NARS has been on a roll with new launches and the latest is the Bord de Plage Highlighting and Bronzing Palette ($59 for 0.11 oz/3.2 g x 6). This is currently a Nordstrom exclusive and fairly similar to the Sephora exclusive Banc de Sable (no longer available, but review and swatches here). As a highlighter fan I had to try the new one even though it looked like there was a possibility the two would be really close. If you already own the trio, I don’t think you need to get the 6-pan palette unless you’re really wanting the sunwash bronzers.
The Bord de Plage Highlighting and Bronzing Palette has six shades in a large mirrored compact. There are four highlighters in the same pressed version as Banc de Sable. There are also two bronzers in the Sunwash Bronzer formula (reviewed here). The highlighters are all gorgeous with a beautiful shimmer that blends in with the skin nicely and doesn’t emphasize pores or lines. The shimmer is noticeable but not overly frosted. The Sunwash Bronzers aren’t really something I’m a huge fan of, although I do feel the ones in the palette have a less muddy feel/look to them on my skin compared to the individual ones I bought earlier in the spring.
Colors in the palette include the following, top row:
Rivage (also in the Banc de Sable Palette) is a pale ivory white-gold shimmer
Crique is a light yellowish gold champagne shimmer
Laguna Sunwashed bronzer is a medium brown tan with a matte finish
Colors in the bottom row are slightly darker:
Corniche is a shimmering champagne with cool-tones, it’s a pearly color
Galet is a shimmering champagne peach-copper
Casino is a slightly deeper version of Laguna
Swatches:
Comparisons between Banc de Sable and Bord de Plage, Rivage in both is identical. The Sale in the trio is almost identical to either Crique/Corniche. Quick note on Galet – I’m quite tan right now so it appears more champagne than copper on me. I’ve looked at swatches on some other blogs and Galet looks more coppery on fair skins.
Bottom line I love this palette but find it really similar to the Banc de Sable one so I probably did not need both. Quality is excellent with smooth shimmers that blend nicely into the skin – it’s perfect for cheeks and eyes and you do get a good mix of champagnes and pearly shades. I do think there are similarities between the top and bottom but I really love all the colors so I don’t mind. Lasting power is really good with this one – it stays put for a long time even with the heat and humidity. If I had to pick this or the trio, I would pick the trio because it has that pretty peachy shade which I don’t see here. Still this one is quite good and I think it’s reasonably priced.
The NARS Bord de Plage Palette is available at Nordstrom. It’s limited-edition. Have you tried this one yet? Or did you get Banc de Sable?
It’s been years since I’ve bought anything from Jouer but with the launch of the new High Pigment Lip Glosses ($17 each for 6 g / 0.21 fl oz) I decided to place an order on Beautylish as the swatches on social media looked promising with glowing rave reviews about the colors and formulas. I also ordered one of the popular Lip Toppers ($16 for 6 ml/0.21 fl oz). The High Pigment Lip Glosses are described as a weightless creamy gloss that gives full coverage and with a good selection of neutrals I had high hopes plus the price point seemed reasonable.
Quick take is that these were very much a let down for me and in general for quality I do not recommend them. The colors are all so beautiful but the formula is thin and streaky looking. They are described as a lightweight and they are, but the thin texture does not coat the lips easily. To get the full smooth coverage I saw on social media photos I needed to goop on layers of product which in the end seemed to defeat the point of weightless with that much gloss on my lips. I do want to note that I do think the deeper/brighter shades performed better with smoother coverage and I suspect the other darker ones in the collection will do the same.
I ordered 8 shades sight unseen which I know was a bit risky considering I hadn’t tried anything from the brand in years. I really wanted to love these and part of me loves these for color options. They’re really wearable for any occasion and classic kinds of flattering shades of nude, peach, rose and pink. Since the colors are so good, I tried to make them work by wearing them alone, over a lip primer, over a lip liner and over lipstick. Overall I found that the formula to be high maintenance. In testing each shade most of them settled into lip lines within 15-30 minutes and within an hour they faded quite a bit. The scent is extremely sweet to the point that I’m not a fan.
