Beauty tips and advice

As the sun starts to shine and that summer holiday becomes, thankfully, a reality, Beauty editor Katie Corcoran helps you solve some of those last minute summer beauty dilemmas.

Dry skin? Streaky tan? Need a new summer fragrance? Then discover the latest beauty tips, beauty advice and new beauty products to make your skin look gorgeous and your hair glossy.

From St Tropez, to a new Liz Earle moisturiser and a beautiful Dior fragrance we bring you the best products for some quick beauty fixes.

Do you want longer eyelashes? Then discover these five lash-enhancing beauty products.

Be a gorgeous wedding guest at any summer wedding with these beauty products, make-up tips and more.

If you suffer from very dry skin then check out these skin care hydrating products.

Dry skin

Help! I\'ve got really dry skin

If you suffer from very dry skin then start by using a body scrub in the shower to remove any dead skin cells. Try something creamy like the Boots Extract Almond Body Scrub. It\'s not overly abrasive and will leave skin soft and ready for moisturiser. I love Liz Earle\'s new body cream, which is inspired by their award-winning Superskin Moisturiser. Apply this cream to your body morning and evening and the East African shea butter, organic rosehip oil and omega three will leave skin hydrated instantly. If you want to keep your spending to a minimum then try this Pond\'s Hydro Nourishing Cream, which will work on your face, heels, elbows or any other niggly dry areas.

Liz Earle Superskin Body Cream £27.50 lizearle.co.uk, Pond\'s Hydro Nourishing Cream, £3.99 nationwide, Boots Extract Almond scrub £7.34, boots.com

In-grown hairs

Help! I get painful in-grown hairs from shaving

Being summer-time gorgeous means we have to do a lot more shaving and this can often to lead to painful in-grown hairs. This Azulene Oil is a great preventative measure which you spray on to your skin after shaving or waxing and will relieve razor burns, redness and irritation. Also, make sure you always shave with a good razor and use a shaving cream rather than shaving on to dry skin. I\'m using Gillette\'s Venus Embrace with its five blade razor and moveable head for smooth legs in the shower, instantly.

Parissa Azulene Oil £7.99 at Boots, Gillette Venus Embrace £4.56 boots.com and Gillette Venus Satin Care Radiant Apricot Shave Gel £1.95 boots.com

Fake tan

Help! I\'ve got fake tan streaks

The first thing you can do is take a hot bath and then exfoliate the areas which have gone patchy. If it\'s a new tan disaster this may work. However if it\'s not you may need to use a bit more elbow grease. Many people have been known to sleep with lemon juice on the patchy areas before washing it off, exfoliating again in the morning, and then moisturising. If you want a product from the high street which also does the job then this St Tropez Self Tan Remover is for you. It will remove streaks on your body and stains from the palms of your hands; apply the cream and rub in well or use a body brush, then rinse.

St Tropez Self Tan Remover £12.75 lookfantastic.com

Summer fragrance

Help! I need a new summer fragrance but there is too much choice

You\'re right, there is an endless choice of fragrances these days - in 1998 there were 200 new fragrance launches compared to 732 in 2008. My favourites for the summer have to be the alluring, Paris-inspired Miss Dior Cherie L\'eau, which is a refreshing delicate blend of bitter orange, gardenia and light musks. Badglet Mischkas Couture fragrance is a mixture of delicate florals with a sensual powdery finish; it reminds me of lazy summer garden parties with a hint of ‘come get me\' seduction. Finally Michael Kors\' Bermuda is a fruity little number containing tropical fruity notes which are playful yet alluring and make me think of sipping cocktails on the beach. Any of these three will be perfect for lazy summer days and glamorous night.

Miss Dior Cherie L\'eau mfrom £39, department stores nationwide, Badgley Mischka Couture £55 02075742714, Island Michael Kors Bermuda from £41.11, nationwide

Holiday saviours

Help! I want to go from the beach to the bar while I\'m away in minutes

These three Bobbi Brown products will enable you to spruce up your look around the pool and then not worry for the rest of the evening. Their long wear gel eye liner means that what you put on stays on and there is nothing like a dash of eye liner to add some pizzazz to your look. Add to this their new Non Smudge Mascara for amazing lashes in one sweep, really it\'s amazing! Finally dust your eyelids, cheek bones and shoulders with their shimmer brick for a touch of sparkle. Still in need of matifying? Then try Collection 2000\'s Long Lasting Matte Finish Powder which is perfect when dusted on a shiny t-zone.

Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liner, Shimmer Brick and No Smudge Mascara all at bobbibrown.co.uk and Collection 2000 Shine Away compact powder £3.91 boots.com

Foot care

Help! My feet are so not summer ready, any fixes?

