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There are days when naked skin feels great and others (weddings, rooftop dinners, holiday night outs) want something a little extra. That’s where the body shimmer comes in. With just a few drops, the best adds warmth, dimensions, and a healthy looking luster that catches light in all the right ways.
2025 has brought you fresh options to choose from, from L’Occitane, Fenty Beauty and Patrick TA. Also this year, Model Jasmine Takees launched Beauty Brand Brunel in just three products. One of them is a body shimmer. The appeal is easy to understand. They are like you reach before the post shower and event to quickly improve your skin. If done correctly, the finish is smooth, streakless, sparkling refined, and never moves into a summer dress, swimsuit or white tee.
Today’s products range from shimmer body sprays to lotion hybrids, with a range of results ranging from soft, skin-soft and shiny radiant. However, although there are plenty of options, not all of them work equally well.
The editorial team tried out 15 formulas, including oils, sprays, lotions, and creams, and found one that checks all the boxes. Some offer a pure, just a sparkle from the back. Others are richer lean with light-reflecting pigments and true bronze payoffs.
While we were surprised with the unexpected skincare benefits (think softening plant-based oils, antioxidant-rich ingredients, etc.), others have beaten the claim that doesn’t move. Want to layer something over your favorite sunscreen for beach days, or in the fog of sparkling bodies glowing on the dance floor, these formulas are worth it.
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Nuxe Huile Prodegieuse or Multipurpose Dry Body Oil
Nuxe’s classic dry body oil, a classic French pharmacy staple that regularly holds high honours on Amazon’s Beauty BestSeller list, is a low-betting entry point for the body shemmer category. Formulas under $35 are clearer than opaque, and are friendly to all skin tones and difficult to ruin. Where other bodyshimers tested, they requested brushes and mitts for streakless application, which was neither messy nor striped when massaged into the skin with bare hands.
Our testers have discovered that this body dries faster than the alternatives we tested, making our favorite choice due to humid climates and daytime wear. Choose a classic gold shade for a skin-enhancing warmth, or a rosy shade to add a flattering flash.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $32
WWD/ Claire Sullivan
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Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions Glow Oil
Sol de Janeiro offers the best beach-friendly body care. The Brazilian-style line is Tiktok, famous for its body mist and lotions, and is a lotion with a delicious tropical fragrance profile, and its glow motion packs those fragrances into a formula filled with plant-based oils. The Sol de Janeiro Body Shimmers comes in three shades, including light champagne tones, richer gold shades, and limited edition rose gold.
One tester points out that these sparkling body oils provided solid color payoffs to the skin, enriching natural undertones for greater depth, and providing a small self-tanner look depending on the tone chosen. The scent is strong enough to be worn instead of perfume. Notes of salted caramel, sandalwood, almonds and pistachios are read like a gorgeous gourmet aroma.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $36
WWD/ Claire Sullivan
Patrick Ta Major Glow Nourishing Bronzing Body Oil
Of all the bronze body oils we tested, the new release of Patrick TA was the most transcription-resistant. This is a rare find in a category where shimmers often end up in everything except skin. Unlike the formula packed with visible glitter spots, this is completely shiny. Instead, it leaves behind a hydrated, bright finish that reads like healthier skin than highlighters.
The silky texture blends in easily and disappears when contacted, dries quickly, making it an ideal option for weddings, white outfits, or where you need a sparkle.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $52
WWD/ Claire Sullivan
Fenty Beauty Body Lava Body Luminizer
What’s unique about Fenty Beauty’s Body Lava is that it shines in a formula rich in shiny oils, not a ton of sparkles and sparkles. The finish is more blatant than sparkly – perfect for people who have dry skin or the effects of glass skin from the neck.
