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In case the butterfly clips, belly-button-baring jeans, and new Britney Spears music didn’t clue you in, the 2000s are back, baby. The past year has seen a slew of early aughts trends—like over-glossed lips, smudgy eyeliner, and French manis—re-capturing their cool factor, and really, it was only a matter of time before body glitter followed in their footsteps. But don’t get nostalgic just yet: This new crop of light-catching oils is nothing like the sparkly, birthday cake-scented concoctions you used to douse yourself with in middle school. They’ve got a luxury twist, and are so much better.
It’s worth mentioning that high-end body glitter isn’t exactly a new concept. Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil—a glitzed-up version of the brand’s Soleil Blanc fragrance—has been kicking around since 2016, and the last few years have seen launches from Fenty, Anastasia Beverly Hills, and Patrick Ta, among (many) others. What makes the 2022 version of this trend so exciting, though, is that it’s got some seriously swanky players who are redefining body glitter’s potential.
This holiday season, a smattering of beauty’s highest-end brands have repurposed their most iconic (and expensive) scents into body glitters that cost a fraction of the price. Maison Francis Kurkdjian launched a 24-karat-gold-infused body oil version of its TikTok-famous Baccarat Rouge 540; Chanel released No. 5 and Mademoiselle-scented sparkling body products; and Tom Ford added a third formulation to its Shimmering Body Oil Line.
Considering each of these body glitters retails for significantly less than the perfumes they were inspired by—a 6.8-ounce bottle of Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum costs $625; the same-sized bottle of Baccarat Rouge 540 Shimmering Body Oil goes for $195—they’ve created a new way for high-end brands to compete in the “affordable luxury” space. Shoppers may not be as quick to spend on a $10,000 Chanel Classic Flap, but a $100 Chanel gold oil? Yes, please.
This idea of beauty products as affordable luxuries emerged in 2001, when Estée Lauder Chairman Leonard Lauder coined the term “lipstick index” to describe the phenomenon of lipstick sales increasing as the economy worsened. In 2022, it’s taken on a new form. A July report from The NPD Group, a data analytics and trend-forecasting firm, called out the birth of “The Beauty Index,” noting that despite an impending recession, consumers are treating themselves to “indulgent” products across every industry category.
Body glitters, especially those crafted from luxury perfumes, are ripe for indulging. They offer an immediate multi-sensory payoff—they smell amazing and make your skin sparkle like a Cullen (in the best possible way)—and offer a fun, easy form of self-care in vanity-worthy bottles. This recipe of nostalgia, affordable luxury, and instant gratification has planted the seeds for this nascent trend to take off, and in the coming months, we’ll very likely see it trickle down beyond these pricey, top-tier labels.
So if you’re feeling some winter blues or recession woes, but you’ve got $100-ish set aside to pamper yourself, go ahead and opt-in for a nice little nostalgic glow to help get you through. Pair it with some butterfly clips and a Kate Hudson romcom marathon for an added mood boost.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Shimmering Body Oil — $195.00
If you’ve been dying to get your hands on Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 but don’t have $600+ to spend for the sake of the cause, consider this your lucky day. For $195 (which, let’s be clear, is still expensive—just not as expensive), you’ll be able to slather your skin with the brand’s signature “amber-floral” scent that combines notes of saffron, jasmine, amber wood, ambergis, fir resin, and cedar. And if the scent alone isn’t enough to get you to “add to cart,” know that this formula is infused with pure gold and will give you a lit-from-within glow all over.
Chanel N°5 The Gold Body Oil — $100.00
It feels like Chanel should be charging more for a sparkly version of its legendary Chanel No. 5 fragrance, but somehow, this stuff is $46 cheaper than a full-sized bottle of perfume. It’s got the same rose and jasmine scent we all know, and gets its glimmer from mica (which is a whole lot more environmentally friendly than the microplastic glitters of yore). As one happy customer put it in their review, “This oil looks sooooo good on the skin and smells AMAZING.” Sign. Us. Up.
Tom Ford Soleil Neige Shimmering Body Oil — $100.00
Tom Ford paved the way for luxury body glitter, and the brand’s latest launch is the wintery counterpart to its summer-inspired Soleil Blanc shades. Everything about the “escapist” oil—from its floral-citrus scent to its subtle sparkle that mimics the look of sun on snow—is meant to mentally transport you to a winter wonderland. If you’ve got no time for a ski vacation, consider this the next best thing.
Acqua di Parma Magnolia Nobile Shimmering Oil — $95.00
Imagine the intoxicating scent of magnolia, souped-up to its fullest expression with the help of bergamot, lemon, patchouli, and citron. That’s what you’ll get in every bottle of Magnolia Nobile, including this gold-flecked oil.
Carolina Herrera Good Girl Leg Elixir Oil — $50.00
The body oil version of Carolina Herrera’s Good Girl may not come in the same stiletto-shaped bottle as the perfume, but don’t let that fool you—on the inside, it’s just as fabulous. Scented with jasmine and cocoa, it’s designed to “wrap legs in shimmering light” (which is the very lovely way the brand describes it) and nourish them in the process.
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Pearly Body Gel — $100.00
Yes—there are two Chanel body glitters you can add to your collection (or to someone else’s gifting pile) this holiday season. Unlike the rest of the picks on this list, this one is a gel instead of an oil, and gives skin a pearlescent sheen instead of any hardcore sparkle. In terms of scent, it’s got all of Mademoiselle’s classic notes, including jasmine, rose, patchouli, vetiver, and white musk.
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