7 Body Shimmers That Will Leave You Looking Like a Glowing Goddess
It’s always golden hour with these smooth shimmers.
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One thing to know about me: I’ve always wanted to sparkle. When I was younger, that meant wearing glittery outfits and constantly breaking into my mom’s jewelry collection. As I’ve gotten older, my shiny tastes have become more refined. I prefer luminous makeup over matte, and ensure I always look like a golden-hour glowing goddess thanks to the best body shimmers.
Today’s body shimmers are extremely different from the glitter-flecked sprays that ruled the early 2000s. These formulas are first and foremost made to deeply nourish skin—it’s simply a bonus that they’re swirled with ultra-fine, lustrous particles to enliven your complexion when the sun hits just right. I wear body shimmer year-round, but during the summer, it’s the ultimate finishing touch that makes me look positively radiant.
Get ready to shine with these body shimmers
Everyone deserves to feel like a glowing goddess, and the following seven body shimmers will get you one step closer.
Pros
- Velvety soft oil sinks right into skin
- The scent lingers a long time and is the perfect base for layering
Cons
- The fragrance may irritate those with sensitive noses
I inherently glow more when I’m on vacation. (Maybe it has something to do with having zero stress? Probably.) Anyway, Phlur Beach Skin Body Oil gives me that enviable holiday glow every day. In the summer, I replace my thick body lotions with the silky soft oil that beautifully moisturizes my skin and imparts the perfect amount of shimmer. The sunny-citrusy scent makes using this even more enjoyable—it’s like an instant happiness boost every time I smooth this on.
One Cosmo editor says: “I hate the feeling of a sticky serum or anything that leaves behind patchiness on my skin, but PHLUR’s beach skin is nothing of the sort. It’s a lightweight serum that adds the prettiest glowy sheen to my skin, while also being nice and hydrating. Plus, it doubles as a gorgeous beachy fragrance thanks to hints of bergamot, coconut, and sandalwood.” — JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
Key features at a glance
| Formula | Oil |
| Shades | 1 |
| Size | 4 oz. |
Pros
- Smells like your fave tropical drink
- It's impossible to overspritz
Cons
- This provides a subtle shimmer instead of a glazed look
I don’t always want to rub a shimmery cream or oil all over my body, especially when I’m in a rush. That’s where this featherlight spray comes in handy. Itty-bitty dazzling flecks are suspended in a fruity mocktail-inspired scent. With each spritz, you get a dusting of shimmer along with a refreshing fragrance that lingers much longer than your standard body mist.
One Cosmo editor says: “I don't always want to be covered in oil, but I do want to be shimmery. The answer? This shimmery body mist from Mugler. It smells super good (it's fruity and warm), and best of all, it gives my skin a soft sheen wherever I spray it on.” — BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Key features at a glance
| Formula | Mist |
| Shades | 1 |
| Size | 2.5 oz. |
Pros
- The scent is just as strong as the eau de parfum
- Hello, this might be the prettiest body oil ever made
Cons
- Application can get messy since there's no pump
One thing’s for certain: I’ll obsess over anything Victoria Beckham creates. Her perfumes are criminally underrated, IMHO, and she turned her best fine fragrance (Portofino ’97) into the chicest shimmery oil. This might be even better than the EDP, because not only does the scent linger all day, the velvety jojoba-infused oil keeps skin beautifully moisturized, while also imparting a long-lasting golden hour sheen. Although it’s a summer staple, I keep the flask-like bottle displayed year-round because it’s just so pretty to look at.
One Cosmo editor says: “I am a glitter fanatic (I blame my competitive dance days), and I’ve searched far and wide for the perfect body shimmer. Nothing comes close to—or smells as good as—Victoria Beckham’s Body Oil. This is the smoothest, most velvety oil I’ve ever used. It sinks into skin on contact and the golden flecks give me a magical glow. The citrusy-woodsy scent is simply to die for, too.” — MARY HONKUS, CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR
Key features at a glance
| Formula | Oil |
| Shades | 1 |
| Size | 1.7 oz. |
Pros
- The most long-lasting pick on our list
- Silky soft, and keeps skin hydrated
Cons
- The scent is strong
Shimmer’s arch nemesis? Sweat. It can be difficult for your sheen to last all day when the temperatures rise, but this affordable oil has impressive staying power. When you smooth a few pumps of the coconut-scented gloss onto your skin, you’ll feel comfortably hydrated for up to 24 hours, and, well, positively luminous for even longer. Shine, baby, shine!
