Best morning and night body washes | Style | Life & Style

Read article : Best morning and night body washes | Style | Life & Style

Only a beauty editor would do this – or admit it – but my bathroom cabinet contains a shower gel that’s just for holidays. Having an aroma that’s associated purely with freedom is a wonderful trigger for instant relaxation (we all know how a scent can transport you in seconds), and finishing a bottle of Shiffa Basil, Mint And Black Pepper Body Wash (£25; 020 8740 2085) on my return to reality extends the vibe well into that tricky first week back.

If you’re looking for your own signature shower scent – or a gift that’s a little more exciting than Radox – there’s a wealth of delicious, pampering potions to be explored. For a scent that lingers on the skin – and in steamy air – you can’t do better than the aromatic treat that is Jo Loves A Shot Of Thai Lime Over Mango Bath & Shower Gel (£38; 020 7730 8611). A heady fruit cocktail, this is truly delicious stuff if you like your scents sweet.

Another citrus treat is Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Wash (£17; 0800 731 4039), which blends sharp fruit with mint and sweet orange. It also doubles as a bubble bath for those in search of Joan Collins-style suds (the champagne and red lippie are optional).

Missing all the chemical nasties that many beauty products contain, Life NK Jump Start Body Wash (£12.50; 020 8740 2085) uses gentle sugar and coconut cleansers to create such a refreshing and zesty blend.

I can never resist the scent of geranium, which is one of four essential oils that go into Clarins Tonic Bath & Shower Concentrate (£19; 0800 036 3558). To get the most out of it, inhale deeply before you lather up – the combination of rosewood, peppermint and rosemary really is divine, while extracts of juniper, pine, St John’s Wort and arnica tone and firm the skin.

Cornwall’s coastline and gorgeous gardens are the inspiration for Noble Isle Summer Rising Cornish Hedgerows Bath & Shower Gel (£20; 020 7734 1234). Organic elderflower and gooseberry, sourced from the Lost Gardens of Heligan, alongside nutmeg, cut grass, oak moss and musk, make this a quintessentially British blend.

Heading for more tropical shores, “a glass of caipirinha, shaken by carnival bass” is the strapline for the Brazil-inspired Molton Brown Caju & Lime Body Wash (£18; 0808 178 1188). I wouldn’t know a caju fruit if it fell on my head but here it is, accompanied by spearmint and lime, in a wash packed with vitamin C for a cocktail of moisturising marvellousness.

Finally, if you prefer your shower savoury, Aesop Coriander Seed Body Cleanser (£17; 020 8740 2085) is definitely worth investigating. the other star ingredient in this low-foaming wash is black peppercorn and they combine beautifully in this unisex bathroom enlivener.