AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE WRINKLES AT BAY

Food's not just for eating, you know. Fruit, veg and other favourites are the key ingredients in some of the best wrinkle-busting, zit-zapping treatments, too.

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YOUR PROBLEM: SUN-DAMAGED SKIN

FOOD HERO: MUSHROOMS

Great because: Mushrooms are renowned for their skin-soothing properties. They can protect against dangerous free radicals that attack the lining of skin cells causing wrinkles and even cancer as they contain an antioxidant called ergothioneine, which reduces free-radical damage.

Try: Dr Andrew Weil For Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin-Calming Face Mask, £29.36. This contains three different kinds of mushrooms to soothe and protect damaged skin. Apply to clean skin, leave for 10 minutes and remove with a tissue. Use twice a week.

DIY: Bella Blissett, author of The 1000 Most Asked Questions About Beauty (Spruce, £7.99), says: "Shitake mushrooms contain kojic acid that helps lighten areas of uneven pigmentation. Sprinkling shitake powder on your food helps your skin glow."

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YOUR PROBLEM: CROW'S FEET/DEEP WRINKLES

FOOD HERO: APPLES

Great because: As we grow older our stem cells - which help repair the body - decrease and become dormant. But, when applied to the skin, the stem cells of the humble apple have been found to activate our own cells to fight wrinkles, dryness and loss of firmness, reversing the signs of ageing.

Try: Stemcellin Stem Cell Deep Wrinkle Serum, £69. It contains five per cent PhytoCellTec, which is found in apple stem cells. It's a tad pricey, but trials found a 27 per cent reduction in the depth of women's crow's feet after just five weeks. Apply four to five drops to your face in the morning and evening after cleansing.

DIY: For dull skin, Bella says: "Mash up a crab apple, slather it on your face and leave for as long as possible. It contains natural alpha-hydroxy acids, which soften and exfoliate skin."

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YOUR PROBLEM: BLEMISHES

FOOD HERO: PREBIOTICS (FOUND IN BLACKCURRANTS)

Great because: Dirt, stress and hormones all cause oil to build up and block pores. This means oxygen can't penetrate the skin and you get nasty outbreaks. Prebiotics help to rebalance the skin and the anti-inflammatory properties soothe redness.

Try: Face Boutique Fresh Faced Moisturising Gel, £12. Together with anti-blemish zinc oxide and prebiotics, this moisturiser regulates oil production to minimise future outbreaks. Gently massage into clean skin, daily.

DIY: "Eating a punnet of blackcurrants a day adds great skin-saving antioxidants to your diet plus a hefty dose of vitamin C, which helps promote collagen," says Bella.

YOUR PROBLEM: DEHYDRATED SKIN

FOOD HERO: OLIVE OIL

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Great because: It's rich in moisturising vitamin E and fatty acids, which help protect the skin from dehydrators like wind, sun and air-conditioning. Olive oil not only softens and repairs, but also regulates natural moisture levels.

Try: L'Occitane Ma Crème Nature, £30. Packed with organic olive tree extracts, this product comes in two separate potions - a cream and a vial of liquid which both contain olive oil and olive butter. Mix together and use twice a day, morning and evening. Store in the fridge for up to four weeks.

DIY: "Mix equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice and massage into your skin for five minutes, then rinse off with warm water," advises Bella. "It's a great quick fix for a bright, luminous complexion." To boost your skin from the inside out, she suggests snacking on olives. "They're packed with essential fatty acids but contain very little saturated fat. Alternatively, to get a double skin-boosting whammy, dress a green salad with balsamic vinegar - rich in anti-ageing antioxidants - and olive oil, which is full of essential fatty acids."

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YOUR PROBLEM: REDNESS/ROSACEA

FOOD HERO: CAPERS

Great because: Much more than a pizza topping, capers have natural anti-inflammatory properties when applied to the skin. They're great for calming a blotchy complexion and can even relieve rosacea, which causes flushed skin, broken veins and small cysts to appear on the skin. Studies have found that caper extract can reduce this redness and inflammation by up to 70 per cent.

Try: Kalme Day Defence SPF 25, £19.99, uses young caper buds to reduce redness and skin sensitivity. It's crammed with a super-antioxidant called NDGA, which boosts circulation and minimises broken veins. Apply every morning after cleansing.

DIY: "Packed full of vitamin E - which can help ward off UV damage and the associated signs of ageing - capers are perfect for sprinkling over pasta or salads to give your skin an added defence against wrinkles," says Bella.

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Photography: Corbis, photolibrary.com, pixeleyesphotography.co.uk Stockists: Face Boutique (faceboutique.com), Kalme (0871 871 9975), L'Occitane (uk.loccitane.com), Origins (origins.co.uk), Stemcellin (stemcellin.co.uk)