If you’re dubious about trying a shower oil – then now is the perfect time of year to take the plunge. And I promise, you’ll be smitten. Because using an oil to cleanse in the shower – just as you might use one to wash your face – is ideal for dry, winter bodies and also means you don’t have to apply cold body lotion once you’re done.

First up is L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil (£17.50), which was the one that got me hooked. It’s quite possibly magic – it seems like a rich oil but on contact with water creates a wonderfully scented foam. And thanks to the almond oil, you’ll be soft as a baby’s backside all day.

Once I’d been bitten by the shower oil bug, I tried Sabon Shower Oil in Patchouli, Lavender & Vanilla (£19). You can get your hands on this at the gorgeous new store in Covent Garden, and browse the range here: (www.sabonnyc.com) – the UK site is coming next month. What a wintery treat, with a gorgeous, rich-but-not-christmassy scent and a handy pump dispenser to help you use the small amount you need. It contains olive oil and avocado oil, so body lotion can just wait until the weather warms up.

Molton Brown Ambrusca Cleansing Shower Oil (£23) isn’t just a pretty bottle on the shower-rack. It contains argan oil and Ambrusca grape leaf to protect the skin from environmental pollutants. And its wonderful fragrance and syrupy texture will leave you feeling like you’ve been at the spa before you even get to work.

All shower oils are not the same. Some, like Ark Loving Bath & Body Oil (£26.00), aren’t a lather-on-a-sponge type affair. Instead, to use this in the shower you spritz it onto damp or wet skin, then rinse off. You can also try the deliciously scented oil on dry skin as a body oil, or in the bath. Nice multi-tasking and the fragrance really lingers.

Finally, something for those of you who are feeling as though shower + oil = walking with crutches (although I promise none of the aforementioned make the shower remotely slippery). New from Melvita is L’Argan Bio Gentle Shower Gel (£13), which has all the benefits of an oil but in a lathering gel that uses foaming agents derived from argan oil and plant-based glycerine. It smells delish too.