Dry body oil should not stain your clothes if you give it one to two minutes to absorb before you dress. Heavier oils that stay on the surface are the ones that transfer. On silk and satin, wait a little longer, and if a spot does appear, pretreat it with liquid laundry detergent before washing.
Does body oil stain clothes?
No, not if it is a dry body oil. It absorbs in one to two minutes. Give it that long before you dress and there is no transfer. It comes down to the weight of the oil: heavier oils sit on the surface and rub off, while dry oils sink in.
Regular body oils use heavier oils that stay on the surface, which is why they feel slippery and transfer to clothes. Dry oils use lighter, faster-absorbing oils that leave skin soft rather than shiny. Ours is a blend of sweet almond, sunflower, grapeseed and moringa oils, infused with hibiscus petals. Every bottle contains sweet almond oil, so skip it if you have a nut allergy.
Love a scent that opens warm and stays close? Our Scented Dry Body Oil (3.4 fl oz, $42) comes in Cocoa Moringa, Seychelles, Queen of Hearts, Cupid's Beau, Gilded Nectar and Pink Amber Vanilla. Prefer nothing but the oil? The Unscented Dry Body Oil (3.4 oz, $36) is the same fast-absorbing blend with no fragrance added. For the full story on why it sinks in so fast, read what dry body oil is.
How long should you wait before getting dressed?
One to two minutes is enough. Apply the oil within three minutes of stepping out of the shower, while your skin is still damp, using two to three pumps per limb pressed in with upward strokes. By the time you have brushed your teeth or laid your edges, it has sunk in and you can get dressed.
If you layer, the order is Body Silk on damp skin first, body butter next if you use it, and dry body oil last to seal everything in. The one-to-two-minute clock starts after the oil.
For a full walkthrough, including how much to use on each part of your body, read our guide on how to use dry body oil.
Which fabrics need extra care?
Silk, satin and light cotton show oil first, so give those an extra minute or two before they touch your skin. Dark denim, wool and thick knits are forgiving and rarely show a mark. Whatever you are wearing, the rule is the same: let the oil fully sink in, then get dressed last.
If you are wearing white or a delicate fabric, oil up first, finish your hair and makeup, and put the outfit on at the very end. Browse every scent in our Dry Body Oils collection.
How do you remove a body oil stain?
Treat the spot before it goes in the wash. For a light oil mark, pretreat it with a prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent or a liquid detergent booster, then launder it in the hottest water the fabric can safely take. Check the care label first, and for silk, follow its care label exactly.
These steps come from the American Cleaning Institute stain chart for grease and oil:
- Light spot: pretreat with a prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent or liquid detergent booster.
- Launder using the hottest water safe for the fabric.
- Heavy spot: place the stain facedown on clean paper towels and apply cleaning fluid to the back of the stain.
- Replace the paper towels under the stain often.
- Let it dry, rinse, then launder using the hottest water safe for the fabric.
Is shimmer oil safe on clothes?
Mostly, with one honest caveat. The oil in Shimmer Dry Body Oil sinks in like our other dry oils, but the shimmer itself sits on top of your skin, so a little can transfer to light or fitted fabric. Let it set for a few minutes and wear it where skin shows: shoulders, collarbones and legs.
Keep it off the parts of you that sit under a white shirt. Shimmer Dry Body Oil comes in 3.4 fl oz, from $43.
Frequently asked questions
Will it stain my sheets?
No. It absorbs in one to two minutes. Give it that long before you get into bed and there is no transfer.
Can I use it before wearing a white shirt?
Yes. Give it the full two minutes, and a little longer on white or light fabric, so the oil has fully sunk in before the shirt goes on.
Does putting lotion on first change anything?
No. Smooth on Body Silk first, add body butter if you use it, and finish with dry body oil last. Give the oil its one to two minutes and dress as usual.
Which body oil is best under clothes?
A dry body oil. Regular body oils use heavier oils that stay on the surface, which is why they feel slippery and transfer to clothes. Dry oils use lighter, faster-absorbing oils that leave skin soft rather than shiny.
