Ah glitter, I’m glad you asked. I have long been a fan of the sparkly stuff but it’s had a bad press in recent years – too arts-and-crafts for most women’s carefully edited make-up bags. Personally, I think there’s something to be said for a thin sliver of metallic glitter along the lash line or a light dusting of pearly iridescence on the brow bone. Worn alone as a slash of colour against a nude face, it can be very chic.

My favourite way to wear glitter is in the form of a gel eyeliner – gold works well against my olive skin and is brilliant at opening up my eyes, but silver looks just as good on blondes and fairer skin tones (check out Urban Decay’s range).

Now that it’s party season, you can afford to be a little more liberal with where you put your sparkle. Take a leaf out of Lily Allen’s book – seen sporting solid silver glitter from lash to brow at the weekend. The effect was rather beautiful, tempered as it was with melted brown shadow underneath. Or copy Cheryl Cole’s X Factor finale look (sob sob, did I mention I was a fan?) and choose an offbeat colour such as red – last seen at Prada’s AW09 show – to add a little fashion edge.

With either look, simply apply a sweep of base shadow to anchor the glitter, then press on and sparkle away. You know you want to.