You Beauty! Annabel Rivkin's cabinet of wonders

I am writing this beneath the ruthless Turkish sun. I am waxed and creamed and threaded and highlighted and manicured, and pleased with myself because, for once, I am not going to bugger the whole thing up by (a) sitting sensibly in the shade in a hat, seething with resentment because everyone else has a real tan while I layer on the fake stuff every night, get it all over my holiday clothes and return to London streaked and angry, or (b) diving gung ho into the glare pretending to be olive-skinned, having a marvellous day one and then spending the next three days pink, pathetic and paranoid about skin cancer before resorting to (a).

I am increasingly compelled by the power of pills when combined with topical creams, so you are going to hear a fair bit from me about that, but let's start with Imedeen's Tan Optimizer capsules. Because although this Turkish sun is doing its worst, I seem to be protected from within. Let me add that this is not a free pass to fry: I am coated in Institut Esthederm's three-star protection sun cream and SkinCeuticals light-as-a-feather SPF50 on my face and neck, but I have also been taking Imedeen's vitamin-packed supplements for two weeks and my skin is responding very differently to the punishment that sunbathing presents.

I am tanning more efficiently. The pills activate the skin's bronzing mechanism while pumping out antioxidants and carotenoids to help protect collagen and elastin. So you can go brown and safeguard your skin at the same time, which is what I call a win-win situation.

Imedeen Tan Optimizer sun preparation capsules, £40.80 for 60 (imedeen.co.uk)