Nothing gets me more excited for summer than a great body product. The minute the sun starts shining, the first thing I do is dust off my go-to body beauty products from summers past and slather myself in them top to toe. If you ask me, you really can’t beat the feeling of prepping your body ready for a day of sun-drenched fun.
You see, while a good summer body routine leaves skin silky smooth and glowing (which in itself is sure to make you feel good), the act of actually using summery-scented products comes with its own level of joy entirely. From sun cream and sunshine to tropical cocktails and zesty fruits, when the scents of summer come all wrapped up in the form of super nourishing, skin-loving beauty products, it’s like all of the great feelings that come hand-in-hand with summer are unleashed with every single use.
And do you know what? As a beauty editor that is supposed to have a passion for all things geeky and scientific, there’s a really big part of me that just wants whatever body care product I use to smell really great. As far as I’m concerned, if it does what it claims to do, what’s the harm in it smelling wonderful while it works? So if, like me, you like your body routine to come with a little bit of summer joy, keep scrolling for the summer-appropriate body care products that smell just as amazing as they feel.
Chances are, you’re already familiar with Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (£44) which has become one of the most well-loved body products of the century, thanks in part to its incredible smell. However, if you’re not big on thick, rich body creams, this body wash gives you all of the creamy, beachy, tropical-scented joy of Bum Bum without the grease (and cost). This is one of those products that is so good, I try not to use it very often because I want to savour every last drop without fear of it running out.
If you like your morning shower to pack a zesty punch, may I please turn your attention to this shower gel. With grapefruit, lemon and neroli, a couple of pumps of this stuff makes for the most invigorating start to the day.
This is without a doubt one of the chicest summer scents to have ever been created. Unlike Byredo’s obvious summer choice, Sundazed (which smells like sherbet lemons and sun cream), Mojave Ghost is musky and woody and is exactly how one might expect a sun-drenched desert to smell. And while I do love the perfume itself, using the shower gel on summer evenings means the scent lingers all night long.
We’ve already touched on Sol de Janeiro a little, but it really is my go-to brand for body products come summer. Unlike its more well-known Bum Bum Cream, this coconut-y moisturiser doesn’t contain shimmer and has a lightweight whipped texture that sinks into the skin in seconds. It doesn’t have a hint of grease and is by far my most-used summer product.
Let’s just say whenever I use this range of products, my boyfriend barges into the room asking what the amazing smell is. Literally every single time. The texture is thick and rich making it great for dry, scaly legs that have seen a little too much sun. But let’s not beat around the bush because the sole reason anyone would buy this stuff is for the smell. It’s fruity beyond belief with notes of lychee and dragonfruit but, once it has suck into the skin a little, it starts smelling a bit more expensive and musky. It’s the sort of product you just want to eat.
The Body Shop’s Body Yogurts are without question my favourite body cream products out there. They’re lightweight and don’t leave you feeling slippy and greasy afterwards. They’re cooling in their very nature, but this summer-appropriate Cool Cucumber scent is freshness at its finest.
One for those that like their body routine to be a bit more spa-like, this product is pure joy. The balmy melts into skin to deliver next-level nourishment. It leaves skin feeling silky and smelling like blood orange, ginger and rose and it looks like an ornament on the shelf, too.
Fresh products ooze summer, and this body lotion is the most summery of them all. Easy to use thanks to its pump dispenser, this lotion is lightweight but still rich and nourishing thanks to shea butter. And although the grapefruit scent is divine, this is so much more than just a zesty moisturiser. It also contains vitamins A and C for glowing skin and antioxidant benefits.
While this tub, which was created in collaboration with La Double J, is just about one of the most joyful, summery products I have ever set eyes upon, what’s inside is even better. The oily scrub that leaves skin soft and smooth beyond belief is noteworthy, but it’s Acqua di Parma’s orange, mandarin and lemon citrus blend in the form of its Arancia di Capri scent that steals the show. All I have to do is close my eyes and I could basically be relaxing on the Italian coast.
Harnessing Ouai’s now iconic fresh scent, this hardworking scrub can be used on both the scalp and body to reveal smoother, glowing skin.
The simplicity of this packaging fills me with happiness, but the minute I take off the lid, I’m basically entraced. This scrub is zesty and so uplifting it’s impossible to be in a bad mood while you’re using it. The formula itself is sumptuous and hydrating but still seriously exfoliating. It’s another hit with the boyfriend.
The Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil is one of my go-to summer products. I wouldn’t say the scent is a summer exclusive but it does have the sort of expensive-smelling freshness I crave in the warmer months. Spritzed onto limbs to give a hit of glow-giving moisture or worked through the ends of the hair to nourish dry ends, it’s a total wonder product. Plus, this summer’s limited edition bottle designs are beyond cute.
This stuff is like a holiday in a bottle. It’s almost vanilla-like but is coconutty, floral and generally warm and wonderful all at once. It gives skin a beautiful sheen and soothes discomfort too, which is a big bonus for sensitive-skinned girls like me.
Perhaps a more well-known monoi oil, this frangipani-scented formula from Elemis is a cult classic for good reason. Less tropical and more delicately floral, it also harnesses the nourishing powers of Tahitian monoi for supple skin.
If you’re not always in the mood for shimmer, this product is a great option. If you fancy a bronzed, shimmery finish, shake the bottle and blend into the skin. However, for a more natural-looking, understated glow, don’t shake and just let the universal glow add matte-finish warmth to the skin.
Who says highlight should only be worn on the face? This gel body luminizer from Fenty gives skin the most amazing glow when applied down the shins and on the collarbone. It has a wonderful way of making you look totally sun-soaked.
When I apply this stuff, it does make me feel a bit like J.Lo – just saying. When I’m heading out in shorts or a vest top and my skin is looking a bit dull and lacklustre, I just scribble this onto high points for a bronzed glow that makes me look like I’ve just stepped out of the sun.
First and foremost, with essential fatty acids and rosehip and sea buckthorn oils, this body oil is genuinely very nourishing and moisturising. I like to think of the next-level, natural-looking glow that it delivers as the icing on the cake. Oh, and the smell is unreal too.
If you have ever had the joy of using this product, I expect you have been waiting for it to make an appearance on this list, but I saved the best until last of course. Aptly named, this stuff is bottled sunshine. Not only does it smell like all of the most amazing things about summer, it leaves skin soft, supple and with a subtle shimmer that is like magic when it hits the sunlight. It’s expensive, but I’ve never once regretted buying it, and I’m on my third bottle.
