For skin drying out from swimming...

I'm a woman of 45 and I go swimming 2/3 times a week. I find that it's really drying out my skin, especially around the eyes, cheeks and mouth area, which in turn is causing more fine wrinkles to form. I've very sensitive and fine skin, but it has always looked youthful until I took up swimming. I presently use the Gatineau Melatogenine range, but this does not seem to be enough.
 
Is there an intense treatment you can recommend to rehydrate my skin initially and keep it rehydrated and protected in the future, especially when I'm swimming?

Alison: Your skincare routine sounds excellent to me! So keep this routine at home and take a few products to the swimming pool with you, such as the Decleor Angelique Balm or Angelique Oil. Put either of these on before you actually get into the pool and see which works best.

These won't be removed in the pool like an emulsion would, which is why the moisturisers that you're currently using aren't protecting your skin before you go into the swimming pool. So, the Oil or Balm will work well as a pre-swim treatment.

When you get out of the pool, you can also add a couple of drops on the skin underneath your favourite Gatineau products, if you want to. For the perfect combination, put a little bit of the oil on first and then a little bit of the balm on top. Plus, you will need to apply more than you would at home because you want it to act like a barrier.

Don't worry, it shouldn't be that visible!

For dry, sensitive hands with nails breaking constantly...

I'm 36 and over the last 12 months my hands are getting very dry and sensitive, especially the fingers. The nails keep breaking and I have hard dry skin around the nail which becomes very sore and hurts. Is there anything that you could recommend?

Alison: Firstly it would be good to try to find out what is causing this. You haven't mentioned what your job is or if your hands are in and out of a lot of chemicals or irritants.

So, I'd recommend you use something really gentle, such as an A'kin Handwash as they don't contain ingredients that a lot of people can be allergic to. Then when your skin becomes irritated as you've described use L'Occitane 100% Shea Butter as this only contains one ingredient. That way we're lowering the amount of potential allergens that are on the skin.

Do bare in mind, however, that this skin irritation could have been triggered off by something. If you are really concerned about it then you must consult your doctor and he may be able to prescribe something for you that you can use alongside your beauty routine.

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 a sore and flaky scalp...

I've used several shampoos and conditioners from QVC for a flaky itchy scalp, and Ojon too, and none of these help my sore scalp with hard scabs. What can I use please as I'm unable to afford things that are expensive and don't work?
 
Alison: You've already tried one of our most effective formulas, which is the Philip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp. However, there is one thing that you could do before you may need to consult your doctor.

It is possible to soften actual flakes or increased areas of coarse or thickened skin. Before shampooing, soak the scalp in oil. This could be a pure almond, olive or jojoba oil that you can buy from your chemist or supermarket. The trick would be to massage this into the scalp area, particularly where it's driest, and then try one of the shampoos, such as the Philip Kingsley afterwards.

If this doesn't work then you should show your doctor next time you have an appointment.

On a cleanser and toner for very dry skin...

I'm looking for a new cleanser and toner for my mum to use. She's in her late 60s and has very dry skin. Do you think that the Elemis hydrating cleanser and toner would be good for her? Personally I find I'm using more and more Elemis products but then I have very different skin from my Mum's.

Alison: The formula that would suit your Mum would be the Elemis Cleanser & Toner for Dry skin, which contains the Rosepetal Cleanser and the Ginseng Toner.

The texture of this cleanser is actually richer than any of the other options, and so it has more of a skin-softening effect on the skin which her dry skin will benefit from more.
 
It's also designed to tackle the signs of ageing, which is ideal for her age bracket. Plus, the cleanser is made with real rose petals for a beautiful, delicate fragrance.

For skin that becomes flaky when make-up is applied...

I'm 16 and have dry skin on my face. I can keep this under control until I put my make-up on and then it appears flaky. I have used Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish, bare escentuals, Bobbi Brown foundation and all of these seem to make my problem worse.

Also I'm starting to get little wrinkles under my eyes and wonder if there are any creams suitable for my age? I'm probably the most awkward request you've had but please can you help me.

