AHH, the Great British Summer. The expectation: a heady season of strawberries and champagne, sundappled barbeques, and good-looking people doing good looking things on the beach.

The reality: burnt sausages and rain.

Regardless of how your summer pans out, it’s best to be prepared for any eventuality – so here are my top 10 summer essentials:

1. Gamila Secret Beauty Bars. Wondering how to get away with the liquid limit on your flight when it comes to shower gel? Fear not, Gamila Secret Beauty Bars are at hand. Using a unique combination of 15 hand picked active healing herbs and cold pressed olive oil, the bars are free from preservatives and animal fats and come in 10 varieties including Original,Wild Rose and Creamy Vanilla. Perfect for babies and kids as olive oil is tear free - huzzah! From £21, available from selected House of Fraser stores and www.houseoffraser.co.uk

2. China Glaze. Want glamorous tootsies but can’t afford a pedicure? All hail the new neon China Glaze Sunsational range. In a variety of eye-watering shades, these limited edition polishes will make you instantly sandal-ready.

£6.95 each from www.entitybeauty.co.uk

3. Patch-it. Now, bear with me on this one. They might sound a bit weird, but by jove they do the job.

Patch-it are reflexology- style patches you stick on the soles of your feet to help you detox the easy way. There are three types: Sleep Patch-it, Circulation Patch-it and Detox Patch-it.

The circulation ones are perfect to wear when travelling to reduce in-flight circulation issues.

Use the Detox ones overnight at festivals to help keep hangovers at bay.

Available from Holland & Barrett and www.patchit.info. £29.99 for 20 patches, £3.99 for 2 patches.

4. Sunless by Dr. LeWinn’s. No one wants to be THAT person - the pasty one. Cue Sunless by Dr. LeWinns, specially designed to develop a natural, golden looking tan whilst conditioning the skin.

Sunless is packed with vitamins B, C and E, as well as Aloe Vera, which deeply nourishes the skin. plus it’s specially formulated to eliminate the unpleasant odour associated with fake tan. £15 from www.drlewinns.co.uk 5. No beach babe can be without her long and fluttery lashes. No7 Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara has a smooth formulation that will give you gorgeous clump and streak-free lashes.

Once it’s on, this baby ain’t going anywhere...at least, not until you want it to. £12.50, from Boots.

6. Dry shampoo is an absolute life saver for work, festivals, nights out and when you generally feel the need for a volume boost.

Boots own brand Dry Shampoo in Original banishes oily roots, giving dull, lifeless hair a bit of va-vavoom.

£2.29 for 200ml from Boots.

7. Garnier Ambre Solaire BB Cream Sun Protection High SPF50. I swear by BB (Beauty or Blemish Balm) creams.

They combine a light foundation with vitamins and minerals for peachy skin.

For the summer, Garnier have released a new beefedup version of their classic BB cream, by adding SPF50 and Vitamin E.

The tinted formula illuminates and evens skin tone while still providing advanced UVAUVB protection, making it perfect for the beach.

£15.99 from all good beauty aisles.

8. Soltan Family Pack Suncare Lotions.This great four pack of products from the Soltan range has something for everyone.

All Soltan sun products have been awarded the maximum five-star rating against deep-down skin damage caused by UVA rays, and the pack contains four 200ml bottles; 1x SPF15, 1x SPF30, 1x SPF 50+ and 1x moisturising aftersun.

£13.99 from Boots.

9. Go Travel Dry Sounds MP3 pouch. This MP3 pouch protects your MP3 or ipod from water damage and the earphone jack makes it safe to listen to by the pool. 100 per cent waterproof, it also works for Welsh rain. £6.99 from Boots.

10. Pimm’s. It ain’t summer without a frosty glass of Pimm’s. Serve with lots of ice, ginger beer and fresh fruit. £18 for 1 litre, fromTesco.