During the warmer, summer months, I am not as diligent with my body moisturizing routine as I'd like to be. But because of the humidity and warm weather, I can get away with it. During the winter… not so much. My body begins to look ashy very quickly, the skin on my calves is visibly cracked, and the back of my arms tends to get dry and flakey. So, the fall and winter seasons are when I begin to go through tubs of Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Body Cream.
How did I end up switching from a $5 drugstore lotion to a $45 Brazilian product? I am slightly embarrassed to admit it, but my interest was first piqued because the name both intrigued me and made me happy. But it was the smell and the gushing reviews that actually got me to buy a tub.
Fragrance-wise, this is not a cream for the faint of heart — it's a deep and strong musky vanilla scent that reviewers have described as cozy, warm, and smelling like a vacation. Personally, I am a fan. I appreciate the way I catch whiffs of the scent hours after I've applied the lotion. The smell is a little treat that you get randomly throughout the day.
Shop now: $45; amazon.com, sephora.com
More importantly is how well the Bum Bum Cream both absorbs and moisturizes. One super pleased reviewer exclaimed, "where has this been all my life?" The cream is just so good, your skin literally cannot soak it up fast enough. I don't know why all body lotions aren't like this." And I have to agree, as it absorbs so quickly and seamlessly that I sometimes forgot I put it on.
Happy customers also praise how rich and moisturizing the lotion is, which makes sense when you see that its hero ingredients are coconut oil and cupuaçu (Brazil's national fruit) butter — the latter of which is a quick-absorbing and hydration sealing emollient. Many reviewers are repeat buyers who swear by the Bum Bum Cream's ability to deeply penetrate and moisturize your body while leaving behind a slight shimmer or glow.
Lastly, there is the firming aspect touted by Sol de Janeiro. With any topical product and promises of skin tightening or cellulite-reducing, it's important to keep your expectations in check — a cream won't give you professional medical results. But when applied in circular motions and consistently, I think it helped make my skin slightly less… frumpy, which is a sentiment other reviewers share. "If you just need a little help with mild cellulite, this will make everything look great and it lasts all day," one shopper said. Another said that not only did the lotion help smooth out skin, but it also began to slowly fade dark spots.
Although it is a $45 body lotion, I have been using my 8-ounce tub for nearly a year and I imagine I've got another year left. Head to Sephora to get yourself some Brazilian body cream.
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