You can party all night long and stay looking as fresh as a daisy with our must-try insider tips and savvy tricks
You've been looking forward to it for ages, but you know it's going to be a challenge for your looks, so how on earth do you let your hair down at the party of the season while looking like the belle of the ball, and better still, wake up the next morning feeling better than you really should?
It's not called beauty sleep for nothing - a good night's shut-eye really does make a difference to your looks - so the night before the bash, go to bed at a reasonable hour and stock up on 'sleep credits' for the following evening.
Hangovers can be eased by avoiding certain foods and resisting cravings, so if you want to feel energised the morning after, get those bacon butties out of your mind and stock up on healthy foods such as muesli and bananas, along with mineral water and carrot, apple or melon fruit juice, which is gentler on the stomach than acidic orange or grapefruit, and is also nourishing.
Don't forget your after-party survival kit, which should include a good night cream containing antioxidants, nourishing body cream, refreshing anti-puff eye gel or an eye mask, and Vitamin C in soluble form.
When it's time to get ready, cleanse, tone and apply an anti-pollutant moisturiser containing antioxidants to your skin, along with a long-lasting foundation, ideally containing similar ingredients, as well as moisturisers to form a barrier against your skin. This will also protect against smoke and dehydration.
After the party
When you get back in the early hours, force yourself to remove your make-up, apply night cream and eye cream, drink a pint of water to re-hydrate your body, and if you have a headache, take a couple of painkillers.
If you've followed the above steps, the next morning shouldn't feel too bad at all. A chilled, damp flannel pressed onto the skin will wake you up and take down any puffiness, while you can cheat your way to a healthy glow by splashing your face repeatedly with very cold water and then patting it dry with a soft towel.
You can further promote a fresher complexion by gently exfoliating or massaging the flannel over your skin, and applying a fast-acting hydrating mask or thick layer of moisturiser.
And once you've stepped out of the shower (much more invigorating than a bath), slather on your body cream to make skin feel pampered and hydrated. If your feet are suffering due to hours spent on the dancefloor, put a spring back in your step with a stimulating foot and leg-care product containing ingredients such as eucalyptus and menthol.
You can now get to grips with a little make-up, although when your skin's been under stress, less is definitely more, so avoid caking it on. Concentrate on achieving super-smooth, hydrated skin, and apply an instant radiance or lifting product, before applying a light foundation or tinted moisturiser.
Refresh and brighten tired or red eyes with eye drops, and complete your natural look by applying a little petroleum jelly to your brow bones, eyelashes and lips. Alternatively, rub on a cream blusher and treat lips to a moisturising coloured balm.
Voila! You're now ready to face the day and no-one will guess what you got up to the night before.
