There are many ways to help your skin fight the signs of ageing but it's sometimes hard to tell if you're doing a good job
Drinking plenty of water, avoiding sunbeds, using a high sun protection factor (SPF) when outdoors and moisturising daily can help to protect your skin - the body's largest organ.
The camera never lies and now there is a machine that can monitor your skin and help identify areas for action.
The Boots store in Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow, has just taken delivery of a new machine called the Dermo Analyzer. The technology has taken 12 years of development alongside leading dermatologists.
The Dermo Analyzer scans key areas of the face in order to take an side leading dermatologists.
Known as a "skin passport", the machine can then determine which of 7000 skin profiles you match.
We asked two women with very different lifestyles to try the Dermo Analyzer which has been developed by Vichy Laboratories.
Cheryl Brind, 27, shuns the sun while Ashley Elrick, 24, loves to get a tan.
Freelance designer Cheryl, from Falkirk, often works outside but uses a suncream with SPF 50 - and it showed in her analysis.
Her skin consultation threw up some surprising results and she had the highest reading Boots' skin care expert Maureen Windsor had ever seen.
After taking a couple of photographs of non-smoker Cheryl's face, the machine concluded she had an impressive 84 per cent hydration reading which means she has very well hydrated skin. It found that she had an average of 30 per cent shine (15 per cent on her U-zone and 47 per cent on her T-zone - the ideal is between 10-20).
The Dermo Analyzer concluded she had 'combination skin with imperfections' with no wrinkles and no sun damage. It also gave a low reading for sun sensitivity.
The Forth Valley College graduate, who drinks around a litre of water a day, laughed: "The anti-wrinkle cream is working. I was surprised by the results, it's made my skin younger than I am.
"I have always known my skin type but the only thing that did surprise me was how hydrated my skin was. I do drink lots of water so I know I am doing the right thing. Last year my skin was really bad but I have changed my skin care routine and it seems to be working."
It was a different story for sales agent Ashley.
She admits to using sunbeds from the age of 16. She's now quit the habit and is much more cautious now when sunbathing.
She has even launched her own fake-tanning company called The 15 Minute Spray Tan to help others get a glow without the skin damage.
But the Dermo Analyzer report said Ashley's dehydration reading was 35 per cent, which meant her skin was crying out for moisture. Smoker Ashley admits she has neglected her skin and does not drink as much water as she should.
Her skin was an average of 68 per cent shiny (64 per cent on T-zone and 73 per cent on U-zone - high considering the ideal is between 10-20).
And the findings showed she has pigmentation from sun damage around the eyes and forehead. It also concluded she has very sensitive skin.
Ashley, from Hamilton, Lanarkshire, said: "This is quite an eye-opener. When you're my age you don't pay much attention to skin care, then when someone points it out, it's a wake-up call.
"The things I didn't worry about now concern me. I am shocked at how dehydrated my skin is, but that's because I'd open a can of coke before I'd open a bottle of water.
"I don't lie in the sun as much as I used to. Seeing that bit of sun damage has scared me, so I'll be extra-careful when I go on holiday in January."
The dermo analyzer machine will be at the Boots stand at Girls' Day Out - Scotland's biggest lifestyle, fashion, health and beauty event at Glasgow's SECC from November 5-7. Tickets are £12 each from www.girlsdayoutshow.co.uk. Pre-booked ticket-holders receive a Boots goody bag worth £25, £10 Boots vouchers, and vouchers redeemable for a glass of champagne, a cocktail or soft drink.
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