A good pedicure would be the quickest way fix neglected feet without doing any of the hard work yourself. Otherwise I recommend these foot creams which contain ingredients to smooth and hydrate tired weary tootsies when used every day. Eucerin Dry Skin Intensive Foot Cream and the Champneys Perfect Pedicure Cracked Heel Balm are both really good for treating dry cracked heels with their anti-bacterial and hydrating formulas. Plus Liz Earle\'s new minty smelling foot scrub really does a good job of removing flaky skin on toes and heels. Add some bright polish on to tidy neat nails and put your best foot forward.

Eucerin Dry Skin Intensive Foot Cream £10.51 boots.com, Champneys Perfect Pedicure Cracked Heel Balm £8 champneys.com and Liz Earle Foot Scrub £10, lizearle.com

Bikini line

Help! I\'ve got to deal with my bikini line but I can\'t stand waxing

Waxing does have its benefits as it removes the hairs directly from the root, and over time hair will grow back thinner. But let\'s face it, waxing hurts! If you can\'t bear to wax then use Veet\'s hair removal creams which are a sure way to tidy up your bikini line without the ‘ouch\' factor. Their new sensitive in-the-shower range is perfect for using when you are short of time.

Veet in the shower hair removal cream £6.21 boots.com

Summer eye shadow

Help! I want to wear some colour on my eyes but don\'t know where to start

Most eye colours suit darker shades of black and brown but in the summer it\'s always nice to add some colour. Palettes are especially good for this time of year as they contain several colours which you can layer up and brighten depending on what look your trying to achieve. Dior\'s iconic, newly revamped, eye shadow palette is perfect for some colour experimentation; it contains a dark navy shade for a good old fashioned smoky eye, a metallic silver for evenings, a pretty light blue for daytime and a creamy eye liner for that added wow factor. I think it\'s the perfect starting place for those that want to experiment with colours.

Dior 5 Colour Eye Shadow Palette £37, department stores nationwide

Hair accessories

Help! I\'ve had a fringe cut but I don\'t know how I\'m going to cope with it on holiday

This is annoying and I\'ve done it myself when I\'ve been in need of a style update only to realise it\'s super hard to manage a fringe in the humid summer heat. Hair accessories are what you need for this. Babyliss have some great on-trend accessories like their bright head wrap or these pretty diamante clips which are great for sweeping a fringe to one side or masking unwashed flat roots.

Babyliss Multi-Coloured Head wrap £5 and Diamante Bobby Pins £6.50 for two at Boots nationwide

Spots

Help! I\'ve got a spots on my back

Most of us associate a spotty back with guys, but women suffer from this too. During the summer months we sweat more, especially on our backs, and this can lead to blocked pores and spots. As it\'s one of the hardest places to physically scrub this area can become neglected, even though it\'s often on show in the summer. Noella Gabriel, director of product and treatment development at Elemis says, \"I would recommend changing your body wash to a more medicated wash as using a product with a high detergent can strip the skin, increase oil flow which will feed into the problem area. It\'s very important to use a wash with low foam and with healing extracts, for example our Wild Lavender Shower which will help keep the back from a build up of sweat, and help replenish and balance the skin.\"

Still want more information on spots and spotty backs? Then read more at Netdoctor.com

Elemis Wild Lavender Shower £17 timetospa.co.uk

Pretty nails

Help! How can I stop my nails chipping on holiday?

Firstly invest in a really good top coat and then do your nails just before you leave for the airport. Using a top coat will seal in the colour and can often help it last for up to a week. I am hooked on Leighton Denny\'s Crystal Finish top coat which can keep my polish looking fantastic for days on end, even during a busy week at work. Or perhaps try the Jessica Brilliance Top Coat which adds life to old colour and is perfect for adding every couple of days while you are away to keep your nail colour looking vibrant.

However if you want guaranteed chip-free nails then OPI\'s new Axxium Gels last up to an impressive three weeks. Pick one of their fantastic shades and then relax as the thin coloured gels are layered over the top of your nails for long lasting results.

Leighton Denny\'s Crystal Finish Top Coat £9.79 leightondenny.co.uk, Jessica Brilliance Top Coat £9.30 lookfantastic.com and OPI\'s new Axxium Gels £40 call 01923 240010 for your nearest salon

Summer tan

Help! I want an even tan minus the sunbathing

If you are still feeling a bit pasty and are jetting off on holiday soon book yourself in for a professional spray tan. Thankfully St Tropez have a fantastic offer on this summer which will cost you only £15 for a full body tan with one of their experts in Debenhams. This is then redeemable against their product range in store so you can stock up on one of their gradual tanners to keep your tan topped up when you get back from Holiday. Enjoy a streak free summer.

