Spring into life with our easy tips to prepare your skin and hair for a new season, and some Valentine’s treats

As winter winds down, it’s easy to feel discouraged about the way you look. After all, we’ve been living through months of constant indoor heat on top of cold, windy weather leaving our skin flaky, dry and looking parched.

With spring comes sunshine, wearing lighter fabrics and spending time outdoors, and since spring is the season of rejuvenation and growth, it’s the perfect occasion to pamper your skin.

If you are on a tight budget, you’re in luck. There are a number of ways to improve your skin health without expensive costs.

• Invest in a bristle body brush, £9.95

Brush your skin dry before you step into the shower, small circular movements starting from your feet upwards, fantastic results for prevention of ingrowing hairs and improved circulation.

• Self-tan gel, Sienna X, £12.95

Mix half of your day moisturiser with self-tan gel, apply to your face before your make up. Again mix equal amounts of body lotion with your self-tan gel to add a hint of colour that looks great with your new spring pastels.

• Elixir hair oil, £19.99

Apply a few drops on a daily basis to tame unruly, thirsty and frizzy hair.

• Hands and feet warm paraffin wax

Costing from £10 (salon application), this treatment achieves wonderful soothing results for poor circulation, dry and chapped skin. Your skin will feel silky soft.

• Hair glossing

Costing from £20 (salon application), this adds super shine to enhance natural or coloured hair. Yes, grey and blonde hair can be glossy too.

• Head scalp massage with salon blow dry

Costing from £19 (salon application), this is so relaxing and in addition it completely calms you, and all just in 30 minutes.

All the above products and services are available at: www.mcqueenhairandbeauty.com

Say it with flowers

Take your pick from these new flower-inspired beauty products

By Sara Niven Smith

1. Weleda’s Wild Rose Cream Bath (£9.95 for 100ml) is a recent addition to their existing Wild Rose face and body range. Three tons of fresh petals are needed to make just one litre of rose essential oil which has relaxing and uplifting properties and this 100 per cent natural product also contains moisturising organic oils.

Weleda stockists in Kent include The Organic Health Shop in Tunbridge Wells, Whitstable Nutrition Centre and Natural Medicines Centre in West Wickham; find others or buy online at www.weleda.co.uk.

2. Put your best face forward with the Limited Edition Six-Colour Eye Palette, £32 from Clarins. Part of the newly launched Garden Escape Spring Make-Up collection, the shades are inspired by a garden in spring time and include fresh greens and pinks, a soft white and a woody brown. The collection also includes Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector, £18, an illuminating and protective balm which comes in six shades including Rose. For your nearest stockist call 0800 036 3558 or visit www.clarins.com

3. Willow Organic’s Glowing Body Oil (£37 for 100ml) is part of Willow’s new Butterfly Bodycare range with £1 for each product sold going to a butterfly conservation charity. This luxurious 99.8 per cent organic body oil contains relaxing jasmine, soothing rose and vitamin E-rich Barbary fig. Great for dry or mature skins it leaves a dewy sheen rather than being overly oily and a little goes a long way when applied to slightly damp skin. Buy online at www.willowbeautyproducts.co.uk.