With products that scream ‘fun in the sun’ and seem to be primed towards the summer season, I decided to try out three of best-selling products from Sol de Janeiro. For the past year, I have been on the hunt to curate the best body care routine for my dry and sensitive skin. At first, I was a little hesitant to try out this line of products because it seemed too good to be true and the internet can hype things up a little too much. Everything that is hyped on the internet, I like to take with a grain of salt. However, Sol de Janeiro has been in my line of sight since 2020 and their line of products continues to grow with variety. Do they stand the test of being sensitive skin approved? Let’s explore this brand in more detail.
Disclaimer: This post does include some affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I have personally vetted.
The way that my face glows without makeup is the same way that I want my body to glow. I want my skin to be hydrated and smooth. This is where the Sol de Janeiro products come in as part of my after shower routine to lock in the moisture and add to the glow. I have tried the popular Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream and the Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF. In sum, I have tried all of these products within the last year and feel that I can give an extensive review on them.
About Sol de Janeiro Body Care: The Brand
“In Brazil, beautiful isn’t a standard but an attitude. It is the confidence of feeling good in your skin.”
Sol de Janeiro was founded by Heela Yang, a former beauty executive with experience at Estée Lauder Companies and L’Oréal. After relocating from New York City to Brazil, she was inspired by the liberation she felt embracing her body while pregnant. She aimed to empower all women to feel comfortable in their skin regardless of shape, size and skin tone. With the infusion of South American ingredients and Brazil’s celebratory and self-confident flair to body care, the brand Sol de Janeiro “Sun of January” was birthed.
The sentiment of the brand is rooted in the beach culture of Rio de Janeiro where being beautiful isn’t a standard but an attitude. A feeling and the sense of joy to feel good in your skin by taking care of it. It’s one of the fastest-growing body care lines that is popular with beauty editors, celebrities and people across different age groups. The products themselves are not the only thing that makes this brand stand out on shelves. It’s the look. The colours. The packaging. It’s the deliciously scented ingredients and the feeling it exudes.
If you take a look at Sol de Janeiro’s Instagram page, you can see that their identity reflects their ethos. It is bright, colourful, youthful and fun. By scrolling through their page, you can see that their target audience is geared towards women in different age groups. However, it seems to attract women in their late teens to mid-30s. In addition, the visual identity of their brand evokes this feeling of an endless summer that is always filled with joy and the scents that comes with the season. That is the experience that their customers will feel when applying their products to their skin.
Sol de Janeiro Body Care Review: Beija Flor Elasti-Cream
What’s It For?
The Beija Flor Elasti-Cream is a daily nourisher and rich body cream created with a gentle retinol alternative and plant collagen. The purpose is to achieve velvety-soft and youth-kissed skin.
What’s In It?
Their Beija Flor Elasti-Cream has a superstar ingredient that you would want to find in a body care product. It also has an ingredient (fragrance/parfum) that may or may not be the ingredient you want to put on your skin. Despite that, there are a mixture of humectants and emollients. Due to contact allergens and the potential trigger of an immune reaction, I have to be careful with fragrant products.
- Glycerin a natural moisturiser that keeps the skin hydrated and replenished.
- Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract the natural sugars have moisturising and smoothing properties, while the acids act as a mild exfoliant with skin brightening and antibacterial properties.
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil hydrates the skin and reinforces the barrier to better retain moisture.
- Caryodendron Orinocense (Cacay) Seed Oil a retinol alternative that improves skin tone and boosts collagen production in the skin.
- Plant Squalane helps to make your skin balanced and smooth without anything heavy and greasy.
The fragrance/parfum notes used in this body cream is the same that you would find in their Cheirosa 68 perfume mist. If you know that fragrant products can be a hit or miss for you, I’d suggest doing a patch test before applying this to your body.
- Top notes: Pink dragonfruit, lychee essence
- Medium notes: Brazilian jasmine, Ocean Air, Hibiscus
- Dry notes: Sheer vanilla, Sun Musk
How Do You Use It?
The Beija Flor Elasti-Cream can be used as part of your morning and evening routine after the shower. You can apply a generous amount to your hands and massage it into your skin. It does not take long for your skin to absorb the product and feel hydrated. I tried this both as part of my morning and evening routine. However, I prefer it for the evening more. The scent does not last as long as I think it should. If you want the scent to last for longer, I’d suggest pairing it up with a body oil.
The Results & My Experience with Sol de Janeiro Elastic-Cream
After using the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream for a couple of months, I would say that my experience was enjoyable. My skin felt hydrated and smooth while using it. The scent does not last long during the day, which is unfortunate, as I feel that it plays a part in the overall product itself. The cream is quite thick which might be a lot of some people during the warmer months. Due to the dry air, it is absolutely perfect for me to use during the winter months. I prefer thicker creams as the weather gets harsher as my skin feels more protected against the elements.
