For covering and helping to clear up breakouts...

I'm 25 with PCOS, so as you can imagine my skin never looks healthy and glowing. I always have breakouts on my chin (and can’t remember the last time I didn’t have to use concealer.) I've now started getting breakouts occasionally on my forehead and cheeks. Please can you advise the best beauty regime for me. 

Also because I'm 25, should I be thinking of anti ageing products? If possible could you also recommend the best concealer to cover blemishes?

Alison: The best concealer to cover blemishes would be the Amazing Cosmetics Concealer. Apply over a primer, such as Smashbox Photo Finish, if you need it to go on smoothly. Also, the best way to cover spots is to layer. So, you should finish with a powder make-up that you then use all over the face, such as from Laura Geller or Bare Escentuals. This will help it to look more natural without showing the concealer underneath.

The good news is that you have been diagnosed. As you progress through treatment the skin will calm down. In the meantime make sure that you avoid exfoliating - you don't want to make your skin any more active than it already is.

Your skin is being driven to be overactive by a hormonal imbalance. So, don't do a lot of masks or a lot of steaming. If you do want to exfoliate or use a mask, I'd limit it to once a month, or twice maximum. Don't use dermabrasion, go for a gentle exfoliant instead.

For breakouts and dryness on the face...

I'm a 38-year-old who experiences pimples, blackheads and breakouts on my chin and forehead. I've tried all products and the latest is Philosophy which works only for a few months but after that I have oily skin and breakouts again. Please advise me on what to use. I have a combination of oily and sensitive skin.

Alison: When I suffer from this problem I follow a balancing routine. This is as follows: Decleor Cleanser & Toner, Decleor Aromessence Neroli Oil and the Decleor Hydra Floral Moisturiser.

To this, I also add a few other products to help target the breakout areas. So, I'd add Philosophy On a Clear Day Serum underneath the Aromessence and Moisturiser. This should help to fight the spotty areas whilst keeping the skin hydrated.

For breakouts and enlarged pores on the face...

I work outside in the elements all year round. I'm 38, have enlarged pores on my nose and I get breakouts on my chin, forehead, including hairline, and sometimes on my cheeks.

The majority of the time I'm left with scarring/pigmentation, which is making me very self-conscious. Please help as this is really getting me down.

Alison: I have helped someone recently who suffered from the same skin complaints as you, and found Prai to be the answer. She also told me to recommend it to anyone with the same dilemmas as her, because she found it instantly improved the look of her skin - it was a real wow result!

So, I think you will get a quick and flattering result with this range, making it look and feel younger. Try this Prai four-piece collection and let me know how you get on.

On a complete beauty routine for mature skin...

I'm 58 and my face has the lot! Lines and wrinkles, sagging, dull skin, dark circles, and crepiness - sound beautiful? NOT! I'm going back to the cold cream days now, that's when I was a teenager! Since then I've not had any spare cash to indulge myself, as the children's needs had to come first. I'm a complete novice and would appreciate any advice.
 
I lost my mother in 2000 and lost all interest in myself totally, thankfully this year I've finally come through the darkness and would love to look better, but I do need a step by step routine. I have dry skin with a greasy T-zone.

Alison: This is a common problem - where people have tried skincare when they were younger and it didn't work. And where there wasn't much choice, other than cold cream which would have brought you out in spots as it's really heavy and wouldn't have been suitable for you at that age.

I understand that you have put your family first and then suddenly when you look in the mirror, you feel like you should be looking a lot younger. This is often found by women in their 50s and 60s, where the reflections in the mirror seem to be of an older version of you.

I want to give you a very simple routine that's quick, easy and enjoyable. All you need to do is get yourself into the routine of following it every single morning and every single night.

On breaking out more when using ABC Skinwash...

I've just started using the Australian bodycare facewash and I seem to be breaking out a lot more. Is this normal at first?

Alison: No, this isn't normal at first. With its antiseptic properties, the ABC Skinwash must be followed by a moisturiser, in order to balance it out.

If you aren't keen on cream moisturisers, you could try a gel version, such as SBC Aloe Vera Gel. Or if you'd prefer a lightweight cream option, then try Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

You should then start to see the benefits of the tea tree oil on your spots, as well as the hydration of a moisturiser.

For bad acne on the face...

My 12 year old daugher has got bad acne on her face - red spots and some white heads. She's using Liz Earle cleanser once a day and then Australian body care face wash once a day and it's getting worse. I really don't know where to turn to help her - I never had acne and I don't want to buy harsh products from the chemist that will dry her skin out.

Alison: Unfortunately it is normal to suffer from skin problems at her age because it's hormonal. So, despite her using the correct products and not being too harsh, her hormone surge is so strong that she is still suffering from spots and white heads. Some teenagers are prone to it and some will run through their teens without a single spot!

One thing she could add to her routine is the Decleor Prolagene Gel, used as a moisturiser after her cleansing products. This is fantastic for helping to prevent any future scarring - plus, it's lightweight and doesn't appear or feel oily on the skin.

