Each Sol de Janeiro cream has its own benefits, making it hard to pick an overall winner without considering individual needs. Here’s a breakdown of which cream works best for different skin types and concerns based on my tests:
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I’ve pitted three Sol de Janeiro creams against each other to determine which is best for your skin type and which is worth the money
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Sol de Janeiro has soared in popularity in recent years, being awarded the title of the hottest beauty brand of 2024 and seeing sales jump 160%.
As we explain in our Sol de Janeiro guide, the brand makes indulgent body care products that combine rich textures, iconic scents, and skincare benefits.
This has seen it move into a range of Sol de Janeiro perfumes, deodorants and more.
Founded in 2015, the brand celebrates the vibrant spirit of Brazil.
All of its products are cruelty-free, often vegan, and designed to nourish your skin while transporting your senses to a tropical paradise.
And among its most popular items are its Sol de Janeiro creams.
To help you decide which Sol de Janeiro cream is best for you, I’ve compared three of its most popular products: Bom Dia Bright Cream, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, and Delicia Drench Cream as part of my Sol de Janeiro cream head-to-head.
READ NEXT: Sol de Janeiro perfumes ranked: Which Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa scent is best?
For my Sol de Janeiro cream comparison, I used each product for four to six weeks. I evaluated hydration, texture, formula, and performance to determine which cream is best for specific skin types and which offers the most value for money.
mamabella/Sol de Janeiro @victoria_woolly_web♬ GASLIGHT – INJI
The Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is one of the Sol de Janeiro’s most iconic products.
It’s made using caffeine-rich guaraná and cupuaçu butter and promises to firm and smooth the skin, make it smell like holiday and deliver a burst of hydration.
Given that hydration isn’t its main selling point, it didn’t perform that well in hydration tests. It only increased skin moisture by 0.5 percentage points, or 1.6%, after five minutes.
After an hour, hydration levels dropped slightly, resulting in a final increase of just 0.6%. The cream’s rich texture and pistachio-caramel scent make it a favourite, despite its modest hydration boost.
With an INCI score of 9.3/10, it is skin-safe. This ranking scores products based on the number of ‘icky’ ingredients included and the ‘icky’ rating refers to fragrances, dyes or any other ingredient that could potentially cause irritation or problems with sensitive skin.
Be aware that the Bum Bum cream has a comedogenic rating of 4/5. This means the chances of it clogging your pores are high.
I suggest either avoid using this on your face or back, or anywhere you are prone to spots, or at least do a patch test for a week or so.
What does Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream smell like? Pistachio, salted caramel, and vanilla.
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@victoria_woolly_web Well in the Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum cream vs Bom Dia Bright cream, the latter wins coming in at #28 in my best moisturiser list. For reference, the Bum Bum Cream sits in 57th place. I don’t actually like the smell of this cream though. I have the blue Sol de Janeiro cabana cream to try too and that review will be up soon #mamabella #soldejaneiro #sodejaneirobomdiabright #bomdiabright #bomdia #bestmoisturiser #bestmoisturizer ♬ live more & love more – Cat Burns
The Bom Dia Bright Cream is infused with AHAs and Vitamin C to exfoliate and brighten the skin while boosting hydration.
It has a texture absorbs quickly, leaving your skin soft, smooth, and glowing.
In my hydration tests, this cream increased moisture levels of my skin by 4.1 percentage points, or 12%, after five minutes. After an hour, the hydration dropped by 2.4 points, giving an overall increase of 6.5 points (17.1%).
With an INCI score of 9.7/10, the formula is free from irritating or comedogenic ingredients, making it suitable for sensitive skin.
What does Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Cream smell like? Black amber plum, crème de cassis, and vanilla woods scents.
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@victoria_woolly_web The Sol de Janeiro Delicia Drench Body Butter is much thicker and richer than the other creams in the Sol de Janeiro skincare range – and the brand describes it as such – so I opted for a Locked-in Hydration test rather than a standard best moisturiser test. In this hydration test I’m not looking for the cream to increase hydration per se, I’m looking to see how well it maintains hydration over the period of an hour. This is why I do it on skin that’s already higher in hydration, and why I’m ranking balms and rich creams separately on their own tab. And the Delicia Drench cream did really well, jumping straight into the runner up position on my best balms and emollients list. It not only maintained hydration but it increased it by 2.1 percentage points, or 6%, over the course of an hour. It’s also affordable at £8.40 per 30ml (granted, you can only buy it in 75ml for £21 so it doesn’t seem cheap…!). It does have a lot of ingredients that could potentially cause problems with sensitive skin (fragrance mainly!) and some ingredients that have been flagged as being comedogenic. Two caveats with that though – it’s not for your face, it’s for your body, and it’s the overall formula that’s comedogenic so individual ingredient ratings should be taken with a big pinch of salt. P.s I *hate* the fragrance of this (and the Bum Bum Cream for that matter). Just can’t with it #mamabella #soldejaneiro #soldejaneirodeliciadrench #deliciadrenchbodybutter #soldejaneirocheirosa #bodybutter #dryskin #dryskincare #richcream #hydrationtest #primehydration ♬ RUN THIS TOWN X GANGSTAS PARADISE – ALTÉGO
The Delícia Drench Body Butter is Sol de Janeiro’s ultra-rich offering, specifically designed to address extra dry and sensitive skin.
Its formula includes bacuri butter for hydration and prebiotic hibiscus to help maintain the skin’s natural microbiome. This cream aims to lock in moisture and restore the skin barrier, making it particularly good for colder months or very dry conditions.
In hydration tests, this body butter delivered a locked-in hydration increase of 2.1 percentage points, or 6%. While the hydration boost is moderate compared to others in the range, its real strength lies in its ability to provide a protective, lasting moisture barrier.
The formula scored 9.2/10 on the INCI scale, reflecting its skin-safe composition. However, with a comedogenic rating of 5 out of 5, it might not be ideal for acne-prone skin on areas like the back or chest. The irritant rating is relatively low, though, at 2 out of 5, making it suitable for sensitive skin types.
What does Sol de Janeiro Delicia Drench smell like? Vanilla orchid, sandalwood, and plum.
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Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
