Emma HarrowingImagine if you can have clearer, brighter, younger looking skin for summer. If you have spots, are worried about wrinkles or suffer from greasy or dry skin help is at hand.Emma Harrowing

Imagine if you can have clearer, brighter, younger looking skin for summer. If you have spots, are worried about wrinkles or suffer from greasy or dry skin help is at hand. Life Matters skin expert Louise Thomas-Minns shows you how to get better looking and feeling skin in 12 days. BY EMMA HARROWING.

Day one

Book and have a professional skin treatment. This will get your skin back on the right track and give you tips and advice on how you can look after your skin.

Day two

Water!! Yes it's a must. Aim to up your intake to at least one and a half litres a day if you want to avoid puffy, parched skin.

Day three

Start to take a tincture of Milk thistle and artichoke. This helps support the liver support and is good if you overeat or over do it with the alcohol. If the liver is not able to function properly it will cause skin to eliminate toxins, so start taking it daily now.

Day four

Start your way to a brighter skin by using a daily gentle exfoiliator. I recommend the MD Formulations facial cleanser (�25 www.u-treatments.co.uk) rich in fruit acids to encourage cell regeneration without the need for harsh abrasives.

Day five

Shoe horn just 10-15 minutes of yoga into your day. www.yogajournal.com has some fab, short yoga videos you can watch for free. Yoga is amazing for distressing and for bringing fresh blood and nutrients to the skin.

Day six

Use an eye product. Choose a product that has been developed specifically for use around the eye as the delicate eye area can easily be damaged by products that are too harsh. Eye creams and gels work by brightening and tightening the eye area making you look awake and more youthful.

Day seven

Feed your skin by eating Vitamin C enriched foods such as oranges, cranberries and berries. Scatter berries onto your muesli or porridge in the morning and take oranges as snacks throughout the day. These fruits are packed with the anti ageing benefits of antioxidants and will boost your collagen levels and immune system.

Day eight

Now unless you're tee total you will undoubtedly partake in a glass or two of alcohol. So why not swap your usual alcoholic beverage for red wine. This is rich in polyphenols another powerful antioxidant which defends the skin cells and is good for your heart. (In moderation).

Day nine

Perform a facial massage at least once a day. You can do this when applying your moisturiser; by massaging in upward and outward circular movements you will detox, brighten and tone the facial muscles.

Day ten

Sleep! I know this is a tricky one but try and get as much quality sleep as you can especially if you know you have a heavy week on the way.

Studies have shown that sleep loss is linked to increasing the ageing process.

Day eleven

However tired you may be, do not commit the cardinal sin of going to bed in your makeup! Sleeping in a cocktail of oils, dyes, chemicals and preservatives whilst your skin is trying to repair will leave you with dry, spotty, grey skin in the morning. So always remember to cleanse.

Day twelve

You've made it! If you've been following these golden rules you should be looking radiant.

COMPETITION

Win a bespoke facial with Life Matters skin expert Louise and write a review for the Life Matters pages

Have you got problem skin? Would you like to improve the look and feel of your skin? Or would you like to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles? Whatever your skin concern Life Matters skin expert Louise Thomas-Minns is offering you the chance to win a bespoke facial at her new Skin Lounge (CHK) in Norwich. The winner will also have a free ten day trial of Bare Minerals makeup which is made from 100pc natural minerals that is perfect for improving your skin tone. You will also get a chance to write a review of your treatment for the Life Matters pages in the Evening News.

To be in with a chance of winning just answer this question: What is Bare Minerals makeup made from?

Send your answer along with your name, address and daytime contact details to: Emma Harrowing, Life Matters Skin Makeover Competition, Norwich Evening News, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE or email emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk

The closing date for entries is Friday May 14, 2010. The winner will be picked at random from all entries received by the closing date. Usual Archant competition rules apply.