For some people, sleeping in makeup is the ultimate beauty sin. For me? It’s walking out of the house without moisturizing my melanated skin. For as long as I can remember, my mom would slather Vaseline all over my body first thing in the morning, and I’m happy to say that ritual stuck. To this day, skipping moisturizer isn’t an option, because I refuse to deal with dry, itchy, ashy-looking skin.
Since I’ve been loyal to Vaseline for years, my expectations for creams and lotions are high. I need that deep moisture that comes from petroleum jelly, and I enjoy walking around with glazed doughnut-looking skin. So when the brand launched its first shimmer body gel oil, I had to get my hands on it.
The Easy Application Process
As a beauty editor who has tested plenty of body oils, I don’t say this lightly: This formula holds its own. The texture is thick but not runny, and it glides easily across my skin. You do need to take time to massage it in—it’s a thick, rich cream, not a quick-dry lotion—but the payoff is immediate. My skin drinks it up. It looks moisturized, smooth, and glowy. The finish gives me that “just got back from a Caribbean vacay” glow without being too shimmery.
For a clean application, I like to squeeze a generous amount onto a tanning mitt and buff it into my skin until it’s fully absorbed. You can also use your hands (or a Kabuki brush), but I prefer keeping my fingers clean since I usually jump straight into my makeup routine after applying body care. It’s also layerable. One coat gives a subtle sheen; a second adds more warmth and bronziness.
Shauna Beni-Haynes for Cosmopolitan
The Rich Formula
The hybrid gel oil formula is made with hydrating lipids and 100% pure cocoa butter, which makes it feel more nourishing than the average body gel. It’s also filled with a bronze shimmer that gives the skin a subtle glow with tiny, sparkly flecks, and it feels lightweight once it sets. The delicious scent is another win. It has a warm, cozy vanilla fragrance, with toasted cocoa butter notes. There is one flag, though: The formula is not completely transfer-proof, especially if you apply a lot of product. I like to give it a few minutes to dry down before I start getting dressed.
My Final, Glowing Thoughts
It’s 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. With most lotions, I find myself re-applying throughout the day. With this gel oil, one quick application in the morning (post-shower, on damp skin) lasts all day. After eight hours at work, my skin still looks glowy and hydrated, and I can still see the soft shimmery flecks.
Shauna Beni-Haynes for Cosmopolitan
Shauna Beni-Haynes for Cosmopolitan
If you want that bronzy goddess glow without booking a flight, this is it. This body gel oil has replaced most of my body butters and creams. It leaves my skin feeling soft and smelling incredible. The only thing I’d change? The size of the bottle, because at this rate, I’m about to be on restock number three.
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Shauna Beni-Haynes is a senior commerce editor at Cosmopolitan with more than six years of experience researching, testing, writing, and editing beauty stories.
Shauna Beni-Haynes is the Senior Commerce Editor on Hearst Magazines’ central commerce editorial team, where she curates and edits shopping content across the company’s publications. Before joining Hearst, she spent six years as an editor specializing in product testing, digital feature writing, and top editing, with a focus on beauty and fashion coverage. Her work has appeared in Byrdie, Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, Prevention, and Condé Nast Traveler. Shauna is a graduate of the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and is passionate about multimedia storytelling in the beauty and fashion space. Explore her latest work at shaunabenihaynes.com.
