Skin Care Shower oils, what's the big deal

"Tanning oils, body oils, face oils, hair oils... It's an oily world out there and people are stocking up.

Why?

Because they're beautifully perfumed, have a lovely texture and are easy to use! Welcome to shower oils, the bathroom buddies that cleanse our bodies, whilst nourishing and protecting our skin. Shower oils are a beauty no-brainer. They soothe tight skin in winter, moisturise our skin after we've taken a summer dip and combat the drying effect of tap water, whatever the time of year.

"Unlike shower gels, shower oils contain up to 20% oil. Their oil content compensates for the dehydrating effect caused by surfactants - the detergents needed to clean our skin. Their oily texture is richer than gels, easier to rinse off and, if that's not enough, they leave our skin soft, nourished and supple all day long

Shower oils are made up of

- Water: the main ingredient in most shower oils is water. High-quality shower oils go one step further and contain only thermal water.

- Surfactants: the detergents present in all 'soaps' that also have emulsifying properties. Surfactants are foamy substances that harness grime in water and help water to be evenly spread across surfaces.

- Moisturising agents: These prevent the hydrolipidic layer from being damaged, with glycerin being the most common ingredient.

- Oils: these are softening and lipid-restoring. Popular oils are sunflower, olive, cocoa and jojoba

- Essential oils: for their glorious scents and soothing properties.

pH stabilisers (e.g. citric acid): these make shower oils compatible with skin's natural pH levels

"Contrary to belief, shower oils aren't just designed for dry skin. They're skincare multi-taskers that suit even the oiliest of skins. As with face oils, shower oils don't affect sebum production, so can be used on oily skin. It's true that shower oils are particularly beneficial for dry or atopic skin, as their nourishing properties are greater than your average shower gel.

"Yup! There's nothing better than an oil-based product to suck up pollution, grime and sweat that's bunged up our skin during the day. In other words, they work in the same way as face oils. And we can add a fabulous product to our collection of smellies