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Have you ever loved a fragrance so much, you wish it came in shower gel, candle, body lotion, and even car freshener form? Well I feel this way about Ellis Brooklyn's Vanilla Milk — a perfume that marries two types of comforting vanilla with lush rose, moreish frangipani and creamy milk. If you're just as obsessed, you'll understand my excitement when I tell you that the brand has expanded its fan-favorite scent. Introducing the Vanilla Milk Shimmering Scented Body Oil. It's equally as incredible as the OG fragrance but now with heaps of added champagne sparkle — and I predict a sell-out.
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“I've always thought of Vanilla Milk as wonderfully indulgent,” Ellis Brooklyn founder Bee Shapiro exclusively tells Refinery29. “There's a feeling to the scent that reminds me of fall or winter pampering. I wanted to capture that in a champagne shimmer formula that mimicked our box packaging — and also felt festive.”
We’ve seen a few of our favorite fragrance brands launch body oil versions of beloved scents as of late, and it makes total sense: Not only do body oils moisturize the skin deeply, but they are often a more affordable way to try a scent before committing to a full-size eau de parfum.
Ellis’ Vanilla Milk was already a personal favorite of mine (not to mention, a 2022 R29 Beauty Innovator Award winner), and as a child of the 2000s, I have a bit of a soft spot for shimmery body products (especially ones that smell like dessert). But lest you expect chunky, see-it-from-space glitter, think again: Ellis’ Vanilla Milk Shimmering Scented Body Oil bestows a hint of super-fine shimmer that reads as more of a glow enhancer than body highlighter. “I think shimmer can look flattering at a holiday party but also equally at a pool party,” Shapiro tells us. (Facts!)
As for the process of transforming an existing scent from an alcohol base to an oil one, Shapiro reveals that the journey of keeping the scent consistent was less challenging than you may think. “The Vanilla Milk scent actually lives better in a non-alcoholic base,” she explains — perfect for those who want a longer-lasting fragrance. “If you smell a lactonic [milky or creamy] scent too early after spraying a perfume, you may get turned off by what people say are ‘sour’ notes. If you wait a few seconds, the alcohol will evaporate and you're left with a gorgeous creamy fragrance.”
And she’s right: As soon as I applied the oil, it blossomed into a delicious gourmand (comforting and sweet but not saccharine) that lingered on my skin — and for a surprisingly long amount of time. I applied it in the morning and could still smell it when I took an afternoon shower. I love wearing it alone on my arms, legs, and chest, or layered with another scent for more impact. (For a recent date, I added a few spritzes of Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid Eau de Parfum, a vanilla-floral that paired perfectly with Ellis’ romantic and sensual Vanilla Milk.)
Ellis Brooklyn’s Vanilla Milk Shimmering Scented Body Oil launches October 7 and retails for $70 for a 3.2 fluid-ounce bottle. (In comparison, the 1.7 fl. oz eau de parfum goes for $110, so it’s not a bad deal at all.) And while it’s too early to call, we’re willing to bet that this will be a highly-coveted gift for all the beauty lovers who have been good this year.