PSA: Body Shimmer Is Making a Comeback

The halcyon days of the early-to-mid 2000s was awash in a haze of sugar-sweet body mists, orange self-tan and asymmetric fringes – straightened and singed to within an inch of their lives, or, latterly, teased into the ubiquitous ‘puff’ made chic by Hilary Duff and elevated to its zenith by Jersey Shore’s Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi.

Oh, and body glitter. So. Much. Body. Glitter.

And, as they say, what goes around, comes around; and so it is with the body glitter trend. Luckily, like many a recently resurrected Y2K style, this one’s been updated for the better. Enter: body shimmer.

Designed to create more of an ethereal, lit-from-within look, the newest iteration of the trend takes the form of finely milled sparkle, suspended in luxuriously fragranced yet incredibly lightweight, non-sticky oils and serums.

The effect? An expensive-looking, skin-blurring glow that: 1) locks in hydration and 2) amplifies your signature scent and makes it last longer. (And for those searching for an even more subtle look, turn to body oils that impart sheen rather than shimmer – think of it like a dewy highlighter, but for everything except your face.)

For best results, apply a generous layer of your favourite body lotion post-shower, then add your shimmering body oil over the top – focusing on areas that naturally catch the light, like your collarbones, shoulders and shins.

Here are some of our favourites…

At the top of our shimmer list is Tom Ford’s gold-flecked Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil and its peachier sister, Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil Rose Gold. Sharing the sultry amber-and-coconut scent of the matching EDP, it’s summer skin in a bottle.

Developed an obsession with Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s fragrances (and the compliments you receive whenever you wear them)? The limited-edition Baccarat Rouge 540 Shimmering Oil and OUD Satin Mood Shimmering Oil will amplify your signature scent all day, while imparting possibly the most luxurious glow to your skin via a blend of crystal and gold powders.

In need of a little extra confidence at your next summer event? Add a hint of warm, bronze-y, shimmering tint and subtly blur any blemishes with This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle (don’t mind the name – you can use it all over!).

To give a lustrous look to deeper skin tones, try NARS Body Glow, which is enriched with Tahitian monoï oil and scented with tiare and frangipani. And for an A-list glow that’s worthy of the red carpet, take your pick from four shades of the Kylie Cosmetics Body Glow.

If a subtle, ‘my skin, but better’ finish and skincare benefits are what you look for in your body care, read on! As you might expect from Sunday Riley, the brand’s Fairy Godmother Shimmering Body Oil Gel doesn’t just deliver a suits-all champagne glow – it also comes with brightening vitamin C and hydrating CoQ10, to improve the look of your skin even after it’s washed off.

Meanwhile, for super soft, lightly shimmering and deliciously scented (almond, coconut and vanilla) skin post-swim, slip Summer Fridays Pool Time Glowing Body Oil into your beach bag.