Ask Alison Young

Alison Young is a well respected beauty consultant with loyal fans throughout the UK. She answers your skincare and make-up questions.

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Q. My husband is in his 40s and has dry flaky skin. He doesn't have much time for skincare products; what regime would you recommend?

For a quick and easy routine use L'Occitane Cade After Shave Balm morning and night. When his skin's extremely dry he should use L'Occitane SPF 15 Day Cream Duo, it has a richer texture that comforts the skin and it's unisex so you can pinch some too!.

Q. I moisturise my skin twice a day, but it feels oily. Should I use moisturiser less often?

No. If you don't moisturise morning and night your skin will over-compensate by producing more oil. Your current moisturiser may be leaving an oily residue on your skin, so use a lighter one that's more water-based. Try Elemis Daily shine kit, which is especially formulated for oily skin.

Q. I'm 27 and I get terrible ingrown hairs after waxing. I exfoliate with a loofer once a week, but they don't seem to go away.

A loofer exacerbates ingrown hair because it can hold infections. It also scratches the skin, which can cause inflammation. Gatineau 400ml Reactiv'R Body Scrub has natural spherical jojoba beads, so it doesn't scratch. Use it up to three times a week on the problem areas and once a week everywhere else. It's also a good idea to moisturise regularly, look out for Australian Bodycare's tea tree moisturiser coming soon.

Q. 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?

Keep skin washes throughout the house, so you always use them when you wash your hands. The hand wash in the Molton Brown White Mulberry Hand Therapy collection is especially good for skin pigmentation. To reduce coarseness use Barielle 60 Seconds Manicure - it will give you a new set of hands! You also need to use a hand cream or gel with a sun protection factor (SPF). Keep it near your wellies so you don't forget to put it on.

Q. I want to start teaching my 11-year-old daughter about skincare, but I don?t know which products to buy her - her skin is normal-oily

Skincare for an 11-year old doesn't need to be complicated or expensive, just simple and effective. The most popular cleanser is Liz Earle Cleanse/Polish Duo and lots of Mum's start their daughters on it. It will take off all the dirt, grime and make-up including eye-make-up. Simply using that will make a difference, but you can also use a light moisturiser like Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Duo - just a few drops morning and night. If she would prefer a skin wash instead of a cream, try Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser . And if she would rather use a gel moisturiser, she can try SBC Vitamin E Gel.

Q. I use good skincare products but I have red pigmentation that won't go away. My cheeks are also very dry. Can you help?

Redness is not pigmentation; it's broken or stretched capillaries. You need to use a special anti-redness formula morning and night. A light option is Elemis Daily Redness Control, or for a richer formula try Ella Bache Creme Tomate. Higher colour is made worse by friction, so or for lighter coverage try Bare Escentuals. You will need to use an SPF product every day and try to avoid the sun.