After seeing its candy-colored bottles and tantalizing fragrances go viral for years, I decided it was time to see what all the fuss is about and give Sol de Janeiro’s bestsellers a try. The brand is known for its tropical, laid-back vibe and hit products like its Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and line of fragrance mists. Beyond just smelling good, its hair and body care products are solution-focused, aiming to respectively improve strength and shine or elasticity and smoothness.
Over the past month, I incorporated 12 Sol de Janeiro bestsellers into my beauty routine, and was pleasantly surprised by what I found.
I wasn’t expecting for nearly all of the products to be a hit for me, but I suppose they are bestsellers for a reason. From the fan-favorite fragrance sprays to the luscious body lotions and even some sleeper hits like the hair care products, Sol De Janeiro really won me over.
Body creams that make you look and smell great
This body cream became my favorite of the bunch. It has a thick, buttery consistency that actually makes my skin feel smoother and softer once it’s absorbed. Because it is a bit richer, it takes more time to rub in, but it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. In the wintertime, I’m a fan of the brand’s Delícia Drench Body Butter, which is definitely its heaviest body cream, and this one falls between that and the fan-favorite Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. The formula is infused with a natural retinol alternative, cacay oil, which has anti-aging benefits, as well as moisture-boosting squalane. These work to boost collagen and keep skin feeling hydrated and toned. Plus, it has a pleasant, fruity-floral scent that isn’t overpowering.
Sol de Janiero’s Brazilian Bum Bum cream is a favorite for a reason. First off, it smells utterly delicious, with gourmand notes of caramel, pistachio and vanilla. It has a lighter lotion consistency compared to the other body creams I tested, which makes it a great everyday option.
Brazilian ingredients like guaranà extract, cupua?u butter (a relative of cocoa butter) and coconut oil give the formula a silky feeling as you apply it. Guaranà is high in caffeine, which helps tighten and smooth the skin.
Since Sol de Janeiro is all about maximizing your glow, the lotion does have a subtle shimmer to it. So subtle, in fact, that I didn't even realize it until my third time applying it. It's not sparkly, though, just illuminating enough to notice a little luster.
Bom Dia Bright Body Cream is meant to smooth and even skin tone and texture. Since these aren't my main body care goals, I didn't notice a difference on those fronts; however, I found the body cream to be rich and pleasant to apply. The formula contains alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids that gently exfoliate the skin, brightening and smoothing it over time. Because of these benefits, I like applying this lotion after shaving, since the exfoliating elements will help prevent ingrown hairs and razor bumps. The body cream has a juicy scent that matches the Cheirosa 40 fragrance — but more on the fragrance spray and lotion pairings coming up.
Out of the five fragrance mists I tried, I reached for this one the most. While the other ones were clearly fruity, floral or gourmand, this one felt perfectly balanced. After all, it has a bit of all three major scent families, with notes of plum, jasmine and vanilla. It's one of those blends where you can't quite put your finger on any note, but they all work together harmoniously for a delicious scent.
And since it matches the Bom Dia Bright Body Cream, spritzing this on after applying the lotion means that you can enhance the fragrance experience and get a longer-lasting scent. And by the way, given that the line is comprised of fragrance mists — which are not as concentrated as a traditional perfume — you can apply liberally and expect a shorter wear time.
Cheirosa 48 is a new addition to Sol de Janeiro's family of fragrances, and it's pure summer in a bottle. It was made as a nod to 1948, the year the bikini was popularized in Brazil, according to the brand. Thus, it boasts beachy notes of guava, coconut water, lemon and pink musk. It's fruity and tropical but also reminiscent of the smell of suntan lotion. It's very clearly a summer or vacation fragrance in my mind — just spritzing it makes me want to be laying poolside with a big sun hat and sunnies, sipping on a pi?a colada.
