Nothing puts you in a romantic mood quite like sensuously smoothing on make-up using your fingers. Whatever you do, don't aim for perfection: if your eye-shadow goes AWOL or your hair gets mussed, all the better. You exude extra beauty confidence when you look a little undone!

Finger friendly hair
Hold the hairspray! There isn't a guy with a pulse who doesn't like soft, touchable strands. "Truly romantic hair feels silky and looks tousled – when men see waves they think of a women's curves," says Los Angeles stylist David Cox.

And he should know – he created many of the romantic styles in the Victoria's Secret catalogue. Use a product that adds softness without sacrificing control, recommends Piers Braybrooke, who styled the hair on these pages. The goal is to look somewhat wind-blown, but not as if you've just walked through a tornado. "The less primed you look, the more inviting you are," says Piers.

Pretty, shimmering eyes
Eyes are probably the most important feature in a romantic face. (Could anyone fall in love without eye contact?) So while this may not be the moment to experiment with fake lashes or paint your lids the colours of a tropical sunset, your eyes still need definition. Use a navy liner to line the base of your top lashes.

This instantly makes the whites of your eyes whiter, and it works for all eye colours. Then smooth on a shimmery pastel shadow like lavender, one of spring's hot shades, to give eye glint. Line shadow along bottom lashes with a brush, but use your index finger on lids for a wash of colours that enhances eyes without overpowering them.

Get a little closer
Is he addicted to the feel of your skin, or is it your perfume? Probably both – each is a potent aphrodisiac. Fragrance makes any close encounter a more intense one, so take the age-old advice and dab perfume "wherever you'd like to be kissed"! Forget the usual spritz spots, like your neck and wrists. In slow motion, stroke it onto your cleavage, the small of your back, your thighs…

A natural blush
Sculpted cheekbones are sexy. The soft, diffused colour you get when you flush is sexier. To replicate it, give powder a miss and, instead, use a cream which gives a sheer, natural colour.

Rub in colour with your fingers; this is not only feels far more satiny than any blush-brush, but gives you more control when applying it. Simply smear some on your index finger and dab two dots onto your cheekbones, plus one below. Then caress it, using a clean finger to avoid a colour overdose.

Kiss-me lips
All lips were made for kissing – not so all lipsticks. Dark reds can look very vampy, and glossy shades may leave him fearing he'll get slimed. Too-perfect lip-liner says: "I'm ready for work – hands off!"

For smoochers that smoulder, go for a stain of soft red. Look for lip colour that looks sheer, but is still there. Dab some on a fingertip, then gently pat over your mouth. To make colour last, first fill in your lips with a pencil that matches their natural shade. Don't outline them – it's much more romantic when colour is blurred around the edges.

Happy Valentine's Day, gorgeous!