As a beauty editor, I have a confession: I’m rather lazy with my body care routine. While I have my skincare routine down to a T, I often hate the feeling of a sticky body lotion or body cream and waiting for it to absorb. But, my skin still craves moisture, which is why you’ll always find a shower oil perched in my shower.
Shower oils don’t just cleanse your skin, but because of their rich textures and ingredient lists of nourishing oils, you also get the addition of hydration. While some body washes can leave your skin feeling stripped, shower oils help to lock in moisture as you shower. More often than not, I find I can forgo any body moisturiser afterwards, which streamlines my routine and means I can get dressed straight away. Plus, like body oils, shower oils have a more luxurious texture than standard shower gels, and it’s an easy swap to transform your standard morning or evening shower into a spa-like experience. And who doesn’t want that?
Ahead, I’ve rounded up the best shower oils, as loved by me and the Who What Wear UK beauty team.
Best Shower Oils
1. L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil
L’Occitane
Almond Shower Oil
This is, hands down, the best shower oil of all time. It brings immeasurable amounts of joy to my shower routine. Why? Firstly, the scent is delectable, with warm almond and a swirl of subtle vanilla that makes it both nutty and sweet. You’ll almost want to eat it. Secondly, the texture is unparalleled. The silky oil transforms into a milky lather on contact with water, gently cleansing the skin while leaving it feeling soft and supple when you step out of the shower. It contains sweet almond oil, which brings the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids, squalene and vitamin E that work in tandem to leave your skin feeling nourished from top to toe. Just trust me and buy a bottle, you won’t regret it.
Editor review: “As someone who has naturally oily skin, I’m not much of a shower oil person. Although, it’s important for me to say that I do adore the sensorial aspect of using a great-smelling shower oil,” says Who What Wear UK beauty director, Shannon Lawlor. “Personally, I prefer shower gels that work up into a creamy lather—the sort that still leaves skin feeling clean, but also beautifully nourished. As a body care aficionado, I have tried my fair share of shower oils over the years and nothing compares to L’Occitane’s Almond Shower Oil. It smells beautifully creamy and luxurious, and as soon as it entwines with water, it develops into a nourishing milk that leaves limbs feeling silky-soft. It is, without question, my desert-island body product.”
2. Naturium The Glow Getter Multi Oil Hydrating Body Wash
Naturium
The Glow Getter Multi Oil Hydrating Body Wash
I’ve not yet met a Naturium product that I don’t love, but this is by far my favourite and is fully deserving of the TikTok hype it receives. This beautiful shower oil contains jojoba and rosehip oils that cosset the skin with hydration every time you shower. The oil has a silky slip on the skin, which gradually transforms into a gel with a gentle lather on contact with the skin that leaves you feeling cleansed, but also replenished with moisture. IMO, the huge 500ml bottle is really good value for the luxurious formula—it’s better than some of the luxury shower oils I’ve tried—and it lasts for ages. I can quite literally see my limbs glowing after using it.
3. Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Shower Oil
Aromatherapy Associates
De-Stress Shower Oil
Aromatherapy Associates’s cult bath oils have long been my go-to for de-stressing after a long day, so when it launched its range of Shower Oils, I quickly became obsessed. When you’re feeling stressed, run-down, or just want to set the tone for a good night’s sleep, this de-stressing shower oil resets both body and mind back to factory settings. It harnesses the power of aromatherapy with frankincense, petitgrain, and chamomile to help your mind and body unwind. The silky oil transforms into a milky texture that engages your senses, making you feel as though you’ve just had a spa treatment. It’s on the spenny side, so I tend to save it for the most trying of days but it never fails to make me feel better so IMO, it’s worth every penny.
4. Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil
Bioderma
Atoderm Shower Oil
Bioderma is a French pharmacy staple, and this particular shower oil is great for those with sensitive, dry or tight-feeling skin. It’s completely fragrance-free, feels almost medicinal in its soothing simplicity, and leaves my skin comforted in a way few other products manage. It doesn’t foam up wildly or offer any spa-like scent, but if my skin is experiencing an eczema flare, this is one of the few shower oils I trust to help my skin feel more comfortable, while still feeling a little more special than medicated shower products.
Editor review: “I love this shower oil from Bioderma. I have very sensitive, dry skin and it practically laps this product up,” says junior beauty editor, Grace Lindsay. “Designed with itchy, eczema-prone skin in mind, it is packed with niacinamide and glycerin to soothe and hydrate. It never feels greasy, but always leaves my skin feeling intensely nourished. No, it’s not the most luxurious product and it doesn’t come with a spa-like scent, but it’s affordable and effective, and I will continue to repurchase it again and again.”
