How to prep for the festive party season

Go from winter-weary to party ready in a flash

December can leave you feeling a little flustered but party season waits for no man

Between Christmas shopping, decorating the tree and fending off that winter cold December can leave you feeling a little flustered but party season waits for no one.

However busy you may be, finding time to spruce up for the festivities ahead is key to making sure you look and feel great in time for Christmas. It’s season of dos – getting those big jobs out of the way early on will free up some much needed time nearer the event so get yourself booked in for a trim, pronto.

Cold weather can wreak havoc on your beauty fundamentals so it’s important to find the products that will guarantee to take you from winter-weary to party ready in a flash.

Central heating and a severe lack of sunshine can leave your skin feeling lacklustre so brighten it up by using an invigorating body scrub every other day in the lead up to your bash. This will get rid of the older skin cells and increase circulation. It’s also really important to follow up with a good hit of moisture so treat your skin to an all-over treatment; face mask and all.

If you’re still feeling pallid then investing in a professional spray tan will give you a flawless finish but if you’d rather risk it with a do-it-yourself job we’d suggest applying it a couple of days beforehand. Alternatively, using a quality gradual tanner will do the job just as well. If you’re the kind of person that leaves everything to the last minute, though, never fear because St Tropez’s Expresss self-tan develops in as little as one hour.

Don’t forget to trim those pins either. For super-smooth skin, we love Braun’s Silk-épil SkinSpa; it’s the ultimate multitasking tool that epilates and exfoliates your skin at the same time.

With all the big jobs out the way, take some time the night before to give yourself a glossy mani-pedi. For salon-worthy results, opt for a brand like Deborah Lippmann which guarantees full-coverage, chip-resistant colour. We love the new Family Jewels Gift Set which includes three customarily Christmas-y hues; a lustrous gold, rich sanguine red and a sparkly golden shimmer.