As one of Marie Claire’s resident perfume lovers, I’m always keeping tabs on the latest launches and fragrance trends. That said, no other fragrance brand is doing things quite like Phlur. Re-founded by Chriselle Lim in 2021, the brand constantly releases mega-viral scents, from the fruity floral Golden Rule eau de parfum to body mists that actually feel luxurious. To ring in 2026, the brand is returning to one of its hero fragrances with the release of its Vanilla Skin Body Oil.
Launching today, January 13, the body oil is set to be the answer to your dry winter skin problem. With a silky smooth formula (more on that later), it promises to hydrate and nourish skin, all while imparting a delectable vanilla scent. I’m already a major Vanilla Skin fan—the eau de parfum and body mist are my top-worn gourmand fragrances—but I’ve never been able to get behind body oils, preferring lotions and creams instead. If there’s one thing that can get me to try an oil formula, though, it’s the promise of a great scent.
I put Phlur’s Vanilla Skin Body Oil to the test, and TL;DR: I’m a convert. Keep scrolling to learn what makes Phlur’s formula so special and why I can’t stop using it in my winter body care routine.
Phlur
Vanilla Skin – Body Oil
Contents
The Formula
Phlur’s body oils are all about nourishing dry skin, and it uses three main ingredients to do so. For starters, it includes a blend of floral oils (rosehip, castor, and jojoba, if you want to get specific) that are rich in ceramides, which work to restore and maintain a healthy skin barrier. Then there’s squalane, an ultra-moisturizing ingredient that helps to lock in moisture. Finally, vitamin C rounds out this lightweight formula and is used to visibly brighten skin tone. Immediately after applying this body oil, you can expect your skin to feel softer, smoother, and more supple.
The Scent
As much as I love its skin-softening powers, the real kicker of Phlur’s Vanilla Skin body oil is its incredible scent. To put it simply, it contains one of the best vanilla fragrances I’ve had the pleasure of sniffing, and I’ve smelled hundreds over the years. It’s not too cloying or mature, striking the perfect balance between cozy, sweet, and downright irresistible.
It opens with a blast of sugary sweetness wrapped in pink pepper for a subtle touch of spice. Once the scent settles for a bit, it becomes less like a frosted cupcake and more like a cozy cashmere blanket, thanks to a base of creamy sandalwood, vanilla, and benzoin.
What’s more, this body oil holds up to some of the beast-mode fragrances in my collection. I’ll apply it after my morning shower, and still be able to smell lingering traces of vanilla on my skin well past lunchtime. Its impressive strength means you can go without perfume—although I never do. Instead, I use it as the first step in my body care routine to seriously upgrade my winter fragrance layering combos. Its warm vanilla base makes stacking fragrances uncomplicated. I like to top it off with a woody scent when I’m in the mood for something more bold, or a musky skin scent to amp up the cozy factor even more.
The Application
The brand recommends applying this body oil on damp skin, and I second that. I tested it on both dry and damp skin, and while the former led to a sticky mess that took ages to absorb, the latter made all the difference. On post-towel-dried skin, Phlur’s body oil melts into the skin within seconds, leaving behind a subtle, but noticeable glow. A little goes a long way, too—one or two pumps for each limb was all I needed to cover my entire body.
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The Takeaway
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this Phlur launch changed my stance on body oils. I like having soft skin as much as the next girl, but I’ve always stayed far away from oils—I despise any lingering greasiness or tackiness that can come from some formulas. However, I don’t run into that issue with Phlur’s. It’s essentially everything you could want in a body oil: It has a lightweight feel, absorbs quickly, creates baby-soft skin, and leaves a lovely glow.
The cherry on top of it all is the scent. As a gourmand lover, I like my fragrances on the sweeter side, but there’s a fine line between delicious and headache-inducing. Vanilla Skin is far from cloying, offering a sophisticated, balanced take on the popular fragrance note.
With soft, glowing skin that smells good enough to eat, I can’t help but feel like my sexiest self after applying this body oil, so consider this your new winter beauty holy grail.
More Phlur Products I Love
The fragrance that started it all, Vanilla Skin is the vanilla perfume to end all vanilla perfumes. Expertly balanced between spicy and sweet, every fragrance fan needs this scent in their wardrobe.
Phlur
Vanilla Skin – Body Mist
The body mist version is just as good as the edp (some may say even better!). I like to layer it over anything and everything for a dose of sophisticated sweetness.
Phlur
Missing Person – Body Oil
For a less sweet, but still delectable body oil, go with the Missing Person scent. Its musky, floral fragrance feels like the most comforting hug from your favorite person.
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