Beauty notebook: Fake tans

The close-up Fake tans
Having been stuck in a malodorous rut for years, self-tan now advances with every passing summer - if we are to believe the hype. Actually, most self-tans are still pretty tricky to use, certainly for the body. Few really make the process foolproof and come with proper instructions on getting application right. But the best self-tans look real. In other words, they give you the kind of glow you might have after a warm bank holiday weekend, not the full-on tan of a July fortnight in Greece. It is also worth remembering that no matter how new or progressive a self-tan, it never works to layer it on over a fading previous application: you need to let the first application completely disappear before you start again. You can feel quite safe with these face-tanners: Sisley Self Tanning Hydrating Facial Skin Care delivers a progressive, believable tan (£81, johnlewis.com ); a few drops of Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster can be added to your regular day cream to customise your colour (£18, clarins.co.uk ); James Read Sleep Mask Tan is to be applied before bed so that you wake up with sun-kissed skin (£25, myshowcase.com ).

Three of the best Hair tonics
The key to good hair tonic is that it is light enough not to weigh hair down and not so sticky that it attracts dirt. D R Harris Eau de Portugal softens hair and combats dandruff (£15.50 for 100ml, thegroomingclinic.com); Kiehl's Magic Elixir gives sun-parched hair polish (£25 for 118ml, kiehls.co.uk); Concoction Crème de Concoction nourishes coloured hair (£16 for 250ml, concoction.co.uk ).

The scent Atkinsons Lavender on the Rocks
This will be nectar to the noses of lavender addicts: it is a double distillation of lavender (which means that the condensation from the first distillation is put through the process again to give the scent more buzz and depth), with geranium, basil, rose, guaiac wood and oud accord added to it. Very refreshing. Eau de parfum natural spray, £115 for 100ml, Harrods (020-7730 1234).

The novelty Paul & Joe Limited Edition Cheek Colours
In the swirly shades Berry Berry Sundae, Orange Sorbet and Chocolate Mint Gelato, these are the cream equivalent of mixed-pigment powder blushers and highlighters, the idea being that with one swipe of a finger you pick up enough nuances to create a realistically varied flush. £21, asos.com .

Ask Kate Where can I find bath salts that are more than just relaxing?
My mother has rheumatism and her usual salts have been discontinued. I have recently discovered the Cornish Seaweed Bath Company's Pure Seaweed Bath. Wild, hand-gathered and dried, and mixed with Dead Sea salts, the seaweed is said to work well at alleviating muscular pain, rheumatism and arthritis. It even smells nice, and you can recycle it as compost. £20 for 200g, cornishseaweedbath.co.uk .
Send your beauty conundrums to Kate Shapland via Twitter @KateShapland, using #askkate

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