Summer is at last on its way and with it a whole load of new beauty products. To make life easier, we have separated the wheat from the chaff with our top ten buys for the season.

1. BEST GLOSS

Cult beauty buffs will know all about maven Poppy King and her make-up line, Lipstick Queen. Particularly good at deep, dark reds, she's added a new string to her bow in the form of her Big Bang Theory Illusion Gloss. Not lip plumps per se, but the ingredients are designed to be light-reflecting, giving you the appearance of a more cushiony pout. Who'd say no to that, eh? In eight shades for €23, you'll find them at Space NK, at Harvey Nichols, Dundrum.

2. BEST SKIN-FIXER

Estée Lauder's new Idealist Dual-Action Refinishing Treatment doesn't debut at department stores until June, but the heads-up will give you time to save.

Fifty euros bags you a masque that actually delivers on its |promise, something you can't really say for the majority. This |self-heating gloop gently warms skin to open pores, bamboo beads slough off dead cells and skin looks noticeably brighter afterwards. Some of that will be down to the thermal action which encourages circulation, but the test is how well make-up goes on after it. Beautifully is the answer. This one is a keeper.

3. BEST FRAGRANCE

Not normally a fan of Chanel scents, finding them to be either too old or too young for me, I've been quietly impressed with their latest, Cristalle Eau Verte, €68.

Right on the money for my nose, it's sparkling, sharp and clean, and one that white floral fans and citrussy gals alike will go for thanks to notes of bergamot, jasmine, magnolia and lemon. The big 100ml size helps to justify the price, too.

4. BEST FOUNDATION

Hand's up who's happy with their skin? We've all got issues like uneven tone, redness and blemishes to contend with, but if you suffer from hyper-pigmentation, it can be upsettingly hard to cover.

Clinique's new Even Better Make-up with SPF15, €28, at department stores and larger pharmacies, could be the answer. Oil-free and lightweight, it comes in 14 shades and promises treatment benefits too, helping to tone down dark spots and uneven skintone over time.

5. BEST REFORMULATION

Could it be . . . could it really be that Johnson's Holiday Skin is actually considerably better than it used to be? Backed by a big ad campaign at the moment, which promises your money back if you're not satisfied, this is a product that causes much debate. But sometimes truth is stranger than fiction and they really have improved it with a far nicer scent and less streakiness. There's also a reduced tendency to gather in dirty clumps on your elbows and it's more moisturising. Well done, chaps, and not a bad price at €7.49, either.

6. BEST BRONZER

I'm completely over fake tan and this summer if I need a bit of an extra glow then I'll be getting it via a no commitment, wipe-on, wash-off products such as Giorgio Armani's Bronze Mania Mediteranean Tan, €40, or better still, a powder bronzer.

I'm plumping for the Summer Glow Palette SPF15, €35.16, from Clarins. Available at department stores and better pharmacies, this contains stripes of alternating pink, peach and brown bronzers in mattes and shimmer that swirl up really well and look great |on skin.

7. BEST SUNSCREEN FOR EYES

At €64.55, Guinot's new Age Sun Yeux is wince-inducingly expensive for a product that only contains 15mls. But eyes are |the one area we often forget to protect when we're out in the sun, and this contains a protection factor of 30, essential for shielding that delicate skin. Use a teeny, grain of rice-sized amount for each eye, and you'll find you'll get months out of it. At Guinot salons.

8. BEST BUDGET MASCARA

While I sometimes think Rimmel mascaras can start off really well but then dry out quickly, at around a tenner in price, it |doesn't tend to matter too much.

New Glam'Eyes Lash Flirt, €9.95, comes in really pretty boudoir-inspired packaging, ramps (and vamps) lashes up and has become my go-to for night time eyes. A winner.

9. BEST FOR CELLULITE

According to sea water-whizzes Biotherm, there's something called the ‘cellulite deposit timelime', probably better known to us as the old adage, ‘a minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips’. But no matter how it gets there, cellulite is a complete pain to remove.

The brand's new Celluli Laser Night, €42, works as you get your kip to fight the fat storage process trigger, hopefully leading to super-sleek thighs. You can expect to see first signs of improvement in 10 days. Available from Debenhams.

10. BEST BLUSH

MAC's limited edition collections can be baffling, not to mention incredibly prolific: some months, two shimmy on to the counter, causing horrible indecision — not to mention empty pockets.

May's notable launch is A Rose Romance, a suite of pretty pinks and reds with blue counterpoints, and there's one definite star of the show. Just a Pinch Gel Blush, in Sheer Red Pink Tint, €22, is gorgeous. There's just no other word for this water-light, bright and super-flattering cheek tint. No stickiness, it just glides on, blends easily and the magenta shade makes it perfect for those with a cool skintone. At Brown Thomas and BT2 stores.

- Kirstie McDermott