I think these are ok, just not great. I’ll note which colors I found performed the best below:
PCH is a light peachy nude, this one is streaky but smooths out if you apply carefully, unfortunately lasting power is very weak
Sloan is a gorgeous semi-bright peach, since this was brighter it had better coverage but still was streaky and settled into lip lines
Sunset is a light-medium peach, also streaky
Champs-Elysses is a medium peach pink brown, this performed better as it has more of a slightly deeper undertone, less streaking with this and smooth coverage, lasting power is still weak
Maiden Lane is a yellow beige nude, coverage was pretty smooth but it settled into lip lines quickly
Park Avenue is a pale cool pink, also streaky on my lips
Rodeo is a very pretty medium rose, it’s deeper than most of the other colors I tried and went on the lips smoothly without issue
Fifth Avenue is a pink brown, also deeper and performed relatively well with smooth coverage, lasting power is still weak
Based on what I tested, the three best shades for smooth coverage is Champs-Elysees, Rodeo and Fifth Avenue. Lasting power for all of these is not up to my standards, even for a gloss. All the colors settled into the fine line of my lips within an hour – the exception was with Rodeo and Fifth Avenue.
Next I tried one of the Lip Toppers in St. Tropez and I knew there would be a good chance it would be too glitzy but wanted to give it a chance because I love a good shimmer. This one photographs really nicely on the lips but for me it’s just not wearable for everyday. It has a smooth finish but it’s just way to glitzy for me to wear comfortably on any occasion. For me the best wearable shimmer like this is either MAC Lipglass in Pinkarat or Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustres in Ibiza Nights or Blondie. Dior also makes some really gorgeous shimmers as well.
Based on this experience I don’t think I’ll be ordering more from the line. There are so many other brands out there that I love with better formulas that I know are reliable. Every once in a while I’ll try to branch out and try something more trendy. Based on the number of glowing reviews and pretty beauty looks I’ve seen with these glosses there’s a good chance I’m in the minority with my opinion on these. It looks like a lot of people love these formulas. I like the colors and the price point, but I just don’t like the formula. If you love the brand, I hope you don’t get your feelings hurt by me saying this, but I’m not impressed with the quality or texture. For a good quality high pigment gloss I far prefer the Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Cremes (all shades reviewed here), Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Glosses (review here and here), and even MAC Lipglasses (my picks here) even though those are more sheer.
Bottom line is that I don’t recommend these and I regret buying that many sight unseen. Even the good colors for me just don’t cut it because the lasting power isn’t doing it for me and they all settle into my lip lines. That being said there are a lot of people who like them. There are tons of YouTube videos, blog posts and detailed customer reviews online. It may be hit or miss for you. As a quick side note I also ordered 3 of the powder highlighters and much to my dismay 2 of them arrived completely shattered and broken.
You can find Jouer Cosmetics online at Beautylish, Nordstrom and Jouer. I bought mine from Beautylish.
I love the summer sunshine and warm weather. It’s one of the main reasons we picked Florida to move to from San Diego because we really just love the sun. I’m especially fond of summer for beauty because bronzer is in and even though I wear it year round, I’m always looking forward to new formulas and colors. There are quite a few new summer launches that I’ve been loving – if I made a comprehensive list it would be quite long. Many of you want a super edited version so I’ve picked my top five summer beauty essentials to share today.
A good body oil – I just did a roundup of summer body oils for soft glowing skin, of course right after I did my testing Maison Margiela launched a Replica Beach Walk Dry Body Oil (thanks to one of my readers Lori for putting this on my radar!). I still really love my top picks as mentioned in my previous post, but Beach Walk is a summer beach vacation in a bottle. This one has a salty more beachy feel compared to the fragrance version. I think the two layered together makes for the ultimate summer combo. The Dry Oil feels silky smooth on the skin and is nicely hydrating. Also huge plus it comes with a spritzer! Notes include Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Coconut Milk, Heliotrope, Musk, Cedarwood, Benzoin. There’s also a Body Lotion and Shower Gel version too.
