Five skin secrets from überfacialist Sarah Chapman

Sarah Chapman has become one of our favourite facialists, and we've watched her meteoric rise with great pleasure:  her hands are magic, her advice is down-to-earth - and she's a great communicator of all her skin wisdom. Today's actually a big day for Sarah:  her fab new Skinesis Neck & Chest Rejuvenating Complex (which we are LOVING) is being launched on QVC (at 7 p.m. tonight).

So we asked this fount of all skin wisdom:  if you only do five things for your skin, what should they be...?  And these are her answers.  Disobey if you dare...!

1  Always ensure that your day cream has an SPF, to give you protection against UVA (ageing) and UVB (burning) rays, as the sun gathers strength.  It is easy to forget how strong the sun can be at this time of year, and an SPF is essential to prevent against UV damage and premature ageing.  Remember:  UVA rays (the ageing ones) are around us all year long.  (NB  This is why Sarah formulated her fab Dynamic Defence SPF15, an Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible Award-winner;  see below for shopping details.)

2  Really invest in your cleansing regime to reveal clearer, brighter, glowing skin. Spend one to two minutes working with your cleanser in circular motions from the centre of the face out towards the ears and focus on any congested areas with smaller circular motions. I often give my clients  a two-week cleansing challenge, encouraging them to focus on a good daily cleanse and highlighting the areas to focus on such as nose wings, under the chin and behind the ears. It is perfect at this time of year for creating a clearer and healthier-looking skin in a matter of weeks, for a deep spring clean!

3  The eye area can often give away signs of ageing and tiredness more than the rest of your face. The skin around your eyes is only half a millimetre thick, is almost constantly in motion (even while you sleep!) and is very delicate. Use a specific eye cream for this area, as the texture of an eye cream is often lighter and better for the fine skin around the eyes. Eye creams are formulated with focused active ingredients to target the various signs of aging such as peptides to freeze and plump lines and wrinkles, stimulate drainage and reduce dark circles.  Our eyes are constantly being pulled and tugged through blinking, rubbing, squinting and the application and removal of make-up all of which pull and drag the skin - so start looking after your eye area from your mid 20s...

4  Increase your daily intake of omega supplements and vitamins.  I believe that these are just as important to take internally as they are applied topically in your skincare.  Omega oils improve your skin’s hydration levels by increasing your skin lipids helping cells to hold onto moisture, restoring barrier function for a more protected, supple, healthy skin.

5  Pay attention to the neck and chest area, as this is almost always on display - especially in spring and summer, with low-cut tops and dresses.  This area is often neglected and shows real signs of ageing, next to well-cared-for faces.  My new Neck & Chest Rejuvenating Complex is perfect for repairing the specific signs of ageing such as crêpiness, deep lines, loss of volume, slackening skin and UV damage (for instance broken capillaries and pigmentation in the exposed, delicate neck and chest area).

•  Sarah Chapman Skinesis Dynamic Defence SPF15/£43 for 40 ml - buy here;  visit www.sarahchapman.net to see the range (the Neck & Chest Rejuvenating Complex is coming soon!)