One Cosmo editor says: “I doused my entire body in this for Coachella and got countless compliments on how glowy my skin looked. The shimmer really stays on, making it perfect for festivals or long days and nights where you'll be sweating.” —BG
Key features at a glance
| Formula | Oil |
| Shades | 1 |
| Size | 2.36 and 0.68 oz. |
Pros
- Offers ample SPF protection
- Smells like summer vacation
Cons
- We wish the bottle was bigger because we go through it quickly
The thought of layering on multiple body products in the sticky depths of summer makes us want to melt. Vacation created a shimmering solution that effectively protects skin against the sun’s rays with SPF 30 and also makes you look like a glowing goddess. Your toughest decision will be selecting the true gold or rose gold formula.
One Cosmo editor says: “I’ve lost track of how many bottles of this shimmering SPF I’ve emptied. Vacation is making sunscreen totally fun to use. Not only do I feel protected, but the oil is actually enjoyable to apply and sinks right into skin. I may over apply (I literally dazzle like Edward Cullen when I step in the sun), but I don’t care. This is my favorite body sunscreen of all time.” — MH
Key features at a glance
| Formula | SPF oil |
| Shades | 2 |
| Size | 2.9 oz. |
Pros
- A little goes a long way—the stick might last forever
- Multiple shades to choose from
Cons
- The bronze shade is often sold out (thanks TikTok!)
Shimmery oils and lotions have their time and place, but they’re not great for travel. This stick, on the other hand? Perfection. Glide the buttery formula along your collarbones, legs, arms—really anywhere—for unbeatable radiance in seconds. I love that it comes in four light-reflecting hues, ranging from champagne to bronze, so all skin tones can find their perfect match.
One Cosmo editor says: “I have never found a glowy and radiance-boosting product that blends as easily or looks as good as this stick. It can go over or under makeup, on your décolleté, legs, arms, and anywhere else you need a little extra boost of radiance. Plus, thanks to a brightening- and antioxidant-loaded formula, it's basically the hack to the prettiest body glow ever. My personal fave: High Road Highlight.” — MH
Key features at a glance
| Formula | Cream |
| Shades | 4 |
| Size | 1.3 oz. |
Pros
- The warm copper shimmer complements deeper skin tones beautifully
Cons
- Takes a few minutes to fully sink into skin
It’s not enough for a shimmering body oil to leave you, well, shimmery. It should also deeply moisturize skin—and that’s exactly what this Vaseline gel-oil does. It feels rich without being heavy, and does an incredible job at keeping dry, cracked skin at bay. And the bronzy flecks add a little razzle-dazzle to your complexion.
One Cosmo editor says: “This reliable, affordable (under $10), and feels luxe for a drugstore beauty product. The hydration level is impressive, but the staying power is what really got me. After eight hours at work, my skin still looks glowy and hydrated, and I can still see the soft shimmery flecks.” — SHAUNA BENI-HAYNES, SENIOR COMMERCE EDITOR
Key features at a glance
| Formula | gel-oil |
| Shades | 3 |
| Size | 6.8 oz. |
How to choose the best body shimmer
Decide between shimmer, glitter, or sheen
Every formula has a different level of iridescence, so this choice is truly a personal preference. If you're someone who likes to visibly see the shiny particles, you can opt for a formula that has larger shimmer specs (or even glitter for a luminescent effect). Or, if you're like me and prefer to have a more natural, glass-like glow, choose a body oil that has a slight sheen or relatively small particles.
Look at the ingredients
Body shimmers are usually packed with a variety of moisturizing and hydrated ingredients for ultra-smooth and healthy-looking skin. Look for formulas with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, oils, butters, and antioxidants to get some added skin benefits. It's also smart to look at the formulas that have an SPF 30+ for added skin protection.
Why Trust Cosmopolitan?
Mary Honkus is a contributing editor for Cosmopolitan with over eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing beauty stories. As a glitter obsessive, she’s spent years testing out countless body shimmers. For this story, she rounded up her go-tos and asked Cosmo’s beauty team for their fave formulas.
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