St Tropez £15 spray tan available at Debenhams, with the £15 then redeemable against products instore.

Dry hair

Help! My hair is dry and brittle

It\'s a myth that your hair just needs extra care in the cold winter months, it also needs it in the warm dry summer season too. Thankfully today you don\'t need to wait hours for a hair mask to work its magic, you can use them as an intensive conditioner in the shower. We love the Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Hair Mask which fights dry, dull hair and is purse friendly. Or if you want to help dry hair once it\'s styled try the Schwarzkopf Professional Rescue Repair Sealed Ends serum which seals split ends and tames stray hairs.

Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Hair Mask £3.91 boots.com, Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Styling Treat Shine Serum £9.80, 01296 314 000

Celebrity make-up

Help! How can I get a celebrity smile for my holidays?

Celebrities are known for their perfect whiter-than-white teeth but for most of us this can be unaffordable. If you have decided to take the plunge then visit someone in the know like Dr Uchenna Okoye from the Channel 4 TV show 10 Years Younger, who can fix even the most neglected teeth. Failing that the other way to look celebrity fantastic this summer without a dentist in sight, is by wearing a matte lipstick which is hotter than the Caribbean sun right now. I love the new Revlon Matte range, chose from a bright pink or a seductive red and step out in style.

Dr Uchenna Okoye, Clinical Director, London Smiling londonsmiling.com or contact BriteSmile from Skin Health Spa\'s; teeth whitening is £495.00 but you can save £100 until the end of August and pay £395. 0207 318 1360 or visit skinhealthspa.com. Revlon Matte lipsticks from £7.13 boots.com
\r\nCheck out these celebrities wearing red lipstick

Dull tired skin

Help! My skin looks dull and tired

Apparently Methode Jeanne Piaubert is the brand to turn to for some skin rejuvenation. After one week clinical trials showed that testers noticed an 83 per cent decline in the appearance of wrinkles and that their skin looked brighter, healthier and more vibrant by up to 80 per cent. Yes, in one week! I think it would be ideal to use before you go away or perhaps before a summer wedding so that your skin looks its best. However if you need a pick-me-up of the cheaper variety then try the award-winning brightening face exfoliator from L\'Occitane which contains tiny granules of pumice stone for a deep but gentle decongesting scrub. The essential oils and mulberry extract will brighten and soothe tired skin. It\'s a fantastic weekly pick-me-up, I love it.

One Week intensive anti-wrinkle treatment from Methode Jeanne Piaubert £78 for the eyes, and £131 for the face beautique.com or 0207 893 8333. L\'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Smoothing Exfoliator £22 loccitane.com

Puffy eyes

Help! My eyes are puffy

There are couple of eye creams which we have recently tested and had good results from. Firstly John Gustafson often tells me about the Strixaderm SOS eye cream which has been proven to reduce dark circles by up to 60 per cent in four weeks, as well as puffiness by 40 per cent. John says, \"I really like that you can apply this cream onto the entire eye area and right up underneath the lash line. That way you really feel like the affected area is being treated. The price is £51 for a 40ml container, which should last you about four to five months if you are using it twice a day.\"

I also really like the Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10 Plus Eye Cream which contains coenzyme Q10 to plump fine lines and hydrate your skin. I apply it in the morning before my make-up to help my eyes look more awake.

Strixaderm now £47.95 Fenwicks London, Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10 Plus Eye Cream £9.99 boots.com

Frizzy hair

Help! Warm weather makes my hair frizzy

There is nothing like the great British summer to play havoc with our hair. Rain, humidity, winds and heat can all turn well groomed locks into a seriously bad hair day. Make sure you plan for this before it happens by applying some well placed styling products. A good hairspray such as the Silvikrin Hydrostyle is great for keeping your style in its place and their mini sizes are très handy for travelling. John Frieda\'s Frizz Ease will help to tame frizz and dry curls on both hot and wet days when applied to damp hair before styling.

Hair expert Jo Hansford recommends, \"If you have frizzy or curly hair, it is always advisable to carry travel sized gel and serum in your handbag. If your hair turns frizzy after being in humid climates or after being caught in the rain, mix the same amount of gel and serum together in the palm of your hand and pat sparingly over your hair. Run your hands through your hair very lightly. The serum will de-frizz and the gel will re-set your hair.\"

Silvikrin Hydrostyle hairspray £1.65 nationwide and John Frieda\'s Frizz Ease £3.80 boots.com

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