5. Glossier Daily Oil Wash
I mean, who wouldn’t want this chic shower oil perched in their shower? Glossier has somehow bottled the Sunday reset vibe with its shower oils, which come in two different scents: Orange Blossom Neroli and Sandstone. I love both of the fragrances, but for me, the latter feels more spa-like in its scent, with aromatic notes of clary sage, fig leaf, coconut milk and grounding sandalwood that transport you to a remote forest spa. The oil texture emulsifies into a light milk as you massage it into your skin, so it feels indulgent while effectively cleansing, too.
6. Sanctuary Spa Ultra Rich Shower Oil
SANCTUARY Spa
Ultra Rich Shower Oil
If you want something that feels a little more luxurious than your typical drugstore body wash, but without making your bank account cry, Sanctuary Spa has got you covered. Sanctuary Spa has always nailed affordable pampering, and this shower oil is no exception. The honey-toned oil is like cashmere in liquid form—and gives you that cocooning scent the brand is so well known for. The formula is so nourishing, I often find I can skin body lotion afterwards. If you want that at-home spa feeling without dropping Diptyque money, this is the one to try.
7. Nuxe Prodigieux Scented Shower Oil
Nuxe
Prodigieux Scented Shower Oil
Anyone who knows me knows I swear by any- and everything by Nuxe. Its shower oil scented with the same notes as the cult Huile Prodigieuse body oil—think sun-warmed florals and a whisper of vanilla—and instantly transports me to the French Riviera every time I use it. It’s sensory, holiday-in-a-shower escapism. But what makes it even more special is that the creamy oil texture has tiny flecks of shimmer, which leave a subtle glow on the skin, too.
8. La Roche-Posay Lipikar Cleansing Oil AP+
La Roche Posay
Lipikar Cleansing Oil AP+
As a beauty editor with eczema, I swear by La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar range, which has been created dry and sensitive skin, and is also suitable for eczema-prone skin or those undergoing cancer treatment. It’s dermatologist-approved, beloved by sensitive skin types, and yet doesn’t feel clinical to use. The oil leans more towards a gel, but my skin always feels calm, comfortable and balanced afterwards. I recommend this constantly to friends with eczema-prone skin, or those who find their skin is feeling dry or tight after bathing.
9. Diptyque Do Son Scented Shower Oil
Diptyque Paris
Do Son Scented Shower Oil
A sensory experience from start to finish. The scent—tuberose, orange blossom and jasmine—is pure indulgence, and it’s one of my favourite Diptyque perfume scents. It lingers just enough on the skin, almost like a primer for the matching fragrance. The texture is exquisite too: more lightweight than some oils, with a balmy slip that feels very French and impossibly chic. It’s not an everyday purchase, but it makes a shower routine feel decadent.
10. Sol De Janeiro Delícia Drench Shower Oil
Sol De Janeiro
Delícia Drench Shower Oil
If you’re a fan of Sol De Janeiro’s perfume mists, then you have to try this. It’s the same scent as the Cheriosa 59 fragrance—bold, gourmand, hypnotic and utterly addictive—like caramelised praline meets a Brazilian sundown cocktail. The oil itself is nourishing and leaves a soft sweetness on my skin hours later. Pair it with your perfume, and you’ll soon have compliments rolling in.
11. Wildsmith Stillness Shower Oil
Wildsmith
Stillness Shower Oil
I’ve been lucky enough to experience a Wildsmith massage, and one of the elements that makes it so sensorial is the heavenly scents of it’s products. If you want to recreate a spa-level experience in your bathroom at home, then you won’t go wrong with the Stillness Shower Oil. As the name suggests, it helps to create a moment of calm and aid relaxation for the best night’s sleep. It smells botanical, with a forest-y freshness that really does bring a sense of stillness. The oil feels lightweight but hydrating, and the whole ritual of massaging it in and letting the scent linger feels like a wellbeing treatment rather than just a cleanse.
How We Tested
As a beauty editor, I’ve tried hundreds of shower oils over the years, but there are only a handful that I re-purchase myself. I rated them on the scent, the texture and how they left my skin feeling post-shower. I also asked the rest of the Who What Wear UK beauty team to share their tried-and-trusted shower oils that they keep in their bathrooms too.
Why Trust us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