An everyday sunscreen – my go-to winning brand this summer is Supergoop! with a tie between the Sunscreen Mousse and Everyday Sunscreen. I carry both in my purse almost all the time (I alternate between the two and they both come in travel sizes). Both have SPF 50 and are easy to reapply. I find it impossible to stay out of the sun here in Florida and sun protection is a must. Both have been really good at preventing the burn and protecting skin. Review here and here if you want more info.
Summer fragrance – I’ll do a roundup of the best summer smells soon, Tory Burch just launched a new fragrance called Bel Azur and it’s just beautiful. It comes in a few sizes. It has a light fresh and sweet combination with a bright feel. Notes include Bergamot, Mandarin, Lemon, Neroli, Pink Peppercorn, Peony, Patchouli Heart, Vetiver Heart, Cedarwood Oil. I notice peony and neroli a lot in this one.
Lip moisturizer – I’m a lip balm junkie and I’ve been really loving the Clarins Lip Oils. They have a nice lush feel and are super easy to just swipe and go. They launched new shades this spring including two that will change color with your lip chemistry. In case you missed it, review and swatches in this post. There are 7 shades total now. They give the lips just a slight tint of color.
Bronzer – I’ll forever be loyal to Edward Bess’s Daydream as my holy grail, but this season I’ve also been loving the Becca Sunlit Bronzers and Guerlain Terracotta Ultra Shine Bronzer. For the Guerlain one I have to say Cafe Makeup made me do it. We both stopped by the Guerlain counter during our beauty trip in New York earlier this spring. It rained in the city the day we met up but it didn’t stop us from going all around town to scout out the best in beauty. The artists put this on her at Bergdorfs and it just made her skin glow in a naturally beautiful way! This one is really gorgeous.
Also not beauty-related, but to date the best summer sandal splurge I’ve made are the Tory Burch Miller flip flops. They are really quite expensive but 100% worth the splurge. I wear them everywhere and am a bit embarrassed to admit how many different colors I’ve bought by now but they’re really comfortable and they make wearing flip flops fashionable.
To celebrate summer beauty, I’m giving away 4 $100 eGift Cards to your choice of Nordstrom or Sephora. It’s open internationally but you must enter through the widget below and be 18 years or older. Full details listed in the Terms and Conditions:
Four separate people will be selected at random to win a $100 eGift Card to Nordstrom or Sephora
Giveaway runs from 7/2/2017 to 7/10/2017 11:45 PM EST
Open internationally
Must be 18 years or older
Enter by using at least 1 of the steps provided in the widget
Winners will be selected at random and e-mailed by 7/12/2017
You must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected
Winners will be announced on this widget in this post once selected
Aesop is one of those lines where you’ll try one thing, fall in love and feel like you want to switch everything in your body care routine to their brand. I’ve been a long time devoted fan of the Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser, Geranium Leaf Body Scrub and Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque and I’ve converted quite a few of my friends to these three. The line is unisex so it works for both men and women. I have a lot of girl friends who love their masks, and my husband and also brother use the body care line. If you’re new to the brand and don’t know where to start, they have some good travel sets that can work as a great introduction to the line. I’ve partnered with Spring, a relatively new online retailer, to share a closer look at my favorites and to also try some new items. They carry a wide variety of brands where you can shop multiple items from different stores and they’ll handle the shipping and fulfillment for you like a one-stop-shop. Occasionally they’ll have some pretty good promos and sales as well. The beauty selection is quite extensive – they have Aesop, Charlotte Tilbury, Fresh, SK-II, Tarte and much more.
First are my favorites from Aesop. The Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque ($45 for 2.4 oz/60 ml) is my all time favorite purifying mask. It comes in a squeeze tube and is an anti-oxidant clarifying mask for deep cleaning. For my sensitive skin this is the most gentle but effective mask I’ve tried to refresh the skin, draw out impurities and clean pores. You only need a very tiny layer to cover the face and let it dry for up to 15 minutes and then rinse. Skin is left feeling just the slightest bit firmer (not too tight or dry) and completely clean. Sometimes I’ll just use this as a spot mask on areas like my nose or where I feel like a pimple is surfacing. I usually find it dries within 10 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.
