For dark under-eye circles and breakouts that lead to scarring...

I'm 29, will be turning 30 this year and I really want to sort out my skin. I have dry cheeks with an oily T-zone and on the hairline area, along with black and white heads on my nose. I'm Asian so the spots I get leave scars on my face and I have dark circles despite drinking so much water and sleeping well. Please advise on a skincare line for my face to bring freshness and to calm down my breakouts.

Alison: I would recommend the Elemis Tri-Enzyme range. So, each morning use the Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash, followed by Decleor Aromessence Neroli Face Oil and Decleor Hydra Floral Moisturiser.

In the evening use the Decleor Balancing Cleanser, followed by the Tri Enzyme Wash and the Decleor Balancing Toner, then use Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Serum, as it doesn't remove make-up, and finish with the Decleor Hydra Floral Moisturiser.

For the dark circles around your eyes, I'd recommend, morning and night, applying the Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex, as this is really good on Asian skin tones.

For instant confidence, as it can make a dramatic difference when you conceal dark circles, I’d recommend Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer which comes in six shades - you'd be about Medium Dark or Medium Natural. Either use this or the Prescriptives Traceless Skin Responsive Tint - on number four or five levels. It does depend if you want a lighter or full cover finish - if you like wearing make-up, I'd try the Bobbi Brown one, and if you don't then pick the Prescriptives concealer.

On finding a lipstick that stays on...

I'm struggling to find a lipstick that will stay on. I've tried loads but need your help as I'm getting married in July for the second time around so I want to look my best.

Alison: I have a few little tricks for you that you should use for your wedding. Try lip stains underneath your lipstick so that you're creating a base. This should make any lipstick last longer. Sometimes they don't stay on because of the lips' particular ph level or shape, which may not hold colour very well. To achieve long-wearing colour does take a little bit of work.

Also take a look at the Laura Geller range as she does a lot of stain pens for eyebrows and lips. If you stain the lips with one of her lip stains, and you can also use them as a liner, then apply Lip & Eye Spackle, which will remove any grease or oil from the lip stain or the skin surrounding the lips that can also cause problems with colour retention. Then use a lipliner pencil to fill the lip line in and follow with your lipstick and or lipgloss.

In between each of these stages, take a single ply tissue, put it to your lips and stipple loose powder through it. This will help to absorb any excess oil or moisture contained in the products or around the lip area to help hold the colour even longer. This technique may not be required but it should make what you use already at home last even longer.

In terms of lip stains, you could also try Benefit Posietint Tinted Lip Stain which you can use on cheeks and lips before the liner and gloss. You may need to gloss up again so long-wearing ones I’d recommend would be Bare Escentuals Buxom Lip Gloss and Philosophy Lip Shine which don't dry your lips out and last a long time.

I hope this helps and that you have a lovely wedding day.

On non-girly products for dry teenage skin...

My son has become a teenager and has very dry facial skin with a few 'rough' patches. The central heating does not help. I wondered if you could recommend something specific for teenage skin that's not too girlie.

Alison: Unfortunately boys do turn into teenagers! Dry patches can happen although it's more unusual for teenagers. It's important to check that he isn't suffering from anything like eczema and that there isn't any redness, itching or irritation there. But if it's the case that his skin has got drier whereas his friends' have got spottier, this may mean that he could suffer from dry skin long term as this may be his predominant skin type.

He can use the Men's Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish and they also have an after-shave moisturiser in their Men's Essentials Collection, which acts just like a normal moisturiser and can be used on drier areas at night, around the nose and on the lips. He could also try the L'Occitane Face Cream which comes in a not so girly-looking tin, a bit like a trendy boot polish tin.

If his skin is slightly flaky, then I'd also recommend the Men's Liz Earle Face Scrub which comes in a set with the Men's Cleanse & Polish. He can use this in the shower two to three times a week on dry patches, but only if the skin is dry and not sensitive or irritated.

