I love treating myself to a luxury perfume now and again. Fragrance is my thing and there’s something so special about saving up for a new scent. Nothing brings me joy like displaying a shiny new designer bottle on my dressing table. That being said, you don’t need to spend a fortune in order to smell good. In fact, some of the most affordable perfumes on the market are the ones that have earned me the most compliments, and there’s one in particular that people comment on time and time again. Say hello to Sol de Janeiro.
I have no doubt that you’ve come across this fun, colourful brand before—the famous Brazilian Bum Bum Cream has been all over TikTok for a while now thanks to its delicious scent and deeply nourishing formula. However, as a beauty editor, I was reluctant to give the brand’s perfume offerings a go, naively thinking that a £22 perfume could never rival my high-end scents. Oh, how wrong I was.
You see, on a sunny Saturday afternoon last year, I met my friend for brunch and couldn’t get over how good she smelt. I immediately asked her what perfume she was wearing, and it was none other than Brazilian Crush Cheirosa ’62 Perfume Mist by Sol de Janeiro. I asked her if I could spray some myself, and the way this fragrance made me feel was enough to have me running to buy my own bottle straight away. If you like escapist scents, then trust me when I say that this will transport you to a tropical island far, far away.
In terms of the actual notes, it’s warm pistachio, creamy sandalwood, sweet caramel and sensual jasmine. Much like many popular gourmand perfumes (the fragrance “family” for synthetic edible notes), it smells good enough to eat. Aside from the delicious fragrance and fun packaging, one thing that really stood out to me after trying it myself was the staying power. Body mists don’t often last as long as actual perfumes, but I was surprised by how long this one lingered on the skin. In fact, I sprayed it on in the morning and I was still receiving compliments by the time I got home. Don’t get me wrong—you definitely still need to top it up more than you would an eau de parfum—but compared to other body mists, it’s seriously impressive.
If you want to give my Sol De Janeiro perfume mist a go for yourself or are curious to hear which other scents I recommend from the brand, keep on scrolling for my top picks.
As mentioned above, this is my favourite fragrance from the brand. If you don’t like sweet perfumes, then this might not be for you, but if you’re a fan of gourmand scents then I can’t recommend this enough.
If you’ve read our guide to the best Baccarat Rouge 540 dupes, then you’ll know that this smells very similar to the iconic perfume. Floral notes of jasmine and a vanilla warmth make for an intoxicating finish.
This scent is a little more musky, so it’s perfect for the autumn months. Notes of plum, jasmine and orchid combine beautifully with smooth vanilla and sensual musk.
Although the Brazilian Crush Cheirosa ’62 scent is my favourite, this one comes a close second. It really is a holiday in a bottle, with notes of creamy coconut, fresh mango, warming amber, sweet vanilla and intoxicating ylang ylang.
This is probably one of the most famous body moisturisers out there, and for good reason. It smells great, it does great things to your skin and the pot looks great too.
The brand has recently brought out a new body butter that works to nourish dry skin and repair the skin’s barrier. Of course, it also comes with a beautifully uplifting scent that will have you hooked in no time.
If you want to smell like a tropical holiday from head to toe, why not treat yourself to a body wash from the brand as well? This clever product works to cleanse and exfoliate your skin for that post-holiday glow.
Yes, that’s right, the brand also does hair products. This leave-in conditioner protects your hair from heat and helps to detangle any knots.
I love using a body oil for an extra kick of hydration, and this one comes in my favourite scent.
Another one of my most-complimented beauty products is this lip balm. I can smell its sweet scent as soon as I take off the lid, and it leaves my lips feeling oh-so soft.
This is the ultimate gift set for any Sol De Janeiro lover, which includes a mini Bum Bum Cream, Brazilian 4 Play Shower Cream-Gel and Brazilian Crush Body Fragrance Mist.
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Main image: @pink_oblivion
This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.