She needs to find out whether the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish or the ABC Skinwash is the best product for her. Try her with Liz Earle morning and night for two weeks, followed by the Decleor moisturiser. Then try her with the ABC Skinwash morning and night for two weeks, again followed by the Decleor moisturiser. The ABC Skinwash is an anti-septic formula and Liz Earle's is more of a skin-conditioning formula that cleans without stripping. I would have thought that her skin will respond better to one of these than the other as they are slightly different.

For scarring caused by hyperpigmentation...

I'm a 34-year-old woman of Afro-Caribbean heritage. Thanks to yourself and QVC I've managed to get on top of my acne using a combination of Elemis and Decleor. My problem is I have scarring caused by hyperpigmentation. I currently use Decleor Ylang Ylang Arromessance (which I love). I have heard a lot about Prologene Gel but I am not sure how to use it with my arromessence oils.

Alison: While Prolagene Gel is fantastic for thickened or coarsened scarring, it won't give you the best results for scarring from hyperpigmentation, only a slight improvement.

You could get a more dramatic result if you use the Alpha-H White Gold in your routine. To begin with wipe this onto the pigmented areas three nights a week, or if they take up a large area then you can actually use this on the whole of the face as well, avoiding the eyes. You can also then choose to increase this to every night a week.

You need to wait before following your White Gold application with your Decleor Ylang Ylang Aromessence. Leave you skin for a good five - ten minutes or up to half an hour. You could even apply your White Gold as soon as you get home from work and then a few hours later continue with your full night time routine of your Ylang Ylang and your night time moisturiser. This way you can benefit from all the ingredients without compromising your routine.

For scarring on the face...

My daughter, who is 12, has just had a nasty bout of chicken pox. Some of the pockmarks on her face became infected and she's using antibiotic cream at present. She does scar very easily and so I was wondering if you could recommend a treatment that will help with the scarring. She is also just developing little spots and blackheads.

Alison: The answer to your daughter's problem is ABC Skinwash - it's crucial for now and for continual use and is absolutely perfect for her skin.

As a moisturiser on a daily basis, she should apply Decleor Prolagene Gel to help disguise the look of the scarring. She can apply it several times a day to scarred areas and, with its gel formula, it's really easy to apply. She can also use it as a moisturiser all over her face.

Try to ensure that she avoids a suntan on the scarred areas as in the sun, they can thicken, darken and last longer. For colour confidence, you could even apply a little coat of self tan on her once a week to cover over the scars - even just a spray one to make her still feel confident about how she looks. She wouldn't need a special one so if you use one already, you could use the same on her.

For large open pores...

I need help with large open pores between my breasts and down the centre of my back. Is there any way to reduce the appearance of very large open pores in this area? When the skin is pushed together, it looks crepey which I don't think should be happening as I'm in my early 30s. I had an allergic reaction to the Alpha H range so would prefer to stay clear.

Alison: You should definitely try using the ABC Skinwash in case the pores are caused by a skin infection - this is an anti-septic wash that can help to neutralise any bacteria in this area.

You can also get open pores in these areas if you naturally perspire more than others. So, I'd suggest making sure that you aren't using too strong an anti-perspirant underneath your arms. What can happen is that if the perspiration cannot get out under your arms, it may find somewhere else to come out - so spotty chests and backs are often a symptom of this.

Even though you have open pores, remember that a body moisturiser is still essential. The one I'd recommend that would help to reduce the look of these pores is SBC Collagen Gel. Apply this two-three times a day or just a thick mask-type layer once a day (that you can leave to sink in when you're brushing your teeth or getting ready etc) to help plump up the skin in this area. Plumping up this area will help to close the pores up as they tend to widen when the skin is dehydrated or infected.

For acne on the neck and back...

I am a 19-year-old male and have acne over my neck and back. I'm on my second course of tablets from the GP and they are helping but I want to find something else. Sometimes the acne is huge red lumps and sometimes it's white blackheads.

The lumps on my neck are particularly painful and this tends to get me down. Can you please recommend something to ease the swelling and inflammation?

Alison: Firstly you could go back to your doctor because they may be able to prescribe you alternative tablets. Plus, if you explain to your doctor that the lumps are very painful, then they might be able to help you out further.

Secondly, bear in mind that your diet could be having an effect on your skin condition - it doesn't always. So, you could try for a month to leave out very oily food, such as crisps and chocolate, and very acidic food, such as too much fresh fruit - pineapple is particularly acidic.

Thirdly, I can recommend you a skincare routine that, in conjunction with your doctor's advice, could help improve your condition. You've mentioned that acne is appearing on your neck as well as your back. This could also be associated with ingrown hairs caused by shaving.

I recommend Alpha-H Liquid Gold - wiped over the neck and back, three nights a week. Then use the Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser with the Balancing Moisturiser, which also acts as an exfoliant. You could also use the Micro Cleanse in the shower twice times a week to lift up any ingrown hairs.