Beauty in the tropics

When you head off on holiday to tropical climes, don't necessarily pack your bags full of the same beauty products that you would use at home. Sun, sand and sea (and sometimes sweat...) mean that your favourite creams, colours and scents might not be your best friends, plus products like eyeshadow and blusher can get smashed to smithereens on bumpy flights or if your bags are tossed around by over-enthusiastic luggage handlers.

So instead take some advice from Mambo and choose from our tropical beauty recommendations, so that you have a handful of products that will leave you looking and smelling gorgeous from the beach to the bar.

You probably won't be taking many long soaks in the bath here, instead you'll probably be taking quick showers to rinse off the salt after your snorkelling expeditions and the sweat after walking or cycling on the beach - Zanzibar's climate can be pretty humid. Our favourite shower gels are ones that have a fresh tropical scent without being too cloying. A cheap and cheerful option is Original Source's Lime Shower Gel, which will give you a real zing in your step.

A light tropical scent for the balmy evenings that won't attract too many mosquitoes is a must. Perfumes that work in colder climates can smell overpowering here - body sprays work well as do fresh eau de toilettes. Pacifica offer solid perfumes in a soy base that are easy to pack and carry around and come in gorgeous tropical scents like gardenia, guava and jasmine (these are super-light though, so you will need to bung on a fair amount to notice you are wearing them).

A superb range for the tropics is by French company Hei Poa, who make heady perfumes, shampoos and shower gels scented with frangipani and tiare flowers. For the less pale-skinned amongst us they also make amazing golden body oils that give tans an exotic, alluring sheen.

If you prefer to shop around for your own products but want something that will be evocative of the spice islands when you return home, then look either for tropical flower ingredients such as jasmine, ylang ylang and frangipani (ylang ylang is the most sensual of these scents) or for elements of the island's gorgeous spices - vanilla, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and clove.

While you're here shop around for massage oils and creams featuring these ingredients, in the tourist shops of Stone Town, in Darajani marketplace or on a spice tour. Cheap-looking packaging can hide some genuinely great contents - a plastic tub that looks like it is filled with vaseline but describes itself as ylang ylang lotion can actually contain a high percentage of authentic ylang ylang oil and leave you smelling fragrant for hours. Or for an even more back-to-basics scent, try to find fresh ylang ylang flowers - a few petals tucked into your clothes will leave you smelling lovely for hours, and no waste!

Our best backpacker tip is John Frieda's Leave-In Conditioning Emergency Treatment - many small budget hotels on Zanzibar don't have hot water so washing out normal conditioner is tough. A light spray of this after your shower is enough to leave your hair smooth, shiny and sleek. If you're doing Zanzibar the luxury way then consider investing in some Aveda Hair PureFume to leave your hair looking glassy and smelling super-fresh.

When it comes to make-up, less is more - most make-up will melt straight off your face. The ultimate is Nars The Multiple, a three-in-one cream blusher, eyeshadow and lip colour that comes in colours to suit porcelain to ebony complexions, and which makes you look glowing and gorgeous without the need of a trowel. For eyes, the best thing is a great eye pencil (or you can buy local kohl, which is thick and tricky to apply but can leave you looking incredibly doe-eyed) and a good quality mascara. Forget foundation, concealer etc - it's just too hot and even if it stays put, you'll end up feeling overdone. But if you really want to cover up, Maybelline Super Stay concealer is a good bet. A good product for lips is Neutrogena’s Moistureshine Lip Sheers, which come in a range of glossy colours but also have SPF20 to protect lips from the harsh sun.

For smooth beach skin, bring your own razor/ depilation cream or get waxed before you come. If you arrive unprepared, there are spas in town and at many of the top hotels where you can get your legs waxed or sugared, but don't bother buying razors locally.

In terms of sun cream, the most important thing is the right factor and the fact that it is really, really waterproof. But if you're looking for something scrummy for your island break, Hawaiian Tropic does the best line in sun protection that also smells good. If you have the misfortune to burn, ask your hotel for some fresh aloe vera, nothing fights sunburn better. If you have coloured hair, think about investing in a sun protection spray such as Aveda's Protective Hair Veil, otherwise your colour may fade fast in the hot African sun.

One thing to watch out for is super-strong insect repellents that contain a high percentage of DEET - these are a great idea for fending off persistent mosquitoes but they can melt your nail varnish... So if you want your feet to look like they've just had a pedicure and not like you are a waxwork left out too long in the sun, bring nail varnish remover and extra nail colour.

But above all, don’t forget, the sunshine and the relaxed island vibes will mean you are glowing from the inside anyway, so even if you forget to pack any beauty products you will still have a great time au natural!