Throw some chestnuts in the pan for roasting on the stove. They won't just fill the house with a wonderful wintry aroma; they're packed with B vitamins and healthy carbohydrates, yet are lower in fat and calories than most other nuts.

A good reason to diffuse some oh-so-seasonal frankincense in your home: it gives you a lift by deepening your breathing and clearing your mind so you can focus more. Use five drops in an oil burner, or one drop on a tissue, and inhale.

The smoother your nails, the easier and more glassily your polish will go on. But it's easy to overdo it. Apply a few drops of oil to the nail area before you buff (as a different kind of 'buffer'), use the lightest possible pressure and spend just a few seconds per nail.

So your lashes are thinning (it happens with age...) But beware a whole set of lash extensions, as they can make eyelids look hooded. (We have two words for you. Barbara. Cartland.)

For an easy recipe that can help deep treat hair, mix together olive and sesame oils half-and-half, recommends hair health guru and superstylist Philip B. Massage into hair and scalp and leave for half an hour. You'll need two shampoos to remove the deep oil treatment, but the pay-off is great gloss.

To boost the effectiveness of your walk, contract your abs slightly as you stride out – think about softly holding your muscles up and in. You'll know you're contracting too hard if it interrupts the flow of your breath.

From our chum Mary Greenwell (always a fount of knowledge): after applying mascara, hold the wand vertically and use the tip to separate and flick out your inner- and outermost lashes. 'It makes eyes look more awake and gives them a youthful almond shape,' she says.

Turn a traditional lipstick into a deep, lasting stain by applying two coats of a strong shade, leaving it on for a few minutes, then blotting with a tissue so only the pigment remains.

Make time for breakfast. Research shows that people who skip breakfast eat more during the day than those who don’t. After a night’s sleep, bodies need fuel – so power up your vitamin C levels with cereals or porridge, and avoid sugary choices.

Do you have super-straight eyelashes? Charlotte Tilbury recommends curling them and immediately brushing on waterproof mascara. ‘It holds lashes up much better than a regular formula.’

To avoid tugging fragile eye skin, hold a pad soaked in dual-phase eye make-up remover over each eye for at least five seconds to dissolve make-up, then gently sweep it all off. (Dual-phase removers contain some oils, which are brilliant for melting away make-up.)

We well remember being exhorted by Cosmopolitan magazine in the 1970s to exercise our Kegel muscles – pelvic floor muscles – while waiting at the bus stop! But you know, they were right. Strong pelvic floor muscles help bladder control and can support the extra weight of pregnancy. Do this exercise several times daily: tighten your pelvic floor muscles (the ones you use to stop urine mid-flow). Hold for a slow count of three. Relax and repeat as often as you can. (Bus stop optional.)

Avoid doing the dishes or wash your hair for at least 12 hours after a manicure, manicure legend Jessica Vartoughian once told us. It softens the polish and shortens the lifespan of your manicure.

If you're struggling to keep up with the looming demands of the festive season, your iron levels might benefit from a kickstart. According to one Swiss study, taking an 80mg iron supplement could decrease fatigue even if you are not officially anaemic.

To go from desk to office do when you're pressed for time, Bobbi Brown's quickest fix is this: 'Apply a little charcoal shadow along your lash line, and a little white highlighter shadow on your brow bone, then slick on a shimmery lipstick and brighten up your blush. If you're in a REAL hurry, just use a burgundy lipstick.' Job done.

Do you sometimes use a particular dark shadow for eye-lining? If so, don't glop up the whole eyeshadow compact; instead, dedicate just a corner to this operation. (Once a shadow has been dampened, it behaves differently.)

If you always feel strapped for time, hang out with someone who follows their own rhythm, such as a treasured older member of the family, a child or even an animal. Notice any frustration that comes up in you as you allow your pace to match theirs. Look them deep in the eyes when you're talking to them, to establish a deep connection – and look upon the experience as an investment in yourself, rather than something to make you feel even more pressured. We all have the same amount of hours in a day; it's how we use them that matters.

Oil from cuticle treatments and hand lotion is the No.1 cause of chipping when you do your manicures at home. So before applying polish, either scrub nails clean with soap and a nailbrush (then rinse thoroughly), or use an acetone-free nail polish remover to swipe over the surfaces.

For a skin-softening bath, take a cupful of powdered milk, two tablespoons of ground almonds and two tablespoons of barley or oat flour. Mix in a bowl with a few drops of rose essential oil, then add two tablespoons to a tub of water. Soak for 15 minutes. The remaining bath mix should last in a glass jar for up to two months. (If you can keep yourself from using it.)

When you’re blow-drying hair, direct the hot air DOWN the hair shaft, as this will help smooth the cuticle, giving a shinier appearance.