Thick and refreshing texture means a little long way, but we found that our testers are easy to dilute with some pumps of basic body lotions (which is also a great way for more oily skin types to avoid heavy or greasy moods on hot days). For applications that are free from confusion, use the branded Kabuki brush to sweep. This helps to blend the product evenly over a wide area such as the arms and legs.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $59
WWD/ Claire Sullivan
Balm stick melts the iconic London glow
This iconic London twist-up balm stick was the most modest body glitter we’ve tested. It’s subtle enough for glitter avoidance users, but it’s still effective in warming the skin. A very fair tone will show you color hints. For a deeper complexion, it adds a soft veil of warmth without changing the undertone.
The solid format makes it particularly travel-friendly (most body shemmer oils run the risk of unwanted leaks in your luggage). A blend of Scalan and seven plant-based oils makes your skin soft and supple, swipe anywhere.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $30
WWD/ Claire Sullivan
Brunel Golden Hour Glow Oil
Model and taste maker Jasmine Tokes’ debut beauty brand Brunel feels that this sparkling glow oil is as high as it looks. Contained in a heavy glass bottle, the formula has a watery texture that diffuses beautifully into the skin (a narrow dispenser that properly controls how much product you shake).
The golden sound is very neutral and flatters the range of skin tones without distorting yellow or bronze. It quickly sinks, leaving a hydrated, soft radiant finish, subtly enhanced by a refined jasmine and sandalwood scent. Bonus: The formula packs skin-loving ingredients like vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as caffeine for temporary results.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $53
WWD/ Claire Sullivan
L’Occitane Almond Shimmering Oil
Of all the oil body shimmers we tested, this was one of the thinnest. Microfine shimmer feather light oil gives the skin a subtle, bright catchy finish without going towards glittering territory. It sinks quickly, but does not disappear. The hydration remains, leaving a slightly shiny sheen that is not greasy but nourishing.
This body shimmer, star ingredients in sweet almond oil, softens the skin in contact and gives the line a distinctive warm gourmet aroma. Despite the superfluid texture, this did not even transfer to the clothes, and it didn’t become a perfect pick.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $54
WWD/ Claire Sullivan
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Sparkling Body Oil
One tester walked through this whole bottle of Maison Francis Cruzian’s gorgeous body shimmer oil in a few months and wore it regularly in place of the brand’s bestselling Bacarat Trouge 540 perfume.
It is a lightweight oil that is well absorbed by the skin, leaving the shining limbs behind, rather than a greasy feel. The sparkling spots are very fine and actually disappear on the surface of your skin, creating a healthy skin effect without reading flashy readings. Those who find the original Baccarat Rouge 540 fragrance too strong for everyday wear will understand that this option is lighter and more summer-friendly.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $215
Kopari Golden Sunglaze Sheer Body Mist SPF 50 Sunscreen
After a sparkling body spray, this SPF 50 option from Kopari was our top pick when paired with a swimsuit. It stood out from a similar formula due to its extremely shiny finish. The fine mist form provides easy and even coverage, especially in difficult-to-reach spots such as the back of the legs, while hyaluronic acid and vitamins C and E provide hydration and antioxidant protection. To avoid transfer, allow the cover-up to dry for 1 minute before sliding.
Prices up to the date of publication of this article: $39
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To find the best body shimmer products on the market, the editors of the WWD Shop have looked into top-rate options across categories, from shimmer body oils to mist, lotions and balms, taking into account bestsellers, buzzy new launches with consistently high customer reviews, formulas. Our tester panel evaluated 15 different body shimmers taking this article into account, and evaluated factors such as texture, ease of application, scent, transfer resistance, and multiple skin tone finishing. We also looked into packaging details (dlopper vs. pump vs. spray), how each formula layered with sunscreen and body lotion, and how it would hold up in real settings like humid weather and evening events. Find out more about us here.
Meet the author
Claire Sullivan A contributing commerce editor for WWD and Footwear News, she writes and edits stories of beauty, fashion and lifestyle. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor in national media including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, Instyle and Byrdie. As an editor, she has tested hundreds of products, so she is well versed in choosing products that make a meaningful difference to her skin and hair.
Source: Shop – wwd.com
