On how to draw realistic eyebrows...

I have lost my hair - including my eyebrows - as a result of chemotherapy. I'm finding it quite difficult to draw realistic eyebrows and wonder whether Shavata's kits would work for me, or whether they need to be applied to existing eyebrows.

Alison: The Shavata Eyebrow Shaper Kit is great as it offers you different eyebrow shape templates but you may not necessarily get the colour right or the colour might not stay on as long.

If you're good at drawing, an easier option that looks more realistic, where you have absolutely no hair, is the Laura Geller Brow Tint. It comes in a choice of different colours and actually stains the skin so it doesn't rub off. You've got a couple of minutes once you've applied it so you can then remove it with eye make-up remover or cleanser if you get it wrong.

When the hair starts to grow back, the Shavata pencil will work. If you're not good at shaping, get the Shavata kit because the templates give you the shape. When you have no eyebrows and hair, the best shape to go for would be the narrow fine Liz shape. Don't try and shape a thicker or more styled shape as it won't look as natural.

If you're happy to go free-hand, then go with the tint on the skin as this will look even more natural than a pencil or a wax that will sit on the skin more. Remember that even if you have dark hair you don't want to go too strong in colour if there's no real hair to base your colour on.

For nails that split from the nail bed...

I have a problem with one nail - it splits down the length of the nail right into the nail bed. I've tried most of the problem solvers you sell, Trind, OPI etc. I'm sure there must be a solution, it's just I'm not finding it. Can you help?

Alison: If the nail is split all the way up from the nail bed then the nail bed is damaged. If this is the case then it will be something you won't be able to rid yourself of completely. It means that the nail has separated at the nail bed and it won't actually come together again.

However there are ways to try and help it in the short term. Whether it's permanently or temporarily damaged, the fix is the same and is basically some form of false nail enhancement. You can do this yourself and one of the easiest kits we have is the Nails Inc Survival Kit. It contains the silk mesh which you can put on to your nail, the glue, the buffer - everything you need. This set also offers you already shaped nail shapes which you can put on the whole nail, not just the split. As it grows out, buff it and fill in the base.

If this is only a temporary solution, as it grows out the split will grow out fixed so you won't have to worry about it again. If it's permanent, you'll see the split continuing from the nail bed. Either way, this solution should fix it enough to let it keep growing and hold itself together so it can be the same length as your other nails. It just might mean that the short term fix becomes your trick to keep your nail in the best condition.

On the perfect blusher for medium-toned skin…

I'm 64 (only just) years of age and have found my perfect foundation at last which is Laura Geller's Balance and Brighten. It's ideal for my skin, lightweight but gives a lovely coverage. Now all I need to find is the perfect blusher/highlighter. I've tried so many blushers for my medium toned skin colour but they all seem to sparkle. I'd love to find a product that would give a lovely sheen and glow without the sparkle which I always find quite ageing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Alison: All the Laura Geller baked blushers have gold or silver tones in them - I wonder if you've tried these and found them too sparkly? Jilly and I wear these a lot, and even fight over them as they are really good! Laura Geller blushers do offer a bit of colour with a lovely highlighting sheen. This would definitely be my first question to you - have you tried them already?

If you have and find them too sparkly, I'd recommend using a cream blush formula. Cream blushers are really easy to blend with your fingertips to help you achieve the right colouring. Laura Geller has a gel cheek tint which should give you colour and a little sheen without glistening too much. If you then want to add sheen, you can add the Cosmetics A La Carte Angel Cheek Tint for a pink, rosy glow.

Elemis expert Keeley answers your beauty questions

Hi everyone,

You've all been sending in lots of questions for our Elemis guest Keeley. Check out her expert advice as she answers ten of your questions.

Plus, don't miss Elemis Skin Therapies this Sunday 14th December at 11am, 5pm, 8pm and 11pm with a very special TSV - just in time for Christmas!

Love Alison x

On a full skincare routine for ageing eyes, dry skin and broken capillaries…

I am 28 and starting to get fine lines around the eye area. What products would you recommend to help nip any further ageing in the bud?!

Also, I work in a factory environment and my skin has started getting very dry and dull, especially on the forehead - I have combination skin and use gentle exfoliators, like Liz Earle, but have ruddiness in my cheeks with a few broken capillaries. Can you recommend a skin care routine which would help my dry skin, make my complexion brighter and help with the fine lines around the eyes and on the forehead?

Alison: I'd like to keep you with Liz Earle as you seem to have no problems with it and Cleanse and Polish is a great product for you to use. Also the Gentle Exfoliator is excellent for you because it's one of the gentler ones, is easy to use and shouldn't bring your skin up red. I would also have recommended it for you in particular as you suffer from high colour.

