However, with winter just around the corner, and the harsh, cold weather the season brings with it, skin can become dry and flaky.

Which is why, if you want your skin to look its best, preparation is key.

Lush’s oil-based cleaner, Ultrabland (£4.95 for 45g; www.lush.co.uk) is made with peanut oil, beeswax, honey and glycerine and the beauty of this product is its simplicity.

A favourite of Hollywood beauties such as Angelina Jolie, all you need to do to get your make-up off is gently rub a small amount into your hands and massage onto your face, before removing with warm water and cotton wool or a muslin cloth.  The second step to combating dry, flaky winter skin is a good moisturiser. And this is where things can sometimes get a little bit complicated. With a plethora of products vying for our attention on pharmacy (and supermarket) shelves, it’s difficult to know what to get.

Forget the hyped up ads on TV.

Some of the best skincare products around are the ones rarely advertised. The ones we have featured on this page are here purely through word of mouth recommendations and have each been tested by the beauty team.

My all-time favourite is the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (£75 for 50ml; 01278 727830), which comes in a bit pricey, but is worth every penny.

Containing the marine algae Padina Pavonica and Gingko Biloba liposomes, the cream works extremely well when it comes to hydrating my skin and making it feel fresher and plumper.

And although it is part of the Elemis anti-ageing range, please don’t let it put you off as the results are exceptional.

Beautifully rich, the Skin Conditioning Body Cream by Floris (£26 for 175g; www.florislondon.com) is easily absorbed into the skin to renew and invigorate.

Containing natural beeswax, glycerine and vitamin E, this cream really does do a great job of moisturising your skin and helping to reduce the damaging effects of free radicals.

Guinot’s long-lasting Crème Nutrition Comfort (£33 for 50ml; 01344 873123), is formulated with essential oils added to a rich base of shea butter, vitamin E and UV filters and gives continuous protection leaving your skin feel supple and nourished.

A firm office favourite, Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Jar ( £3.59 for 100g; available from most pharmacies) is the original classic and does a fantastic job when it comes to softening, smoothing and relieving dry skin and unattractive marks. Works especially well on elbows and knees.

Energys holistic skincare’s offering for the face, the Essential Essence Light (£34.90 for 50ml; 0800 458 4747) has a light texture with extracts of mandarin essential oils to help maintain healthy production of skin cells which promote radiant skin.

Proto-col moisturising facial gel (£19.95 for 50ml; 0870 770 3861) is ideal as a day cream. Created with Fresh Royal Jelly – one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world – this nutrient rich moisturiser gives skin a potent moisture boost.

Another gel-based unguent worth investing in is the Dilo Rescue Body Gel (£16 for 8oz; www.purefiji.com) which contains Dilo Oil, rich with potent nutrients.

Analysis of the oil, which comes from the Dilo Tree in the Fiji Islands, led to the discovery of a previously unknown fatty acid - Calophyllic Acid - and it is this fatty acid which stimulates the skins healing process. Ideal for those of us with very dry skin, which can feel ravaged in the winter.

Barefoot Botanicals SOS rescue me (£17.95 for 100g; www.barefoot-botanicals.com) body cream is heavenly and sinks most beautifully into your skin and is especially great over very dry problem areas of the body. Containing calendula, burdock, comfrey, chickweed and mahonia, all gentle and theruepatic herbs which soothe inflamed skin.

Three testers couldn’t stop raving about the Hydrating Face Fluid from Stem Organics (£33 for 50ml; www.purely-natural.net) which uses 82% certified organic ingredients that leave skin hydrated, soft and protected. The product, which originated in Australia has macadamia extract, shea butter, natural glycerine, vitamin E and mulla mulla (an Australian bush flower). It smells incredible and did an amazing job on dry skin patches on the forehead and chin.

A light, velvety cream with organic rose geranium and evening primrose oils, Quinessence Aroma-Botanicals Hydrating Day Cream (£8.99 for 30ml; www.quinessence.com) is suitable for all skin types and helps lock in moisture.

Simple, the experts in sensitive skin’s Protecting Moisture Cream for the face (£4.49 for 50ml; 0121 712 6523) contains no perfume and no colour, as always, and so is suitable for very sensitive skin. It isn’t as intensive as some of the other products on the page, but, ideal for when you’re switching over from your summer to winter moisturisers.

With ingredients including green tea, grapefruit extract and vitamin E, the Time Defiance Day Protect Crème (£29.20 for 50g; 01908 629466) provides advanced antioxidant protection which shields skin from free radical damage caused by elements like sunlight and pollution. This rich, luxurious crème is perfect for women with normal to dry skin and works very effectively.

A favourite of A-Listers including Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Monigue and Catherine Zeta-Jones, to name but a few, Yon-Ka’s  moisturisers for dry and dehydrated skin, Crème 28 (£30 for 50ml; 0207 518 8370) for dehydrated skin is vitamin rich and helps reduce appearance of lines and fatigue traces resulting from moisture loss. Their Crème PS, with wheat germ and essential oils (£30 for 50ml; 0207 518 8370) leaves dry skin feeling amazingly soothes, supple and velvety smooth.

Green People’s gorgeously nourishing Vita Min Fix Day & Night cream is packed full of organic vitamins (£12.99 for 50ml; 01403 740350).  Then at night time, Fruitful Nights (£12.99 for 50ml; 01403 740350) can be used to give facial type results, gently, using fruit acids removing the dead skin cells from the surface, which can cause the flakiness.

The combination of carefully chosen therapeutic  ingredients in Grandma Vines products work hard to encourage cell renewal so as to speed up the strengthening process of the skin’s surface. We loved the super-softening Heavenly Feast Body Lotion (£8.99 for 250ml; 01455 556281) which helped repair dry, sensitive skin. The delicious smelling concoction, with essence of rose and blackberry worked especially well when used after bathing with Perfect Peace Bath Soak (£17.99 for 250ml; 01455 556281) which has rose, geranium and sandalwood.

Champneys Collagen Plus Firm and Protect Day Cream (£17.50 for 40ml), Skin Comforting Creamy Body Butter and Ultra Rich Rose Body Butter (both are £9 for 350ml) were very well-received when used by our reviewers. The Rose Body Butter, with its heavenly scent of roses left skin feeling beautifully soft and smelling gorgeous. All available from Sainsbury’s or www.champneys.com.