If you try one product, make it this science-backed scent that de-fogged my brain in seconds

Hello and happy International Women's Day to all who observe it. Which I suppose should be everyone, really, and yes, Gordon, there is an International Men's Day, it's on November 19th.

Covering IWD in my job feels like a hot potato. Despite my bones-deep belief that not all beauty discourse is inherently patriarchal, I'm also not blind to the underlying reasons we're all questing for smooth skin, thick hair, and long lashes in the name of 'inner' confidence.

So what's a moderate fourth (or fifth?) wave feminist who also enjoys beauty products to do? Feel a bit conflicted as ever, and try to serve you something woman-founded and unsuperficial.

Why this brain fog-busting aromatic oil is my buy of the week

If we're getting into products that help you, not look a certain way, but feel something instead, then we're probably talking about fragrance.

The bit of the brain that deals with smell is the same part that deals with emotions and memories. That's why the best perfumes can be so evocative, and the best-smelling body lotions are the ones that remind us of sun cream, cakes, and fancy spa hotels.

And so it was with a bodily car crash of my toddler's second-hand nursery bug and lingering jet lag (ten days in Thailand, can't complain) that I spied Neuroscents Wellbeing Set in my post-holiday post pile. This collection contains six oils designed to trigger emotional responses, from sleep-inducing to destressing.

Sluggish and, well, snotty, I reached for the Focus Blend, dropped it on a tissue, and took as big an inhalation as my stuffy sinuses would allow...

If you think aromatherapy is a bit 'woo-woo', Neuroscent founder Olga Melita wants to change that. An analytic practitioner with extensive training in psychology, psychotherapy, and a whole host of body-oriented therapies, Melita started introducing essential oils during sessions with clients and found it was a "game changer."

My knee-jerk stance on alternative therapies errs towards skepticism, but I'm sold on the power of aromatics like this. They also force you to stop for a second and breathe deeply, which, at the risk of patronising every woman reading this on IWD itself, I must stress is a helpful thing. Sounds good? Great! Let's chat next Sunday.