a big event when you could already have had all the groundwork done for you by an expert? Whether you visit a salon for a Brazilian bikini wax, a Californian spray tan or a French manicure, make sure you\'ve booked yourself in to have a couple of essential pampering treatments. Well-groomed nails will instantly make you feel more glamorous and a fuzz-free, gorgeous golden body will obviously ensure that you look great in your new sparkly party dress
Water aid
seasonal event,skincare,drinks
Water
I know it sounds horribly boring, but if you try to drink a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have you\'ll keep yourself hydrated and will therefore lessen the chances of having a horrible hangover the next day. Forget about feeling a prude about it - just subtly slide up to the bar, drink a glass of water every half an hour or so and think how great you\'ll feel when everyone else the next day is cupping their head in their hands and trying to work with a banging headache! It\'s also a good idea to limit your intake of Champagne and wine and switch to something like vodka mixed with soda, as this is the purest and lowest-sugar alcohol out there
Appetite for destruction
seasonal event,fruit/drink
Bananas
The simple truth is, if you don\'t eat before you go out drinking, you\'ll feel worse for wear the next day and probably end up eating far more than you would normally in order to make yourself feel better. This vicious cycle of starving then scoffing not only helps to pile on those excess seasonal pounds, it also makes you feel drained of energy, too. Make an effort to line your stomach beforehand and it\'ll make all the difference. Take a milk thistle supplement (available from all good health stores) to limit liver damage and eat a couple of high protein/carb snacks, such as a chicken salad sandwich followed by a banana to decrease your chances of getting a stonking hangover
Bedside manners
seasonal event,skincare
Woman asleep
When you finally get home, don\'t just slump into bed, otherwise you\'ll wake up looking and feeling utterly horrible. If you can muster the effort to cleanse properly and down at least a pint of water before collapsing into bed, then your skin will have a much better chance of recovering. If, however, you\'re too \'tired\' to make it to the bathroom, then make sure you have an SOS cosmetic kit sitting on your bedside table. This should include a pack of wet wipes in order to cleanse quickly (try Olay\'s Total Effects Age Defying Wet Cleansing Cloths, £4.29, Boots nationwide), a bottle of still mineral water and a radiance-boosting night cream so you can at least look like you\'ve had eight hours\' sleep when the reality is more like two! Guerlain\'s Issima Midnight Secret (£51, 01932 233 909) may cost more than your average night-time skincare product, but it really is the biz
Face value
seasonal event,skincare
Woman with face mask
Smoky environments and all those late nights will eventually take their toll on your complexion, so make sure you drink plenty of water during the day (at least 2 litres) and eat plenty of foods that are rich in antioxidants such as tomatoes, grapes, peppers and red berries. Green tea is also great for helping to flush out nasty toxins. For those mornings when you really do look like you\'ve been out on the town all night, invest in a face-saving cream such as Guerlain\'s Super Aqua Day Refreshing Gel-Crème (£35) and mix in a little of Clarins\' classic Beauty Flash Balm (£22.50, 0800 036 3558) to give your complexion the extra boost it needs
Salon SOS
massage,seasonal event,spa,relaxation
massage
With back-to-back bashes, chances are your skin will need a helping hand to get it back in shape in time for the next party. If you\'re pushed for time (heck, who isn\'t, come Christmas?), you can now get an express treatment at the Clarins Skin Spas (call 0800 036 3558). Each treatment lasts 40 minutes and costs £29 - the back massage is the perfect way to relieve festive stress. If you\'re looking for a beauty boost after one late night too many, book into Michaeljohn (Albermarle St, London, 020 7529 6969) for a Revival Facial, especially designed to ease the pain of a hangover and revive tired, dull skin
First-aid kit
seasonal event,skincare,make-up
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream
Here are some other essential items you\'ll need to have in your bathroom cabinet if you\'re going to burn the candle at both ends:
• Elizabeth Arden\'s Eight Hour Cream (£19, department stores nationwide) - to rehydrate kissed-out lips and cracked, winter-dry complexions
• Jurlique\'s Herbal Recovery Gel (£42.50, 0870 770 0980) - packed full of good-for-you organic ingredients, this will soothe stressed-out skin and restore radiance
• Daniel Galvin\'s Hangover Hair (£3.99, available from Boots nationwide) - this intensive hair-repair conditioning and gloss treatment is a must for any party queen who wants to transform her hair from grungy to gorgeous