The best body scrub I’ve tried is the Geranium Leaf Body Scrub ($35 for 5.7 fl oz/170 ml) which has a blend of bamboo and pumice to stimulate the skin from scrubbing. It has just the right amount of grittiness to remove dead skin and give the body a good cleanse. The scent of this is really natural with a geranium citrus feel. When I use it I literally feel like it’s scrubbing off any stress or anxiety that I’ve had, and the worst days it helps reset my brain to a relaxed and calm state. For hot summer months it leaves the skin feeling refreshed and you feel like a brand new person. I use this 1x per week.
Aesop seriously has some of the best gift sets that I think would suit any type of person regardless of taste or style. I’ve never kept any of the ones I bought though as I’ve purchased them as gifts and they’ve always been well received. This round I decided to keep two for myself. One is The Constant Gatherer ($72) which has two body care staples, a full size Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser (16.9 fl oz/500ml) and Rind Concentrate Body Balm (4.1 oz/121ml). The body wash is a staple that I try to keep stocked at our home at all times. It’s a low lather shower gel that just smells like an earthy citrus like kind of spa. It leaves the skin feeling clean and soft without any film or residue.
This was my first time trying the Rind Concentrate Body Balm which has the most amazing citrus grapefruit like scent in a thick balm form. Given how thick it was I was pleasantly surprised to find it did dry down nicely and didn’t leave any greasy feel. I like it on the elbows and knees or at night. It leaves the skin feeling soft and well nourished.
The set comes in a large black felt-like zippered case. There’s a cardboard divider/separator inside to keep the tube in tact until you gift it which is nice. The full size body washes always come with a pump and this one is stored inside separately. The case is something I feel like anyone would get use out of for travel as well.
Next is the Boston Travel Essentials Set for Women and Men ($75 for 8 travel-sized minis). It comes in a black zippered case that’s a bit smaller in size compared to the Constant Gatherer version but just as still functional and perfect for travel.
I absolutely love this set and think it’s a pretty good deal for the price. Some items were new to me so I’ll add thoughts on what I liked and didn’t:
Classic Shampoo 50ml / 1.7 oz and Classic Conditioner 50ml / 1.7 oz – these are the only two items I’ve tried from Aesop that I wasn’t 100% in love with. They are both basic shampoos and conditioners. I’ve bought both before in the full sizes and used them up completely, but prefer something with a little more moisture. For me they are good just not great for my hair type. If you have normal to oily hair I do think these are worth trying out.
Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser 50ml / 1.7 oz – always love for this one!
Rind Concentrate Body Balm 50ml / 1.7 oz – notes on this above 🙂
Fabulous Face Cleanser 15 ml / 0.5 oz – I was particularly impressed with how clean my face felt after using this. It really took away all the excess grease and sweat from a hot day. I would definitely consider buying this in the full size.
B & Tea Balancing Toner 15 ml / 0.5 oz – Trying new toners always make me nervous because my skin is sensitive and balancing ones usually end up making my skin more oily. This one was perfect – it balanced the skin after cleansing to add a bit more moisture and freshen the skin. This is another one I will be buying in the full size.
Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream 15 ml / 0.5 oz – this cream comes in a tube in the set. It’s described as being for normal to dry skin and I was worried it would be too rich for me. With the Florida humidity but hard water my skin has become mixed. It gets oily with humidity and sweat, but the water dries it out, especially at night. I need something different for day vs night. This cream has the perfect amount of moisture without feeling thick – it’s just what I needed. Most creams that have more moisture are simply just too thick or emollient for my taste. This one has a nice dry down. I’m going to use the tube up entirely before splurging on the full size but first impressions are positive.
Mouthwash 50 ml / 1.7 oz – this is one of the most gentle mouthwashes I’ve tried. So many minty ones are really sharp and super minty. This one has a smooth taste and feel while still refreshing the mouth. It’s so different from anything I’ve tried – I’m a bit undecided on it although I do love that it’s gentle and doesn’t sting.
