13 best body oils 2024 for soft, nourished skin
Think body oils are, well, too oily? These modern formulas deliver maximum hydration with a gorgeous glow
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Body oils are a great alternative to body lotion and body butter. They are easier to massage in and create a subtle sheen making them a great option if you’re showing off some arm or leg. Modern-day formulations mean the usual gripes about body oils – that they leave oily marks on clothes, they take too long or simply feel too greasy on the skin – no longer apply. They can also act as a superfood for your skin because the oils themselves can be rich in nutrients such as vitamin C, as well as essential oils for mood-boosting, calming and firming. Think of them as your serum, your scent, your glow-up – as well as your go-to for a thoughtful gift.
Our two favourite body oil application tips: spread over slightly damp skin to help sink faster and lock in moisture. Want to oil your own back? Try adding a few drops to your upper back and shoulders in the shower and then run the water down it to distribute the oil.
We’ve tested dozens of body oils, and these made the cut.
13 of the best body oils
The luxe one: Ipsum Spa Body Oil, £68 
We love subtly scented oil for its insanely velvety texture; no surprise it’s used in luxury spa massage treatments. Think of it more like a serum than a simple hydrator, with antioxidants for skin conditioning and vitamin C from Australian kakadu plum, which stimulates collagen production and improves skin tone. Sandalwood adds a grounding earthiness to the slight sweetness of plum.
The budget one: Sanctuary Spa Signature Collection Body Moisture Spray, £8
Not only is this almond and jojoba oil blend under a tenner, but its spray applicator means you’ll never end up like an oil slick. It has the brand’s adored signature spa smell – a mix of jasmine, grapefruit and vanilla.
The cult one: Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil, £52 
The USP of this lightweight oil is that it’s firming – with guarana and caffeine extracts to encourage lymphatic drainage. But what most people will buy it for is the iconic Cheirosa 62 scent made famous by the brand’s Brazilian Bum Bum cream. Cover yourself with florals, vanilla, salted caramel – no need for perfume!
The shimmer one: Gisou Honey Infused Body Oil, £22 
Think of this oil, in its beautifully sinuous bottle, as liquid gold for your skin. It makes legs and arms look and feel soft, luminous and shimmery but not overly so. Give the bottle a good shake to ensure maximum glow factor.
The celeb favourite: Space NK Nordic Wilds Body Oil, £16 
When we spoke to TV presenter Cat Deeley about her beauty must-haves, she named this body oil as her favourite. The uplifting and energising scent of black pepper and juniper berries will put a spring in your step first thing, and the nourishing jojoba and avocado oil leave your skin feeling silky and soft. This is one of the bigger bottles in the edit (many are 100ml) and packs a price-worthy punch at 150ml.
The multitasker: Koba Skincare Gold Drip Nourishing Body & Hair Oil, £55
Koba is a new brand that specialises in luxurious but effective hand, foot and body care. The body oil scores highly for us on velvety texture and combines the power. eight luxurious plant oils, with a subtle scent of rose, jasmine and patchouli. There’s not much you can’t use this oil for; it can be slathered all over dry skin applied as a scalp oil and hair oil and left on for ten minutes or overnight as a deep conditioning treatment. Nails, cuticles and dry heels love it too. Founder Therèse says that her husband also uses it on his beard!
The scent that gets you compliments: Balance Me Super Firming Body Oil, Was £22 now £16.50 
GTG contributor Kerry raves about this oil. “After I slathered the body oil on my arms at a photo shoot recently, everyone in the studio stopped in their tracks to enquire about the dreamy fragrance and demand a try. This Balance Me best-seller, is strongly scented with juniper, bergamot, geranium and lavender. It makes limbs deliciously sheeny and smooth. The only drawback is that if you take it out in public, you will have to share.”
The bedtime one: Wildsmith Skin Stillness Body Oil, £48 
Designed to work with the body’s circadian cycle, this natural body oil helps switch off at the end of the day. We like to apply it after a nighttime shower and breathe in the gorgeous calming aroma of chamomile to calm and quieten the mind and rose geranium and lavender to soothe the body. The pump applicator means you don’t run the risk of over-pouring.
The classic dry oil: Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Shimmering Multi-Purpose Dry Oil, £22 
This is the oil to buy if you want to smell and feel like summer all year round. Sweet almond and camellia give the vibe of balmy holiday evenings and the delicate golden shimmer leaves your skin looking like you’ve just touched down from a sojourn in the Cote D’Azur. The dry consistency leaves your skin like velvet and because it’s dry, you can apply it after you’ve got dressed up, if you want to zhzh up any bare skin, which will, by the way, smell irresistible. Use it on your hair too, for extra gloss.
The functional fragrance oil: Ilapothocary Beat The Blues Body Oil, £51 
Beat the Blues is Ilapothecary’s most-loved scent – it comes in. a candle, a roller ball and even an EDP. Why? because it really does act on your nervous system to lift your spirits. thanks to a sweet-smelling mix of clary sage, petitgrain and rose geranium. Now it’s in body oil format too to boost confidence, relax the mind and soothe tension. For maximum impact, apply over the chest and down the neck and for an olfactory hug.
The pregnancy one: Elemis Japanese Camellia Body Oil Blend, was £46 now £39.10 
The body oil was favoured by Victoria Beckham throughout her pregnancies. In my own pregnancy, the skin on my tummy felt exceptionally tight and itchy and this was the thing that soothed and calmed it. I used it religiously and didn’t get a single stretch mark. Was it the oil? Hard to say, but it must have helped. It doesn’t have a strong scent, which may also appeal during pregnancy and is very light and sinks in quickly.”
The one for juicy skin: Naturium The Glow Getter Body Oil, £26.50 
Part of the cult ‘glow’ hydrating range from Naturium, the Glow Getter Body Oil, contains linoleic-rich oils which strengthen and restore the skin barrier to make skin look and feel juicy. Rosehip oil can reduce the appearance of scars and marks too.
The gorgeously scented one: Mirror Water Smooth Body Oil, £27 
It’s the genderless musky woody scent that makes this oil, by content creator and beauty maven Estee Lalonde, something special and also makes it perfect for gifting. In our experience, it impresses everyone. It’s made of three oils; marula which is rich in fatty acids, camellia which is ultra-nourishing and grapeseed oil which is sourced from winemaking leftovers.