The signature Sol de Janeiro scent, Cheirosa 62 is the brand's most popular fragrance. And as gourmand scents have gained popularity, I was ready to hop on the bandwagon. In Brazil, "cheirosa" is a term for someone that smells good, and this fragrance is the epitome of that Brazilian beauty standard. The fragrance is sweet like caramel (which is one of the notes) and settles on the skin with a tantalizing nuttiness from pistachio and almond. Sugary and warm, the fragrance gives a sun-kissed, sensual effect. Of course, it's the same scent as the iconic Bum Bum Cream, so you can pair the two to truly smell delicious. I like that the mist doesn't have a big projection — meaning that the scent doesn't extend from the wearer's body and fill the whole room. Instead, it wears close to the body. But as soon as someone gets close enough, they'll remark on how amazing you smell.
A light daytime fragrance, this fruity floral pairs with the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream. It's an ode to Brazil's Tropicalia artistic movement, which was full of creativity and energy. To reflect that vibrancy, the fragrance has bright notes of dragonfruit, lychee, jasmine and hibiscus. It even has a touch of saltiness to juxtapose the sweet, fruity notes. Like Cheirosa 48, it's a bit subtler than the other fragrances. Because it has a sheer scent, I liked to layer this one over Cheirosa 59, which is a warm gourmand.
Sol de Janeiro's shampoo and conditioner are so moisturizing, I could feel a difference after one wash. My hair felt soft and full. After a couple weeks using the hair care, I noticed that maybe they're even too moisturizing for my hair type. I have un-dyed, pretty healthy hair to begin with, so I didn't need a repairing, rich treatment. The formulas contain lots of botanical oils that help deliver moisture (cupua?u butter, Brazil nut seed oil, coconut oil, buriti fruit oil) so with continued use, they began to feel a bit heavy for my straight hair. I can see them being best for dry or damaged hair. I've kept them in my routine, though, just using them once a week for an added boost. Of course, both are infused with the Cheirosa 62 fragrance, so my hair smells great too.
Since the shampoo and conditioner were so moisturizing and I didn't want to weigh my hair down even further, I used the Milky Leave-In Conditioner in moderation, applying only a couple sprays on the middle to ends of my hair. While brushing the product through, I noticed that it helped ease the knots out of my hair with little effort. I also appreciated that it acts as a heat protectant, so I didn't have to reach for an extra product before blow-drying my hair. As for its conditioning ability, I definitely could feel that I had more product in my hair, but it did make it softer without looking stringy or greasy. Considering that it's less than $30 for 7.1 ounces, I think it's definitely worth the price. Especially considering that other leave-ins I've tried from brands like Morocconoil and Ouai will run you $30 for much less product.
Before I get into the only product that didn’t work for me, there’s just one yellow flag to note about the full line of fragrance mists. All of the fragrance mists I tried lean toward the sweet side, regardless of what the notes of the scents are. Especially when testing them one after the other to compare the fragrances, it’s clear that the uniting factor for the collection is an immediate saccharine impression. So if you don’t like sweet fragrances, steer clear. I could also see this being a turnoff for someone looking for a nuanced and sophisticated scent. But if your sweet tooth carries to your taste in fragrances, then perfect!
As for the product that I would pass on in the future, the Glowmotions Copacabana Bronze Glow Oil was just way too sparkly for my taste. It comes out of the bottle looking super concentrated and has a nice non-sticky, dry oil texture. As you blend it out, it gives a decent bronzing effect, similar to bronzing drops for your face. But it also distributes noticeable glittery sparkles that were just too conspicuous for me. I tried to tone it down by using a body wipe to take away some of the product, but for some reason it wouldn’t wipe off. The only way to remove it was to shower. (This long-lasting quality could actually be a benefit if you’re after a shimmery body oil.)
If you dip your toes into the world of Sol de Janeiro, you can be assured you’ll come out smelling delicious. The irresistible fragrances are the highlight of the collection, carrying throughout its body care, hair care and mists. It’s also nice to see that the brand’s celebration of Brazilian culture come through each of its products, whether emulating it through scent or native ingredients. While lots of the products seem particularly primed for summer, I found some year-round hits like the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream and Cheirosa 59 Delícia Drench Fragrance Mist. The internet was right about this one — Sol de Janeiro is totally worth the hype.