I really love the Boston Set and think it’s a great way to try a lot from the brand and also perfect for travel. If I could recommend just two things though, I would hands down still recommend the Geranium Body Scrub and Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque. I’ve lost count of how many tubes I’ve used up and repurchased and I love that my husband likes these too so we both get use out of them.
If you have any Aesop favorites let me know in the comments. Would love to hear if you’ve tried any of the other hair care products like the masks or any of the hand washes and if you think they’re worth the splurge. You can shop the post below – all items are from Spring.
Many thanks to Spring for partnering to sponsor this post.
By now the NARSissist Loaded Eyeshadow Palette ($59 for 12 x 0.04 oz/ 1.4 g, made in USA) is old news but with this one I say better late than never. It’s a limited-edition eyeshadow palette that launched in the spring back in March. My first thoughts were that the colors would be too warm and dark for my taste – but every single time I went to Sephora (which was quite often) I couldn’t help but give it another look. This went on for months and I finally decided to cave and buy it. Overall it’s one of the darkest and warmest palettes I own but the pigment and texture is by far the best one I’ve tried in a long time, definitely one of the best from NARS.
The palette has a mix of mattes and shimmers. The mattes are incredibly soft and smooth. To date the best matte palettes I own are the Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics (both swatched here). The mattes in this palette are just as good but with warmer colors. Colors have a really good mix of light, medium and dark. The entire second row has colors I thought would be too warm for me but since I’m tan right now I find they work perfectly, especially when layered with the other shades in the palette.
Pigment is excellent for all the colors, except one. Montaillou (bottom brown matte) is the only one that goes on chalky with a regular eyeshadow brush. For me this one is best applied with a detail brush as a smokey line.
It comes in a sturdy mirrored compact with a gold mirrored lid on top (looks just like the packaging). The only complaint I have is that these lids show all the fingerprints, but it’s not a deal breaker and the packaging is actually really quite nice.
Colors and swatches:
Newbury Street is a pale white gold shimmer
Windsor is a matte cream, it’s perfect to even out my lids
Bottom line love and I’m glad I bought it. It’s one of the best warm smokey palettes I’ve tried and one that will definitely be wearable year round. At $59 I feel it’s reasonably priced for a luxury palette. 100% worth the splurge and one I find every color one I would wear (even the warm ones!).
Have you tried this one yet? What’s your favorite warm smokey eyeshadow palette to date?
P.S. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is approaching and the catalog has been released! A sneak peek at some of the Beauty Exclusives on this page here. There will be a really cute NARS mini multiple set! Will be updating as I find out more information.
Becca Cosmetics launched a collection of shimmery colors for eyes, lips and cheeks with their Light Chaser Highlighters ($34 each for 6.5 g/0.23 oz) and Liquid Crystal Glow Glosses ($22 for 5 g/0.17 oz). There are six shades total for each formula and each color has a shifting quality with a duo-chrome finish. The quality of the powders, blendability, pigment and colors are all very good. In terms of color, these seem to be among the most trendy that I’ve seen and although I’m a die hard fan of glowy highlighters I found most of these a bit too trendy for my personal taste. That being said these are designed to be versatile to wear alone or layer on top of other makeup to take your look to a new level of glow so whether or not these are up your alley will depend mainly on your preference for colors.
Light Chaser Highlighters are multi-dimensional kaleidoscopic powder highlighters that come in a smaller compact. These are highly reflective with a duo-chrome sheen. Some have a stronger duo-chrome sheen than others. For me these are definitely best when layered with other regular blushes or bronzers. You can also wear these on the eyes for a pretty sheen. The texture is very smooth and easy to blend. Out of all the shades, there were really only 2 that I feel comfortable wearing.
