Even the best therapist isn’t psychic. So to get the most out of any spa treatment or therapy, communicate, communicate, communicate. Don’t like having your bottom massaged? Say so. Not keen on the music? Tell her/him. Too hot or cold? Gently communicating about anything that’s bothering you will make for a much more relaxing experience. 

For extra precision, hold your lip pencil near the nib when lining your lips. (And never use a pencil that's too sharp; blunt the tip on the back of your hand.)

We're pretty much always inspired by how Elle Macpherson stays quite so glow-y... Here's one secret of her top-to-toe radiance: 'I dry-brush, wet-brush, use scrubs in the shower – I’ll try any scrub! I find it’s the best detox for skin and helps boost my circulation, shed dead skin cells, and nourishes and renews super-dry skin. I then moisturise top to toe with coconut oil and slather myself in SPF.'

After flying, massage your serum into skin until you’ve really saturated it – this really transforms dull, dry and travel-weary skin. (It’s good after a long flight, too.)

We can't quite believe our friend Bobbi Brown is 60. (She recently reinvented herself as an inkeeeper, in New Jersey – but watch this space, because her new (and very timely) thing is wellness. Key to looking and feeling fantastic is to keep moving, she says. 'The thing is, my mind still thinks I’m 32 in all sorts of ways. I love to move. Moving my body makes such a huge difference in how I feel—I don’t have an age when I’m in the middle of exercising. Moving to hip-hop, disco, kickboxing, bootcamp—whatever it is, if I’m moving, no age.'

Create your own leave-in conditioner by pouring regular conditioner and water into a spray bottle (three parts water to one part conditioner). If hair tangles or frizzes during the day, a few spritzes with your D-I-Y lightweight conditioner can help get it under control, too.

Fretting about the 'flu? If you've escaped thus far (and it's felled so many people we know), then it's time for some immune-boosting. Our friend, Ayurvedic herbalist and Pukka co-founder Sebastian Pole, has this advice: 'In winter, it's worth getting the kettle on to brew up herbs made with immune-strengthening herbs and fruits, such as ginger, echinacea and elderberry. The fiery heat in ginger gets the blood pumping and clears congestion. Elderberry, as well as being a source of vitamin C, is one of the most powerful system-boosting natural remedies around, that has been shown to fight 10 different strains of the flu virus and reduce both the duration and severity of colds and flu.'

Keen to cut down on packaging waste? A friend carries a tin cup with her, having found that (almost) every fast food and coffee chain is happy to fill it for her, avoiding a one-use cup. (Of course, this only really works if you’re drinking in situ.)

Do you find your hair grips and slides slip out of your hair, especially when it's clean? Spritz them with hairspray before you put them in.

If you're a contact lens wearer and your mascara's running dry, it's OK to use a few drops of the sterile lens solution to thin it. But nobody should keep a mascara for more than three months before replacing it.

Getting foundation on a white shirt is an occupational hazard, if you get dressed before doing your make-up. There's not much you can do to remove it immediately but before putting it in the wash, squirt a dollop of shaving cream on the spot to pre-treat it.

Have you set out to eat healthily, in 2018? Some wisdom from Dr. Antonella Tosti, dermatologist and expert in hair disorders. 'I see women who are drinking too many raw juices, not realising that certain vitamins can cause hair loss.' (Vitamin A, found in carrots, isn't good for hair.) She adds: 'Hair needs protein for healthy growth, so it's not uncommon for someone who becomes vegan to experience slower hair growth, if they're not supplementing with the nutrients meat provides.' (The answer could be as simple as an iron supplement.)

Traditionally, the best way to apply concealer is to dab it on with a tiny brush. But concealer pencils can be a revelation – speedier and just as precise. Look for one with a creamy texture (if it’s too dry it won’t blend), and dot it on blemishes, dark circles and broken capillaries. (These pencils are great for getting at tricky areas like the sides of the nose.) Our favourite? Delilah Farewell Cream Concealer.

We love finding space for little ‘psychological lifts’ during each day. A splash of Cologne, a reapplication of blusher in the afternoon, a swipe of lipstick at the end of the working day. Fact: if you feel pretty, you look pretty.

Try to change how you think about your features. We share Bobbi Brown’s philosophy that every woman has positive features and it’s better to focus on playing those up than trying to disguise/conceal things we’re less-than-happy with. As she puts it: ‘If your eyes are not your best feature, play up your lips. Don’t try to fix them.’

Suffering from dry, flaky lips? Us, too. Dampen lips when you’re having a bath or shower and gently buff away with a flannel. Pat dry immediately you’ve finished washing and slick on a rich balm immediately.

We’re always looking for time-saving strategies – so we’re big fans of the Treatwell app, which now covers the whole of the UK and lets you ‘order in’ beauty services.

This quiet time of year is a perfect moment to follow some advice from US make-up pr Glenn Marziali. 'Take a Sunday afternoon to find out what makes you feel pretty. Go through magazines, cut out pictures of eyes, lips, cheeks that look like yours – or shades of make-up that you love – and see what the make-up artist did to the models. Then try it on yourself.' (You could also use a Pinterest board for this, of course.)

If you're anything like us, you're still having a bit of a New Year's purge. On the make-up front, be sure to throw out any foundation that's dried out or polish that's thickened. Don't be tempted to reconstitute products past their prime.

You can use a colour meant for eyes – such as tan or taupe – on cheeks (for contouring). But don't use blush on your lids. The pigments in blushes are different from those in eyeshadow, may not have been screened for eye safety – and might cause an allergic reaction.