It is the eternal question: how much is too much? The more you ponder it — whatever it’s in relation to — the harder it is to pin down the answer. Unless you’re in charge of television news in France, that is. There, a news anchor on TF1, Laurence Ferrari (female, of course), was recently told to have a make-under. She was just too glamorous for such seriousness. I’m not sure at what point it was decided that caring about your locks and lipstick meant you weren’t credible. I have one perfect example to hold up in defence of those who want both: Hedy Lamarr. She was a beautiful 1940s actress, with ever-glossy lips, who also helped to invent a high-tech secret communication system. Glamour and brains? Who could imagine such craziness?

So, giving a few pointers about less obvious make- up is in no way an admission I’m wrong. It’s merely that some faces don’t take make-up well. Ferrari’s is not one of them, but mine is: smoky eyes make me resemble the little piggy that got lost in the coal shed.

I still want gloss, though, so these are my top tips.

My latest hero product is Voile, from the newly launched skincare brand NuBo (£40, from Harrods). It comes in three shades (plus clear), feels like a mix between a gel and a powder, evens out skin tone and gives a perfect glow. I used it after a 10-hour flight to Los Angeles, before going out for dinner, where everyone told me how fresh I looked. Plus, it comes in a small, sparkly pink dispenser that is easy to carry for emergency touch-ups. If you merely need to remove occasional dark circles or to disguise a blemish, then reach for By Terry Touche Veloutée concealer ( £26; spacenk.com ).

If you have overdone the foundation or it’s starting to look caked, then check out Paul & Joe Moisture Gel (£15.50, from Harrods), which promises to turn make-up back into skin again. Simply apply it and watch things lighten up. For a gentle bloom to cheeks, I’m newly addicted to the creamy Multiblush in Raspberry from Clarins — though it isn’t itself new, the flush it gives is fresh (£15).

Last, when it comes to overdoing it, the worst beauty crime is obvious lip liner. That’s why all of us should snap up the new Invisible Lip Liner from Lipstick Queen (£15; spacenk.com). It’s a clear, silicone- based pencil that stops lipstick bleeding and nobody knows it’s there. That’s making under the smart way.

Perfumes: The Guide

Let It Rock (Vivienne Westwood) (four stars)

Citrus oriental Just when I was feeling sure that no Vivienne Westwood fragrance would ever be worth wearing, this hideous bottle shows up, its name looking like drunken lipstick scrawl on a mirror, capped, like all Westwood’s fragrances, with the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. The fragrance is wonderful. It sits next to Shalimar Light in the category of modernisations of the Shalimar oriental: a bright, resinous, citrus-peel top note, plus a combination of coumarin and heliotropin like a toasted almond biscotto. A beautiful, easy-going, well-made fragrance.

From Perfumes: The Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez

Pulse points

Rise and shine

If you’re in the mood to razzle-dazzle ’em, then this little number, Christian Dior Sparkle Shine, is just the job. Not quite a lip gloss (though I’ve worn it on its own), it’s a glittering top coat to add shimmer to even the nudest of lipsticks. £16

Chaps away

It all started in the 1930s, when Elizabeth Arden created her Eight Hour Cream. Now there is a new wave of balms. Elemental Herbology Wind and Cold Therapy (£16; spacenk.co. uk) repairs hands and lips. Then there’s Bliss Problem Salved, which soothes chapped lips and prevents blisters — all for a mere £14 (blisslondon.co.uk ). Created by five leading plastic surgeons, Heal (£28; victoriahealth.com ) is a great balm that works wonders on everything from sprains to psoriasis.

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