Pleasingly, it was the year of the comeback

There are few lovelier treats than a new bottle of good scent

Glitter is always mood-enhancing and fun, and seems at home with a stupid paper hat. This year, I plan to introduce it via a lovely sparkling mascara

A nude palette is a girl’s best friend year-round

‘He needn’t be a dedicated groomer to appreciate these’

‘Small, useful, relatively inexpensive things are somehow more satisfying than bigger, flashier Christmas presents’

‘On the day loved ones visited to say goodbye, Carey texted to say she’d decided to wear a sparkly Tom Ford eyeshadow palette’

Much more fun than dodgy chocolate, these nail, skin and makeup gifts really deliver

‘My hair is noticeably fuller. I mean really, truly – it’s bigger’

‘I realise ice-cream pastels sound wrong in relation to the skin, but trust me – the new correctors are brilliant’

‘There is no defining factor that makes perfume masculine, feminine – or both. There’s just powerful marketing and our own conditioned perception to provide us with cues’

‘It’s now got some extremely well-chosen cult brands that deserve some mass-market exposure’

There are some good ones out there that won’t break the bank

‘As always, I spend too much money on beauty products I don’t need. “It’s my job, my hands are tied,” I tell myself’

‘Masks have always seemed to be a lot of hassle, but some excellent products have caused a shift in my opinion’

Our beauty editor particularly likes fragrance that comes in ornamental bottles

‘I sent out products to readers, asking each tester to use them for at least eight weeks. There was shocking disparity in the results, but a handful were positively heaped with praise’

‘Once in a while, a gadget is so amazingly effective that it would be downright remiss of me not to share’

‘The browny pinks I love in winter can look a bit sad in warm weather, the rich reds as jarring and unseasonal as a tweed bikini’

‘Some days are so hot and sticky that putting on makeup suddenly poses a number of challenges’

‘I do accept that it’s sometimes fun to pair strong, smoky eyes with an entirely flawless base, and that some women do just feel better with a face full of foundation’

Don’t step out in sandals or flip-flops until you’ve given your feet a onceover first

‘Finally there are two brands doing things properly’

‘A gradual tanner should prove to be a wise buy’

‘Good-quality baby creams contain none, or fewer, of the undesirable ingredients in lots of expensive adult skincare, and do the job just as well, or even better, often for a fraction of the price’

You don’t have to spend a fortune to look a million dollars. Sali Hughes picks the top budget beauty products on the high street