Liz HurleyLiz HurleyYou wouldn't think that a stunning, slim, rich-fiance bagging actress/model with fame and fortune would have all that much to worry about.

But there's signs that Liz Hurley might very well be as paranoid as the rest of us when it comes to stripping off on the beach.

Admitting that her bikini collection was based on her own experiences, Liz isn't afraid to use the tips that she's gathered to hide her imperfections - though we struggle to believe she has any.

"There's nothing worse than furiously slurping a pina colada, feeling red-faced and stringy-haired in nothing but a damp swimsuit with a towel around your waist when surrounded by other girls looking super glam," she says.

Liz Hurley at her swimwear launchLiz at her swimwear launchAnd writing in Grazia about her tum, the Austin Powers actress admits: "Last minute preparations have to be relied upon."

"I've found that if I stop drinking all alcohol and eat very little dinner (ie a slice of toast and Marmite and an apple) for a week before going away my stomach definitely becomes much flatter."

The face of Estee Lauder could get away with wearing anything, but there are some fashions which she wouldn't touch: "Thongs are hideous on everyone, except maybe pubescent Brazilian girls," she says, somewhat modestly.

But she also believes colour to be an important factor in looking like a beach babe. "I don't feel good in a white bikini when my skin is pale and pasty," she reveals.

Trips with her man-of-the-moment, businessman Arun Nayer, have solved the problem: "I spend a lot of time in India and feel really inspired by the bright, beautiful colours the women wear."

Ms H's thoughts - as well as that of celeb pals like Elle Macpherson - have fed into her own beach collection, available at Harrods (thumb ups and cheesy grin, hold for three seconds - and relax)...