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What Is Shower Oil? How It Differs From Body Wash

Shower oil is an oil-based body cleanser that turns milky or foamy with water. How to use it, whether to rinse it off, and the brands, from their own labels.

By the Luxury Bath editorial teamUpdated 4 min read6 sources

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Unlabeled amber glass pump bottle on a cork tray beside folded beige towels and a bath brush

Shower oil is a body cleanser made with oil instead of a gel base. You apply it to damp skin, and when it meets water it turns into a milky lather or a light foam, then you rinse it off. L’Occitane’s Almond Shower Oil, the best-known example, lists 30% botanical oils. Brands usually sell it for dry skin.

It is not the same as body oil, which you smooth on after showering and leave on the skin. It is also not a bath oil, although some shower oils double as one.

Shower oil vs body wash vs body oil

Product Base How you use it Rinse off?
Shower oil Oils with cleansing agents On damp skin; water turns it milky or foamy Yes
Body wash or shower gel Water-based gel or cream Lather with water Yes
Body oil Oils only On clean, damp or dry skin after the shower No
Bath oil Oils, often with essential oils Added to bathwater The bath does the work

“Moisturizing” on these products is the brand’s claim, not a measured result. What you can compare is the label: the ingredient list, the oils named and the fragrance.

How to use shower oil

L’Occitane’s directions, as printed on Ulta’s listing:

  1. In the shower, apply to damp skin and massage in circular motions, working upward.
  2. Add water to turn the oil into a milky lather.
  3. Rinse thoroughly.

Sol de Janeiro calls its Delícia Drench an oil-to-foam body cleanser, so it foams rather than turning milky. Both brands say their shower oils double as a shaving oil. L’Occitane adds that its almond oil can be poured under running water to make a bath.

Shower oils: L'Occitane, Sol de Janeiro and more

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Slippery floors

Aromatherapy Associates warns that bath and shower surfaces may become slippery after using oils, and advises rinsing the bath or shower area after use and taking care when stepping in or out. The bath mat guide covers in-tub mats, which one maker says bath oils can also make slip.

Shower oils worth trying

Compare them by the oils they name, whether they turn milky or foam, and the sizes and refills on offer.

L’Occitane Almond Softening Shower Oil. A cleanser that turns into a milky lather with water, with 30% botanical oils and an almond scent. Sold in 8.4 and 16.9 fl oz bottles, plus a 16.9 fl oz refill.

Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Shower Oil. An oil-to-foam cleanser with Brazilian andiroba oil, bacuri butter and prebiotic hibiscus, scented with the brand’s Cheirosa 59 fragrance: velvet plum and sugared violet on top, vanilla orchid and whipped amber in the middle, sandalwood and vetiver underneath. Sizes run from 90 ml to a 1 liter bottle, and there is a 1 liter refill.

Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oils. These are applied before you step under the water rather than washed in: one capful, warmed in the hands and massaged over the shoulders, torso and lower back. They sit between a shower oil and a bath oil, and the bath oils and soaks guide covers them.

Other luxury houses sell shower oils or oil-based cleansers too. Check each brand’s page for what the formula contains before you buy.

Fragrance and sensitive skin

Most luxury shower oils are fragranced. The FDA notes that fragrance ingredients may be listed only as “fragrance” or “perfume”, and it suggests reading the ingredient panel and avoiding anything you know you react to. A dermatologist can patch test if you are unsure. Terms such as “for sensitive skin” have no standard definition.

Is shower oil good for dry skin?

Brands sell shower oil for dry skin, and the claim is theirs. The American Academy of Dermatology’s advice for dry skin is about the whole routine: limit showers to 5 to 10 minutes in warm water, use a gentle cleanser and not so much that you see a thick lather, pat skin dry, and apply moisturizer straight away. For itching, rashes or eczema, ask a dermatologist.

Buying shower oil safely

On marketplaces, buy sealed bottles from the brand, an authorized retailer or a well-rated seller, and walk away from listings that mention a “dupe”, a sample or a partly used bottle. Compare the size and the ingredient panel in the photos with the brand’s own listing.

Shower oil and body care gift sets

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A shower oil makes an easy gift, and the bath and spa gift guide suggests pairings. For a gift that goes in the tub instead, see bath bomb gift sets. For scent in the steam rather than on the skin, see how shower steamers work. For the full at-home spa kit, see the luxury bath at home overview.

Frequently asked questions

Are you supposed to rinse off shower oil?

Yes. L'Occitane's directions end with rinsing thoroughly, and Sol de Janeiro describes its shower oil as a cleanser you massage in and rinse off. A body oil, which you apply after the shower and leave on, is a different product.

How do you use L'Occitane shower oil?

Per the directions on Ulta's listing: apply it to damp skin in the shower and massage in circles, working upward. Add water to turn the oil into a milky lather, then rinse thoroughly. L'Occitane also says it can be a shaving base or be poured under running bathwater.

Is shower oil better than body wash for dry skin?

Brands sell shower oils for dry skin, and L'Occitane's contains 30% botanical oils. The American Academy of Dermatology's tips for dry skin focus on the routine: 5 to 10 minute showers in warm water, a gentle cleanser without a thick lather, patting dry and moisturizing straight away.

Does shower oil make the tub slippery?

It can. Aromatherapy Associates warns that bath and shower surfaces may become slippery after using oils and says to rinse the bath or shower area afterwards and take care stepping in and out. A tub mat maker, Gorilla Grip, also warns that bath oils may make its mat slip.

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