His skin is likely to dry up more easily and will also be more susceptible to sun damage than more oily skin types. So with the summer coming up, it would be useful for him to keep in the bathroom a sunscreen like the Ultrasun in the bathroom - it has non-girly, unisex sports-style packaging. He can apply this when he brushes his teeth in the morning and it's both sweat-proof and waterproof. He won't have to take it to school with him as it doesn't require any re-application.

I also hope you get over him being a teenager!!

For acne rosacea in your twenties...

My daughter is in her early twenties and suffering from bad acne rosacea on her nose and a bit on her chin. She often has breakouts but her cheeks and forehead are normal. She's currently using Liz Earle as the products are soothing but they don't help prevent breakouts. Could you please help recommend a suitable beauty routine and a make-up product to help cover up the acne but not cause breakouts?

Alison: For someone in their twenties, acne rosacea is very unusual. Acne vulgaris is normally associated with this age group whereas acne rosacea is linked more to hormone imbalances and with the mid-life age group; ie. 40 plus. So, I hope that you've had this diagnosed by a doctor as they, or a dermatologist, should be able to give you greater advice and medication too.

The reason for this is that acne rosacea doesn't come up in normal spots. You’d normally expect swollen, red and coarse areas that can leather up if left over time. It must not be treated by spot -products because it stems from an inflammatory reaction in the skin, and so is best looked after by soothing and calming products. Anti-spot type products won't actually help and can often aggravate the condition as they are too harsh.

You definitely need to be using the Sensitive Cleansing Wash, Cleanser & Toner and the SOS Emergency Cream from Elemis. I've seen great results with this range, yet the results I have seen are in much older women.

For dark purple-red marks caused by acne breakouts...

I'm 18 years old and last year I suffered a very angry acne breakout. Although the spots have gone, I'm now left with harsh dark purple-red marks all over my cheeks. This has really affected my confidence and I hardly go out any more.

I've tried so many different products to treat and conceal these marks, but they either don't work or I've had to cake on so much concealer, it's so obvious that everyone can see it. Can you please help me find something that will help treat the marks and also advise a good concealer and foundation?

Alison: Well the good news is that you've described what my skin used to look like, and it doesn't look like that any more! So, it can be improved and it will get better.

A crucial thing for you to do is to avoid sunbathing, because the scarring will coarsen and darken giving you long-term scars. Your best friend for instant confidence is going to be self-tan. You could apply it twice a week on your face, or use an overnight tanner. For an overnight treatment, try the Prescriptives Good in Bed, which will also help with the health of your skin and aid the healing process.

If you want to use more of a liquid self-tan, then try the one from Monne. Self-tan will dull down the difference between scarred areas and non-scarred areas of your skin. So, without even applying make-up you will feel better. Self-tan also helps to brighten your eyes, whiten your teeth and even the look of your skin too.

For specific ingredient allergies...

I'm allergic to tea tree oil, nutmeg, mint, thyme, and allergens of limonene and turpentine were also found on my skin. Please recommend a head-to-toe cosmetic that I can use. I'll be 64 next month and have young looking skin. I've used most of your products and am presently using Ojon products and trying Elemis once again. Gatineau and L'Occitane, as well as Decleor, stings my face.

Alison: From what you've said, you seem to have petroleum allergies as well as specific ingredient allergies. I presume that as most of these allergies are so specific, you've been analysed by a doctor and had allergy testing. I wonder if your doctor has prescribed you anything specific, which you should be following.

I'd strongly advise reading the ingredient listing on each and every product. Those that don't contain a chemical base to them are going to be better for you. That would possibly be Liz Earle, Elemis, Living Nature, AD Skin Synergy and A'kin, such as the A'kin Cellular Radiance Serum. 

It's very difficult to recommend a specific range to you as you need to look at individual products from each range, definitely a plant-based range, instead. Your absolute staples are going to be, what I call, pure products - treating your skin like a sensitive skin type and using simple, pure products.