There are very few things that make me feel instantly festive; I do love Christmas, I just don’t think I love it quite as much as everyone else. I need a massive dose of nostalgia to get me going – songs crooned by Nat King Cole, films like Home Alone and It’s A Wonderful Life (random selection there!), the sight of people’s windows lit up on a dark, frosty night.

Fortunately I find it a lot easier to look festive than to feel festive. I’ve never been one to wear red, but I do have a little collection of garments that I wheel out every December – lacy things that are slightly more glam than the usual attire. Tops with added sparkle, roll-neck jumpers, the odd bit of sequin. Actually, I keep meaning to buy a very red, very overtly “festive” dress or jumper, but they just seem to drain me of all colour so that I look like I’ve spent weeks running myself into the ground, trying to finish off all of the work that needs doing as well as organise who’s coming for Christmas and sort out all of the Christmas presents.

In terms of hair and makeup, it’s always the same routine when I need to make an effort: hair curled, or waved, depending on how long I can be bothered to tong it for, and either a strong red lipstick and minimal eyes or strong glimmery eyes and minimal lips. Note I say glimmery and not glittery; I do love a bit of shimmer and shine on the face, but if it’s huge clods of glitter that are going to make me look like I’ve had a makeup lesson from a spangled Glastonbury-goer then I avoid at all costs.

This year (smooth segue into my advertorial section) I am going all out with the glitzy glimmer but – drum roll please! – on my hair and not my face. I have a new and marvellous discovery, which is the limited edition Elnett Starlight hair spray. Same legendary Elnett formula (not sticky, not crunchy, long-lasting hold) but with a beautiful golden shimmer. Subtle, chic, it catches the light just so and makes your hair look bright and sparkling. The grown-up’s glitter of choice, you could say.

If you’ve never used Elnett before then one of its very best qualities is that you can brush it out instantly once you’ve finished with your hair style. So if you hate the feeling of lots of product in your hair and want to re-style, or don’t want to have to wash your hair straight away, it’s perfect.

The new Elnett Starlight comes in a mini can that’s easily stowed away in your makeup bag or clutch (sorry, “stowed away”! What on earth am I thinking? There must be a better phrase for that. I mean, it’s not as though I’m trying to smuggle my own hair spray. The bag isn’t a pirate ship) and the hair spray has a gentle floral scent that doesn’t interfere with your perfume.

The classic Elnett has also had a festive makeover with a lovely new can design – same great hair spray inside, snazzy star-scattered packaging on the outside. (Try saying Snazzy Star-Scattered after that glass of Buck’s Fizz. In fact, try saying Buck’s Fizz after a glass of Buck’s Fizz.)

You can find Elnett Starlight at Boots here for £2.60. And if you want to see it in action, there’s a video tutorial of my retro curls look below. The products used are listed underneath the video pane!

(links marked * are affiliate links, for more info see disclaimer below post)

Elnett Starlight Hairspray*, £2.39: http://bit.ly/2rsI3hV

Babyliss Big Hair Care*, £69.99: https://amzn.to/2PpK5c4

Lee Stafford Wonderball Tong, £29.99*: https://amzn.to/2PrVA2A

Colab Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo, £4.49*: http://bit.ly/2RGEBLL

LK Bennett Star Dress – can’t see it online anymore but it might be available in-store! It’s so lovely.