Holly at London's Home House is a rare breed: a skincare specialist who manages to make effective treatments enjoyable. When I first visited her, in March, my skin was tired, dull, a bit spotty and congested - generally not looking very good after a winter of flights and central heating.

Holly felt my face with her palms and concluded I had sensitive dehydrated skin that was prone to inflammation, before quietly setting about cleansing and steaming my face. What follows (the dreaded extractions) isn't pleasant,.

But it is effective and that's what counts. For the uninitiated, extractions are when a facialist expertly removes blackheads and clogged pores. It's a fairly necessary evil.

Calming masks and a facial massage followed (the treatment lasts 90 minutes) and afterwards Holly sat down with me and explained her recommendations.

For me, that meant the little-known Italian Dibi and Olos products, which aren't too expensive yet provide ' intelligent' care - moisturising, reducing shine where necessary and protecting from the effects of pollution.