Frequently asked questions
Is shimmer body oil good for your skin?
It depends on the formula. While many shimmer body oils are infused with nourishing ingredients, others prioritize shimmer over skin care. For some, Spickard sees them as the finishing touch rather than the foundation of a body-care routine. “Oftentimes what I find that I do is I will take a rich, nourishing body moisturizer and apply that first over the entire body, let it soak in for a few minutes, and then finish and go back over the skin with a shimmer body oil,” he says. “That provides good-for-skin benefits as well as the high-shine payoff of a shimmer body oil.”
However, many formulas on the shelf now include plenty of skin-friendly ingredients so you can streamline your routine. To find out if a shimmer body oil is good for your skin, take a close look at the ingredient list. “Some shimmer body oils do already have ingredients like vitamin E, almond oil, or cocoa butter,” says Spickard. In other words, a little shimmer is always nice, but shimmer body oils get bonus points if the glow comes with skin-care benefits, too.
What does body shimmer oil do?
Body shimmer oil lends a subtle sparkle while offering the benefits of a traditional body oil. “A [body shimmer] has a smaller pearl pigment which gives the appearance of more of a sheen or glaze on the body,” explains Los Angeles-based makeup artist Gregory Arlt. “It’s such a great summer tool, but also beautiful year-round to illuminate the body,” adds bicoastal makeup artist Kirin Bhatty. “Depending on your desired effect, shimmer oil can be super reflective, bringing attention to collar bones, legs, arms, and décolleté,” Bhatty adds that it can also enhance a tan.
Meanwhile, the skin-loving ingredients in a non-shimmery body oil provide myriad benefits. New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, explains that a good body oil softens, moisturizes, and strengthens your skin barrier with ingredients you probably already recognize, like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and blends of butters and botanicals.
What shade of body shimmer should I choose?
Pick your body shimmer shade based on your desired effect. Want bronzing vibes? Grab a bottle of something darker than your skin tone. Want to go more sheer? Opt for a non-tinted hue or one that more closely matches your skin.
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best body shimmer oils, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team of in-house writers and editors, as well as contributors, along with special consideration from makeup artists and dermatologists. To learn more about our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from are folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.