Pearl x Gold is a yellow shimmer with a gold flash
Rose Quartz x Seashell is a pale pink with iridescent sheen
Opal x Jade is a pearl base with a light greenish-teal flash of shimmer
Amethyst x Geode is a cool pink lavender that flashes a violet sheen
Topaz x Gilt is a bronze olive base with a green flash
Champagne Dream x Bellini is a soft peachy opal shimmer
I think it’s pretty predictable which two I could wear: Rose Quartz x Seashell and Champagne Dream x Bellini. I don’t wear yellow or olive well as I already have a lot of yellow and olive in my skin. So when I layer olive on top of olive, it tends to make me look sallow. I also can’t wear things that flash blue or cool-toned very easily, it often has a sharp contrast that I feel doesn’t meld well with my olive skin. All that being said the colors are beautiful in the pans and texture/quality of the powders are really good. If these flashed warmer colors I think I would be able to wear them more easily.
Liquid Crystal Glow Glosses come in colors that are coordinated with the Light Chaser Highlighters. They are extremely sparkly and glowy but have a smooth cushion-like finish. They are on the thick side but don’t feel sticky and are scented with a sweet coconut vanilla tropical scent that I’d normally associate with a body oil. The good thing is the scent fades after a few minutes and there’s no taste. The sparkles in these are intense. I love shimmer but these are very glitzy. If you layer them on top of a lipstick or pencil the shimmers aren’t quite as dramatic. They have a transparent base so your natural lip color will show through. Lasting power is average for a gloss. They stayed put for a few hours until I had a snack and coffee.
Colors shown left to right:
Pearl x Gold is a white pearl with pale gold flecks of shimmer
Rose Quartz x Seashell is a pale pink with cool-toned opal shimmer
Opal x Jade is a lavender mauve with teal shimmer
Amethyst is a lavender with violet aqua shimmer
Topaz x Gilt is a mauve with blue shimmer
Champagne Dream x Bellini is a peach with opal flecks
On the lips they photograph well but the lip swatches I photographed didn’t really resemble what they looked like in real life so for this post I’m only posting the arm swatches. With the reflective pearl and semi transparent base my natural lip color showed through and didn’t really capture what the colors looked like. In real life they are what you see in the tube: lots of sparkle, crystal and glitz. A couple beauty looks below will show you what I mean about the photographs – it looks just like a shiny gloss as my natural lip color shows through.
Foundation worn is MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC37. Left photo has Light Chaser Highlighter in Champagne Dream x Bellini on the cheeks and the same shade of gloss on the lips. You can’t really see the sparkle in photographs because they catch the light nicely and the transparent base makes my natural lip color show through. In real life it’s very glittery and glitzy.
On the right I’m wearing the Sunlit Bronzer in Bronzed Bondi (reviewed here) mixed with the Light Chaser Highlighter in Rose Quartz x Seashell and corresponding gloss on bare lips.
One last look:
Bottom line the products are exactly as described. I’d call these next level shimmers with their kaleidoscope finish and to me they’re very trendy. As a conservative makeup wearer I favor the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Palette by far. It’s one I reach for frequently this season. My two favorites are the Champagne Dream x Bellini and Rose Quartz x Seashell. Quality-wise the powders are excellent. Pigment is medium and easy to either sheer out or layer for more intense color. I’ve never been a fan of light duo-chrome colors as the shimmer tends to look harsh on my skin and since four of the six options fall into the yellow or blueish sheen category which don’t work for my skin tone, I find the colors aren’t ones I’d wear on a regular basis. To sum it up, these are pretty good, but the colors are just not my style. That being said, I may be in the minority – the reviews on Sephora are overwhelmingly positive.
You can find the Becca Light Chaser collection exclusively at Sephora, in stores and online and online at Becca Cosmetics. They are all limited-edition. Have you tried these yet? What did you think?
Many thanks to Becca for sending these for review.
Lately I’ve been obsessed with body oils for the lightweight dry down but moisturizing feel. My long-time favorites were from Nuxe, Caudalie and Moroccanoil. They’re lightly scented but not so heavy that they will interfere with my perfumes. Unfortunately Nuxe is no longer carried in the US and with the warm weather and beautiful beaches here I’ve been on the hunt for other options including wearable shimmers. There are a number of amazing body oils out there but the main requirement I have is that it comes with a pump or spritzer (of course I have made exceptions). To this day I don’t understand why companies make oils with open tops where liquid just pours out everywhere. It’s hard to control how much you apply, not to mention gets so messy. Product oozes down the sides of the jars and it really just seems so wasteful and inconvenient. Scent-wise I prefer ones that aren’t too floral, sweet or strong as they tend to interfere with the perfume of the day.
