Showers are a completely different animal once the nights have got longer and the weather has grown colder. No longer a way of freshening up after a sweaty day, they are instead a warming kick-start on a chilly morning.

And because our bodies have been exposed to all that central heating, it’s time to ditch anything remotely zingy and opt for some nurturing, calming cleansers. That way, you’ll soothe cross, wind-chapped limbs and prep yourself perfectly for the party season. Here are my top five winter shower products.

First up is UrbanVeda Soothing Body Wash (£8.99). What’s not to love about this? It’s under a tenner, but smells a million times more posh thanks to its Ayurvedic mix of lovely stuff like patchouli, rosemary and clove. You don’t need much for a soft lather and your skin will say thank you very much.

From The Body Deli is Tahitian Vanilla Wash (£16). If you don’t like vanilla, don’t skip onto the next one. This has none of that sickly sweet thing going on – it’s made of pure vanilla oil, which is blended with the richer Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar to make something as warm and delicious as a Christmas cake. It also uses gentle sugar and coconut based cleansing agents rather than detergents so it’s not big on lather, but your skin will understand.

New brand alert: T London. Their Darjeeling Bath & Shower (£3.50 – £18) is fast becoming my quintessential festive season shower product. It contains lemongrass extract, orange peel and nutmeg essential oils, along with Chamomile and green tea to condition and nourish the skin. Delish.

Perfect for the often hectic party season is Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body Wash (£25), which doesn’t just look splendid on your bathroom shelf, it fills the bathroom with wonderfully lavender and vetivert scents and makes you feel like you spent the afternoon in a spa rather than battling around Toys R Us.

And finally, a taster of a very exciting launch. Beautifying Creme Cleansing Oil from Aveda (£22) comes out in January, but you can try it out now as part of a super little Christmas gift set (£49), which also includes the Body Moisturizer and the Composition (a kind of do-everything oil). A Christmas holiday treat if every there was one – you will start January softer than you ever have before.