Decent Exposure

Revealing party dresses and sandals mean areas that are normally hidden in jumpers and boots will be exposed - and rough scaly skin and yellowing toes don't do much except give off the wrong impression.

Here's our guide to buffing up those neglected areas.

Not quite the back of it

Backs and shoulders, which have been hidden throughout the winter now emerge from their hiding place, exposed in slashed necklines or backless tops and dresses. "Dead skin build-up coupled with wearing layer upon layer often leads to break-outs. Rid yourself of the dead, flaky skin cell build-up by using a body scrub and a rich body butter to hydrate," says Bliss London's Kelly Dace.

Gentle body scrubs like Elemis's Lime & Ginger Salt Glow, £34, or (01278 727 830/www.elemis.com) or Bliss Hot Salt Scrub, £28 (0808 100 4151/www.blisslondon.co.uk), and Elle Macpherson Fruit & Honey Exfoliator, £5.95, at Boots, exfoliate dead skin cells to bring out brighter skin.

Zap stubborn spots with Origins Spot Remover, £10, Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Treatment Cream, £4.99, The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick, £3.50, and Instant Benefits Dual Action Blemish Wand, £4.97, at Tesco.

Chest matters

A perky pair is top of most women's wish lists, but breasts and the delicate area around the chest don't always receive the attention needed.

"This area is often forgotten about so a real difference can be seen after an exfoliation," says Hayley Adams from The Sanctuary.

"It's vital that the decollet is looked after and protected throughout the year as it's often exposed to all kinds of weather and pollution through wearing low-cut tops.

"You don't even need a special exfoliant - just bring your facial exfoliant down on to the decollet and on to the bust once or twice a week, avoiding the nipple area.

"Use a nourishing moisturiser every day to maintain supple, moisturised, hydrated skin."

Boots Skin Kindly Firming Bust & Body Lotion, £2.14, and Asda Essential Care Firming Body Cream, £2.98, are budget buys that can help to firm and tone the bust, while Elancyl Firming Bust Gel, £18.55 at Boots, Pout Bustier, £25 (www.pout.co.uk), and Dermelect Cleavage Contour Cream, £36 from Selfridges (0870 837 7377), are pricier versions to give you the uplift you always wanted.

Toeing the line

People tend to forget about their feet until they need to wear strappy shoes for parties. Use a foot file to buff feet until they are smooth, then smother on an intense hydrating cream," Kelly Dace says.

"For an intensive conditioning treatment, snuggle up in special socks twice a week, and your feet will be satin soft and ready to show off."

Space NK foot file, £30 (020 8740 2085/www.spacenk.com), Scholl Party Feet Smoothing Foot File, £4.49, and Boots Gorgeous Feet Fantastic Foot File, £2.99, will remove hard skin. Keep them moisturised with Barielle Total Foot Cream, £16, from Space NK, or Neutrogena Foot Cream, £4.99. BeneFit Sandal Scandal, £27.50, is a night-time pedicure in a jar. Massage in the cream, then slip on the booties.

The fresh tingling sensation will make your feet softer and velvety to the touch by the time you wake.

Give them the elbow!

IT'S so easy to forget about your elbows, but they tend to become rough and dry quickly.

"Dry skin occurs on elbows due to chafing of skin against heavy winter clothing, coupled with the drying atmosphere of constant central heating," says Kelly Dace.

"Treat the problem by exfoliating in the shower daily and moisturising afterwards. The best way to prevent the dryness is to use an intensive moisturiser every day."

The Sanctuary's Kyphi Intensive Salve, £6.95 at Boots, and Nourishing Body Butter, £7.45, will tackle extra dry lips, knees and elbows.

Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream, £12, is medicated and vitamin-enriched, while Lola Kelly Baume de Lola, £11, is a plant-based, paraben-free body cream to heal and calm the skin. Both are available from Space NK.

Sisley's Confort Extreme, £68.50 (020 7591 6380), works well on very dry areas. It contains shea and kokum butter to repair, along with chestnut extract to reinforce the skin's barrier function.

Jo Malone's new fragrance, Blue Agava & Cacao, from £30), has sparkling citrus notes of lime and grapefruit and a Mexican blue agava flower middle-note, followed by vetiver, cinnamon and cacao. It won't suit everyone, but is sensual and sophisticated. Available now from 020 7720 0202 or shop online at www.jomalone.co.uk

Sales of cherry Chapstick will surely be soaring after its appearance in The Devil Wears Prada. The lipbalm is one of naive journalist Andrea Sachs' (Anne Hathaway) favourite products, and she is seen slicking it on in the opening credits before her Runway job interview. It's a bargain style buy at just 99p.

Get a taste of the Tropics with Tanamera spa bodycare range. Using natural ingredients sourced from the tropical Malaysian rainforest, the collection includes Natural Body Scrubs blended from herbs, coffee beans, brown sugar and rock salt, from £9.99, coconut-based Cocos Spa, from £8.99, Natural Mist sprays, £7.99, and Bath Bombs in Kaffir Lime or Lemongrass, £5.99 - call 01506 848 967 or see www.naturalfigure.co.uk.

A quick-dry body brush pre-shower exfoliates the skin and boosts circulation.

"It's much quicker than a full body scrub," says ESPA founder Susan Harmsworth. Brush upwards towards the heart with ESPA's Skin Brush, £10.95, Liz Earle's Natural Bristle Body Brush, £6.95, and Elemis Body Brush, £16

Keep colour looking richer for longer by using specialised shampoos and conditioners, particularly if you're going darker. The John Frieda colour ranges: Brilliant Brunette, Sheer Blonde and Radiant Redhead, are delicious, from £4.28, but the ones from Sunsilk, from £1.99, Umberto Giannini, from £3.99, and Trevor Sorbie, from £4.49, also work wonders. If you want to keep locks looking extra luscious and colour richer and more vibrant, try Charles Worthington Colour Bright Reviving Treatment, £2.74, Umberto Giannini Colour Care Repair, £4.99, or Lee Stafford Colour Love Treatment, £5.99, all at Boots.

Be a sleeping beauty with night creams like St Ives Rich Night Cream, £3.99, Skin Expert Intensive Rehydrating Night Cream, £7.97 at Asda, or Olay Regenerist Continuous Night Recovery, £19.50

It's the last thing you think would be trendy in the beauty world, but when Chanel makes a black nail varnish, you know that black really is back.

Keep your colour compact this winter with these convenient palettes, each holding three eyeshadows and one cheek colour. Sparkling seasonal looks will be yours at the sweep of a brush! £14, from the Body Shop.

Be kind to your hands with Ecosoapia's new range of organic liquid soaps. Made from pure natural ingredients using organic oils and plant extracts, there are seven scents - Rose Geranium, Lavender, Almond, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Unscented. They cost £6 each, and 10% of profits will go to charity - call 020 7289 2121 or see www.ecosoapia.com.