On a complete skincare routine for mature skin...

I'm 56 and have basically never used anything other than soap and water to clean my face. I do use a night cream but that's all. I have combination skin and just a couple of very fine lines around my eyes.  I'm confused as to what would be the best beauty routine for me though.

I don't wear any make up other than mascara and lipstick but do wear a 50+ sun block when I go on holiday as I have a couple of blotches which were due to a lot of sun bathing when I was a teenager. Can you help with a good beauty routine for me please?

Alison: Obviously you've been conscious of SPF factors in recent years which is fantastic. On a daily basis and through the winter you could use Ultrasun SPF 30 Day Cream. This should help to prevent future damage and is great especially for more mature skin. UltraSun also have an SPF50 if you want a higher SPF - and all their range offers all-day protection.

There are an awful lot of ranges to choose from, but when you haven't used anything before it's best not to jump into anything too complicated. Start off with Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, Superskin Moisturiser and Superskin Concentrate.

This would be best to start you off on, particularly because of your age group. Start off on this simple routine and if you want to go on further and get more results on lines or your eyes, then I can suggest other products and ranges for you. See how you get on, and how you enjoy the Liz Earle products too.

For fine lines and loss of shape around the lip area...

I'm 41 years old and I use Liz Earle products. My skin is pretty good but the area above my top lip is looking really bad. The skin there has lost its shape and even though I'm a non-smoker, there are fine lines which the sun has made more apparent. Is there anything you could recommend?

Alison: To play catch-up in this weak area, you need to exfoliate more and add hydration. So, you could try exfoliating more on the upper lip area to help improve the look of the skin. You've said that you use Liz Earle products and the Smoothing Line Serum is fantastic on the upper lip area and around the eye area as well - apply two to three times a day. This contains hydrocolic acid and has a plumping effect to help disguise the look of fine lines.

Another product to try is the Cosmetics A La Carte Maxi Lift which is a lip serum that can be applied over the top of the Liz Earle Line Smoothing Serum. Leave the serum to sink in first, then apply the Maxi Lift to plump up the lips almost instantly.

Remember that it's also important to wear a sun block on the lip area so I recommend Ultrasun SPF30 Face Cream for all-day protection. Make sure it's applied thoroughly as with the lip area, any product here can wash off when you have a cup of tea, for example. So leave it to sink in for about 30 minutes.

For helping to prevent and soothe prickly heat...

Can you offer any advice on how to stop or treat prickly heat? I always get it on my arms and it gets incredibly painful. I'm off to Cyprus in August and would love to get something sorted out for it now before I go.

Alison: Firstly, your doctor should be able to give you some advice for prickly heat and can offer you anti-histamines that you can take to help. However, you can also help by preparing the skin. A tan accelerator would be a great help before you go away, as whether you want a tan or not, it prepares the skin to be tougher against the sun.

Step two would be to use a gel-based SPF factor such as all-day Ultrasun SPF20. If you want to use a re-application sun cream then make sure it's gel based and that you re-apply it every 20 - 40 minutes.

For pigmentation on the face...

I'm 35 years old and every summer as soon as the sun shines, I get tea stain-like pigmentation on my face, just under my eyes - and that's without sunbathing! Is there anything you would recommend to stop this pigmentation such as a total sun block?

Alison: Pigmentation will always increase in the sun so it's good to think about protecting your skin when you're out and about over the summer. Bear in mind that some medication and contraception can exacerbate pigmentation or list it as a side effect.

I recommend using Ultrasun SPF 30 Face Cream. Apply the Face Cream each morning for all-day protection and there's also Ultrasun Body Cream if you're planning on spending longer in the sun or holidaying by the beach or pool.

Another tip is using physical make-up. Full make-up coverage can help to protect your skin from the sun and what's more, this season formal make-up is in so you'll look on-trend too! Try Bare Escentuals SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen or Amazing Cosmetics Concealer for full pigmentation coverage. Then, you can choose your own eyeshadows and cheek tints to personalise your look.

For brown spots on sun-sensitive skin...

I am concerned about the increasing number of "brown spots/age spots" on my skin. I am very careful in the sun, avoiding it 11am until 4pm, always use factor 30 and I have sun sensitive skin so have my sun cream prescribed accordingly.

Alison: Well done for being good! Some people are more prone to brown spots and they're also exacerbated by medication, so check that you are able to take it in summer. A wide brimmed hat to physically cover it up is essential. In your skincare regime look for ingredients that encourage fading. Add something like Alpha-H Liquid Gold - wipe it on brown spots after cleansing. When you're looking at buying a new skincare range always look for ones that suit your primary concern which is pigmentation marks. Good ranges for you would be the Gatineau Laser range and the Elemis Tri-enzyme range.

For dry, sun-damaged hands...

 I do a lot of gardening and my hands get very dry and sun-damaged during the summer, what products can I use to protect them?

Alison: Keep hand wash throughout the house, so you always use them when you wash your hands. You also need to use a hand cream with a sun protection factor (SPF). Keep it near your wellies so you don’t forget to put it on.