Look good when you're feeling rubbish

Firstly, as we all know, you have to keep your nose in good order. The skin on your nose will split and crack from the endless blowing unless you take measures. The best method I've found is to use 'balm' tissues, which are impregnated with moisturiser, but if you can't get hold of these, or the damage is done by the time you get them, a dab of calendula cream topped with Vaseline works wonders. Do the inside as well as the outside of your nostrils, and really slather the stuff on at night - it will do a great repair job by morning.

While you have a cold, take your makeup off with a cream cleanser rather than water-based, as this will sting less, and avoid skin toners at all costs, especially those with alcohol in, as they'll feel like acid. Use more moisturiser than usual, as you'll be touching your face more.

When you have a cold, you usually look pretty pallid but blowing your nose will bring your makeup right off so it's pointless to apply it. Instead of using foundation, settle instead for just a bit of concealer around your nose, and keep reapplying as needed throughout the day. Don't bother with powder, especially if you're not sleeping well, as your skin tone is bound to be a bit off and you'll just make yourself look like a corpse - it's better to keep a bit of dew in your skin.

If you're looking deathly, your most crucial cosmetic is blusher. Even if you eschew all else, dab on a bit of blusher, and if you're not already flushed, add a bit to your forehead, temples and chin to 'lock' your face together. This alone will make you look brighter and healthier and means you don't have to wince quite so much when you look in the mirror.

Eye makeup is problematic when you have a cold - especially if you're tearing up and your eyes feel like hot boiled eggs. Your best friend here is sunglasses, if you can get away with it. Sunglasses with very lightly graduated shades can disguise a heap of problems and still be wearable all day long (trust me on this - I wore them for months when I had a corneal infection and got chatted up all the time as a woman of mystery). Also use artificial tears to keep your eyes moist throughout the day, especially if your environment is air-conditioned.

If you do want to wear makeup, save your effort for your brows and keep them carefully shaped to frame your eye but keep the rest to a minimum. The worst culprit is mascara, especially waterproof mascara, as if this has any lash-lengthening or lash-thickening properties, it's liable to flake off and fill your sore, tired eyes with grit. I would leave off the mascara altogether and opt for just curling your lashes instead.

If your eyes can tolerate it, using a white or pale pink kohl eyeliner inside your eye instantly removes the red-eye look, while a bit of light brown eyeliner under your eyes and a dab of cream or mousse eyeshadow on the lid will give you some definition. But avoid anything with mica - even if this isn't normally a problem for you, when your eyes are sensitive, it will again feel like grit. Look for cosmetic brands such as Eyecare, which are hypoallergenic and mica-free.

Lipstick can also be a problem when you have a cold, as constantly wiping your nose tends to bring off your lippy, as does covering your mouth when you cough. Lip liner, used all over the mouth, has more staying power than lipstick. To apply it, moisturise your lips, draw your outline with a liner pencil and then fill in. Choose either a bright colour to give you some life or a nude shade. 'Nude', with regard to your lips, doesn't mean flesh-coloured - it means the same colour as your lips are when you bite them - a shade or two darker than your 'resting' lip colour. Applying this shade makes you look healthier but still natural. Once you've applied your liner, apply a coat of Vaseline or lip salve to keep your lips moist, and keep that topped up during the day.

During a cold, you'll really look better if you wear your absolute best colours - the ones that make you look healthy and pert - up by your face (anyone notice that Hilary Clinton switched to a bright yellow jacket when she was down with a cold on the campaign trail?). Your 'best' colours vary for each woman, but they don't generally include drab, olive, black or white. Instead, opt for girly, feminine colours such as pink, peach, eau-de-nil and soft blue (especially if you have blue eyes), or even red to make yourself look more vibrant.

Finally, if you're not wearing shades, wear a largeish pair of earrings that match your eye colour, and you'll look better in seconds.