Up first are my favorites which are the clear options. As you’ll see below I’ve already made two exceptions for my packaging and scent requirements.
From left to right:
NARS Monoi Body Glow II ($59 for 2.5 fl oz/75 ml) is the best summer time oil because it smells like a vacation in a bottle. If this had a spritzer pump it would be perfect. It has Monoi de Tahiti oil with a tiare flower inside. It smells tropical and the scent lingers for quite a long time. The packaging is the only downside but it smells so good I’ve made an exception. It’s one I’ve used up quite a few times.
Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil ($48 for 3.4 fl oz/100 ml) is another favorite and it comes with a spritzer! This has the classic Moroccanoil scent with argan, olive and avocado oils. It’s a dry oil and has a nice dry down after a few minutes. This one has a very raw earthy vibe to it. I like that this one doesn’t have a greasy feel.
Ouai Rose Hair and Body Oil ($32 for 3 fl oz/98.8 ml) is the most fluid lightweight option I’ve tried. The full size is 3 fl oz, but it also comes in a mini 0.85 fl oz version in a set called The Morning After Kit. It has a very soft rose scent but it fades nicely after a few minutes. This one has a nice dry down and won’t interfere with perfume. It leaves the skin feeling very soft without any heavy feel.
Darphin The Revitalizing Oil ($ for 1.7 fl oz/50 ml) is one of the heavier body oils I’ve tried. It’s better suited for normal to dry skin or if you want a dewy finish on the skin. It has a very relaxing almost citrus scent to it, it’s not overpowering but definitely noticeable. I like this at night time if my skin feels dry, during the day in the humidity of Florida, this one can feel a bit heavy if I apply it all over. Also because it’s ultra nourishing it doesn’t really have a dry down which isn’t a bad thing – but if you need a lightweight one this may be too rich.
Next up are the shimmers. When it comes to tinted or shimmer options, I really prefer something that won’t stain white clothes so in this case I’ve tried to avoid any bronzer oils. For shimmer I also look for something that has a smooth non-gritty finish. These days I don’t mind extra sparkle but for the most part, I prefer a shimmer that is more subtle and barely there.
Shown above from left to right:
Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil ($98 for 3.4 fl oz/100 ml) this is one I bought when it first launched a year ago and I hated it. Mine was gritty and the shimmer was something I could feel. I gave it another try at my local store this year and it seems the formula has been changed to a completely smooth texture-free finish. I adore the Soleil Blanc perfume so I don’t mind the scented body oil version. This is the most sparkly one I can wear on a daily basis and not feel like it’s too much. The sparkles are noticeable though so if you work in a very conservative environment you may want to stick to the perfume or try the regular body oil version. This one has a super hydrating feel and finish. It has a light moisturizing feel without being greasy but on me it doesn’t dry down 100%.
La Mer Glowing Body Oil ($100 for 3.4 fl oz) is one that is nearly impossible to find. It sold out almost instantly and by the time I decided to splurge it was gone. I found it online when it popped back in stock at Nordstrom. It’s since restocked a few places but sold out again. This is one of the most beautiful body oils with a pretty subtle gold shimmer suspended. It has a very lightweight La Mer scent to it which I adore because the hand cream and body cream are too strong for me. The shimmer finish is very very subtle though – if you need the sparkle, opt for the Tom Ford Soleil Blanc instead even though the scent will be different. The La Mer Oil leaves the skin looking very soft and glowy.
African Botanics Marula Shimmering Gold Oil ($105 for 100 ml) is the best smelling oil I’ve tried that isn’t a perfumed/fragranced one. It’s infused with Marula Oil, Baobab Oil, Moringa Oil, Meadowfoam Oil, Kalahari Melon Seed, Neroli Oil, Gardenia and Magnolia. This one is my husband’s favorite. I walked by him after testing this one and he smelled it instantly and said it smelled amazing. It has a rich finish so doesn’t dry down like a dry oil. The gold shimmer is very subtle and almost disappears on the skin to leave a very fine shimmer.
