Have you noticed how, just when the weather turns warmer and we're spending more time outside, our skin can suddenly start feeling dry?

It seems a little odd. Winter is supposed to be the season of dry skin, isn't it? Yet at this time of year, many of us notice our hands feeling rougher, our legs becoming itchy after a shower, or our favourite body lotion disappearing much faster than usual.

The truth is that hot weather can be surprisingly hard on our skin. Long days in the sunshine, salty sea air, gardening, swimming, extra showers and even sitting in air-conditioned rooms all take their toll. Add to that the natural changes that come with age, and it's no wonder our skin starts asking for a little extra care.

From our forties onwards, our skin naturally produces less of the oils that help keep it feeling soft and comfortable. Moisture escapes more easily, leaving skin feeling tight, thirsty and sometimes a little dull.

People often talk about dry skin and dehydrated skin as though they're the same thing, but they aren't.

• Dry skin needs more nourishing oils.

• Dehydrated skin needs more water.

Many of us experience a little of both, particularly during the summer months, but thankfully, our skin doesn't usually need a complicated routine. It simply needs kindness from beautiful and natural botanical oils. A little nourishment each day can work wonders, as too (and perhaps, just as importantly) can a few quiet moments spent caring for ourselves.

I've always believed that skincare should never feel like another chore. It should be a small ritual that brings a little pleasure to the day and taking a minute to massage a beautifully scented lotion into your hands or arms gives you far more than softer skin. It's a chance to pause, breathe deeply, enjoy the aroma of pure essential oils and slow down, if only for a moment.

Nature has always provided some of the most wonderful ingredients for caring for our skin. That's why our Hand & Body Lotions are made with nourishing plant oils including sunflower, sweet almond and meadowfoam, together with rich shea butter and our own carefully balanced blends of pure essential oils and our natural Body Oils are blended with super nourishing wheatgerm oil and antioxidant meadowfoam oil.

The results are products that sinks beautifully into the skin, leaving you feeling soft, comfortable and naturally nourished.

But as always, there is the option to blend at home and create your own easy to use body oils.  Here are my top 5 oils that can be used neat for pure simiplicity and a full on hit of natural botanical nourishment.

Botanical oils you can use straight from the bottle

One of the lovely things about nature is that many plant oils can be used on their own as wonderfully simple body moisturisers. Applied to slightly damp skin after a bath or shower, they help lock in moisture and leave skin feeling beautifully soft.

Some of my favourites are:

Sweet Almond Oil – A wonderfully gentle all-rounder that's suitable for most skin types. Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, it leaves skin feeling soft and supple.

Jojoba Oil – Although technically a liquid wax, jojoba is remarkably similar to our skin's own natural oils. It's light, easily absorbed and particularly good if you dislike anything that feels greasy.

Apricot Kernel Oil – Delicate, silky and perfect for mature or sensitive skin. It absorbs beautifully and leaves skin feeling nourished without feeling heavy.

Meadowfoam Seed Oil – One of my favourite botanical oils. Exceptionally stable and wonderfully moisturising, it creates a soft, velvety feel while helping to reduce moisture loss.

Rosehip Seed Oil – Rich in naturally occurring vitamins and essential fatty acids, rosehip is often chosen for mature skin and areas that need a little extra care. As it's a more precious oil, many people like to blend a few drops into another carrier oil.

Avocado Oil – Rich, deeply nourishing and particularly lovely for very dry skin, especially on elbows, knees and feet.

If you're using pure plant oils, always choose a good quality, cold-pressed oil and remember that a little goes a long way. A few drops massaged into damp skin is often all that's needed.

I hope it encourages you to take a little time for yourself. Sometimes the smallest rituals become the ones we treasure most.

With love,

Marie x