How to look amazing when you feel far from it

It is now well into winter and with temperatures plummeting (and hot tods a very necessary evil), you are doubtless suffering from a) a cold, b) a hangover or c) all of the above (shudder) - none of which are conducive to looking one's 'best'. Which is why we've put together this quick list of hacks, to ensure you look stunning when you feel like s___.

{Clean up} - whether you've wended your merry way home from a too-tipsy dinner party, or simply sat snivelling through four, torturous stops on the District Line, don't succumb to the lure of your duvet until you've made a vague attempt to wash your face. You will feel better, and your skin will show thanks by remaining spot-free.

Eve Lom's brilliant {Gel Balm Cleanser} tranforms into a milky-oily-balm when massaged over dry skin, dissolving everything (even mascara) with next-to-no effort. Or believe the hype and jump on the {Votary} bandwagon. Loved by countless die-hard devotees, the cult {Cleansing Oil - Rose Geranium & Apricot} smells "divine and makes skin soft and silky but not over-oily" according to one discerning customer (but don't just take her word for it).

{Hydrate} - if the cleansing stage doesn't exhaust you, then whack on an overnight treatment. Pixi's {Beauty Sleep Cream} smells like lavender (ie: heaven) and conditions parched skin while you're passed-out face down in your pit (it absorbs really quickly, so won't stain your pillowcase). You'll wake up looking dewy-skinned and luminous - even if your head is banging. Or try January Labs' {Retexturising Night Cream} - a potent fusion of lactic and hyaluronic acids which works to 'plump up' and dispel tell-tale signs of dehydration.

{De-puff} - whether alcohol- or flu-induced, toxins have a nasty habit of accumulating, and few things scream 'hungover' like a puffed-up visage. White Lotus' {A Grade Jade Roller Double} has magical 'anti-hangover' properties - especially when fresh from the fridge. Roll along your under-eyes to boost kidney function (really!), banish bags and bel-eye tell-tale signs of your late night adventures.

{Get glowing} - a radiance-boosting elixir is a must. Supercharge your day cream with a few drops of Odacite's {Youthful Glow Booster}, or fake it 'til you make it with BECCA's {Shimmering Skin Perfector} in 'Opal' - a peachy-toned pearlescent potion that is the perfect perker-upper (technical term), granting even grey complexions an enviable, 'you look well' lustre.

{Brighten up} - with a hint of blush. It's face-awakening properties will mask a multitude of sins. Hourglass' {Ambient Lighting Blush} in 'Radiant Magenta' is the perfect, flush-toned pink, or try Rituel de Filles {Inner Glow Cream Blush} in 'Delirium' to lend a peaky pallor instant, honey-toned warmth

{Open up} - sleep-deprived or teary eyes with Kevyn Aucoin's {The Eye Lash Curler}. It's award-winning for a reason, and will make you look alive (even if you feel like death). Follow with a water-resistant, lash-lengthening mascara - BUXOM's {Lash Waterproof Mascara} separates and elongates, and will stay-put come hell or eye-water.

...aaaaaaand {Spritz} - Josh Rosebrook's {Hydrating Accelerator} is quite possibly, paradise distilled into a chic white bottle. Keep on your desk - or in easy reach of your sick bed - to refresh skin and help dispel day-after despair (it's miraculously spirit-lifting).

Et voila! Cinderella shall go to the office (and nobody need ever know).