Body Shimmer for Party Season

In August 2023, Beyoncé asked fans coming to her Renaissance World Tour shows between late August and late September to wear their most fabulous silver, as a birthday wish for Virgo season. She wanted the crowd to feel like a shimmering human disco ball, and stadiums full of chrome, sequins and glitter showed up night after night. It was a good reminder that shine is fun. Party season is the same idea on a smaller scale, and the easiest way to join in is a little body shimmer on bare skin.

The first row is shimmer body oils, which moisturize and glow at the same time. PHLUR Beach Skin Shimmering Body Oil has a soft, warm sheen. Moroccanoil Shimmering Body Oil blends argan, olive and avocado oils with pearly minerals. Anastasia Beverly Hills Shimmer Body Oil gives a sunkissed glow. L'Occitane Instant Golden Glow uses sweet almond oil and absorbs quickly. Victoria Beckham Beauty Portofino '97 Golden Shimmer Body Oil smells like a summer holiday. Maison Francis Kurkdjian gentle Fluidity Gold Sparkling Body Oil is scented and glamorous. BABOR Soul and Body Shimmer Oil is calming, and Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions in Copacabana Bronze adds a soft, blurring tint.

A quick test: smooth a drop onto the back of your hand and look at it under a lamp. You want a sheen, not visible specks.

Glow lotions, creams and gels are easier to control than oils. They give a softer, more even glow and dry down faster, so they are better under clothes.

Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body Highlighter is a golden glow for legs and arms. DIOR J'adore Les Adorables Golden Gel is a light, scented gel with fine gold shimmer. Lux Unfiltered Golden Era Blurring Body Glow softens the look of skin. Sol de Janeiro Body Badalada Daily Glow Lotion is warm and easy to wear every day. Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body Slimmer Shimmer hydrates and glows. PATRICK TA Major Glow Body Crème is a high-shine cream that makes skin look polished. MUTHA Body Butter Glow is a rich, velvety body soufflé, and Lancôme Juicy Tubes Jelly Highlighter works on both face and body.

Pairing tip: mix a glow lotion with your usual body lotion for a sheerer effect. It is the easiest way to control how much shine you get.

What I would skip: a shimmer lotion on every inch of skin. It looks flat rather than glowing. Put it only on the high points, where light naturally hits, like shins, shoulders and collarbones, and leave the rest of your skin bare.

Shimmer and glow sticks are the precise, portable option. They slide straight onto skin, so you can put a little glow exactly where you want it and touch it up in the bathroom at a party.

Dose of Colors It's Literally Magic Shimmer Stick in Icy is a cool, frosty sheen. Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick in Pearl is soft and luminous. CHANEL Baume Essentiel is a clear multi-use glow stick for a wet look. DIOR Backstage Glassy Glow Stick in 034 Glazed Bubble is an iridescent champagne. Westman Atelier Lit Up in Pärla is a glassy oyster pearl gel. MILK MAKEUP High Light in Lit is a champagne pearl with hyaluronic acid. Haus Labs Bio-Radiant Glassy Balm in Glassy Opal is an iridescent pink for cheeks, eyes and body, and Mango People Dewy Glow in Sun Glitter is a bronzy golden glow.

How to use them: swipe a stick along your collarbones and the tops of your shoulders, then tap with a fingertip to blend.

What I would skip: a glow stick on skin that already has body oil. It slides around. Use one or the other.

Pick one shimmer, oil, lotion or stick, and put it only where light hits: collarbones, shoulders, shins and the tops of your arms. Blend with your hands so there are no lines. Let it dry for a few minutes before you get dressed, especially if you are wearing silk or white. Keep a stick in your bag for touch-ups. Body shimmer is the simplest way to feel dressed up for a party, and it makes even a plain black dress look festive. A little goes a long way, so start small and build. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together MAC Frost Lipstick and the Shimmer Lip Shades Around It.