We suggest carrying a little pouch of Q-Tips in the handbag to re-blend eyeshadow during the day. We all have natural oils on our lids, and it's natural for make-up to start creasing, no matter how great a base we use.

If you have an iPhone, discover the Screen Time app and set a daily limit on social media use. It warns you when you're nearing your allocation (and boy, is it scary to find out how much time we're spending on our devices looking at pictures of flower arrangements and nice gardens!)

Take time to figure out the three products that make the maximum impact, make-up wise, so that on a busy day you can cut your make-up regime right down. If you've dark hair, you can usually get away with using just concealer, blush and lipstick. If you're blonde, you may need to play up eyes by using mascara and brow powder, then add a slick of lipstick. Play around till you find your 'Top Three'.

As we age, the pockets of fluid that protect our eyes start to slip and create bags. To decongest and tackle puffiness, Decléor's Education Director Fiona Brackenbury recommends building this simple, one-minute massage into your morning regime: 'Use your ring fingers to gently press and roll under the inner corners of your eyes, moving along the bony ridge of the socket and out to your temples and hairline. Do this for 50 seconds, then massage down the sides of your face ad neck for 10, to move fluid down to the lymph nodes where it's easily dispersed.'  

Feel a cold sore coming on? Sometimes it’s possible to block it as soon as you feel the familiar tingle by applying ice cubes or frozen pea packs, since raised body heat activates the herpes virus.

For hungover skin, make-up artist Jenny Jordan likes to saturate skin with pads soaked in glycerine and rosewater. ‘Rubbing it over the face and neck brings the circulation back and gleams the skin. It looks softer, fresher,’ she says.

Hanging onto the last flaky, patchy dregs of a summer fake tan? This is where a loofah really comes into its own. (And for elbows, turn to grandma’s favourite skin-lightener, lemon.)

As we enter the sniffle season, remember the best way to prevent ‘nose dandruff’ (dry skin flaking off your nose) is to liberally moisturise it with balm inside and out. (Not pretty, but effective – though do ditch the balm after your infection’s cleared.) If you need to de-flake, soak skin and gently buff with a soft washcloth, then moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. (The new Erborian CC Red Correct really comes into its own for concealing a red nose, too.)

Looking for a seasonal makeover? Don’t buy into the illusion that it’ll save time if you head to the counter bare-faced. Better to wear your everyday make-up so that the artist knows your style. And tell them exactly what you want – a bolder lip, a stronger brow, a foundation match. And what if you’re still unhappy with the results? ‘It’s often a matter of fine-tuning,’ our friend Bobbi Brown once told us.

Are you a runner? If you get a stitch while exercising, stop and push your fingers into your belly just below your ribs on the right-hand side. At the same time, blow out as hard as you can through pursed lips. Doing this releases pressure on your diaphragm and should stop the pain so you can be off and running again.

Before applying blusher to cheeks, hang your head down for a few seconds to see where your natural flush appears. That's where you should apply your blusher.

For an at-home dandruff treatment, massage your scalp while shampooing, then towel-dry and comb hair to loosen and remove flakes. Apply a mixture of a spoonful each of apple cider vinegar, vodka and warm water, plus a drop of tea tree to the scalp. Don't rinse out, and sleep on it. Style as usual in the morning.

Don't rub wrists together when applying fragrance. You'll 'bruise' the fragrance, and interfere with the way it's supposed to develop on the skin.

You almost certainly don't need as much concealer at this time of year – and if you overdo it, it'll look cake-y and obvious. Try mixing it with your under-eye cream for lighter coverage.

From superhairdresser Brad Johns, sage advice: 'Tone brows to your base hair colour, not to blonde highlights. It's a mistake to lighten brows because the face loses definition.'  

Try this summer body-smoother from the famous Canyon Ranch. Put two peeled/pitted avocados, two egg yolks, two generous tablespoons of honey and the juice of one lemon in a large bowl. Stir till it becomes a paste, then refrigerate. Take the container to the shower and after you've exfoliated, apply the treatment all over – good for face, chest, arms and legs. Wait a few minutes and rinse off, for super-soft skin at a fraction of the price of a flight to California...

Hate to say it, but unless those hotel amenities are by a well-known brand  – we’re always thrilled to encounter ESPA and This Works, for instance – we advise giving them a miss. We often find that the body washes and shampoos have unacceptably high levels of detergent, leaving itchy and dry.

If you’re going for a bikini waxing, don’t ever feel embarrassed. Therapists are essentially unshockable; they’ve seen it all (and removed it all!) (But you can still tip generously…

Holiday still to come? Book a hair trim before you go; the ends (which are oldest) are most prone to damage.

Having trouble removing festival glitter? (Oh, even we’ve been known…!) Vaseline seems to do the trick, we find.