So many parties, so little time.  In a perfect world, of course, we’d have a ‘do’ before every soirée (à la Liz Taylor, seen here with the legendary Alexandre de Paris).  File under:  Dream.  On.

But we can let you in on a little secret:  party hair in a rush is actually easy if you prep with a few simple items:  hair gloss, dry shampoo - and then, get bang on trend with some pretty hair accessories.  So for that just-out-of-the-salon Great Hair Day look, read on for our tips - and do have a play when you have 10 minutes to yourself at home.

But before we share our secrets...  If you have an iPhone, do check out The Two Minute Up-Do App launched by Andrew Collinge, which features really easy-to-follow videos that let you swiftly create a Top Knot, Inward Roll, Pleat, Ponytail Pleat, and what Andrew calls ‘The Twirl’.  It’s £3.99 at the iTunes Store if you click here – but all proceeds go to Andrew’s chosen charity, the Design for Life Appel, which aims to raise £2 million to transform the lives of adults with learning difficulties.  (The result:  a great hairstyle – with an extra feel-good factor.)

But now, OUR secrets.  For instant hair gloss, we recommend Aveda Brilliant Spray-On Shine, £14.50 for 100 ml.  Our testers for The Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible loved this one best, but also rated Paul Mitchell Soft Style The Shine Spray-On Polish £14.95 for 125 ml, and Label.m Shine Spray, £11.25 for 125 ml. (But remember, less is always more with these products or you end up looking as if you've dived into an oil slick.)

Dry shampoo is also genius for party hair.  It’s great for freshening up (rather than glossing up) your crowning glory, but it’s also brilliant to spritz through freshly-washed hair, which can be floppy – making it hard to keep a style, and difficult to ‘anchor’ accessories into.  Go for the classic here, with Batiste Dry Shampoo, £1.52 nationwide – now available in shades to match different haircolours.  

Then for an instant ‘fix’, just add decorative accessories.  The nicest collection of hair accessories we found actually comes from good old M&S:  it’s available on-line at online at www.marksandspencer.com, but just click any ‘bold’ name to find each product.

Pave Diamanté Heart Duo Slide Hair Clips, £6.  Several of these would be gorgeous for ‘tethering’ an updo (and so reasonable!)

Tear Drop Slide Duo Hair Clips, £6.  Very subtle and understated:  great for clipping a fringe to the side.  These are real classics that you’ll have in your ‘hair kit’ forever.  Instant ‘zhoosh’.

Multi-Faceted Bead Wire Duo Headbands, £15 for a set of 2.  Again, a really reasonable price for a pair of hairbands:  all you need to do here is use them to push your hair back off your face, or go ‘tiara’-style and brush a fringe forwards (or swept to the side of your forehead), in front of the headband.

Diamanté Butterfly Hair Clip, £6.  True vintage styling:  a lovely butterfly clip to wear as a ‘single clip’, or – for real drama – scattered through a chignon.

To find all the products mentioned above, either click on the names or go via this list: 

• Aveda Brilliant Spray-On Shine, £14.50 for 100 ml – click here to find it

• Paul Mitchell Soft Style The Shine Spray-On Polish £14.95 for 125 ml – click here

• Label.m Shine Spray, £11.25 for 125 ml – click here

• Batiste Dry Shampoo, £1.52 for 50 ml – click here

•  Pave Diamanté Heart Duo Slide Hair Clips, £6 – click here

•  Tear Drop Slide Duo Hair Clips, £6 – click here

•  Multi-Faceted Bead Wire Duo Headbands, £15 for a set of 2 – click here

•  Diamanté Butterfly Hair Clip, £6 – click here