Use Cleanse and Polish at nightime. Once or twice a week only and no more, use the Gentle Exfoliator. Then in the mornings, add Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash to your routine. Follow with the Skin Tonic am and pm. Moisturiser-wise, I'd suggest the Elemis Maximum Moisture Day Cream which you can use am and pm. You aren't really old enough yet to need the night cream as well.

If you feel that your skin is extra dull, then you can also give yourself a course of the Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Serum on a daily basis. Because of your age, you should expect a great result from the Tri-Enzyme products.

For your fine lines around the eyes, I would suggest trying the Philosophy Hope in a Tube Eye & Lip Cream morning and night. It comes in quite a big size so it will last and it should give you great, quick results.

On a shampoo and conditioner for thinning hair...

Please can you recommend a shampoo and conditioner for thinning hair? I am 43 years old and I'm really worried about hair thinning out especially in the front. Please I will try anything.

Alison: I'd recommend using more than just a shampoo and conditioner. If you're worried about thinning hair, I want you to use the full Philip Kingsley system on your scalp once a week. As hair is already dead, you need to help keep your scalp in good health and focus on this area more.

The kit I would recommend is the Philip Kingsley 5 Piece Discovery Collection. It contains shampoo, conditioner, scalp tonic and elasticiser. Use the Elasticiser on the mid-length of your hair to the ends and then wash your hair with the shampoo for fine and thinning hair. You can choose the right kit for whether you have colour-treated hair or not.

On a daily basis you should also apply the Philip Kingsley Scalp Tonic, irrespective of whether you wash your hair or not. This is all about maintaining the daily health, hydration and pH of your scalp. By using this system, you're giving your hair the optimum scalp health, not just hair thickness.

For wrinkles and bags under the eyes due to stress…

I have had a traumatic time recently. I have maintained my usual cleansing & moisturising routine (Liz Earle cleanse & polish, Liz Earle moisturiser for day & Gatineau Melatogenine for night) and although my skin is still as good, I have noticed my eyes appear to have suffered. I seem to have more wrinkles and the bags are more noticeable. Could you please recommend something to help?

Alison: Stress will always come out on your skin, and so even though you've kept your skincare routine, because of the traumatic experiences you've been through, moisture has been sapped from your skin and your eyes will be the first place to show this.

I want to step up your routine on your eye area. As you already get on with the Gatineau Melatogenine, I want you to use the Gatineau Melatogenine Futur Plus Eye Cream, which is more stimulating and designed to specifically work on lines and wrinkles.

I would also like you to use a separate eye make-up remover. Your Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is for all over your face and so it isn't as gentle as a specific eye make-up remover. If you do want to continue using your Cleanse & Polish, apply it with dampened cotton wool and hold it over the eye area, supporting the eye area with the brow, and take it off that way.

Use the Melatogenine Futur Plus Eye Cream morning and night and you should see a difference within a week. The Gatineau For Your Eyes Only kit contains a 15ml size of the Melatogenine mask, which can also be used around the eyes. Put that on as soon as you get home and you'll see a difference straight away.

For wrinkles showing up under make-up…

I have been using Bare Escentuals foundation and notice it shows up the wrinkles more than when I have no make-up on. I decided to buy the last Laura Geller TSV as everybody said how good it was, yes it is a little better but not a lot... why do the wrinkles show up with make-up and not without, what am I doing wrong?

Alison: To me, it seems the reason this is happening is that your skin isn't getting enough moisture and is dehydrated. So check your skincare routine - you may need to add a hydrating serum to your regime, like Prescriptives Super Line Preventor Xtreme, or a balancing hydrating oil like the Decleor Aromesence Neroli Face Oil. You could even add a hydrating moisturiser underneath this foundation, like the Decleor Hydrafloral .

Essentially, you may just have to use more anti-dehydrating products on your skin and you should see a difference within days. If your make-up suddenly shows more wrinkles, that means the powder is absorbing any surface moisture and there isn't enough there to compensate.

The other thing you can do is use a primer - it always works better with Bare Escentuals and Laura Geller foundations. A primer will just float on to the skin and your wrinkles won't show up as much. I recommend one of our silicone-based primers, like Smashbox Photo Finish, or the aloe vera based Laura Geller Spackle, which is more hydrating than many of our other primers. 

So basically, it isn't your make-up that's not working, it's your skin routine. It's good that it's showing it because if skin is dehydrated, it wrinkles more.