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When I say I want a summer glow, I want that glow to extend head to toe. I mean, I’m showing more skin during these warmer months, and I want all of it to look healthy. Can you blame me?

Achieving that dewy, effortless sheen is much easier to master on the face, thanks to the help of makeup. There are countless plumping serums, shimmering highlighters, glossy oils, and dew-inducing foundations that can help your skin pop in that summer sun. 

But for the body, I personally think it’s a bit trickier. Sure, body glosses that were so popular during the aughts are making a comeback, but as a 30-something woman, I have little interest in those.

Shimmer sprays are quite popular, too, but again—those feel like a dated relic of my youth. And there are even full body foundations (often used by celebrities for photoshoots and red carpets), but those are deeply impractical for everyday life. 

I simply want something that will give my body a soft, subtle glow—sans goopy mess or stickiness. Is that too much to ask for in this day and age? 

Thank goodness, no, it’s not. Just look for a dry body oil. In fact, mindbodygreen’s dry body oil imparts the perfect filter-like glow without overloading the greasy residue. And a not-so-small bonus: The high-quality formula conditions the skin, protects it from free radicals and infuses the epidermis with skin-supporting nutrients. 

All in all, this is a quintessential summer skin care product. 

What to look for in a dry body oil

A dry body oil is simply an oil that has a faster dry-down time, which will help the skin feel “dry” post-application. Like many things in beauty, it’s really just a marketing term—and doesn’t have any defined parameters about how it might be classified. However, you’ll often hear them described as “non-greasy” or “lightweight.” 

As for the formulas of dry body oils, it tends to be higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely linoleic acid1, an essential fatty acid that goes by omega-6.

Just look for the following ingredients, which are some of the most popular options on the market: 

In mindbodygreen’s dry body oil, we utilize sunflower seed oil, organic safflower seed oil, squalene, prickly pear seed oil, and vitamin E. The sunflower and safflower oil give the oil that signature silky, effortless quality.

What our testers & reviewers say

Mindbodygreen’s dry body oil has won over many fans, including our own commerce editor Braeyln Wood, who is a former “self-proclaimed body oil hater.” After testing the oil for several weeks, she recanted: “A phenomenal body oil does exist,” and that “It has a thin, lightweight texture that’s silky rather than greasy.” She also wrote that “even though I once considered body oil a waste of money, I fully intend to stock up on this natural formula.”

She’s not the only fan. Editor Jamie Schneider also noted she’s a fan of the formula, writing, “this has become my ride-or-die moisturizer, one that I genuinely enjoy rubbing into my skin” and “not only does it feed my skin barrier with important fatty acids and antioxidants, but it glides like an absolute dream.”

And board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr, M.D. once raved about the product: “I am so impressed by how ‘not oily’ it is and how quickly it absorbs without leaving a wet, sticky, or tacky film on the skin.”

Users have also let us know they’re fans—in fact, 97% say they’d recommend it to a friend. “This oil is definitely the best I’ve found as far as toeing that fine line between keeping my skin dewey without being oily or greasy,” wrote one reviewer. And another loved how it applied post shower: “It’s amazing. I put it on after a shower and it vanishes into my dry skin with no mess.”

The verdict: A summer staple 

A dry, lightweight body oil is the secret to summer skin—and a staple for any body care routine.

My personal go-to is the mindbodygreen dry body oil, of which I’ve knocked back four bottles at this point, but you can also look for options that have shimmering and bronzing elements if that’s more your thing.

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