Alison: No, you're not the most awkward at all! What's difficult for you though is that you probably haven't got any friends who also suffer from this problem. This is because the majority of them may have a greasy or oily skin type and are more worried about covering up spots!

I'm thrilled to hear that you're using products from such brilliant skincare brands! Also you have to correct make-up problems through the skincare that you're using - which is exactly what you're doing. So, you must keep to your cleanse, tone and moisturise routine. But you will find that you're using products that are ahead of your age group as your skin is acting older too. Most of your friends' skins probably won't start to dry out until their mid to late twenties.

For sore and dry lips...

I use lip stains so that I don't have to keep applying my lipstick. However, recently I've developed really sore and very dry lips. I keep them as moist as I can with a moisturiser that I purchased from QVC, which does help. But it's getting no better and I wondered if you could recommend any product to help further with this please?

Alison: All lip stains, to a certain extent, have a drying agent in them as they aren't carried in a waxy residue. So, you're right to have stopped using them for the moment and it's great that you've been using a moisturiser as well.

One thing that could have more of a calming and soothing effect at the moment on the lip area is the L'Occitane 100% Shea Butter Moisturiser. This product contains 100% shea butter and is fantastic used on a daily basis, several times a day if you feel you need it.

Stay off the lip stains for now because we need to get your lips back into good condition before you start using them again. Lip stains will replace lost colour or add pigment but they don't condition. So, when you start using them again, keep applying a daily lip balm, such as Gale Hayman Lip Lift on top of this. Or you can even apply a lipgloss on top of this as well, such as one from the Fran Wilson range which all contain shea butter, as well as vitamins A, C and E, and aloe vera,

For dry, red and scaly skin around the nose...

I would like to ask for your help. I have dry, red, scaly skin around my nose. I buy a lot of products from QVC but nothing seems to have worked.  Could you please help?

Alison: Firstly, you may not be seeing a result if you follow a complicated routine or have tried a lot of different beauty products. So, I recommend going for the opposite and using a very simple routine.

Use L'Occitane 100% Shea Butter to clean the area and keep it hydrated. If your skin is dry because of an allergy or skin irritation, then this product should answer all your concerns. Any skin can react to the application of too many ingredients.

However, if your skin is flaky and eczema-like, you should follow a routine for sensitive skin. Cleanse and tone the area with Elemis S.O.S Cream at night and Daily Redness Relief in the morning. If you don't suffer from an infection and your skin needs conditioning, then this is a better routine for you. However, if your skin is angry, go for the L'Occitane Shea Butter. Simple!

On the best moisturiser for use on flights and in hot countries...

I'm a 21-year-old Asian. I currently use Liz Earle products. I'm going to India in the summer and needless to say it gets extremely hot - so much so that when I apply my moisturiser there, I just sweat it out. Along with the dehydration from the flight, this causes my skin to be dry all the time with dry flaky patches all over, especially around my eyes.

I would really like some advice on the best moisturiser to use during the flight, as my skin gets extremely dehydrated and itchy, as well as the best moisturiser to use while I'm out there.

Alison: You could actually use the same moisturiser in both instances, and the one I'd recommend is Prescriptives Super Flight Cream. You can apply this as a daily moisturiser, morning and night, and even as a mask, which you could do during your flight or when you have landed. You can also just press a little into your skin throughout the day, even through make-up, to keep the skin hydrated. It's so versatile - wear it under and over make-up, everyday or just when your skin feels dry.

For a dry, itchy and flaky scalp...

I have just started getting a very dry, flaky and itchy scalp, and also a lot of redness around the hairline. I tried Philip Kingsley products but to no avail. I'm wondering if I have developed psoriasis - is there any help out there for me?

Alison: If you are worried about having developed psoriasis then you definitely need a doctor's diagnosis, and a doctor should be able to diagnose it in a second as it has very distinctive symptoms. Unfortunately psoriasis is not something that comes and goes - once it's been diagnosed, you will always have it and it will flare up at stressful times.

However, if it's a cosmetic problem then I have a couple of tricks that may be able to help. If you aren't getting rid of the dry flakiness on the scalp area, you can get a build-up of oil and bacteria. Bacteria can get trapped between loose flakes, which can cause a skin infection.