Holidays in sunny climes might be good for the soul but they can play havoc with your skin. But there is a way of maintaining your peachy complexion, whatever the weather, and it can be summed up in three simple words: preparation, preparation, preparation.

‘If you’re looking forward to a lovely sunny holiday you should start a serious programme of exfoliation and moisturisation now,’ said Hazel Barry, managing director of Harrogate-based H2k Skincare International (h2kskincare.com). ‘The sun dries out your skin, especially when you get a little older and the rays can penetrate your skin a lot quicker, leading to brown marks, blemishes and damage.’

At the very least, you need to drink lots of water, hydrating your skin from the inside out, apply a high-factor SPF foundation every day and use an exfoliating scrub at least once a fortnight.

If you have time, a monthly appointment with a specialist beauty therapist is also a great idea as they can get to know you and your skin, spotting potential problems before they become major hurdles and developing bespoke treatments to ensure your skin is in tip-top condition for the sun.

They’ll also make sure you’re using the right products for your skin, which can be a tricky – and costly – decision to make on your own without expert advice.

But if all that sounds too exhausting, how about a nice cup of tea instead? Hazel and her team have just launched a revolutionary new H2k tea range, infused with skin-benefiting herbs and oils which they custom-create for each individual client.

‘Each tea reflects the facial treatment a client is given, so they can infuse their skin inside and out for maximum results,’ Hazel explained. ‘And they don’t only get a nice cup of tea, they also get cake too; a herb-infused cake to give them a triple-whammy treatment.

‘Your skin reflects how you’re feeling on the inside, so it’s imperative that you think about what you’re putting in your body. If you’re well-nourished on the inside your skin will glow on the outside.’

She launched her skincare company in 2000 after suffering serious skin inflammation herself for a number of years. Kalahari melon seed oil from Namibia was her skin saviour (it’s what the ‘k’ in H2k stands for), so she decided to share it via a range of products and treatments at her flagship Parliament Street store.

Her recent herbal tea launch came after something of a happenstance discovery: ‘I was having a soothing herbal tea one day while I was giving myself a quick facial and I dropped my cup. Some of the tea went in my facial scrub, but I thought ‘what the heck, it’s all natural, what harm can it do?’. Afterwards my skin felt amazing and it struck me that I might really be on to something.’

Tea, cake and a skin-boosting facial? She just might be right.