French Girl Organics is an organic beauty line and the Lumiere Bronzing Oil and Lumiere Moonlight Oil caught my eye. Both have a super fluid texture. These come with dropper applicators and contain sunglower oil, argan oil, coconut oil and meadowfoam oil. The shimmer settles to the bottom so you shake up the bottles to mix it. They both have a very natural scent to them – one of the most natural I’ve ever tried. The pigments and shimmer are so subtle I cannot see anything on the skin, but legs and arms have a luminous glow which I think are mainly from the oil rather than the shimmer. Moonlight is scented with jasmin and neroli but smells identical to the bronzing one. They’re very hydrating and soothing. These are a bit hard to find right now. I ordered them direct from their website as they were sold out everywhere else I looked. You can find the bronze one at Beautyhabit still.
Darphin Soleil Plaisir Sultry Bronzing Oil ($55 for 1.7 fl oz/50 ml) is another beautiful shimmering body oil. I believe this one is new for summer. I picked this up at Bluemercury and fell in love at first swatch. It’s one of the softest white floral oils I’ve tried which is just so pretty. It’s not too strong or powdery like some white florals can get. It has a very hydrating feel like the Revitalizing option but isn’t sticky or greasy. It leaves a smooth veil of moisture on the skin and keeps it hydrated for hours after application. The shimmer is very subtle with a golden copper color so if you’re medium to tan or deep it doesn’t look like traditional gold shimmers.
For Bluemercury, with any $150 purchase and code TRAVEL you get a bag filled with minis
Swatches – note that these blend into the skin to disappear almost completely. The shimmers are very fine – on my medium tan skin, only the Tom Ford really stood out for the sparkles.
A few notes on formulas I tested in store but did not buy:
Bobbi Brown Beach is another amazing scented option. It smells just like a beachy scent would I found this option too strong for me as I really do like my perfumes. This one you could just wear on its own and smell great. It also does not have a spritzer which was a deal breaker for me.
Caudalie Divine Oil is still one I really like, I have a mini but just don’t reach for it as often as I used to.
Clarins has a number of great body oils all in the pour container. These had a more herbal scent to me. I tested all three at the counter and fell in love with the Contour Body Treatment Oil. If this had a different dispenser I would have bought it. However since I had already bought quite a few other formulas decided to pass.
Herbivore Botanicals Jasmine Body Oil was on my radar as I love the line – they have great body products. I was glad I tried this before jumping to splurge. If you love jasmine then you will love this. Since I prefer non-florals for oils I found this one too floral and passed.
L’Occitane Shea Fabulous Oil had all the things I wanted in an oil. It has great packaging and it smells great. I’ve tried this on numerous occasions though and it’s one that is just too heavy for my skin type. I suspect it would be amazing for me during the winter months or for those with dry skin. For me it was too rich and heavy feeling. If they come out with a lighter version I would definitely try it again.
In summary, thoughts and favorites:
My best body oil for summer for lightweight finish is the Ouai Rose Hair and Body Oil
Favorite shimmer options are the Tom Ford Soleil Blanc or Darphin Soleil Plaisir
Best smelling body oils are the NARS Monoi Body Glow, Tom Ford Soleil Blanc and African Botanics
Most hydrating and moisturizing oil is the Darphin Revitalizing Oil
Most natural smelling and naturally glowy oils are the ones from French Girl Organics
If I could only wear one for the rest of the summer, it would be Tom Ford Soleil Blanc
Many of these oils are multi-purpose so you can use a lot of these on the face and hair. I tend to keep things separate, so for the face I really prefer oils designed just for the face and same for the hair. Out of all the ones I tested I found each one left my skin feeling soft and well hydrated, some were just heavier than others in the dry down or finish. If you have any favorites or thoughts please leave them in the comments. I’d love to hear what your favorite body oils for summer are!
