Q: I overdid it in the sun this weekend and now my skin is red and dry. When I put make up on it just goes dry and crusty. What can I do to soothe the sunburn and how can I make it look better?

ANSWER: Firstly, going out in the sun with no suncreen on is a definite no no, but all of us have done it from time to time. To soothe sunburnt skin use Aloe Vera. You can buy 100 per cent Aloe Vera gels from your regular drugstore and apply as often as needed. Keep it in the fridge to make sure it is extra cooling and soothing. For the face, apply a cream which has sayllic acid in it, as this is a known ingredient to stop the flaky appearance that your skin can get after being exposed to the sun. Finally, just apply foundation on the areas that arent too burnt and use a bronzer to go over the areas (rather than a heavier powder). This will create a natural sunkissed look.

Q: My skin is neither oily nor dry. In summer, its super oily and my makeup slides off. But in winter, it gets so dry i’m stuck with dry patches. What foundation can I use that will stay put throughout the seasons?

ANSWER: Its a common misconception that you should use one foundation throughout the year. Just because a foundation works in summer, does not mean it will work in winter. As your skin changes, so should your skincare and makeup routine. In the summer, use a foundation that is oil-free and lightweight. Finish your look with powder to set it and absorb excess oil. In the winter, be sure to use a rich moisturizer before applying foundation. If you skin is very dry, consider using an oil-based or creamy foundation. This will cover dry spots much better than a oil-free foundation and powder. Remember, powder can accentuate the dry spots on your face, so use it sparingly in the winter.

Q: I’ve had terrible dark circles under my eyes for as long as I can remember. I’ve tried numerous concealers, but none seem to work all day long. What do you recommend?

ANSWER: Its time for a concealer lesson. First of all, concealer color is very important. It should be slightly lighter than your skintone, with a yellowish tint. Even if you have pink overtones, you should use a yellow tinted concealer, as yellow is the only shade that conceals dark circles. One mistake most women make is rubbing in the concealer. Don’t do this! You should pat the concealer with your finger until it blends in. Rubbing concealer will only help to remove it! Concealer should be creamy and easy to blend. The drier the concealer, the harder it is to blend and the more likely it is to crease, giving you wrinkles around the eye area. Finally, once you’ve applied your concealer, cover the area with powder. This will help set the concealer and make it last all day.

Q: I love experimenting with different eyeshadow shades, but they never last! At the end of the day I’m left with a mess. What can I do to make my eye makeup last longer?

ANSWER: Many women face the same problem. One trick is to cover your eyelid from base to brow with powder to act as a base. If this doesn’t work (and your eyelids are still oily), use an eyeshadow primer such as Urban Decay’s Primer Potion, Laura Geller’s Eye Spackle, or Too Faced’s Eyeshadow Base. These will help your eyeshadow stay put without creasing!

Q: I have really bad red patches on my skin. It feels dry, itchy and flaky. The only thing that seems to soothe it is heavy moisturizer, but this then makes my skin break out. What can i do?

ANSWER: This is a problem for sensitive skin where most of your skin is combination to dry, but using heavy moisturizer makes it break out. I recommend using regular cleaner specially formulated for sensitive skin such as Eau Thermale Avene gentle cleanser for intolerant skin. A moisturizer can also be used on the whole face such as Eau Thermale Avene cream for intolerant skin. Several times a week at night use a thick cream which is formulated for sensitive skin and only apply to the very dry areas (this will stop the other areas breaking out). I like Cetaphil. However, all these products will take a while to work and if your skin is extremely sensitive this may soothe the problem, but not get rid of long-term flaky skin. In this instance the best thing to use would be a cream like hydrocortisone which is available without prescription from your local drug store. Remember that hydrocortisone cream is a steroid and cannot be used excessively. I tend to only apply a very small amount for a few days at a time.

Q: I have occasional zits and pimples on my body (the odd one on my face or back). I don’t want to change my skincare routine, but i want to get rid of it fast. Can you recommend a good solution?

ANSWER: The best thing to use is regular toothpaste. Look for ones which are white and not full of excess chemicals (such a whitening agents). Apply a small amount to cover the pimple at night and the drying agents in the toothpaste will draw out the impurities in the zit. The redness should go down after one night and after three it should be completely gone!