I have repurchased this product twice in the last year and my experience has not changed. This cream by Sol de Janeiro has a soft texture but I don’t think that it can tackle dryness on its own. I noticed that after 6 hours or so, my skin would feel dry again and I had to reapply product. However, I do think pairing it with a good body oil would reduce the dryness and the reapplication of the product.
Sol de Janeiro Body Care Review: Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
What’s It For?
The Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is a firming body cream with the irresistible scent of pistachio, vanilla and salted caramel. Its purpose is to hydrate and provide healthy glowing skin.
What’s In It?
- Glycerin a natural moisturiser that keeps the skin hydrated and replenished.
- Sodium Hyaluronate a form of hyaluronic acid that attracts moisture and reduces inflammation.
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil hydrates the skin and reinforces the barrier to better retain moisture.
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E) evens the skin tone, improves hyperpigmentation and can defend the skin from environmental pollution.
The fragrance/parfum notes used in this body cream is the same as their Cheirosa 62 perfume mist.
- Top notes: Pistachio, Almond
- Medium notes: Heliotrope, Jasmine Petals
- Dry notes: Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Sandalwood
How Do You Use It?
The Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is used as part of your after shower routine. The texture is much lighter than the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream which is perfect if you prefer lighter body creams. It’s very hydrating and the scent does last throughout the day. To apply the product, take a generous amount and massage it into your skin in a circular motion for better absorption and blood circulation.
The Results & My Experience with Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
I wish I could have got into this product because it does smell amazing. Despite the amazing smell, I did have an itchy allergic reaction to this product twice. This surprised me as I had done a patch test for three days prior to using it and there were no issues. To this day, I’m not entirely sure what ingredient or mixtures of ingredients caused the allergic reaction, but it did make me wary trying future products from Sol de Janeiro as it did take a while for my skin to recover.
Sol de Janeiro Body Care Review: Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF
What’s It For?
The Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF is a body spray that hydrates and refreshes the skin with coconut water that leaves a gorgeous natural sheen while protecting your skin with UVA/UVB broad spectrum SPF 50.
What’s In It?
- Safflower Seed Oil keeps the skin hydrated and nourished with fatty acids to prevent dryness.
- Glycerol/Glycerin a natural moisturiser that keeps the skin hydrated and replenished.
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E) evens the skin tone, improves hyperpigmentation and can defend the skin from environmental pollution.
- Avobenzone a synthetic sunscreen ingredient that provides sun protection in the UVA range.
- Niacinamide also known as Vitamin B3, helps with the fading of dark spots and improving skin texture.
The fragrance/parfum notes used in this SPF body spray matches their Cheirosa 87 perfume mist.
- Top notes: Leite de coco, warm sand
- Medium notes: Solar Tuberose, Ylang Ylang
- Dry notes: Creamy Vanilla, Amber Essence
How Do You Use It?
Shake the body spray well before use and very generously apply it to your body about 15 to 20 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every two hours especially after swimming and sweating. Then massage it into the skin.
The Results & My Experience with Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance SPF
This is my favourite product out of everything that I have tried from this brand. I was very hesitant using this as it does say that it is fragrant on the packaging. If it didn’t work out, then it is what is and I would have found something else. Luckily I haven’t had any itchy sensations or allergic reactions since using it in the last months. I’ve applied it on my chest, legs and arms and it has been a good experience!
Let me tell you it smells delicious and edible! It gives a glowing sheen on your skin and it lasts for hours. The coconut milk is potent at first but the creamy vanilla and amber essence does pierce through once it has settled on your skin for an hour. I haven’t tried a lot of sunscreen for my body but this one is definitely at the top of my list for the summer season.
Sol de Janeiro Body Care Review: The Final Judgement
My final judgement? I think the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream would benefit:
- People who have very dry skin and want to retain as much moisture as possible
- People who want a product that can be playful and fun
- People who to invest in pampering their skin
I think that the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream would benefit:
- People who do not have sensitive skin
- People who want to smell like summer all year round
- People who have dry skin
In my opinion, the Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF would benefit:
- People with all skin types including sensitive skin
- People who want to have fun in the sun
- People who want to be protected all day long
The price point. For what it is, I do think $48 per 240ml is expensive. However I believe it’s that price because of the high quality ingredients in it. In addition, it’s an affordable luxury that comes with the vibrant essence of Brazil as an experience.
Lastly, I did enjoy the products and the experience that came with them. However, they cannot get the sensitive skin stamp of approval from me. I do think they can be a hit and miss due to fragrance notes in them.
Would I buy them again? Yes, only the Beija Flor Elasti-Cream for the winter and the Rio Radiance Body Spray for the summer. It is a fun in the sun and playful body care line.
That’s it from me! An extensive body care review on the Sol de Janeiro products that I have tried and tested. Make sure to hit that subscribe button to join the community and never miss out on a post. Find me on Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok for more powerlifting and wellness content.
Until next time,
Folakemi
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