No matter who you are, or how good you usually look, it's pretty easy to look terrible on a webcam. From sallow skin to second chins, 'Zoom face' is sadly a near unavoidable part of this mole-people life we're currently living in 2020. That's not to say you have to take it lying down. If this year your office Christmas party is a virtual one, there are a few steps you can take with your grooming routine to help you look (almost) as good on the internet as you do in real life.

How To Look Good On Your Zoom Christmas Party

The Day Before The Party

Ask any well-groomed man worth his salt spray, and they'll tell you that handsome doesn't happen overnight, but it's a good place to start. To kick off your camera-ready skincare routine, exfoliate your face the day before with a product like The Grey's vitamin-rich scrub. By removing dead cells that sit on the skin's surface, you expose fresh, plump ones beneath and also allow other products to penetrate deeper and work more effectively. If your skin still feels dry or dull, follow up with a more occlusive treatment like Dr Barbara Sturm's complexion-clearing Clarifying Mask and let it get to work while you plan tomorrow's outfit. From the waist up, at least.

The Morning Of The Party

When you've been working from home for what seems like an eternity, it's easy to let rituals like good grooming fall to the wayside. Facial hair in need of some TLC? The morning of your party, shape it up then apply Bullfrog's hemp-infused Anti-Stress Serum. The intensely hydrating formula not only tames errant whiskers but also nourishes the skin underneath. Plus, by spreading out the products you apply, you reduce the chance of overloading the skin, which can lead to clogged pores. If 2020 has taken its toll on your hair too, Patricks' CD2 Moisturising Conditioner was explicitly designed to rinse away the effects of stress, allowing you to create the perfect pompadour. The (virtual) VIP room is this way.

The Hour Before The Party

Let's face it, your webcam's 'touch-up' feature can only do so much. If you want to put your best face forward at Club Zoom, you're going to need a bit of extra help. That shine you see in the mirror is only going to be made worse by your screen's fluorescent lighting. Fortunately, there are plenty of products, like Proverb's Oil Balance Pro Moisturiser, that contain mattifiers to keeping skin balanced and blur over blemishes. You're not done yet, though. With only a small, annoyingly HD, window to impress with, the minor details matter. This is where Grown Alchemist's Age Repair Eye Cream comes in handy to banish bags, while Recipe's non-shiny lip balm will have your office crush crying out for mistletoe.

The Day After The Party

Understandably, the bulk of your efforts will go into ensuring you look good for your Christmas party, but you should also plan for the day after when you're likely to resemble a reanimated corpse. If you're expected back on Zoom at 9am, pop one of Patchology's Energy Supplement Strips on your tongue then lather up with Heath's aptly named Rescue Hair + Body Wash; both contain enough caffeine to jolt you back to life after a late one. Before you dial in, address any dehydration with SA.AL & CO's Intense Moisturizer, which is loaded with vitamin C AKA one of the hangover tonics since a fried breakfast.