Victoria Health

The central heating’s on. (Wow, that happened early, didn’t it?) The Wolford opaques have been excavated from the winter clothes drawer. And if we’re not careful, ‘out of sight, out of mind’ could be the watchwords when it comes to bodycare over the next few months. When we’re clad in Heattech vests and thermal socks and generally cosied up against the elements – always remembering that gorgeous Danish phrase, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes’ – bodycare can go on a back burner. (With that pan of warming soup, perhaps.)

Whether or not you are the travel-savvy type who manages to jet off with hand baggage only (something we aspire to but have never mastered), or travel – certainly, as Jo does – as if headed off on the cultural Grand Tour so beloved of our Victorian ancestors, there is a great deal to be said for products which perform more than one task, in order to free up valuable real estate in that suitcase.

We recently gave a friend who was having a tough time a bottle of the utterly amazing Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil – only to be met with a slightly confused glance as the person declared: ‘Gosh, well, I can’t remember the last time I had a bath…’ Resisting the urge to wrest this sensational aromatherapeutic treat from their hands, we took a deep breath, smiled and said: ‘Well, maybe this is time to rediscover the pleasures of bathing…’

We love oils. Can virtually hear our skins slurping them up, from top to toe. Oils provide serious skin nourishment – which healthy skin needs, alongside moisture. (For which we turn to our old friend hyaluronic acid, among other ingredients.) They tend to be wonderfully skin-compatible, too – so no wonder the Beauty Bible team has a veritable arsenal of them on our bedside tables and bathroom shelves.