Q. At just 40, I am lucky to get four hours sleep a night owing to my 10-year-old autistic [very active] son. I have dry skin on my face and body, particularly hands and feet. I am looking for a good quality routine to tackle the fine lines around my eyes and mouth, dark circles, dry skin and the rest! I have read about all sorts of ingredients but not sure what to aim for. I have cut down on my caffeine intake and am drinking more water as I know my skin was/is dehydrated. A. Not getting enough sleep is hard on your body and mind. We wonder if you might consider a daily supplement such as Siberian ginseng, an adaptogen herb that goes where it’s needed. Pharmacist Shabir Daya says taking one capsule of Siberian first thing in the morning should give you more energy and help balance your adrenal glands, which are likely under stress.

As far as skincare is concerned, we suggest you look into the Liz Earle Superskin range, which has everything you require. The prices are reasonable in view of the very good quality and efficacy of the products, which last a long time. We suggest you try Superskin Moisturiser, unfragranced for sensitive skin, £39 for 50 ml jar; Eye Cream/£35 for 15 ml pump; Superskin Concentrate for Night/£60 for 50 ml pump; Face Serum/£48 for 30 ml pump.

For your dry body, feet and hands, Superskin Body Cream is £33 for 200 ml tube, or the new Treatment Oil for Body/£35 for 100 ml, and Superbalm is just fantastic for dry hands, feet and elbows/£17.25 for 30 g jar.

In your longer email, you also mention hyaluronic acid to help plump out skin and smooth wrinkles. While this is effective in skincare, you could take it orally as a supplement. We have just seen Before and After photos of two women who have taken the PureHA two-month ‘selfie’ challenge and they are very impressive. It’s worth having a look online: we know the person who organised it and can vouch for the authenticity of the pictures.  As well as 17 mg HA from a non-animal source (so it’s suitable for veggies and vegans), PureHA contains 12 mg of vitamin C, which may help brightness.

Very well done on cutting down on caffeine and drinking more water. You might also like to consider upping your water intake with herbal/spice teas. We like Pukka Three Ginger and their Three Mint, also Turmeric Gold (which is fab for skin), available widely in store and on-line for about £1.75 for 20 tea bags.