Mission- A natural alternative to a dermatologist – we were not sure if there was anyone out there who would fit the bill.

Our find – We visit the wonderful Claudia Louch at her new Phytoclinic in Notting Hill.

We tested – Her full 1 hour skin consultation which is a super duper MOT for the skin. She asks about lifestyle, diet and health niggles to get a true picture of why our skin looks, feels and acts like it does. She also uses a variety of James Bondesque gadgets to analyse the surface of the skin and check other areas of the body which might be the cause of some of our skin ailments.

The result – On leaving I had a greater understanding of nutrition and the skin. I discovered that the skin on my face is severely damaged by all of those sun drenched summers when I was a child. My body is way to alkaline (due to my constant juicing) and I may be over doing the supplements.

Best bit – That all my skin niggles can be helped. She is blending me up some tinctures of herbal remedies to help with my PCOS and she is also making me some skincare for my sun damage – all of which I can't wait to try out.

Star buy – Ask about her customised skincare - does it get any better than this?

Best for – People who really seriously want to address their skin problems. This is an approach to skincare that really works and is completely customised. You also get to ask all sorts of questions you had about your skin that few people could answer and your GP does not have the time or the energy for.

Fact box – For more information about Claudia Louch please visit http://www.phytoclinic.com/ or call 0207 730 5711.