A rich, soothing oil is highly effective on most outward signs of illness and fatigue
There’s a plague over my house. I’m ill while I look after an ill child, and the last thing on my mind is the prettification of anything, least of all my face. But I do mind that everything feels sore, dry, rough, my nose is flaky and red, my cheeks are tight and grey, my lips are chapped. And it’s during times of ill health that I invariably turn to facial oil. When one has neither the energy nor the inclination to do much more than lie with a hot-water bottle wedged into the foetal bend while a poor-quality, made-for-TV biopic flickers in the background, a rich, soothing, calming oil, rubbed haphazardly into the face, is just what the doctor ordered. It’s extremely low maintenance and highly effective on most outward signs of common illness and fatigue. I have several favourites in my bathroom cabinet, lined up like apothecary tinctures, and will thoughtlessly reach for any one of them in times of need. I adore any oil by Darphin, and its Chamomile Aromatic Care (£40) seems to suit