15 Body Oils for a Hydrated, Glaze-y Glow

Fun fact: This was the body oil that first got us hooked on body oils. It’s packed with antioxidants—shea oil, which is rich in vitamins A and E, as well as added vitamin C—and also contains papaya enzymes for an ever-so-gentle exfoliation. Use it on its own to give skin a gorgeous sheen, or mix a few drops in with or under your moisturizer. We also give it big points for the easy-to-use, pump-top applicator.

Good luck finding something this oil can’t do. Various plant extracts and vitamins are suspended in an oil base, in a formula that is ideal for use on stretch marks, burns, and even hyperpigmentation (as well as dry skin, duh), giving you even more bang for your buck. It has a slightly powdery scent and silky feel and comes in several different sizes, all at wallet-friendly prices.

Yes, you are correct in recognizing that any oil is a great pick for dry skin. That being said, this one really gets the job done. Several different oils—including camellia flower, grapeseed, and coconut to name a few—do the immediate hydrating job, but it’s the use of jasmine sambac oil that’s really noteworthy here. Along with providing immediate moisture, the ingredient boosts your skin’s natural moisture levels and elasticity, too. (It also gives the oil its signature, addicting scent.) Plus, despite how moisturizing it is, it still soaks in in seconds.

Byrdie Senior Editor Hallie Gould recommends reaching for this oil when you want a major glow up (slathering this on is the next best thing to spending a week in the Caribbean). The coconut oil base is enhanced with some pretty intense chocolate shimmer to impart a sun-kissed glow, so much so that it almost verges on the cusp of being a self-tanner. It’s equally lauded for its addicting scent—tropical, sweet, and slightly floral.

Gould also loves this do-it-all oil. The blend of organic, cold-pressed plant oils (coconut, olive, argan, jojoba) can be used on the face, body, hair—you name it. Also nice: There are two options to choose from, one that’s infused with all-natural essential oils for an uplifting yet calming scent, and a variant that’s completely unscented.

Spray-on oils make application easier-than-ever. There are a bunch out there to choose from, but Gould is partial to this pick. The dry oil mist feels even lighter going on than many other oils, though still gives you plenty of hydration; credit a wide mix of different plant-based oils. Bonus points for a chemical-free ingredient list.

This oil is a staple for Byrdie’s Editorial Director Faith Xue. “I use it to lock in my body lotion before bed, and it’s my favorite part of my nightly ritual,” she says. It’s a squeaky clean formula that also has plenty of youth-boosting benefits, thanks to a wide array of protective antioxidants and vitamins from the plant-based oil. It’s pricey yes, but a little goes a long way, so one bottle will last quite a while. 

Xue recommends loading up on this guy to help soothe muscle aches, thanks to the anti-inflammatory CBD that’s in the mix. The blood orange, jojoba, and lavender oil base make it nice and hydrating, so yes, you could just use it as a standard moisturizer. But given the relief it delivers to achy muscles, we say bring it with you to your next massage (or ask an S.O. to rub you down with it).

The price tag may be steep, but this luxurious formula is worth it for so many reasons. It boasts seed oils that are sourced from, wait for it, the plant’s reproductive parts, where they’re in their purest form. It makes for a whopping dose of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and other skin-loving vitamins that will make your skin look better both immediately, and over time. The oil and accompanying body butter were Byrdie GM Leah Wyar’s favorite products of 2019; she even called the oil, “the most non-greasy I’ve ever tried.”

Shower oils are the gateway to body oils—you’ll get similar hydrating benefits, but because you’re ultimately rinsing it off, it can feel less intense than a straight-up dry oil. Try using one in lieu of your standard body wash and be prepared for a major difference in how silky smooth your skin feels.

More specifically, try this one, made with coconut, passionfruit seed, and avocado oils. It starts off as oil but transforms into suds as you mix it with water, choice for anyone who still wants that more soap-like experience. 

Packed with antioxidants and essential oils, this fortifying formula is choice for protecting the skin against free radical damage. Inside you'll find olive leaf extract, sea buckthorn berry, pumpkin seed oil, aloe vera juice, comfrey extract, geranium oil, and rose flower extract. While it's best applied before or after sun exposure, this divine smelling blend can be used year-round.

There aren’t a ton of body oils to be found at the drugstore, but happily, this is the only one you really need. With somewhat of a cult-like status (dermatologists have been raving about it for years), it relies on lightweight sesame oil to impart just the right amount of hydration. Use it directly on the skin, or add some into a bath; it works just as well either way. 

Generally speaking, body oils tend to be a pretty inert product category that’s well-tolerated by sensitive skin. That being said, not all oils are created equal; many can contain common irritants, such as fragrance. Not this guy. It’s hypoallergenic, made with 95% organic oils (including jojoba oil, a known anti-inflammatory, and skin soother), and is so gentle that you can even use it on babies.

Along with jojoba oil, this body oil contains tamanu, olive, avocado, and sunflower oil, all of which are USDA-certified organic. Hypoallergenic and non-toxic, the formula is super gentle, leaving skin soft and nourished.

We’ve long touted the benefits of using an oil on your complexion though, traditionally, many face and body oils differ in how heavy they are and can’t always be used interchangeably. Lucky for you, this dual-purpose pick, a go-to for Byrdie’s Senior Social Media Manager Kelly Gallagher, works for both.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich oils work wonders on your skin all over, without ever feeling too rich or greasy. Along with a litany of plant-based oils, it also relies on squalane, an oil-like substance that mimics the sebum naturally-found in our skin, part of the reason why it absorbs so nicely.