The perfumer Maya Njie spends her festive season between the snow of Sweden, heat of The Gambia and lights of London

I grew up in Sweden and when I think back to my childhood Christmases, they were pretty idyllic – the landscape there lends itself beautifully to this time of year. Now, I don’t tend to go back there for Christmas – I’ll usually go either before or after, once my busy work period is over, so that I can properly relax and spend time with my family. My daughter gets very excited if it’s snowing there – her festive-season end goal is to be in Sweden when there’s snow!

This year, though, we’re planning to spend the

holidays in The Gambia, to be between there and Senegal. When I would go to The Gambia as a child, we’d often visit around Christmastime, and it was always great to get that break from the cold, dark winters of Sweden.

As a family, travel is the present we’ll be giving

and receiving this year. And once we’ve arrived in The Gambia, we can find ourselves little gifts in the markets – I’m hoping to come across all sorts of amazing handmade pieces. I love buying fabrics, woven baskets, incense… all the wonderful things you can find in Gambian markets are what I’ll be bringing back for people.

If we’re spending Christmas at home in London,

I have a few little rituals. I try to attend a Saint Lucia service – it’s a festival of light that we celebrate in Sweden, and with so many Swedes living in the capital, it’s nice to be able to do it here, too. I also like to decorate the house and tree with my daughter, although we don’t go crazy – it’s quite modest. And I love a foot bath at this time of year! I find them really relaxing and tend to do them more in the wintertime, to keep cosy and warm. I make up my own with some Epsom salts, like Westlab Reviving Epsom Bath Salt and tea tree essential oil diluted in a carrier oil (like jojoba).

When I buy any beauty product, it’s (probably unsurprisingly) all about the smell. Even as a young teenager, if I bought something for my hair, it wouldn’t be because of what it did to my hair, it would be because of the way it smelled. Today, I simply wouldn’t buy something that’s unfragranced – I get too much pleasure

from scent. That’s probably why I’ve used Caudalie Beauty Elixir Facial Mist for the past 20 years. I love to spray it on as part of my morning skincare routine. And while it’s great for my complexion, honestly, I use it for the fragrance – I find that it gives me a boost of energy, which I think is just as important. It’s something that I will be bringing to The Gambia with me; I love having it in my handbag for a quick, revitalising spritz.

Do I have a favourite among my own perfumes?

Yes! Nordic Cedar. I wear it most of the time – it works for me in every season. The cardamom is spicy yet cooling, as is the earthiness of the patchouli, but then there is a warmth from the cedar wood and musk. During the cold months, it feels like an extra layer of comfort and protection.

Another fragrance of which I always have to have

a bottle is Calvin Klein CK Be. It had a massive impact on me when it launched, and was the first fragrance I bought with my own money; I think I even fell in love with a boy because he was wearing it. Again, it’s a kind of warming and cosy fragrance. I’ve been wearing it on and off for years.

The rest of my beauty routine is quite minimal, but one thing I always do is moisturise my hair because Afro hair craves moisture. I like The Afro Hair & Skin Co. Nurture Gentle Cleansing Shampoo Bar and Bloom Omega Healthy Hair Oil. I also like its Awaken Reviving Body Treatment Oil, £21.50, which smells great because it contains orange blossom. To moisturise my face,

I use Weleda Skin Food Light, £13.50.

When it comes to makeup, I like a little mascara and occasionally lipstick. I wear Rimmel Stay Satin Liquid Lipstick in Have A Cow as the finish is neither too dry nor too wet – a perfect satin – and it stays on for ages. If I’m going out during the festive season, I wouldn’t really change what I’m wearing clothes-wise (although I do enjoy dressing more in the colder months because I love to layer); instead, I would wear this lipstick and some great jewellery that I also layer up – in this instance, more is more!

I really like January, which I think is quite a rare

thing! I like that it’s the start of a new year, and that feeling of knowing that every day is getting a little lighter and a little closer to spring.

‘I love a foot bath at this time of year – they’re really relaxing’