If at any time during pregnancy the 'bloom' seems to elude you and you find that your face has become puffy, or that hormonal changes or bad sleeping habits are causing skin problems, there are ways to camouflage these bad points and to minimise their effect on your appearance.

Dark circles under the eyes

Dark circles may be emphasised by tiredness during pregnancy. To disguise the dark area, use a good under-eye cover cream that is fine in texture. Rub a small amount between your thumb and finger to warm and thin it before stippling it on with your fingers over a thin layer of foundation. Cover with another thin layer of foundation and blend carefully.

Puffiness or bags under the eyes

Fluid retention during pregnancy can cause this puffiness, which again is increased by tiredness and strain. Use a good eye mask while resting to reduce the puffiness (cucumber slices are also very good for this). To camouflage, use a very fine eyeliner brush to paint a light-coloured undereye cover cream along the dark line underneath the 'bag'. The light shade will bring the dark line forward: do not apply it to the puffy area or this will appear to be even more prominent. Blend in carefully and cover with foundation.

Pink eyes

Tiredness or the increased blood in the circulation may make your eyes look bloodshot. Use a gentle eye mask to soothe them while you are resting and safe eye drops to bring back a little sparkle.

Greasy or dry patches

Pregnancy may cause your skin to become greasier or drier than usual. Greasiness is more likely because of the action of progesterone. For greasy patches use only a water-based moisturiser and a fine-textured, non-oily foundation and translucent powder. For dry patches you need an oil-based moisturiser and a sparing amount of foundation and powder. if the skin is flaking use no foundation or powder at all as these will only show up the problem.

Wrinkles and crow's feet

During early pregnancy the skin may become drier than usual, which can make fine lines and wrinkles more apparent. Use a very firie-textured foundation over the problem area and only the finest translucent powder anything heavy or containing a shine will accentuate the wrinkles. Antiwrinkle creams can temporarily diguise wrinkles by charging the skin with fluid, but certainly won't cure them.

Spots

A change in the hormone balance can produce spots. As long as you cleanse property, water-based make-up will not make spots worse (though note that anything with an oil, lanolin or paraffin base probably will) so there is no reason why you shouldn't use it to conceal them. If they are not too bad just stipple a little extra foundation over the spots with a brush or your finger. If this is not sufficient, apply water-based foundation and then stipple with a spot-erase stick or cream in the same shade. Finish with another stipple of foundation, and then translucent powder.

Puffiness under the chin

Puffiness under the chin is probably more likely to occur later on in pregnancy and is again due to fluid retention. Camouflage by subtle shading with a browny shade of blusher or shader. Brush this under the jawline and on either side of the neck. Use the same blusher to emphasise your cheekbones - feel for the bone and then brush up on to it with a flicking movement. Use a pinky blusher on the temples to bring the attention to your eyes and away from the jawline.

High colour in the cheeks

The extra blood circulating is responsible for your 'bloom and an increased metabolic rate may make you feel more heated. To tone down very pink cheeks, use a flat, beige foundation (there should be no hint of pink in it) that is not too thick or greasy - or it will separate on your skin - and apply it in two or three very thin layers, stippling on extra where needed. Green foundation is sometimes advocated for concealing high colour and you could try this under your usual foundation, but it may just make you look green and ghostly. The idea originated from the theatre where the green counteracted the red in the bright lights.

Pigmentation on the face

Brunettes especially may notice increased pigmentation on the face freckles, birthmarks and moles may get darker especially after exposure to the sun. Sometimes the sun will bring out a butterfly-sh aped 'mask' over the cheeks, nose and forehead. This can be camouflaged with an erase stick blended with foundation. Never attempt to bleach.

Dry lips

Breathing through the mouth because of a blocked-up nose during pregnancy may cause one to lick the lips a lot, which can make them very dry. Rub in vaseline and camouflage with a glossy lipstick.