Make up artist Tina Young gives top tips to knock em dead over Christmas.

1. Start with a great base. Cheap is really a false economy. Foundation will last for ages, as the days of a heavy mask-like look are over. Restrict the application to the central T zone and blend outwards. Aim to cover the areas around nose, under eyes and chin. Let your real skin shine through. Laura Mercier, Chanticaille and Chanel have some amazing foundations.

2. Groomed brows give structure and open up your eye. A beautiful brow can even make you look younger. Pluck don't wax. Go very slowly, one hair at a time, moving from brow to brow to achieve the perfect shape. Fill in with a fine, slanted brush and shadow to match your brow.

3. For wide-eyed, bright and sparkling eyes after a day staring at your screen use an eye brightener such as Oprex. Use sparingly as this works by constricting the tiny blood vessels in the eye. Finish with a white kohl pencil on the inner, lower lid. Finally add a touch of gold, crme shadow on the inner corner of the eye for total sparkle.

4. Going from the office to a party is easy with just a few deft strokes of a brush. Enhance eyes or lips, both together can be overpowering if you are not used to make-up. High glamour and dramatic look is smokey eyes with a paler lip. Easily achieved with a smudge of shadow, well blended to the outer corners. Finish with black kohl pencil applied to the inner, upper and lower eye lid rims. Finish with neutral lips.

5. Another look is to do the opposite of the above, and keep the eyes neutral, just mascara with a black eye liner, winged out from exterior corner. Finish with a bright lip shade, don't forget to pencil it in first. A faster option with old Hollywood appeal.

6. Keep a translucent powder compact in your bag, for quick touch ups. With one sweep, you can freshen up and lose shine. A must for all glamour girls.

7. Invest in some heated eyelash curlers for speed. They really do work and are much safer than the old clamping type. Have you tried Blink a new concept in mascara? It actually leaves a tube on each lash. Smudge proof and very easily removed with only water. Great if the party continues til dawn.

8. For the ultimate in sparkle invest in I.D makeup. Not only does it look amazing on the skin, it's made entirely of minerals, contains no chemicals, and is so pure you can sleep in it with no harm to your skin. What a result for the party girl.

9. If you expect to do a lot of kissing under the mistletoe or behind the photocopier, give up the gloss. It will only smudge, leaving a tell-tale, jam-like substance around the lips of you and your partner. Instead switch to a creamy, lip stain. It will give you that intense shot of colour, while keeping your kissing secret.

10. Have a make up lesson from an expert from a makeup artist from Facemakeup. They can go to your home or office, and take out all the stress.

Telephone: 07768 003231