How To Party-Proof Your Make-Up Look

Waterproof mascara may make you think of summer, but for us, it is a no-brainer when it comes to all-night parties. However, it can often fade to grey in a few hours and look a little dull. Our favourites with a deep black sheen? YSL's Waterproof The Shock Mascara, £23, and Benefit's BADgal Waterproof Mascara, £18.50. Another bonus is that these two are easier to get off than most hardwearing formulas, so you wont be struggling at 2am.

Instead of frequently applying powder to hide oiliness (extra layers of make-up will just cause a lumpy, pilling effect), keep oil-blotting sheets at your desk and in your clutch. Swiped over your face, they soak up excess oil without taking off all your makeup. We love: DHC's Blotting Papers, £4.50

If your skin is looking a little lacklustre but you've not had time to tan, pep up your look with a liberal dusting of Mii's dinky Shimmer and Sparkle Mineral Dust in Beguile, £19.95. Swept over shoulders, chest and cheekbones, it adds a healthy, believable hit of radiance.

Liquid liner may take patience and a steady hand, but when you find the right one, it won't budge as easily as a kohl pencil can when you inevitably get too hot at the Christmas party. We like: Shiseido Makeup Automatic Fine Eyeliner, £26, or Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, £14.50

Is there anything worse than dry, flaky lips? In a word: no. The best trick (like the pros do backstage) is to use exfoliating wipes pre-party, as they're softer and gentler on the skin than the old age trick of frantically rubbing with a dry toothbrush. Try First Aid's Beauty Facial Radiance Pads, £14, or if you're in a rush, make-up artists also swear by MAC's Lip Scrubtious, £12.50, for stubborn patches.

Creamy eyeshadows are your go-to for parties, as when sweat and powder make-up mixes, the result isn't pretty – plus, the creamy formula means they shimmer beautifully under festive lighting. Laura Mercier's Caviar Sticks, £23, are easy to scribble on, come in gorgeous shades and contain silicone, which locks the colour in place. We also love Charlotte Tilbury's Eyes To Mesmerise pots, £22; which stand the test of time without smudging.

If you find your mascara has clogged up halfway through your evening, brush through lashes with a little comb, like the Tweezerman Folding iLashcomb, £11. It sounds like an unnecessary step, but it's compact enough to carry around and keeps mascara distributed evenly from lash line to tips – trust us, it'll change your life. Well, maybe not your life, but your eyes.

It's nothing new, but with many people still using hairspray to set their make-up, it bears repeating: invest in a good setting spray, pronto. Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray, £23.50, is a cult classic and wont let you down, but we're also loving Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day Setting Sprays, £16 – trust us when we say you'll get through day and night without need for touch-ups.