TIS the season to be jolly glamorous - so what better time to get a makeover from the experts, writes Juliette Kemp.

If you can't go for it in the festive party season then when can you? Evesham College hair and beauty lecturers Debbie Crilley and Jackie Grubb had offered to give me an evening party look so, with the "works do" firmly in mind, I was down at the college's beauty salon quicker than you could say hairgel.

Jackie took one look at my, shall we say, "carefully tousled" locks. "I'm going to spiral tong it," she declared gleefully.

I'd deliberately left my face fairly free of makeup. "Have you cleansed this afternoon?" Debbie asked.

Er, no. As much of a joy as it is to work at the Journal I don't quite know how the staff dashing off for a cleanse, tone and moisturise (CMT) session every day would be viewed by the powers-that-be.

Having said that, I had to confess shamefacedly that CMT wasn't always my highest priority. More like a quick splash with a facial soap and then a toner before going into battle to get junior ready for school and a similar wash routine at night.

Debbie ran through the benefits of having a proper CMT routine twice daily before pointing out how vital it was to do it prior to applying make-up - for what-ever look.

It's like preparing a canvas, the skin must be properly prepared. Not least, it helps the makeup to last; no matter how beautifully it's applied, if the skin is not prepared, it'll come off too quickly, Debbie explained.

She asked to see what party dress I'd brought along. While choosing makeup to suit my colouring, even more important was that the colours fitted the outfit to complete the look.

Then it was the big cleanse up. Debbie removed the mascara I was wearing, paying particular attention to refreshing my eyes with toner to help get rid of any excess cleanser - particularly important if an oil-based remover is used to get rid of water-proof mascara - as it stops eye shadow from staying put.

Having applied moisturiser, she then blotted the excess away with a tissue as Jackie got to work wrapping small strands of hair corkscrew-like around heated tongs.

Having ascertained the height of my neckline - deciding to continue foundation right down my neck, Debbie applied a double finish (foundation and powder together) ensuring she covered my eyelids and lips too.

She then dotted in an extra layer of foundation to hide dark circles (oh those late press nights!) under my eyes, using a finger to blend it in.

After this a neutral colour was applied to my eyelids. Always do this, she advised, no matter what colour you eventually are going to use. Pointing out the importance of good make-up brushes and sponges, Debbie dabbed shadow on to her hand before applying it. This gets rid of excess powder and you can use your hand as a palette.

A dark brown was applied to the crease line, thus making the eye look larger. "The secret of good make-up is to blend," Debbie said and went on to apply gold and a dark eyeliner above and below the eye, all of which were blended with a brush.

Don't use eyeliner on more than two thirds of the eye - and never on the inside!

Mascara was applied, with a tissue under the lower lashes to avoid blotches. Debbie stressed the importance of covering the top of the top lashes to get rid of any eyeshadow that falls on them before carefully applying the falsies - wow! what an effect! She gave my eyebrows subtle emphasis with an eyebrow pencil - going against the way the hairs lie to avoid getting a hard line - the brows could be brushed back into place!

A little bit of blusher in a triangular shape at the top of my cheeks ("you don't want to go out with stripes") was followed by much discussion over choice of lipstick colour.

One attempt was wiped off before Debbie found a colour she thought matched with my dress and face and applied it using a brush.

She "set" it by getting me to bite on a tissue, separated into one layer. She next placed the other layer over my mouth and padded on translucent powder THROUGH the tissue.

Now my lips were ready for a second layer which, Debbie promised, would have real lasting power.

I changed into my posh frock, only to return and eventually disappear in clouds of hair and glitter spray as Jackie finished off my hair which, by now, bore more than a passing resemblance to Shirley Temple.

By teasing the front bits and gripping them up the final result, how ever, was real glamour and style.

A quick liberal spray of glitter down the arms, three tiny stars stuck on my cheek, and I was ready - and what a transformation. I felt like a million dollars!

You too can be given a total makeover by Debbie, Jackie and their students. Call 01386 712670 for an appointment, costs etc.