Using natural beauty products to soothe sore, winter-chapped skin can work in the short-term, but it is important to eat the right things to get your skin looking healthy and nourished.

As Alice Hart-Davis, creator of Goodthingsbeauty.com, pointed out, a healthy diet and lifestyle will be reflected in the skin.

"Foods that are particularly beneficial for the skin include omega-3 oils, found in oily fish and flax seeds, and antioxidants from colourful vegetables and fruit. Also, drinking water is a good part of a healthy lifestyle," she commented.

Flax seed oil is known to be very beneficial to skin, because it provides omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids right to the skin membranes. According to Herbal-powers.com, it can soothe sunburnt skin and promote healing by locking in moisture.

As well as feeding your skin with organic beauty products, give it a boost by eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg, but remember to give yourself a treat every now and again.

"Think 80-20 - 80 per cent good stuff and 20 per cent free choice," advised nutritionist Penny Crowther. "Also, think about it - if you do it the other way around and only make a 20 per cent change for the better in your diet, that's still an improvement which you can build on."

She recommended steering clear of the "perfection trap", which is where you decide to give up the healthy eating plans on the back of a one-off cream cake or boozy night out.

"Concentrate on the positive, not what you think you do wrong - which so many people do when it comes to food - and before long you'll find you're naturally eating more and more healthily, as well as feeling more relaxed without all the self-criticism," the nutrition expert added.

Posted by Matilda Jones